VINCENT ROAD PROBLEM.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 71, 23 March 1916, Page 6

VINCENT ROAD PROBLEM.

COMMISSION OF INQUIRY.

FOURTH DAY OF SITTING.

Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., resumed his inquiry at the Magistrate's Court to-day regarding the proposal of the Auckland City Council to take land from Mrs. T. Cotter for the purpose of straightening and diverting Vincent Road, Remuera. Mr. J. Stanton, City Solicitor, apI peared for the Council. Mr. A. Hanna for Mrs. Cotter, and Mr. M. H. Wynvard for Mrs. Pritt. Hubert E. Vaile, land agent, was the first witness called by Mr. Stanton. He stated that Mrs. Cotter's property would be affected by the City Council's proposal, but it was possible to make adequate compensation for tbe land taken. He did not think there would be any undue-hardship inflicted, provided Mrs. Cotter was adequately compensated. Whichever way the road was diverted, about the same quantity of private land must be taken. The City Council scheme would more equalise the compensation to be paid than would any of tbe other proposals. He considered the Council's scheme the more reasonable one. • Mrs. Cotter could hardly expect to get the corner in exchange for an angle down Vincent Road, without having to pay something. Compensation would naturally be affected by the relative size of tbe area from which land was taken. A small area was naturally more seriously affected than a large one, by having a piece taken off it for road purposes. By Air. Wynyard: Mrs. Pritt's porpeity had a, hedge and some trees along the front, which, if taken away, woulit certainly interfere with the privacy of that area. The trees. . were all well grown, and it would take a long time to be replaced. The loss of the hedge would make a difference to Mrs. Cotter's property. Mrs. Pritt's property would suffer very considerably under Mr. Gannon's scheme, and more in proportion than Mrs. Cotter's under the Council scheme. In answer to Mr. Hanna, witness said it would be a benefit to have the street straightened, but there was only extraordinary traffic on Vincent Read on race days. That might be sufficient to justify the taking of a quarter of an acre from one person. He dfd not think the alteration would be of any particular benefit to Mrs. Cotter. It would not be any disadvantage to Mr. Earl. If Mr. Earl | go! the land on the other side, his property would be benefited, but £200 was , being paid by that gentleman for the benefit he would srain. Matthew A. Clark, warehouseman, stated he had lived in Remuera about 50 years, and knew Vincent Road well, j He approved the City Council's scheme for improving that road•J. H. Harrison, surveyor and road engineer, called by Mr. Hanna, produced a plan of how Vincent P.oad might be improved, by means of which he considered would be eliminated all danger to traffic. It took sixty feet off the corner of Mrs. Pritt's property and a curve at I the angle in. Mrs. Cotter*- property. Mr. Hanna remarked that the scheme submitted by witness was somewhat on] the lines proposed by Mr. H. M. Wilson. Witness considered taking so much land under the Council's proposal from Mrs. Cotter caused "undue hardship.'' He thought Vincent Road would never be the main thoroughfare to the racecourse. Clonbem Road was a better grade. Unless the whole of Vincent Road was widened to 66 feet the present scheme of the City Council was not iiistified. ' ■ By Mr, Stanton: It was hard to define what was ' "undue hardship" in these cases, but there was no doubt removing the hedge would affect Mrs. Cotter's residence. He would say the Council's scheme inflicted a greater hardship on Mrs. Cotter than was necessary, when, under his scheme, less land would be taken and a u better road made. i J. Dempsey, member of the Auckland City Council, and former chairman of the Remuera Road Board, gave evidence in support of the proposal of the City Engineer. W. E. Bush (City Engineer) was recalled this afternoon to give rebutting evidence.