BROOKLYN AFFAIRS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 97, 24 April 1912, Page 2

BROOKLYN AFFAIRS.

! MUNICIPAL ELECTORS' ASSOCIATION". ANNUAL REPOET. The following report will be presented to the Brooklyn Municipal Elector^' Association at the annual meeting to bo held on 3rd May:— Your Executive Conimitteft has pleasuro in submitting _ the fourth annual report of the association, and in co doing review briefly the work that has occupied the committee during the past year. The monthly meetings have been well attended „ and good service has been rendered by your officers in giving attention to a largo number of questions affecting the welfare of the dietrict. ' That the association Etill continues to justify its I existence is plainly evidenced by the innumerable improvementd in this I suburb, executed lay the Qit-y, Council at the instigation of the association. It should also be matter for congratulations that the courtesy and attention which our requests have invariably received from the council, is proof enough that w« are not looked upon as an antagonistic body, but more a« an aid to the civic authorities in drawing attention to the needs of our district. • SWIMMING BATHS. This important jproject is on© on which your committee has spent coneiderabl* time. The initial plops w«i» taken by this association some two years ago, and last year your committee put in 6ome good work towards furthering the scheme, but met with little succe«. That the need of a swimming bath in this district, is almost an absolute necessity is not denied,- if only from the children* point of view, fleeing that wo have in- Brooklyn a school attended by over 500 boys and girls, of whom not 5 per cent, are able to swim. We are now pleased to report that after a deputation to th« Batli3 Committee, and then a monster deputation to tile whole council, our continued efforts have a* last received their reward, as at a meeting of the council held in November last it was decided to plac© the sum of .£760 on the estimate* for next year, for th« purpose of eatab- j lishing fresh water swimming baths, the site to be on the Town Belt (Nairnstreet), the exact spot to be selected by the, City Engineer. 1 v NEW MAIN ROAD. It ha* long been held that the old Obiro-road as a main entrance to the euburb is a disadvantage to the district, the steep grade and trie narrow ness of the approach from Wordswortli-6treet to Upper Ohiro-road often, being cited a* a regular horee-killer. Representation has been made to the council, asking that a new road should be formed alongside the tram track. Should this work be undertaken", and it must be sooner or later, we see in view a double tram track, which means increased facilities for running a tram service that might approach the ideal, which it can never hope to be with the present single line, coupled with the restrictions placed on the traffic by the Public Works Department. The reply of the council was that it would be considered when next year's estimates were being 'framed. TRAMS. The continued improvement in the tram service ie most marked, and when the present service is contrasted with what obtained in days gone by, the benefit to Brooklyn residents' is apSarent. The thanks of the residents are ue to the tramway manager for his successful efforts to improY© ,]Ui© service, • which is now, under the present conditions, about as good as it can possibly be. Many suggestions haye been niads to combat . overloading, but ■ the erevalence of. this i» greatly .minimisedy the extra J cars put d'lTat rush times. We haye now a. Sunday mdrnirig car, a convenience enjoyed long ago by other suburbs;, but which, until this summer, has been denied Brooklyn. The freight car service has also been extended, co that a daily visit is now made to this suburb. . HOUSE NUMBERING. The matter of houses in Brooklyn not being numbered had been the cause of considerable inconvenience to residents and others. The question has been before the association for some time, and repeated requests were necessary. Wo are now pleased to report that the houses are now numbered throughout the district. We had at the same time asked that the streets should have nameplates, but so far this work has nob yet been carried out. RECREATION GROUNDS. This also has been a burning question during the past year, and continued efforts have been made to acquire a suitable ground in the, couth-western portion of the city, to serve Brooklyn and surrounding districts. The cite suggested was on the Town Belt between the tram track and Ohiro-road. Your committee called a public meeting of those interested, and the matter being taken, up by several' influential citizens resulted in a monster deputation to the City Council. His Worship tho Mayor,, in sympathising with the movement, replied that it would bo referred on to- the engineer for a report as to the probable cost. In 1 duo • time we received 'a further communication stating that the 'estimated cost was £13,000 odd, and that it would necessitate a loan, and them the matter ,stand 6. ■ We would .recommend to the incoming committee the further pushing of this important project. OTHER MATTERS. We" have made repeated request* for the principal streets to be asphalted; but as no money had been allocated for this purpose, little has been done. We were in part successful, however, in that the engineer consented to asphalt Ohirosroad and Cleveland-street. We earnestly hope that a-s' practically *all drainage installations have been effected, the most used streets will now receive the came treatment. y Our request for an additional fir© alarm call box to be placed 'at tho north end of Karepa-street is under consideration by the council. The general street lighting of the district is very Satisfactory, and with oneor two suggestions to the council winch have been attended to, tho illuminating ot this suburb is amply provided for. Your committee regrets to report little headway in the matter of im-

proved postal facilities. Our application to the Postal Department fur an up-to-date po^t office building to bo ux charge of a, permanent, officer of th« department lias not yet got beyond i\u> stage of under consideration. Tho Sugar Loaf Reserve, which tbe tu>. sociution, a«si*ted to pLmt with treesond which wosxiug fenced by the council k>m« time back, has now beon pi-ovided witii eeate, which tire proving a boon to tesidente and their familits. 1 ' On a uj» day tho summit of tho roswv© is foixly ctvwdcd with, view seekors. Then is » suggestion bofone the committoo that a fl&gßtaff should bo ci > «ct«d on this eY>. vAted position. In conclusion, y4vt» cominitteo, wish to et&t© that the m«nbership is steadily increasing, and while returning thanks for the confidence repbced in ib during tho past year, would appeal to members to still furthor hup. port tho aseociation by adding new membore whenever possible. Ex^«rience hm pi-ov«d that if Brooklyn reoidente an to get their fnir slituro in the way of tvtmn for the r*tos collected," thoy must unite to make their voices heard, and no better way cao^ be chosen than by joining the association and co etrengihen the lianda of the executive committee. The thanks of the association are due to Councillor Frost for his tunely help and practical advice on many occasions.