THE CITY OUTLET SCHEMES.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 39, 15 February 1929, Page 6

THE CITY OUTLET SCHEMES.

The City Council has decided to adopt the proposed schemes for the extension of Belgium Street and Day Street, subject to conference with the Transport Board. As the Belgium Street project involves a readjustment of the tramway system, it is necessary to consult the Transport Board, and in our opinion the objections rais.ed to this course on the ground of needless delay were not well founded. We think it particularly unfortunate that Mr. Bloodworth should have suggested that the City Council and the Transport Board are for such purposes virtually identical, as this idea conveys an entirely false impression of the character and the functions of the Board. As to the merits of the proposed schemes, we believe that public opinion will, generally speaking, approve them. The extension of Queen Street through Belgium Street to the New Xorth Road will help to relieve the congestion of traffic in Upper Symonds Street, and if Mr. Bush's proposal for cutting into Upper Queen Street for tram lines, and carrying Karangahape Road traffic on an overhead bridge, is carried into effect, it will simply revolutionise the conditions of transport and transit in one of the most crowded sections of the city. The Day Street scheme will also help to relieve the heavy pressure along Karangahape Road and link up the western suburbs with the city by a new route. But in the meantime consultatiop between the Transport Board and the Council seems essential to the success of the whole enterprise, and the temporary postponement of the schemes should not be allowed to outweigh this consideration.