CORRESPONDENCE.

Press, Volume XXIV, Issue 3201, 3 December 1875, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

♦ . THE TBBBB ON THE BELTS. TO THE EDITOR OF THB PBESB. Sir, —I entertain co high a respect for Mr Gould and his opinions generally, that as a rale I should have considerable diffidence in being opposed to him, bat in tbe present instance I am still of opinion that planting the trees in the centre of the belts was a very great mistake, and the sooner the plan adopted in the principal cities of Europe and America is carried into effect the better. Mr Gould is scarcely courteous in. saying thafc Mr Jones and myself, " with a pertinacity worthy of a better cause, are most anxious to squander the ratepayers , money in undoing wbatjhae. been done." I wish to point out to Mr Gould and those who think with him, that not only Mr Jones and myself —but the members of the late Council were (if my memory serve* me} unanimous on this matter, and the making of the footpaths 20ft wide on the North, South, and East belte, so far as the Council has proceeded in their formation, was with a yiew of replanting the trees in tbe way proposed in my resolution. And I would, also farther beg to remind Mr Gould that at the last election bat one of the City Council the question was asfce** of the candidates if they were in favor of removing the trees . from their present positions, and rapoa "replies being given in the affirmative, tire cheers were co vehement that there waa no mistaking the opinions of the majority of tbe ratepayers. Mr Gould is entirely mistaken if he thicks I have • "fcobbj *o ride," or that I am pertinacious, as that, would imply obstinacy. On the contrary, I simply tabled ft resolution in the exerrjee of a public duty, and m that wMlotfca w§# Jest ty the catt»

ing vote of the Mayor, the matter is at aa . *& -Mm. Immmgaai* It is now for the ratepayers to express an opinion in whatever l may think proper. I scarcely think lam fairly chargeable with being obstinate, or Wishing to squander the ratepayers' money. If the public wish to judge tbe watte* for themselves from an unprejudiced point of view, let them visit the belts in question* daring the winter, or after some days' rain* and then say if they are desirous of retaining! * a couple of narrow lanes, aaletree deep in* innd, caused by the traffic being confined to* such a narrow space, and by the wind and sun being shut oat by the dripping trees, to say nothing of tbe danger and inconvenience? of wheeled vehicles meeting. As regards the e*pens3 of removal, so much complained efj-thart,- m my opinion, would be nroney naore nwefrrlly and 1 regifcimately spent than some I hwve known, and it would awwßover obviate *he neeea»rtyof repairing the broken- fence* caused 1 by stray bones, to say ftetbibg of the posts- and rails' which are continually dfeappearing for ffee* wood. Ydura, &c, ' &. T. Jens. I December 3rd, 1576;