CORRESPONDENCE SMOKING IN TEA ROOMS "BOOSTING" THE CITY "BIG CITY BLUES" TRAMWAY TO MORNINGTON

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 108, 10 May 1930, Page 8

CORRESPONDENCE

SMOKING IN TEA ROOMS

"BOOSTING" THE CITY

"BIG CITY BLUES"

TRAMWAY TO MORNINGTON

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—l think something should be done at onco to stop the practice of smoking in restaurants and tea rooms, etc. I think that the proprietors' of such places could insist, by putting up notices in their restaurants. I cannot understand why the Health Department or the City Council lias allowed this practice to go on bo long. To smoke in a theatre or in certain compartments on trams is an offence, and rightly so; then -why is -it not so 'where it is far worse —where food is being coasumed?—l am. 'etc.,

DISGUS'iED.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —As a visitor to your city, after a tour of northern districts, one is struck by the lack of illustrated mementoes of the beauty-spots that abound in Wellington. Most places throughout the world that I have visited have seen the wisdom of advertising their public buildings,' parks, etc., by illustrated journals that portray the lay-out and design o£ their towns. Certainly Wellington , has a wide range o£ picture postcards, but postcards are not sufficient. As a tourist one must recognise that Auckland has an illustrated "booster," and that is why Auckland is better known in Britain and the Continent than Wellington, the Capital City and seat of Parliament. Certainly your observation bus services are indeed fine, but such memories die after years of absence from the spot. The present ago is illustrative, yet with the thousands o£ tourists that .visit your city it is impossible to purchase a lasting memento of yoiir truly/picturesque beauty-spots. The engineering feats of road construction are indeed marvellous. The way difficulties of transport are handled in such a hilly district is a lasting testimonial to the skill and ingenuity of your municipal engineering staff. If such-'was. in .'America, or on the Continent, the whole world would know by the printing of a real live illustrated "booster." Perhaps Wellington municipal and business organisations are too modest, oi- perhaps they view their city with different spectacles to visiting tourists. —I ani, etc., .

W. HARVEY,

(To the Editor.)

Of Seattle.

• Sir,—l heard a song the other night, entitled'"Big City Blues," and it certainlyhit the nail on the head. _ How many realise that in a town the size 6£ Wellington there are many lonely folk who have no friends and nowhere to go, and who just cannot help getting the blues? I'm no writer, but I do hope this letter catches the eye of someone who understands, and maybe some kind of a, club could be formed where these lonely folk could meet each other, make friends, and forget the "big city blues" ever existed."—I am, etc.,

ALBERTA.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —In moving the adoption. o£ tk*. Tramway Committee's report, on the sug- . gested extension of the tramway service to Mornington, the Mayor said, "We would like to go on with the tramway .extension, but we have no money available.at present." Judging by this remark, the work of extension _is approved of, and would be gone on. with,.but lack of money cause's the delay at present. Why lack of money, when the City Council approved of the necessary money being spent on the completion of the Strathmore Estate? , That is certainly a great necessity for that part of our city, but surely Mornington is: at present a greater necessity, as the completion of .the short distance / of tramway would open up a much larger district for residential purposes, and1 the additional rates, etc., gathered in from this district would soon make up the expenditure on the. extension. As this matter is of considerable importance to the residents of Brooklyn, Vogeltown, and Mornington district may we ask a question or two relative to-it:-r (1) Has the council at any time received an offer of a substantial amount of cash for the purpose of laying this tramway extension? (2) How was the finance found for the Northland tunnel,, or the excess coat over the estimate for that work; also where did the; money com- from to Jay the tramway to Northland, even thougn, a good bus was available? _(3) How was the money found for the ; improvements to Kent ten-ace, Glasgow street, Plunket ■ street, and Sydney street? :.■ (4) Does the council expect to derive any, extra re•veiiue by way of rates, or in any other way, as a result 6E the expenditure ot thousands of puonds on these works. ■ We are aware there is a legal provision, made for raising loans for street widening purposes, especially in the city, without risking an adverse vote of the ratepayers. The completion of the, tramway, extension to Morningtou, approximately, one mile from Brooklyn, would open up a large tvact of land for residential purposes*. This part of our district is already roaded, drained, and footpaths formed and. paved at the owners' expense. , The < opening up of this valuable land would _ ensure a considerable increase in the city S revenue from rate's, electrical charges, etc., and find work for many unemployed, men, such as carpenters, plumbers, paintera, etc. In addition to all this _it is widely rumoured (this we quote without prejudice) that the land company concerned has offered the council a large cash donation to help in laying down this extension of the tramway. Withm the memory of the oldest inhabitant, no work ot any magnitude has ever been done out of ordinary revenue or loans in our dis-trict,-for any expenditure necessary has always been met out of unemployed funds (loans or subscription's), and there^ lias never been any excess from, that account. ', . ~ It is probably unfortunate that the. council is legally unable to construct a tramway out of unemployed funds, or no doubt the work would be proceeded with, and the tramway extension would be here this winter. Vogeltown and Mornington. are two old-established suburbs, growing rapidly, and retarded only by of. reasonable transport. Here is) the. opportunity to do something for the good of our district, and of our city, and make it pay in the future. Let the council accept 'the offer from the land company, gather in the additional revenue from- > rates etc., and 'thus save the loss on, the local bus service, and earn the gratitude o£ our whole district by <*****<£*£* lonsr-delayed extension of the tramwaj. Tiustingyou will give thi,. urgent appeal a prominent place in your paper.-We are, etc.,

J STAPLES, Chairman, JAMES GIBSON, Secretary, Vceltown and Morningtori Municipal ° Electors' Association. •