ACCESS PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 219, 16 June 1925, Page 10

ACCESS PROBLEM

ANOTHER DEPUTATION FROM ROSENEATH RESIDENTS WANT LIFT OR SOMETHING BETTER A deputation from the Roseneath and Oriental Bay Fllectors’ Association waited on the Tramways Committee of the City Council yesterday. The secretary (Air. C. Al. Turnbull), said that for years past the association Lad upheld the decisions come to by the council and its officers relative to the matter of providing better access to the district, and their only regret had been that the decisions have not been carried out in practice. “The scheme of an inclined lift is the council’s,” h? continued. "It was recommended by your officers, and adopted by your council more than once. In March of last year instructions were given to proceed with the work. A start was made, when law proceedings, by way of an injunction, were instituted bv certain persons. The council contested the action, presumably with the intention of proceeding with the work if the law so allowed. The legal action revealed an impediment affecting the title to. the land on which it was intended to erect the lift. We understand that such matter is now settled, and a valid title secured. There docs not, therefore, appear any bar to the council resuming the work.

“This being the actual position of affairs, we fin'd ourselves now being met with statements from your tramway manager, Air. Cable, and some of the councillors, that it is intended to consider another scheme in place of the lift. In view of the previous decisions and the length gone to, you will recognise that it is a most serious matter to change over to another scheme. Such a reversal of previous judgment can, we submit, be justified only on the ground that the new scheme is better than the one it is intended to supersede; that the finance to carry it through to completion is definitely assured, and cannot be diverted to any other undertaking; that there are no legal or other impediments to the council doing whiit is contemplated, and that the work will be completed in such reasonable time as it would have taken to carry out the other work which was started prior to the Court proceedings. “Our association has consistently supported the council’s lift scheme as being the best which could be secured on the capital expenditure of £10,009 provided. There has, indeed, never been any other scheme presented which met that requirement. Our members have relied on the repeated promises of the council that the lift scheme would be carried out. Whilst definitely supporting the lift our association has at tile same time never adopted the unreasonable ground that it would not consider any other scheme. All that has been presented hitherto in place of the lift have been more or less indefinite proposals, giving fresh matter for discussion, but leading to no practical action. We shall most assuredly object to any repetition of that course of procedure. “From conversations with your officers, we learn that you are now likelv to consider a scheme for widening and improving Carlton Gore Road and Lower Grafton Road, and of running busses thereon to tin? centre of the Roseneath district. We cannot commit our association on the question of how it will regard such a proposal in substitution for the lift scheme, as at present we have no knowledge ot what it involves as a full and entire scheme for which all provision can be made. One thing we can say for the residents is that they do not want commitment vto a plan which might mean portions of a work "done over a number ot years, or a bit of work done and the rest left in abeyance. It is our wish to assist your committee, council, and officers rather than hinder. That has been our association’s poiic» throughout. If you will let us have a written statement of the new proposal of your officers, as an entire scheme, with assurance that it will be carried out without delay, if adopted, we will call a special meeting of our association forthwith, and recommend that the new scheme be given prompt and sympathetic consideration.” Air. D. McLaren supported the request for a written statement of the new scheme. The Mavor said that the association's statement was quite a reasonable one. It said in effect that thev wanted the lift, but if there was a better scheme they did not want the lift at any price. That was very nublic-spirited, and he was pleased with their broad point of view. Whatever delav had been caused, it had to be conceded that the work on the lift was commenced. The legal formalities as to the acquisition of the land (as a take-off for the lift) had only been completed a fortnight, so that thq. comment on the delav was scarcely warranted. Thev could be assured that the matter would not be any further delayed by the council, and as soon as any definite information was available ’ they would be advised. The council wished Always to deal openly with the people most immediately affected. ' "fair position,” said Mr. McLaren, “is that we want the lift, for there is £lO,OOO for the job, but it there is any-

thing better we are prepared to con- ( sidcr it.” ' SUGGESTED NEW TRAFFIC ; ROAD 1 The alternative scheme which has I been proposed is a continuation or the Carlton Gore Road towards and around Point Jcrniiigham through the northern part of the Roseneath School ground find back again on the eastern side to connect with Grafton Road. Uns, it has been suggested, would make a fine arterial road through Roseneath, if a Hataitai-Oriental Bay sen-ice were developed. Whilst this would give a good road with a grade of not more than 1 in 12 at any part, the cost would be considerable, as a good deal of land belonging to the Education Board would i have to be resumed. This road was 1 proposed bv the late citv engineer (Mr. , W. 11. Morton) when it was suggested I that Point Jerningtiam would be a fit- > ting site for the national war memorial, i Though it would dispense with the -hairI pin bend in the Carlton Gore Road, a I similar bend, not much better, would I have to be made in rounding the point I and doubling back to Grafton Road.