WESTERN SUBURBS ACCESS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 1, 1 July 1926, Page 8

WESTERN SUBURBS ACCESS

WANTED: A DIRECT ROUTE

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —Everyone must sympathise -with the residents of the western suburbs of the city in.their desire to obtain quicker transport facilities to and from their homes. Many, projects have been ventured, and the Hill street oite is perhaps the. most expensive m the sense that, it will be the least" serviceable. The cost-of thiit proposal is likely to exceed the estimate of £33,000, just as much as the estimate of £17,000 did for the. Northland .tunnel. ■ The real objection to Hill • strSef'Sfevi!^' tion is that it is only an expensive m'a'kteshift and certain to be obsolete in- five. years. It will be the object of the'Veyerest criticism of the City Council by itusers it' ever it is started and completed.--Imagine a resident of Karori sitting.placiflY ly in a journey to his home by ■ way of Hill street! -.: ...u.:..;,.,':. i-. The Hill street, project- has been,.coh-demne£-*ime and again by the whole, forte of the Wellington North Ratepayers' 'Association. That association has-insisted, upon a direct route, and has'% vged!ja cable tramway from about the corner.''of. Willis and Manners streets to :The.lTe'r-' race near Mount street. From- there.,:bns.: services to Kelburn, Northland,. Karori,^ and Highbury could deviate for the. conveyance of residents in all these western suburbs. That is the most feasible'and the most practical service that''ha." yet' been projected. It would cost ne-'mOrev it is estimated, than the Hill street'project, and would save time. $nd money to all the inhabitants -of the city -.west; pf The Terrace. For years the Council _asr had this project urged upon it„ by the association, and the council has looked upon it with favour because it 'has purchased several properties in Willis street,;. Flag-staif Hill, and Terrace-Gardens, with the obvious intention of.' putting" such a project to accomplishment.;. If, the conception, has l|een with the City Council the execution has been delayed fiveyears too long. Such a project would not' necessarily interfere with the <» Kelburncable tram, because that ..service; .is., now incapable of dealing comfottablywifh the traffic. The laissez-faire methods''of the council are generally deplored,;:: and the' agitation for this and that expensive',and" impracticable project is the severest criticism fi the people of such methods.' The Northland tunnel. fiasco T^as' the result of - such agitation, and the^acquiestence of thecouncil the best testimony to its weak-. ness. '■',"" ■-. :';.■'' •:■ "■ ■.--':.' .- '■'- J - There is a great lack of - viSoii- and imagination. Wellington is growing more rapidly than is generally- conceded, and from now on for the next two, generations at least every, decade will see another city of twenty to thirty-thousand people* added to its developing dimensions.-And'the-present city services are;.inadeq.uate<.,.Dif-,' Acuities have arisen to-day through,/the blundering of the past; hence- the' discontent and the-agitation. From one. economic, blunder the City Council.;-usbe_"tb another, and dissatisfaction spreads; While the council/proceeds to safeguard'its"^interests against motor-buses, it" „r:freely stated that it flails to collect!;hundreds of pounds of license fees from, it*-.- coni-. petitors. One sometimes imagines, ratepayers will come to an appreciation'of the condition of their own business," But. when an opportunity comes sectional and, party interests seem to militate* against a decision for reform. Your leader oiuth'e tramway route reports is,timely, but how many , will be convinced and influenced ?— - I am,' etc., -....''■!.'

J. D. SLEVWRIGHT.