"PALTRY SUGGESTIONS."

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 130, 29 November 1926, Page 11

"PALTRY SUGGESTIONS."

KENT TERRACE AGAIN

FURTHEB.-STATEMENT BY MAYOR

PLANS WERE BEFORE COUNCIL. "It is amazing to me," said the Mayor (Mr." C, B. Norwood) to-day,' •"to read in'the public Press the paltryncss of th'e'suggestions levelled largely at mo personally, concerning the KcntCambridgb" "terrace improvements. I have had "no ' actual opportunity of knowing-We words used by Councillor H. D. Bertiiett in his address at "Wadestown when'"he is alleged to have said, 'that the"rKent terrace improvements was a holrby of mine,' nor do I know in what sense these words were used. I must candidly confess that I have one well-groundod hobby, and that is to beautify 'the'ici'ty, and to make the traffic 'conditions a little- safer for the growing needs of tho people. ■ "I cannot accept the suggestion; that. hadv.l <agreed to the deputation's request, .w,hjch was'a direct negative, to hold this; work over for a fortnight, time and_..expense would have been saved. I was;well aware of the remedies at the disposal of the objectors, but felt that^ofr.they were going to take action they, must be forced, to do it at i once and,,'n,ot stand-it over for a fortnight. ..,,.,

FINANCE i COMMITTEE MATTER. "As th'e...proposed scheme involved three committees, viz., - traffic,, works, and reserves—the right committee to deal witlj'_it Jvas naturally the executive committc.'e",.wliich is the IJinanee Committee —as in this committee all other committers'','are represented by their respective '-'ij'llHirman. As tho chairman of tho Beifcryes Committee was present and did jiofr'niake' any request to have it referred :'io his committee it is clear that at the^'time he did not feel any necessity"for tliis'to be done.

"NO,3aCB. OF NECESSARY * INFORMATION."

"It is'beating the air to say" that tKire was-_ny lack of necessary information befSro the council for a complete deeist. i. ' Alternative plans with the engineer's plan and cost of :ivories was laid "on the table, and no councillor can say' with credit to himself that he did not "know "what he was voting for when the resolution was passed without a dissenting, voice.

" Considerable- complaint was made that this--was passed in committee. As a matter,.o.'.f act, it was discussed generally in,open council, and the matter was then^ef erred- to council in committee to consjder-ways and means of financing the work before final decision. This is ajuniversal practice adopted by all councils .as well as the Harbour Board, ?tn.,l do not feel that any apology 4s, .npcessary in this connection.

COMMISSION'S FINDING. "Surely' those hitherto opposed to the scheme, must accept, the Commission's riiljifg after' evidence from all sides extending over two days. The. net result'^f this was a complete justification of the council's scheme. It is stated tjii'at the inquiry revealed the fact that^t'he Director of Parks and Reserves w.hV against the council's policy. I may isa.y^the inquiry also revealed that thc*_Piibiic "Works engineers, the Lands D'epartfrient officers, police officers, the' t'faffic inspectors, and a high authority "On town planning believed that tho work was essential in tho interests of public safety*' Surely writers and rentiers of the local Press are prepared to accept 'this as "au'evidehed'tnfit'! the council's ruling was based on sound

"In the Commissioner's report ho refers to two-way traffic in both Kent 'and Cambridge terraces, and this suggestion will havo careful consideration, but the weight of ihformation at the disposal of the council is favourable to one-way traffic. -As-the distance between--the tram line^.and the footpath is 15ft, there is really not nearly as much danger as exists 'in 'Molesworth street and quite a .rtiuhber of other streets where the same,,gi;-cumstanee prevails. As a matter of.fact, the total distance available at present for all the traffic between the nearest tram line and the foopath "is.'.'lßft 4in.

"In conclusion I must say I adhere to my first'; statement that while- this work is^not- being done because of tho Royal vislt,_ tho public will bo with mo in the desire that I expressed to the council th'ht' it should be completed so that th.'.(snotUs of it should be available to < the'public for the festivals of that momentous occasion."