NELSON NEWS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 21, 25 January 1924, Page 2

NELSON NEWS

(IT TEUQEAPH.--BPKIAt, 10 TH« POST.)

NELSON, 24th January. For some time past the City Council ■has. been kept busy dealing with plans submitted by landholders for the subdivision of land for residential purposes. Owing to some owners having been successful in securing permits to build on very small areas, "it was found necessary to fix the minimum area on which a dwelling house could be erected; the minimum decided on was one-tenth of an acre. In the Public Works Act, Health Act, and Municipal Corporations Act are laid down regulations and certainminimum in connection with the subdivision and occupation of land in the city, and for the protection of the community against the creation of conditions which experience has shown to be, undesirable. In the matter of access the law requires that every lot shall have frontage to a public street. A rather clever way has been found by some in evading this, law where a block of land at the rear "of sections fronting a street and it is desired to Subdivide it. The method adopted is to provide access from and frontage to the' public street by providing what appears to be ■a right-of-way, say, 12 feet wide, and if_ there, are six sections in the subdivision to make a strip of the right-of-way two feet wide part of each section, so that in this way each section can be said to front- a public street. .When faced with this proposition the City Council submitted the matter to their solicitors, who stated that while it apparently complied with the law it was an evasion. -It will be, seen that by this method what appears: to be a right-of-way is really not so, but a combination of strips of land, each strip of two feet -being^associated -with; one ."'section' :sothat each owner'could "fence if" he'so wished.: This is evidently, a matter that requires .the earliest attention of the municipal conference, and a request to the Government.to legislate, to prevent such undesirable evasions. Many subdivisions have been allowed, the only access to which is by rights-of-way varying in width from ten to twenty feet. In some cases the right-of-way is provided for only one section off a public street, but it is obvious that where sections of great dep^th'front a public street and the frontage is of sufficient width to' admit of it, access to the back can thus be obtained and rights-of-way multiplied to such an extent that the whole area in time is so intersected that the locality is disfigured and classed as undesirable. To provide against this, of course necessitates making new streets through the blocks. _ A very comprehensive statement of the situation that has arisen in Nelson has. been submitted for consideration by ■'the City Engineer, Mr. J. G. Littlejohn, and it is evident that steps will have to be taken at no 'distant date to so plan the town that subdivides of land shall do so in conformity with such plan, and discontinue the juggling now practised. Owing to the activities in this direction, provision for public services such as gas, water, and drainage adds to the difficulties, and the City Council i s hard put to it to meet all the demands out of revenue. So many and so -heavy are these demands that the question of submitting loan proposals is under consul eration, and it is understood that at an early date concrete proposals will be before the ratepayers for their consideration with a view not only to provide the required facilities, but in order to effect a reduction in rates. Any scheme likely to achieve this is bound to be popular, but there is plenty of room at the top for any genius who can provide .ill that is required and at the same time reduce the rates, without raising money on loan. Judging by the criticism indulged in we hays plenty of competent civil engineers, but few wizards of finance. Mr. George Carter, M:P. for Port Curtis, Queensland, and an aldesman of the City of Brisbane, who is a native of this city, is on a visit to Nekon. Mr. Carter, a son of the late Mr. S. Carter, who lived in the Motueka district for many years, spent his youth in that locality, where he received his education. Later he resided in New South Wales, afterwards removing Ho Queensland. Mr. Carter is a. Labour representative in the Queensland Parliament,' Although absent for so many years, Mr. Carter is finding pleasure in looking up the friends of his youthful days, many of whom are still in ; the district and are pleased to .meet him. Accompanied by his wife, who is touring New Zealand with him, he was taken to the reservoir and other .parts of the city this morning by the Mayor (Mr. W: Lock) and the City Engineer (Mr. Littlejohn). Sir John S. Randlos and Lady Randies, accompanied by Dr. Crawford, who are touring the Dominion, spent a day in Nelson yesterday, and left for the South by car this morning. Sir John Randies was a member of the English Parliament for twenty years, representing West Cumberland and Manchester Exchange in the Conservative interest. He retired from politics at the last election. Mr. J. Vitetta, of this city, has received word from Sydney that Rasponi, the great' Italian singer with the Sistine Choir, is to appear there again shortly. A former report received privately in Nelson recorded his death. All who heard the great singer will be pleased to know that the previous report had no founda- ■ tion in fact. .. ■ The s.s. Alexander, bound from'Greymouth to Motueka with a cargo of coal, when making. that port this morning, grounded on a shoal at the harbour entrance. The Nikau, which was at. Motueka, endeavQure'd to tow her off, without success. It is expected that the Alexander will float off with to-night's tide and berth about 10 o'clock.