NEEDS OF ROSENEATH

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 134, 7 June 1923, Page 4

NEEDS OF ROSENEATH

THE LIFT PROPOSAL

"NOT LONG TO WAIT."

The needs of Roseneath in respect to lift access and road improvements were laid before the Works Committee of the City Council by a, deputation from the local ratepayers' organisation yesterday afternoon. Mr. F. W. Downs spoke of the difficulty in gaining access to Roseneath, and traced the negotiations for the construction of a lift which commenced in 1917. The work had now been provided for in the 1920 loan schedule and gradual progress had been made towards its construction. The chairman, Councillor T. Forsyth, said that the committee intended to discuss the lift question that afternoon; and would probably arrive at a definite decision to recommend to the council. Mr. Downs said he 'was glad to hear that something was about to be done. The Chairman : "Will the lift be satisfactory fox- the people?" . The speaker replied that the residents of Rosoneath were becoming almost disheartened about, the lift proposal, imagining that they were being side-tracked in the matter. Councillor Forsyth : "I, suppose they will promise to support it." Mr. Downs: "Support it! If you heard some of the remarks passed at tlio meeting:; of our association you would realise how badly thoy want _ it, particularly the women of the district. Our desire is to hurry things along." Councillor J. Bums: "Northland has been waiting: -f°r access for twelve years." Mr. Downs: "We want to know how long it will be before we have the lift. The site has already been acquired."

The Acting-City Engineer (Mr. Paterson): 'Tt was only acquired.a.fortnight ago; I don't think the title has been signed yet." Mr. Down:; said the association was pleased that the extension of the Oriental' Bay sea wall had been commenced, but they were disappointed at the slowness of progress. At Ihe present rate it would be several years before the wall reached Point Jeriringham. He submitted that the council should call for tenders for the construction of a certain length of the wall by contract, instead of carrying put the work with its own labour

Mr.. T. Ward dealt .with roading matters, pointing' out that there was considerable congestion of traffic over Grafton road. The road needed widening in one place, where there was only ten feet space between the footpath and the other side;. He urged the council to effect some improvement before a serious accident occurred.

Mr. C. M. Turnbull urged. the construction of right-of-ways for pedestrian traffic from Grafton load to Maida Vale road and from Maida Vale road to Evans Bay, and submitted plans illustrating the association's proposals in that respect. Replying to the deputation, the chairman of the committee repeated that the lift question was to be considered at that meeting. Provision, had already been made on the estimates for the year, subject to the approval of the council, for roading improvements in various parts of the city, and he thought Roseneath would receive its fair share of attention. "At any rate," he concluded, "you won't have to wait long now. for .the lift; and I hope that whan you get it you will support it."