ANOTHER TUNNEL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 844, 16 June 1910, Page 5

ANOTHER TUNNEL.

WANTED BY HATAITAI. DEPUTATION TO MAYOR. REPORTS TO BE OBTAINED. A deputation from the Hataitai Rate* payers' Association waited on the Mayor (Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P.) yesterday to urgo the necessity of providing better means "of access from, the city to the suburb. Mr. A. Leigh Hunt said that the deputation represented a very large number of ratepayers. Hataitai should be the most convenient suburb to the city, but owing to the present unsatisfactory means of access its residents were under great disabilities. It was generally conceded that the constructon of the present tunnel was one of the greatest blunders that had ever taken place it tho civic history of Wellington. When tho undertaking was proposed it was distinctly pointed out that the tunnel would be constructed for pedestrian and vehicular traffic. They recognised that it was no use crying over spUied milk, but they asked the Mayor to take steps to see if some better means of access could not be brought about. A motion was being brought before the council for the construction of a tunnel through the Town Belt, but they gathered that this would be of moro benefit to Miramar, Seatoun, and the other more distant suburbs than to Hataitai. They gathered privately, and, ho assumed, correctly, that there, was a prospect of that tunnel boinf placed very much further south than the present one. They understood that it was the idea of the movers of that proposal to have a tunnel constructed on a low grade through the Town Belt somewhere behind the new vice-regal residence. That would no doubt be of very great servicii to the outer districts, but not to Hataitai. Hataitai was deserving of special consideration, because.the present tunnel was constructed with the aid of .£10,(100 given by the Hataitai Land Syndicate, and that .£IO,OOO had, without doubt, been put on to the sections which had since been sold there, so that the residents who had gone out there to live had no doubt paid their quota, and those- who went there later would pay ■theirs. The district had therefore contributed a good deal towards the construction of the tunnel, which was constructed for the further suburbs as well as for Hataitai, but to the cost of whose construction these further districts had contributed nothing. They requested that a survey should be made with the object of endeavouring to ' find better means of access to Hataitai. ■ Tho construction of a tunnel to serve the districts beyond was, to his mind, a separate question altogether. It was felt that tho Hataitai residents were labouring under an injustice, and that an estimate should be made of the best sort of tunnel to serve that suburb.

Mr. Hunt also referred to the prosecution of residents for walking through the tunnel, and stated that the deputation considered it an injustice that residents' should not bo allowed to walk .through, especially when the trams weie not running. They recognised that tho council had no legal authority to grant residents permission to 'walk through the tunnel, but it was a very serious position for them. The trams were not always running; and in certain weather it was almost impossible to climb over tho hill. Reference was also made by Mr. Huntto the deputation which waited on tho Tramway Committee to urge an extension of the tramway from KHbirnie to Roseneath. The Mayor replied that he hud referred this matter to the city engineer for a report, but up to the present Mr. Morton had been too busy to deal with the matter.

Continuing, Mr. Hunt urged that Hαtaitai was a fairly big suburb now, but,' it was absolutely nothing to what it would be in a few yeais. Houses were ', going up at a tremendous ,rate, and. the j district would carry a very large popula- ! tion in the near future. He hoped that something would bo done which would enablo them to look forward with hopefulness to tho prospect of having an improved means of access in a very feir years' time. ' , Mr. A. Monro suggested that while a tunnel near the new vice-regal residence would serve only tho further districts, one north of tho present tunnel would serve Hataitai and the more distant suburbs alike. The Mayor, in replying, dealt first with the question of pedestrian traffic through the tunnel. Much a 9 ho desired to help them in this respect, to do so was ■ impossible. Under the Order-fn-Council the City Council had no power to allow pedestrians to go through the tunnel while the trains were running. The question then arose as to what obligations were thrown on the city for promises made and not performed in respect of the tunnel. He did not admit that the council in the past had made a blunder in this connection, or, had defrauded anyone, but ho admitted that the present tunnel was useless for the requirements of the Hataitai district. If the tunnel was constructed on the distinct understanding that pedestrian and vehicular traffic be catered for, his personal opinion was that such an undertaking should be carried out- to the best of their ability. He would bring the matter up at the next meeting of the committee, and ask them to instruct Mr. Morton to prepare, alternative reports, one on certain suggestions of his own (Mr. Wilford's) for alterations: to the present tunnel, the other for a tunnel in another direction altogether. He would also suggest that a survey should be made by Mr. Morton, and as soon as his report? were ready they wou d belaid before the council. He would do hise best to set tho question reported upon at the earliest possible moment. . ■ Mr. Hunt suggested that pedestrians should be allowed to go through the tunnel when the cars were not running. Mr. W. Morton (City Engineer) said that if they went through well before the tram traffic started there would be no reason to object. The Mayor said that none of the persona prosecuted recently was prosecuted for walking .through the tunnel before the cars started. Mr. Hunt sugaested that notices should be posted up ill" the tunnel stating when tho car traffic began and ended. The Mayor said that that would be giving authority for people to walk through the tunnel, which the council conld not leeally do. ....... The City .Engineer pointed out that if there was' an'accident one night, and a later car than usual caused an accident in the tunnel, or if a later special car caused an accident, the council would be held responsible. . Mr. Hunt: Yon will recogniM that if that, is tho position it only strengthens our case for new means of access. The Mayor: I can't say more than I Mr. Morton pointed out that residents of other suburbs had a steep walk if they missed the last car. Mr. Hunt: But they have a lighted r °Mr..Morton: Well, if we give von a' • few lamps over the hill that would be a C Mr P &G& us a refund of .£IO.OOO and we misht be satisfied. ' The deputation then thanked tho Mayor and withdrew. ' N