"THAT WALL."

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 177, 21 April 1908, Page 10

"THAT WALL."

Sir,—fninteiitionally, doubtless, in his article headed as above, your reporter is apt to convoy the impression, to those not "in the know," that the Oriental Bay residents are an unreasonable set of people in that; now that the work has been commenced at the Bay, they are finding fault with it, and wanting something else from sheer cusscdness. Kindly permit mo space to explain that tho work now being put in hand is exactly what those interested in tho improvement of the Bay, and the conservation of its bcaclv for the children of the city, lmvc all along been opposed to, for two reasons:—(1) The upright 'f ft. concrete wall will, at the two ends of the bay, where there will, at .high tide, bo deep" water, be an danger to small children; falling from off it would probably mean .drowning, as the child could uot regain the

top of this wall without assistance: (2) the upright wall at thoso points would,- in the prevailing northerly winds,, cause tho sea to break right over tho roadway. For these reasons,. and in order to give ready access to all to tho beach, those interested. in the work have persistently urged the formation of tho simple, and less expensive sloping rubble, facing from roadway to rocks or beach, as the ease may be. AY hat is more, tho original plan shown to the Improvement Committee, and which wo were assured would be the one on which tho work would be carried out, indicated just such a sloping wall or ombankment, with its toe on the bcnch at high water mark. Hence tho indignation, not " excitement," of tho deputation to Mr. Morton yesterday. It is good news that its representations are likely to result in some alteration in the direction desired. Just one other point. It is noticeable that whenever the local papers allude to this work it is in terms as if it were solely an Oriental -Bay affair. I would here emphasise once moro that this work is as much a' city work as recreation grounds, street widening, or. any other which, tend to the city's, progress and improvement. ! That tho citizens so regard it has been repeatedly shown in their united action to prescrvo the Bay against tho schemes of would-be speculators and dcspoilers.—l am, etc., April IG. H. 8.8. TRAMWAYS FOR THE HUTT. Sir,—No doubt a great number of the.resi-, dents of the Hutt would bo astounded to read in the daily papers that a meeting had been held in tho Town Hall at tho Hutt,' and that Mr. Pctarkin, tho Mayor, was in tho chair, tho object of tho hbovo meeting being' to discuss tho proposed tram sclicme. Ploaso allow me to inform you that this was not a public meeting in any sense of the term, and, as far as I can find out, no advertisements ha. j appeared calling such a meeting. . I understand that some,, circulars have been sent to certain residents, but tho wliolo savours of a hole-and-corner nvseting, and tho motion put and carried does not in any way carry any weight with it, as to what tho public think about the laat-ter. Mr. Peterkin can take it from, me that,if he thinks that ho is going to get through this tram scheme, and foist ,it upon the already overburdened taxpayers) lie is greatly mistaken. The public are not going to havo any of it, if they have got,to pay, simply . because they doii't want it; -

Those interested should remember that the ideas about the matter have originated with tlieiu, and beforo tho public want it,, and therefore they have got their work' cut out. When Mr. M'Donald, tho late Mayor, went to the public for the £60,000 odd 'for'- tho water and drainago scheme) the public had empowered him to go ahead—but not so tin's absurd tram scheme.. The public have never thought about it. Only on ono condition will the trams ever bo laid down in.'the Hutt at the, cost. of £70,000,' and that-will be when some person can bo found silly enough to guarantee the public a"gainst any less. Wo have heard from so many sources, and so many times, that men and syndicates were actually 'ready to start tho work, but unfortunately as scon as they have bc-en asked to toe the . line, for .sonie'unforeseen reason, they have'not seen their way clear t-o. renew their promise.; I am strongly under- th 4 improsaort'-'thatv'tlto i whole talk is a farce, and begins and ends i with land jobbers to persuade tho unwary to buy, buy, buy. . ' . - '■ ■ The men who are talking.about it. know as well as possible that a tram' scheme would ' ..never pay its salt (of course, as' things are and seem likely to bs for some time), but dredge, the river,, build wharves, and . establish factories, and get 20,000 people strewn over, the. Hutt and Petono, and I don't say what would not happen. ' If Mr. Peterkin wants to test the feeling in tho Hutt, let him call a properly advertised meeting, and propose it, or something definite, putting .the .responsibility on tho ratepayers in'.any form, and I. will promise him'.a lively.time. In. the. meantime we can only - wait .developments, , andsee , which/ way. tho.oat is going to jump.—I am, etc., April 16. , , ; ... J. W. NEAVE.