ACCESS TO KARORI

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 235, 30 June 1922, Page 6

ACCESS TO KARORI

CLAIM FOR SHORTER ROUTE A large deputation waited on tho City Council last night to' urge the adoption of the Kelburn-Northland route to Karori.

Councillor J. Burns introduced the speakers, and spoke of the abnormal patience of residents of Karori and Northland. He said that many councillors themselves had voiced the need for ■ better communication with those suburbs. The ratepayers were by no, means unanimous in regard to the Karori Road proposal. Mr. F. W. Manton said that the Karori and Northland Ratepayers’ Associations had been promised by the last Mayor that the provision of better access from the city would receive consideration. They saw, however, that no provision was made for this work in the last loan. They therefore urged action at an early date, and suggested the provision in the meantime of an adequate bus service. Instead of the Raroa Road proposal, the council should consider the advantages, of the route via Kelburn to the junction of Karori and Northland Roads. The council had visited the ground, but nothing had been done. The Raroa Road route had come as a disagreeable surprise. There were 1420 acres in Noithland, of which 25 per cent was not built on, and there was land lying idle between Wadestown and Northland. He compared the Raroa Road route with the shorter Kelburn route. The distance from the Duke or Edinbu gh Hotel to the junction of Northland' and Karori Roads along Raroa Road was two miles 20 chains; by the present route it was 3. miles 8 chains, while over Kelburn. via the Kelburn cable tramway,. it was only 1 mile 28 chains. Karon, Northland, and Wilton’s Bush 'were among Wellington’s greatest assets, and wero within reach, if ratepayers were properly treated. They would have to pay ■ the piper, so they were going to call the tune, and the route they would insist on would be via Kelburn. Mr. W. T. Hildreth said they had a just cause, and intended to advocate it thoroughly. The city should own the Kelburn tramway. Mr. D. McLaren said the proposal had been considered at a large meeting of the Civic League, which unanimously endorsed it, showing that residents other than those of Karor were in favour of it for the common S °The Mayor asked. how the council could circumvent this difficulty, that the ratepavers had carried a poll m favour of Raroa Road, and not in lav our of the Kelburn mute. Mr. McLaren said that if a shorter route to the important suburbs mentioned could bo offered, the difficulty of the. vote question might be overcome bv placing the Kelburn proposal before the ratepayers. Asked if the deputation would bo prepared to take their chance if Raroa Road wero dropped, and the new pioppsal put to the ratepayers, Mr. McLaren said: “Quite satisfied, it would take many years to get the Raroa Road Pr Mr? t Hildreth' said that the cost of laying a track across Kelburn would be £20,000 ; what the purchase of the Kelburn tramway would entail ho did not know. The Mayor said that the ratepayers having voted for Raroa Road, the council could not expend the money otherwise. But if a further poll were taken and the new project wero adopted at it the council’s difficulty would disappear. • Councillors had themselves pointed out that a shorter route to Karori was needed, and the council fully realised it. The taking over of the' Kelburn tramway was the first step necessary, otherwise, value would be increased by laying the new Northland line. They had at least seen that the council had moved in the matter of Karori access before being approached. The courteous way In which the deputation had come wouM certainly make the council willing va review the Raroa Road proposal.