CIVIC LEAGUE

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 135, 5 December 1930, Page 7

CIVIC LEAGUE

PAST TEAR'S ;WORE

REPORT TO MEMBERS

The ninth annual report of the Civis League summarises the matters dealt with by the organisation during th«j past year. The league urged the City Council to press on with the new highway access to the western suburbs, seeing that only one link remains to be done,; and thus shorten considerably the long tram ride by way of Molesworth street. An application from the league for an alternative road round the slip led1 the council to take a tally of the traffic in the month of May. The Town: Clerk's reply was as follows: "Th» Beserves and Other Lands Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Act of 1917 provides that before such a road can be constructed the GovernorGeneral shall set up a commission of inquiry to determine whether or not such a new road is necessary. On eyidence obtained ..from the tally, thai council decided that there was nofc sufficient evidence available to convince the Commission that the tima has arrived when the work should baj carried out." The league has been in full sympathy; with the efforts of Mornington people to secure a better transport service, and with the Mornington delegates waited on the Traffic Manager and the Mayor* Notwithstanding the offer of a substantial subsidy from the South Wellington. Land Company, the City Council has" not yet agreed to extend the tram service, owing chiefly to the fact that tha tram service revenue has declined. The league then pressed for a more reasonable bus service, and has urged that, if there is no improvement in this respect, private buses should be allowed' to run from Mornington to tho city. THE BUS SERVICE. The league's council is very much" concerned about the condition of tha city's passenger transport services, and particularly the motor-bus service as it affects the outer suburbs, and reiterates its demand that an expert bus manager be appointed, to institute adequate and economical services, as extensions of the present tramway service. The electric road car should be further investigated, as its possibilities sho^r a. superiority over petrol machines. The league joined forces with tha Evans Bay Protection League; in its efforts to secure from the- Harbour Board an-area of water iriyEvans Bay; for swimming purposes, and urged'that tha City Council should confer with, the Harbour Board on this important > matter. More than one conference has taken place, but the outcome, so far, has not been satisfactory. Steps were being taken to petition -Parliament, and the Protection League secured a largely signed petition, but has suspended action until it is known, what will be the result of a further; interview between the chairman of tha Harbour Board and the Mayor. ISLAND BAY BEACH. Support was given the Island ,Bayj Association in its efforts to have ■ the* nuisance caused by the fishing industry; abated. The Island Bay Association wishes to retain the eastern rocks for the public, and suggested that the fishermen should have the use of the west beach and the western creek.: The City, Council passed a bylaw prohibiting the fishermen from certain water and beach, area, and this bylaw was' later tested, when the Magistrate decided against the City Council. The City Solicitor lodged an appeal against the decision, but the appeal has not been proceeded with. The matter now stands: the City Council has set aside £3000 on its estimates for a wharf .or slipway. The Government has subsidised tJ^at amount on a basis of £1 for every £3 (i.e., £1000), so that there is a sum of £4000 available for fishermen's wharf, etc., and- its location is a matter of contention between the fishermen and the people of the bay. Over 1200 householders signed a hastily organised petition to exclude the fishermen from, the bathing area and the eastern rocks. Referring to the City Council's Betterment Bill, which was not passed by; Parliament, the Teport states that the league felt that such an important Bill should not be allowed to proceed without fuller consideration^ and a special meeting was called to discuss tho whola question. It was resolved that, while the league approved the principle of betterment, it was opposed to mairyj provisions of the Bill. The matter of encroachments was brought before the league by the Hataitai Association. A legal opinion was obtained by the latter body to the effect that the City Council could, under its power of making bylaws, legally fix the scale of charges in respect of licences to occupy parts of-the street, but, apart from any bylaws, it could fix by resolution a reasonable fee for such a licence. As a result of representations to the council, an amended scale of fees is now in operation, 5s per perch for encroachments above the road and 2s 6d per perch below the road line, with a minimum charge of ss. Attempts have been made to find tha reason for the variation in charges a».... between the higher and lower _ levels, but no response has been received to. tho inquiries. < ' :. In response to a request from _tn.9 Civic League that clearance be given to pedestrians desiring to cross the street, the traffic inspector replied that, fresh instructions to that effect had been issued, but that pedestrians sometimes did not keep to the crossings marked for them. . . ■ The report expresses appreciation, of the response made by the City Council to representations made that various works should be undertaken.^ and of the manner in which suggestions and requests have been received by tho Mayor, councillors,'and council officers. Special appreciation is expressed of th» address upon city finances given by'tha Mayor recently. Mr. Troup was. subsequently waited on by the league requesting him to again stand for election to the office of Mayor, and, should he do so, offering him full support. His reply will bo given early next year. _________