THE ARCADE.

Evening Star, Issue 19953, 24 August 1928, Page 5

THE ARCADE.

TO Tin: KDITOU. I Sir ) —. r |'lio r;ilop,Tvers on; being min'd to .sanction a special loan of £23.30') for the purpose ol pnvehaMUg portion of tho Arcade. property aml making a, new street. Wo have been told that this will improve that locality and be. the means of increasing the Couiieil ;> receipts for rates from tho halanee. What we have, not, been told is that any increase then; may be Irom Lbat direction will lie more than ol’lsei. by the loss of rates at present received from tho portion to be bony!)!. 11m advantage of Midi a street for heavy traffic would be practically ml, and tho pedestrian would have no further benefit than ho, has at present. A Iml of tho ratepayer:-' He is tlm oim who will have to carry the baby as usual. £1*6..j00 at b’j per cent, means an increase of £l,ldf per annum tor interest which will have, to be met bv tbo ratepayer. Last year everybody's rate;.- went up by a few shillings on account of the unemployment loan, ami now ‘bis year we arc asked to express our willingness to have a further few shillings added to our accounts. And what for? Win ply because some misguided councillors desire In assist some sanguine speculators to sir, on velvet. Of what value is Die to ratepayers in Cam-sham, St. Clair, South Dunedin, Anderson's Bay, and North Dunedin, that they should be asked to pay increased rates? Let ns vote the proposal nut. As it is we gel little enough value for our ever-inerr,.sing rates.—T am, otr., A \ni;i'.sox ID v. August 2-1. TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—As; a ratepayer who pays a large amount in annual rates lor both suburban and city property, J, have to express my appreciation to you for tho publication of tho plan showing the proposed new street and also tho locality plan. I am afraid, however, that I cannot compliment you on your leader in last Tuesday night's issue, as it certainly does; not fairly state tho local conditions. In tho first place, you are absolutely wrong in suggesting (hat (ho bulk of the traffic from Princes street after reaching tho Crown Hotel corner proceeds up Rattray street. Anyone with tho slightest knowledge of tho locality knows that there is tremendous traffic up Maclaggnn street to tho hill suburbs and the Kaikorai. Tli suggestion that it would bo necessary to “slice off part of tho Gladstone Hotel and City Brewery properties” is finite erroneous. Why, therefore, suggest difficulties that do not exist? Tho small number of pedestrians now using the Arcade is absolutely no criterion as to tho extent it would bo -used if it werij opened into a respectable street with good shops, thereby completing one of tho best shopping blocks in tho city. Your locality plan proves up to tho hilt the necessity of the new proposed street to assist in the ever-increasing demand for the relief of the congestion of vehicular traffic in the centre,of tho city. This will he more emdeiP when the new Post Office is erected, and our city fathers are to be complimented on such a far-seeing policy ns they are adopting. 1 I must also express surprise at your leader for another reason. The City Council has called a public meeting to explain tho full details to the ratepayers, and I think it worn! have boon more in accordance with the -adi'ams of your paper to have delayed attempting to lead the public until alter the council had had this opportunity of justifying its action. —1 am, etc., City Ratecavki!. August 24.