NELSON NEWS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 146, 17 December 1924, Page 15

NELSON NEWS

CITY COUNCIL MEETING

(FfiOM OUR OWN COKUESroXDENT.)

NELSON, 16th December.

A special meeting of the City Council was held on Monday evening, the principal business being to receive two deputations. The first was from fche Tahunanui Town Board, which consisted of Colonel Hume (chairman), Messrs. Bamford, Carter, and Stewart (members), and Mr. Kadford (Town Clerk).

Colonel Hume. said that it was felt that the time had arrived to discuss the question of Tahunanui amalgamating with- the' city and making a greater Nelson. The question was. more than a local one; it affected the whole Nelson district At Tahunanui. the city had a great asset in some 200 acres of reserve fronting the finest beach in the Dominion, and to develop and popularise it required money to provide up-to-date equipment and facilities. The beach was greatly used by city people and others; and money so spent would be to the mutual advantage o{ city" and Tahunanui residents. During the last few years the seaside township had grown apace. The board's revenue at present was insufficient to provide all that was required to improve the township, and it was desired to know the terms on which Tahunanui might be merged into the city.

Messrs. Bamford, Cartel', and Stewart spoke on similar linesj saying that a municipal tram service was required, aud also supplies of gas and water, and they quite recognised that for such services they would have to pay. They believed that a large' majority of the'residents of ,Tahunanui were with them in their desire to effect1 an amalgamation. The Mayor (Mr. W. Lock) and the councillors present—Messrs. Plum Edwards, Watson, Moffatt, Eussell,' and Gibbs—expressed themselves favourable to the proposal, but it was pointed out that, if effected, for some time to come Tahunamii would have to be treated as a special rating area, arid, further, that until matters were definitely settled resrarding expenditure ori the highway by the Main Highways Board, together with the question of an increased water supply, it would be difficult to arrange satisfactory terms., „ . . '

With this the depiitatipn agreed, and it was decided to defer the-matter pending further information. It is probable,however, that consideration will be given at an early date to the matter of?supplying Tahunanui with gas from the city gasworks. . It may be mentioned that electricity is already being supplied from the city power-house to the Waimea Electric Supply Co., for consumption in the Tahunanui area.

PROPOSED NEW. STREET. The • next'deputation consisted of Messrs. Wylie, Roughton, Brundell, and Page, representing property owners interested in the proposed new street from Trafalgar street, near the Bank of New Zealand, to Waimea street, nearly opposite the Oddfellows' Hall. The City Valuer was also present. Mr. Wyllie stated that all the landowners adjacent to the proposed newstreet were desirous of it being put through, and were prepared to meet the council in a reasonable way. The greatest cost in connection with the undertaking would, of course, be the purchase of two properties fronting Trafalgar street. There was not a great deal in it for the property.owners at the back, as all the land was low-lying;'and tho whole area would require filling up to the level of the new street. He pointed out how necessary it ■ was to put tho street through, owing to the congestion of traffic in Hardy street at present, which would be relieved to a great extent by much of it going through the new street. He noted also that quite a number of new shops were being constructed in other parts of the city, and this might prevent to some extent enterprise in that direction in the new street for a. time, but he thought that the necessity for dealing with the matter at. once would be realised by the council, as with the exception of the two properties in Trafalgar street the area, in question had no other buildings on it requiring removal.: After a general discussion, during which it was agreed that the matter should be gone into without further delay, it was decided that the City Engineer and the Town Clerk supply further information on costs and procedure,. and that another meeting be held. Several other matters were dealt with. 1 MINIMUM FRONTAGES.

Councillor Moffatt has given notice of motion to amend the present bylaw, which provides for a minimum frontage of 40 feet, with an area of one-tenth of an acre on which a dwelling house may be erected, by increasing the frontage to 50 feet, and the area to one-eighth of an acre. The question will be Bubmitted at Thursday night's meeting.

The School of Music term concert at <ho School .of Music, last evening, was well attended. A' well-selected' and varied programme of vocal and instrumental items was given by students,' the concert being under the management of the pripcipal, Mr. J. B. Lemmer