KILBIRNIE.

Evening Post, Volume LX, Issue 90, 13 October 1900, Page 6

KILBIRNIE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir— There is no doubt that a strong and very general feeling exists in Kilbirnie against the administration of the Melrose Borough Council, the majority cf t>he Councillors, representing as they do Vogeltown, Brook.yn, and Mitchelltown, places with which Kilbirnio has no sort otf community of interest. Tho proposals as to means of communication, suit tJio residents of the former localities because, to some extent, their main thoVoughfares to and from Wellington are to be put in order. But this is not the case in Kilbirnie. Many of the works are potty, and are properly charges against maintenance, and the main work is one which to call a means of improving existing communication is s»imp!y ridiculous. Yet the loan may be carried by votes of 1 people who never use the roaid 1 , many of whom may never have been over # it. You can, understand, therefore, why r the Greater Wellington scheme which you have so ably advocated is so popular in Kilbirnie. That suburb has far moi;e, in common with Wellington than with those nlaces to which it is at present joined, and there is no doubt thak the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Bill now before Parliament Avill speedily be put into operation if Wellington City* is agreeable. With drainage, water, electric light, good roads, and trams, increasing rates would not be objected to. The greatest want at present is means of communication. Herein Karori has set an example. The distance from the G.P.O. ' to the Kilbirnie Hotel by the present routes is as follows: — Via Clyde-quay and Evans's Bay, 44 miles ; via. Newtbwn and Con-stable-street, 3£ miles ; via Pirie-street and Kilbirnie-road, 2£ miles, the third route not being available for cart traffic. Yet the Melrose Council proposes to spend the bulk of £7000 on the firstnamed and longest route 1 A slightly gtreater expenditure woijjld provide a tunnel through Mount Victoria hills, reducing the distance to 2^ miles, or ; exactly half the distance by the road on j which it is proposed to expend so much money. And further, this would bring j Kilbirnie within half an hour!s walk of j the centre of the town, and within 15 or 20 minutes by tram. Means of communication thus being established population would increase, and small works now proposed to be met out of loan could easily be paid for out of revenue. Incorporation with Wellington would, settle the Evans Bay -road difficulty, for the mam cost would fall fairly upon those who use the road. But the tunnel advocated years ago by Mr. Crawford, sen., must .come in time, and it would' seem far better to spend the £7000 to be borrowed for Kilbirnie Ward thereon. Much of the spoil could' be sold to the Harbour Board for their reclamation, the rest used in reclaiming the mud flats, the rental from which alone would pay interest on the loan required. — I am, etc., ADVANCE KILBIRNIE.

Tho proceedings in connection with the presentations made this afternoon to Miss Hamilton, who recently retired from theposition of Principal of the Girls' High School, were marked by great enthusiasm. From the "old girls" of the school (through Miss H. Saunderson) Miss Hamilton received a handsome gold watch. The present pupils, for wht)m Misses Crowther and Nation spoke, gavo her a gold chain and silver tiny, and on behalf of the teaching staff Miss Morrah presented her with a large picture framed in an artistic manner. In connection with the running of the new San Francisco mail service once evCvy three weeks and the cancelling of the present contract, we learn from the Postal Department that after the departure of the Mariposa from Auckland on the 29th instant, and the arrival of the Moana at Sydney about the 28th, there Avill bo no outward despatch via San Francisco In November. Arrangements will, however, be made to ensure close connections with either the Federal or Vancouver service next month. The Vancouver mail leaves Sydney on the 7th proximo. The regular running of the new San Francisco service from Auckland is expected to commence on the Bth December. M'Nab'n Gardenu, Lower Ilutt, so well known throughout tho colony as ono of tho most beautiful and popular resort?* for picnic parlies and others .diwirouH of a chnngo oii air, am to bo placed on tho market for salo. Tt will bo scon from our auction advertisement column that Ml'iw*. Maodonald, Wiibon and On. arc to submit tho gardons to public competition oiu Thursday, Iho Ist November. For iu\l details wo rofor our readers to tho lengthy advertisement .appearing. A lithographic plan with photographic views* of various portions of .the grounds can bo had from tho auctioneers, or will bo sent to any< address.. To-day's Now Zealand Graphic contains a fino group photo of tho members of tho Now Zealand Polico Foreo Commission. "China and tho Chinese" is Iho subject of interesting reading matter, well illustrated. "Music and Musicians" is the subject of nn inturotting article, and a portrait is jjivon of Dr. Thomas, the new I conductor of Auckland* Orchestral Hopiety.