Narrow Streets.

Bush Advocate, Volume XVIII, Issue 488, 14 August 1906, Page 5

Narrow Streets.

[to the editor.] Sir,— Enclo?ed please find newspaper cutting with remarks by the Chh-f Justice re Councils' obligations in regard to streets, and which has a pretty strong significance in regard tc our own narrow street, to wit Queen-street which runs along by the railway line and which has several times been before our Council •and nothing definite done.— l am etc., Ratepayer. [Extract] While the hearing of the compensation case of Hall against the Wellington •City Corporation was proceeding at Wellington on July 20th in the Compensation Court, mention was made -that the Wellington City Corporation had endear oared to get from the Govornnient a release from the obligation to have the streets in the property, adjoining Newtown Park, a property r recently cut up for sale, made of the full 66ft, the width specified by the Act, and to leave them 49ft in width. Sir E. Stout (the Chief Justice) interjected ■that he was very glad to hear that the -Council did not succeed. It seemed to him that there was the old leaven still ■working here that militated against the city in bygone years. He noticed that «yen on Wellington Terrace there were wrong^conditions. The City Council •did not seem to realise what would be the result to the city of this overbuilding. "A place with wide and proper streets " had long been desired, but it had always been a struggle to get the City Council to do anything. He was -very glad to hear that the Government did not yield to this latest attempt to .keep the streets narrow. If the City -Council had widened Willis-street, when it was urged to do so 30 years ago, what an advantage it would have been, and what a saving of money would bave resulted. They could have done then for almost nothing what was now costing a great many thousands of pounds. Discnssion followed regarding the •crowding together of buildings, and Mr O'Shea said that the Council had power to prevent the building of places on rights of way, but the trouble in Wellington was that in bygone years the 'land had been cut into such small spaces that if one tried to take the street right through there would be practically no -land left. The Chief Justice said it seemed to him that the people of Wellington had •not risen to a proper conception of what ; -a large city should be. His Honor made no charge against the Council. He supposed it was carrying out the desires of the people who elected it, but it was a pity the people did not rise to a better conception of what this city -was going to be m the future. Mr O'Shea expressed an opinion that the origimal survey, of the city was , largely to blame for the present troubles, •>* Tjut from this view the Hon. T. K. Mac•donald (an assessor in the case) dissented. The Chief Justice again commented •on the very large number of narrow and blind streets existing in Wellington. The trouble had, no doubt, arisen from the disposition of past Legislatures and City Councils, who seemed to think that this place would be nothing more chan a fishing village. If tho presenc City •Council would look at the plans prepared for the rebuilding of San Francisco it would get some idea of civic perspicacity, and see how the Americans now allowed for the growth and expansion of future years.