The Traffic Plan

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30630, 22 December 1964, Page 16

The Traffic Plan

Sir, —It seems a ludicrous travesty of civic administration when a meagre majority of two in a purely party-poli-tical vote can decide the momentous civic question of the new Hagley Park road as part of a master plan. Councillors seem to be evading their responsibilities by importing a costly expert, when already they have a body of certificated experts. From time to time cheaply cynical and unworthy gibes have been made at amateurs and laity who oppose the Hagley Park road; but there are many citizens (not experts) who have just as broad an outlook as the paid experts. Instead of relying on a meagre majority vote of party politics the general public should insist on a referendum, and so end the unsatisfactory vacillating policy at present.— Yours, etc., C. December 21, 1964.

Sir, —Ruth France, in her letter today, srys, in effect: employ an overseas consultant; he must be instructed to start afresh and produce a plan of his own, but if it should happen to confirm the present proposals with which Ruth France does not agree, the council must reject it. This is an intolerable attitude and I hope City Councillors now appreciate the sort of thinking that they have allowed to lead them into the expense of an overseas consultant. Ruth France has now displayed her hand quite plainly. She has no use for the democratic process. She, and only she, knows what is best and nothing else must be permitted. She has every right to express her ideas, but it is

the City Council who, on the evidence before them, must accept the responsibility for deciding, on behalf of us all, what is best for Christchurch. —Yours, etc., EXPERTO CREDITE. December 21, 1964.

Sir, —1 agree with your correspondent in yesterday’s paper about your editorials re the traffic plan. 1 have been a reader of “The Press” now for 40 years, but this last two years your editorials have disgusted me. You say take the park never mind what the people say. The park belongs to the people and they are the ones who should decide and have the last say in the matter, not the editor of “The Press" or even the Citizens’ Association. You accuse the Labour Party of politics. Some of the Citizens’ Association are against it but they followed the party line and voted with the rest. You took the same line when the Lyttelton trains were being discussed. Never mind the Heathcote people, cut out the trains.—Yours, etc., 40 YEARS A READER. December 21, 1964.