AFTER BOWEN STREET

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 10, 13 January 1932, Page 8

AFTER BOWEN STREET

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—Now that Cabinet has definitely vetoed the trams going up Bowen Btreet, it is futile to adopt the dog in the manger attitude and threaten to run buses, noisy or otherwise, up Bcriven street. Two caa always- play that game, and the Government has the whip hand over every other local body, so let the City Council.be wise and accept the defeat in a sporting spirit and be happy over it. Again I would suggest to the Mayor to develop a newroute via Aro street and Norway street with a short tunnel into the ■ horseshoe bend in Glenmore road and run a circular service both ways through the city and even develop a service into Kelburn via the viaduct. If trams are considered obsolete then put in, a service with the lateist type of trackless car. If a private company can obtain assistance from the Unemployment Board to build the Wainui-o-mata tunnel, and rightly so, the City Council could apply for similar assistance for a much shorter job' of some 12 chains in length. It would also have the advantage of cleaning up Aro street, which at present seems a dead end or a blind alley. Earoa road will never: be built upon while Norway street has building sites air the way up to the tunnel mouth.. Plnnket street could be served by a trackless car up Norway street through the tunnel over the viaduct, along Upland road into Phmket street, and so up to Highbury, if necessary round to Moana road, back to Rarpa road, Karon tunnel to Norway street tunnel, and back to the city or hy any other route thought necessary. .-.Norway street would give an easier grade into Kelburn than, going up.The Terrace as at present," and would serve a better paying area, because the harbour side of Kelburn is too close to the city by road or cable car to pick up frequent full loads. The fact that Cabinet has turned down Bowen street would make Cabinet consider such a scheme as the suggested Norway str;aet tunnel very favourably and even assist in removing any obstacles in the way of- carrying out the idea. Business people most concerned in the welfare of the city should get behind the scheme and boost it. When the Exhibition comes in 1940 the city authorities will want some, such easy access to the western suburbs to get the crowd in and out to'ijyall Bay, and it behoves them to look ahead. The openin gof the musuem,: in Buckle street means the construction o£ a main highway from Mount Victoria tunnel to Aro street, and now is the time to get this part of the scheme completed with Government assistance. The Government will not assist iu'buying property for the main highway, but'it would for work for the unemployed in building a tunnel.—^ I am, etc., . • ... ; L.G. AUSTIN.;