THE EVANS BAY RECLAMA= TION SCHEME.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 57, 30 November 1907, Page 15

THE EVANS BAY RECLAMA= TION SCHEME.

..Now that the; schomo for reclaiming the shallower portions of, Evans Bay is crystalising, t there ;aro several - candidates for tho honour of . having'!j)een : ;tho first to suggest that Wellington should extend;her borders seaward .in thojmanner proposed. Quito a under tho impression'.that the days' of reclamation wero passed in).-Wellington, biit tK& Wellington ■, they ineani'";js not;.;. Greater Wellington, '••which- still holds., put;possibilities oflextension into'lthb sea. !Fpr instance", .an area of ugly jagged foreshore is'being acquired under tho Public ..Works /Act by[ the City Council, who :intencl. at some; futufo jieribd.'to' reclaim' a ■ few acres and there [create an ozonous recreation ground, Bit to, return to: Evan's - ' Bay; and , tho question "of tho origin of tho' idea of reclamation, there, it would seem that.Mr. J. 1\ Luke is tho gentleman, who ;• first conceived the ; possibilities of tho idea. As a member of tho City Council lie gave notice to move some four,'or, five months ago or more as follows't".;.: -k \ • " That a special committee be set up; con-, sisting of tho'; Mayor &nd four , councillors to consider and. repbrfc on matters': affecting thp/industrial interests of the city ofi-Wellington; land 'its provincial district(a),;'How-.' far ' tho . presentl:hiling prices tof land, together the amount of I taxation consequent on 'high values, retards the' 'growth of industries and prevents the establishment in the city of important and desirable manufactories. ...(b) To. ascertain if all necessary facilities and encouragement are given by the local authorities to promote. | and,,faster the manufacturing. and commercialinterests, of the. city.. (c) Whether tho time' has ijot arrived >-h'en the local , bodies should .unite to : acquire - an': area of land suitable:'-and adequate to-mee't-the prospectjve.igrowth of the industrial; and commercial 1 interests of the city of Wellington and its provincial district, (d) That special consideration be given to the' desirability of reclaiming the foreshore at Evan's Bay, such reclamation, to be comprehensive enough to provide for gasworks, ship and boat-build- . mgi',. saw-inilling, and other' .desirable industries, .together, with' wharves for the .'cheap . manipulation of the'.s'er.vic'es o'f the industrial ,v cono'erns.Vanjd: the - erection of an' up-to-dato \p_ower,-; house -and equipment for: the genera-tion-arid sale of energy .at the'lowest possible rate-' to consumers,: thus enabling manufactuers to develop and competejin the "ma'rltcts of the colonies and-elsewhere.. ; (0) That the Wellington Harbour Board be inyited.to sot ' up;Mi similar, committee ,to eyidehce, draff legislative requirements,); and-to do all things necessary to remove'all• existing disabilities and to promote and' encourage industrial and commercial'enterprises in our community." ■ ! This mdtion was seconded by Mr.'Godber and carried. ■•The question of acquiring the property ofthe...Wellington Gas Company is so old that its' Origin is lost in tho mists'of the past, •but. Councillor Luke takes credit' for having moved (about the middle of the present year); that a committee be set up to consider tho reclamation proposal and report' to the Council ori:-the desirability of that" valuablo property. "" ;•