ISLAND BAY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2409, 15 March 1915, Page 6

ISLAND BAY

—, — t IMPROVING THE SUBURB ELECTORS' ASSOCIATION'S REPORT. The annual report of the Island Bay Municipal E'ectors' Association has been issued. It states that although improvements and additional conveniences are steadily being provided there is still room for further progress. Unfortunately, owing to the war, the City Conncil were unable to proceed with several important works throughout Greater 'Wellington, which wero to be paid for out of a proposed loan. Included in the loan schedule were schemes for beach improvement and a rock-swimming bath at Island Bay, and also additional loops on the tramway lino in this district. Beach improvement was' badly needed, and the incoming committee should uso every effort to urge the council to carry it out. Tramway duplication had been deemed so urgent that it was being done out of revenue, and the material was now being placed on the ground. The present scheme provided only for addi- , tioual loops or the lengthening of the present loops, but the tram service . would not be entirely satisfactory until ■ there -was a duplicate line of rails right from Rintoul Street to the terminus. ; A temporary band rotunda had been . erected at a. Bmall expense to the asso- ; ciation. The main culvert was now being i extended a further section, and the , council had promised that it would be ; completed next year. This work was i being done out of revenue. Tree Planting. i "Your committeej" continued the rei port, "has continued its efforts to ■ beautify the district by planting. treeß. Mersey Street was planted in August i last by a 'working bee,' and although ; some of the trees have died owing to • the very dry spring the majority are • making good progress. The council have ■ been approached to plant during the ■ coming season a double row of suitable 1 hardy trees in Reef Street, and also to > commence the formation of a park and ' children's playground on the Town Belt, ' opposite Wakefield Park, it being sug- " gested that this year's work should com--1 prise the planting of shelter.belts at the ! north and south ends and the formation ! of the ■ main pathway. Your committee has not lost sight of the great necessity ' for tree-planting on the. Esplanade, but " until the council's scheme of improye- > ments in. this locality has been carried ' out no tree-planting can be done there. "Your committee regret that the < balance-sheet does not. disclose a sound " financial position.. This is entirely due 1 to the large number, of subscriptions out- ' standing. 3 Three Years' Work. "The association haa now been in l existence for three years, and your com- . mittee feel that the time is opportune to review the work accomplished during j that period. There is no doubt_ that, j because of the efforts of this association, (. more attention has been given to Island „ Bay affairs by the municipal authorities j during the past three years than pres viously. The. culvert is nearing comB pletion; a slot telephone has been installed; itree-planting has.been carried B 'out in three separate localities; almost the whole of the .district has'been sup- . plied with concrete kerbing amf'channeiling; additional street lights have been provided in several places; a schemes for the improvement of the beach and formation of a rock-swimming bath has Mieen adopted and numerous other works . have been attelided to. "Much still remains to he done, such as asphalt footpaths, tramway duplican tion, and. shortening of the route to the city, improvement of the beach and the island, improved tram service (in partin cular Sunday morning service to enable the residents of Island Bay to catch q trains), and it is only by the constant vigilance of members of this association that these improvements will be brought q about." •