STREET WIDENING

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 98, 28 April 1931, Page 11

STREET WIDENING

CITY EXTRAVAGANCE

TARANAKI STREET VALUES

Mr. W. Applcton, a Civic League and 'Ratepayers' Association candidate for the City Council, while speaking afe Wudestown last ( evening, •'made not' -exactly complimentary to .the street-widening policy of the City Council during recent years.

He said that while ho did not wish" to criticise past councils, he .did think that Wellington had been far too extravagant in-her street-widening pioposals. 'To date the city had spent' over £700,000 in street widening. Land had been lc&old to the value of .6121,----000. Tho annual interest was £27,000, and the sinking fund .£SOOO, a total of £32,000. Rents amounted to £16,278.-As-suming loss of rates on tho land to bo only £4000 per annum, tho cost of otrr street widening was not less than £20/ 000 per ani'uni.

Good woik had been done, but there had been waste. He instanced Lower Taranaki street as a case in point, and alleged that, apart frohi some good paiking places for,motor-cars,.the city had not benefited in any marked degree. In point of fact, land in Lower Taianaki street was to-day less valuable than it was before the street was widened.

The proposal to widen Hunter street at a cost estimated as not loss -than £30,000 represented a shocking waste-of ratepayers' money, said the -speaker. "At present there is a~line of motorcars parked all day long on "both sides of tho street, and the space occupied is greater than the area to bo resumed. Why spend more money to accommodate, more cars?"