NEGLECTED BAYS

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 184, 30 April 1924, Page 5

NEGLECTED BAYS

TRAMS FOR WORSER AND KARAKA BAYS WANTED “NEGLECT WHICH AMOUNTS TO A SCANDAL” DEPUTATION TO TRAMWAYS COMMITTEE A deputation consisting of Messrs. M. Goldborough and A. R. Hislop, junior, residents of Karaka Bay, waited on the Tramways Committee of the City Council yesterday for the purpose of presenting a petition signed by seme 400 residents of Worser Bay, Karaka. Bay. Seastoun Heights, Miramar Heights, and Scorching Bay, praying for an extension of the electric tramways from a point near the Seatoun tunnel to Karaka Bay. Mr. Goldsborough, referring to the locality covered by the signatories to the position, said tho Mayor had visited the district on several occasions and must admit that it was on© which had been seriously neglected, not perhaps through any fault of the council, but through the residents not having the time or inclination to take tho matter up and urge their claims for consideration. To others, who had lived there any time, and put up with the inconveniences, and paid the heavy rates levied, the neglect amounted to a scandal. Members of the committee would remember that originally the tramway was to have been brought down to Worser Bay, but was diverted to Seatoun after plans had been prepared to take the trams in the direction now referred to in the petition. That was good for Seatoun, but bad for the bays. Anyhow, two wrongs did not make a right, and they had a right that should be recognised by the council, as such a tramway was approved by Mr. F. Townsend, t>j former Mayor of Miramar, and plans were approved by the late Mr. Morton. They were not carried out owing to the Miramar Council being short of money, but that need not trouble them now.. The council was at present subsidising a motor-bus service up to £2OO odd per annum, and tho residents provided another £5O, which, capitalised at 5 per cent., would pay the interest on £6OOO, for which sum he understood a mile of tramway line could be laid down. Mr. Goldsborough stated that it was unfair to the people of this district ti at they should not be catered for. Tranis were run everywhere in Wellington—to Brooklyn, Wadestown, Northland, and now Roseneath, but nothing was done for this beautiful district along tho western shores of the entrance to the harbour. When you mentioned Worser, Karaka, or Scorching Bays to people they. did not know where they were, yet it was tho best part of seaside Wellington. Ho urged that the committee should redeem the promises so often, made at the hustings and provide trams for these places. The Mayor: Who made the promises? Mr. Goldsborough: Members of the Miramar Borough Council. They made many promises before Miramar was merged into the city. The Mayor: Did the promises merge too?

Mr. Goldsborough still urged that such promises should be kept as it would open up a wonderful area for settlement, and the council would get more in rates.

Tho Mayor: Oh, no. We rate on tho unimproved value. We are getting all we can now. Mr. Goldsborough: All the more reason why you should give the residents something for their money.

Mr. A. R. Hislop said that perhaps Mr. Goldsborough had missed out one point, and that was tho relation of the Miramar waterfront as an asset to the city. That could scarcely be overlooked. Worser Bay, for example, was perhaps the most delightful bay in the city—not so extensive, perhaps, as Lyall Bay, but sufficiently large to accommodate thousands of people, an eminently safe beach, and a magnificent playground for children. Even now on holidays it was much in demand, but with tramway connection it would rival in attraction any other seaside resort, as it was only twentyfive minutes away from the city. But now it was a considerable walk from the Seatoun tramway terminus. Then beyond Worser Bay there were several sheltered and picturesque nooks at Karaka and Scorching Bays, which were well worth developing. It was true that there was a _ small bus running into Seatoun, which made two trijis in the morning and two or three in the evening, hut at most times it was so crowded that many waiting for it in Worser Bay had to walk in to Seatoun. They felt that if the trams were extended to Karaka Bay it would bo a benefit to those already there and would open up a good deal of land for settlement. The route presented no engineering difficulties. It was practically level all the way. Even if the line could not be laid all the way it would be a great help to get trams running as far as Marshall’s Point (Worser Bay Swimming Chib’s shod), which was only three-quarters of a mile from where the tramline diverged into Seatoun near the tunnel. The total distance to the Karaka Bay wharf was a mile and a fifth.

The Mayor, who presided, said that the representations of the deputation would receive careful consideration. It was not such an easy matter as it looked to lay down an extension of tho tramway as proposed. Ho believed that originally a mistake was made in making tho terminus of the tramway where it was, but that mistake was made many years before Miramar was taken over by the city. • The promises referred to were made by members of tho Aliramar Borough Council and not by any tramway committee of tho Wellington City Council, but that consideration was being shown was evident from the fact that a subsidy was being paid to the bus service now running 1 etween Seatoun and Karaka Bay. Then it had to be remembered that the committee had many other commitments concerning tramway matters; still, full consideration would be .given, but it would bo remembered that if they could not get all they wished right away it was not to bo concluded that the committee was unsympathet’?.