IN OTHER CENTRES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 98, 18 January 1908, Page 14

IN OTHER CENTRES.

(81 TEI.EORArn—SPECIAI, . COBHESPOXSEKTS.). "r —; ♦ . '■ '' • ' AUCKLAND. ' ■ /January 1". A matter to ' which brief rcforencoMvas . made, at tlio • meeting 'of- tlio City Council was tho Mayor's-scheino for : workers', dwell-. , infis, to bo erected by the municipality. This scheme'. has been shelved for tlio; past' six months, ; but the Mayor still lias it ill handi .-In; asking for the postponement of the question, for another, three months;-.hp rcmarked that, owing to the, largo number of., important, matters . that had claimed-the attention of the Councilj and. especially the fact that they were Vat present engaged in launching a comprehensive drainage; .sehemo ■ for the city aijd suburbs, lie' felt thaj this was not, an oppprtune. timo to, re-open'.the, subject. Jlo considered that for the next v icy months all' their attention, should be given . to studying ' and. inaugurating the drainage scheme, and completing the other ." important matters on which they bad already entered.- llo.had not, however) in any way altered his opinion as to the urgent necessity of doing something; not only to remove the congestion that now. existed, jlj'ut' also to ptcclude the possibility of its increasing to such an extent as to produco'. a state of tilings similar to that now found in the large towns of the Old Country, where the evil had • become so serious that a large number of societies had been established for. the purpose . of endeavouring tocopo with it, whethor by the erection of dwellings'by tho municipality, tlio founding of garden cities aiid suburbs, or in other ways. With our growing pi'os- • perity tlio demand for'.accommodation.,, for v those who were congregating in our city must continue to increase, and although we'were probably bettor off for, space than, many other Colonial, cities wo wpr'o certainly . not .free . frbm the.: danger of overcrowding. Wefhad | entered oil many undertakings for promoting. !''■ Itlio health and comfort of the citizens, such . ■ as water, supply, drainage, treatment of. garbage, the taking of ineasuros foronsuringtlinpurity of our'food supplies;, etc.; but be fe't 'sure that if,-tliey -wished to :get. the . full benefit of these, and make Auckland, in spite of its', warm climate,' one of the healthiest cities in Australasia, consideration vrould also havo to be given to tlio housing-question. ; Under the circumstances, however, ho moved " tha£ tlio/matter be deferred for a: further three months. : ■■ . ■ The motion was agreed'tg; without disciission.- ; 4 " ■' . ' ■. .. Seven c-r Eight Story Buildings. Many 'li'andsonie foiir and five story biukl- . ings, have, been erected within the.city area during the past two or three years; but these are now to be eclipsed by 'the erection of still higher and more commodious premises. Recently it was announced that it had been decided to erect seven and eight story brick. • buildings in. Wyndham aiid Customs Streets v " respectively-, and now conies tho information' that still another big building is about to be erected. • Tho latter is to assume the form of an eight-story brick building for Messrs. ' I/.- I). Nathan and Company, at the corner -of Customs Street and Fort Lane. On the completion of this structure tho firm's pre- <•' sent oliices at the corner of Qhortland and High Streets, will be put into, the builder's hands and materially altered and. built up at the rear.' Drainage Sciiome. ' 1 ' The report of Mr. '.Midgley Taylor on the : drainage scheme v/ould probably be com-., pletcd on ( Monday or' Tuesday. next'.- It is proposed, as soon as the repbrt is ready, to supply, copies of it to each, of the Councillors and also.to members of the Harbour Bopid, , and the suburban' local bodies interested-'in s the scheme. It r is further proposed to as!: Mr. Midgley Taylor to meet the"merabors of tho Council on Eriday next-for tho-'purpose of proceeding by water, to the'proposed out; fill, and discussing any points' in connection with his report that might require elucidating. The Mayor proposes to conveno,a conference of representatives of the various local _ bodies to''consider the question on the. following Monday, when Mr. Midgley Taylor will also,be present. " I Drawbacks of Natiue Shrubbery. •' A' blot; upon the beauty bf the ..Auckland Domain is the fact that from timo to'time ladies and children are molested by shady characters. The City' Council has been urged by tho Parnell . Council to clear some of the undergrowth • away, and (to light the main ■ V , road through the Domain, so as to obviatethis state of affairs.' ■ —- The City Engineer reported that lie would '■ endeavour to have tho undergrowth cut down as much as vas consistent with tile prescTvation of the natural beauties.of the Domain. No amount cf clearing in such a place, however, would prevent occurrences of the,kind .' referred to. He could not recommend the lighting of tho Domain drive at present. ' Mr. C. J. I'arr . said that] he had received ' . , several complaints from residents' who could v liot send their children into the Domain even , in the day time without risk of molestation. Something should be done in the matter. The. subject was j referred to tile Streets : \ Committee.