TO WESTERN SUBURBS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 144, 19 June 1924, Page 6

TO WESTERN SUBURBS

HOUSING AND TRANSPORT THE SYDNEY STREET ROUTE. The necessity for the provision of a shorter tram route to the western sububs was'stressed at - a largely-attended meeting of the Northland Progressive Association last evening, and a resolution was carried unanimously expressing keen disappointment at the long delay in connection with the provision of a shorter tram route' to the western suburbs, and strongly urging the City Council to press for the removal of the embargo placed by the Government on the proposed deviation via Bpwen and Sydney streets. Copies of the resolution are to be forwarded to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Public Works and local members of Parliament. In the course of his remarks on the subject, Councillor J. Aston pointed out that after a long, period of waitins to suit the convenience of the Prime "Minister, a deputation, consisting of the Mayor and councillors, haads of departments, and others, was received and the case for Sydney street short-cut fully stated. The Prime Minister gave a. sympathetic reply, but the long delay in forwarding a definite answer seemed to show scant courtesy to the ' Mayor and council of the Empire City. It was also a debatable point how far the Government was entitled or justified in seeking to control matters that belonged exclusively to the municipality, or in any way to retard, the progress and development of the city. Those who had witnessed the growth of " "Wellington, especially during the 'p^st few years, fully realised the urgent need for better transport facilities. At the present, requirements had far outgrown resources, and the council had a formidable task ahead to deal with the. problem. Transport had a very important connection with the housing problem. The deplorable condition of things as' now obtained in the city proper, where families are crowded into rooms, fiats, .apartments, and make-shift accommodation, insantiary and ' unhealthy. Both the City Council and the Government alike professed a sympathy with those peoi pie. and expressed their "desire to esj tablish suitable housing- conditions. One of the remedies was to provide quick i and cheap transport to the suburban I areas. In the western suburbs there •vyere hundreds of acres awaiting occupation.

Tlie City Council itself owned upwards of 150 acres, at present used for grazing. There was room for some thousands of homes, giving ample garden space and most desirable surroundings. It might well bo asked what encouragement was offered to the city dweller to make his home in that suburb under present conditions. Those who had already done ■so were compelled to travel in overcrowded cars via Tinakori road, representing a big annual loss in botir. time and money. Ten to fifteen minutes per day was "a big item in the life of a busy business man. By the Sydney street "route considerably over 5000 miles per annum would be saved on the present standard cf car service, and the direct saving to the department would be over £2000 per annum, which capitalised would pay for the cost of construction. The present route is 222 chains, the proposed route only 171, a saving of 51 chains, and on a ten minutes' service that would enabje nine cars to do the work of ten, the equivalent of putting a new; car into commission; When it was borne in mind that each new car costs approximately £4000, it would be seen that say ings would be effected at every point, i The time saved on the round trip, Courtenay place to Johnston street, Karori, or to Northland terminus, would be over 10 minutes. On present running Northland-to GJP.O. (Grey street stop) was eighteen, minutes, and on the proposed route thirteen minutes. If a double tram trade were put down, to eliminate waiting time at various loops, this thirteen, minutes would be still further lessened. ' ■'■. Of considerable importance, also, was the fact that at the top of Sydney street was one of the most popular'playing areas in. the city, Anderson Park, and adjoining Wellington's beauty spot, the Botanical Gardens. If: the city desired to attract and impress visitors it was a duty to cater for them pro- I pcrly, and to let them see what'the city had to offer under the- most favourable | conditions. It required no stretch' of the imagination to foretell what would be the re- [ suit of a tram service and main arterial-1 t road via Sydney street. He was fully convinced of the justice of that claim, and the residents of the city, and western suburbs in particular, would not be content till the route was an accomplished fact.