ARO STREET NEEDS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 90, 13 October 1926, Page 3

ARO STREET NEEDS

THE RESIDENTS ACTIVE

BATEPAYERS* ASSOCIATION FORMED.

There -was a large attendance of residents in the Aro Street Mission Hall last evening, -when a meeting was held for tho purpose of considering the formation of a ratepayers and resident*' association to further the civic interests of the district. Mr. P. Fraser, M.P., was elected to tho chair. Those present included Councillor J. Glover.. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs.. B. M'Keen, M.P., and R. Semple. Mr. J. Roberts explained the object of the promoters of the meeting, and stated that it was very apparent for a long time past that the Aro street district, including Mitchelltown, Taitville, Mortimer crescent, Epuni street, Holloway road, and Devon street, and other portions, had been seriously neglected. The conditions of the various streets and footpaths bore ample testimony to this fact. It was felt by those responsible for calling the meetirg that the time had arrived when the residents should take step 3 to approach the City Council, pointing out the lack o£* proper service in tho locality, and emphasising that the district should be treated as other residential districts. The people of tho district were ratepayers, and were entitled to service in return for their rates. Mr. S. Boock stated that he spoke for tho shopkeepers of Aro street. He said that tho shopkeepers and residents of Aro street suffered a very serious inconvenience and discomfort owing to the condition of that street. In the winter time it was a morass, and in the summer time it was covered with dust to the extent of two or three inches. In windy weather there wero dust storms. It was well known that Aro street was one of the streets included in the City Council's programme as a street to be laid in bitumen, but for some reason extraordinary delay had been manifest in connection with tho work in Aro street. It had been rumoured, he was afraid, on good authority, that the AVorks Committee of the City Council contemplated postponing indefinitely the laying down of Aro street in bitumen, and substituting some other street that had not, onetenth of the traffic of Aro street. >Mr. Boock's statement in regard to the unpleasantness of living in the vicinity of Aro street was borne out by a number of residents, and several women were emphatic on the subject. Mr. P. Fraser, M.P., pointed out that a vast amount of traffic passed through Aro street bound for the western suburbs. Practically the whole of the timber and building materials required for Karori, Northland, and Kelburn passed up Aro street from the timber and brick yards on Te Aro Flat. The conditions of the footpaths and lighting in the district were deplorable. Among those who supported the statements of the previous speakers were Mesdames Levy and Drury, and Messrs. Coutts, Tregonniug, Baker, Peterson, o'Grady, and Cooley. The following resolution was carried: "That this meeting decides to form an organisation of the residents of the district for the purpose of protecting and forwarding the civic interests of the pepple of tho neighbourhood; of improving and beau-. tifying the locality; of supporting and furthering municipal enterprise; and of promoting the interests and progress of the city generally; and that this organisation bo called the AVellington Central Ratepayers and Residents' Progressive and Beautifying Association." Officers wore elected as follows:— President, Mr. P. Fraser, M.P.; vicepresidents, Messrs. J. Roberts and W. Tregonning; secretary-treasurer, Mr. S. Boock; committee, Mesdames Coutts, Kcynard, Mitclicll, Levy, and Messrs. A. Cooley, T. Trim, L. Hennessey, and S. Griffiths. It was announced that the Town Clerk had been approached to make arrangements for a deputation of the residents of tho district to wait upon the council at the next meeting, and placo the needs of the district before the councillors. It was c'-ided that the arrangements for the deputation should be left in tho hands of the committee. About eighty residents joined the association.