DUPLICATION OF ROUTE

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 41, 17 August 1923, Page 5

DUPLICATION OF ROUTE

ISLAND BAY CELEBRATES.

Several matters of interest to Island Bay residents and Wellingtohians generally were discussed on Wednesday at a social gathering of members of the Island Bay Municipal Electors' Association to celebrate the completion of the duplication of the tram lines to the terminus. Mr. J. 0. Shorland presided in the absence, through illness, of. the president of the association, Mr. Collev, and the cruests included the Mayor (Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P ) Councillors C. H. Chapman, B. G. Burn. W. H. Bennett. A. \V. Parton. and others.

In proposing the health of the Mayor, the chairman congratulated Mr. Wright and the councillors on being in office at the time, of the completion of the duplication. They all recognised the strenuous efforts made on behalf of the city by_ Mr. Wright, and gave him due credit for his energy. But several matters, including the fishing industry, still required careful consideration. With reference to this latter question, Mr. Wright said he had approached tho Minister of Marine, and he was hopeful that a sum would appear on the Estimates for tHe purpose of dealing with work incidental to the sale of the fish. It was quite probable that the City Council would vota a like sum for the purpose. ' The fishermen had agreed that the site for the landing should be on the western side of the bay. He continued that the position would always be more or less unsatisfactory until a man was appointed to the charge of the beach, to see that the regulations of th« City Council were strictly adhered to. The work of landing and cleaning the tish should be coritined to one portion of the foreshore, and if suppliers could be obtained, the whole question could be cleared up at once. He was hopeful, however, that there was a way out of the difficulty.

A peep into the future was afforded by Councillor Bennett's speech, in which he declared that in years to come Wellington would be carrying an enormous population, mostly in the suburban area* He summarised the progress made in the last sixty years; which, though great, would be nothing to the advancement of the future. He urgec 1 citizens to tak« more pride in their city, which was second to none in New Zealand.

Councillor Chapman briefly referred to the great progress of the city as shown by the increase in building permits—a million pounds last year, and rjrobably the same tins year. He asked those present to help in the coming Health Week campaign.

Other councillors also spoke on the same lines.

Messrs.. W. Goudie and H. Phipps rendered musical items, which were greatly' appreciated, and the gathering broke up with cheers for the Mayor and the chairman.