Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1900, NELSON'S ASSETS. SHAKESPEARE WALK.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXIV, Issue 248, 20 October 1900, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1900, NELSON'S ASSETS. SHAKESPEARE WALK.

daily walk. To visitors tho locality would would havo aneapeoial charm, for there is no spot along the whole lonSth of , tho Maitai that lends itself more to pleasing effects from the camera. In fact this stretch of river is among the most beautiful in aadnrouml Nelson, and yet it has been left for years to goats, and backyard uses generally. * «■ « The City Council has gone so far in the matter of making the practicable road or path needed to open up this asset of the city as to ascertain cost, surrey the land, and find out lion titles stand. Yet, because ot the difliculty regarding the State ownership of most of the "jumped" land in the vicinity— from which it was hoped to derive revenue in rents for the maintenance of the path tho project has bnen him if up. Tho liill now before the House will either facilitate transfers and vest in tho Council the rents from tho land in question, or it tvill prevent the completion of the project by tome trick known to Parliamentary draftsmen, la tho circumstances, it is hoped that those members of the Council who have been so active in arranging the prelnmn- ' aries in connection with tho proposed path ,vill be on the alert, and get a sight of the Bill befuro it is too lato. It may be right- and wo hope it is ; but it would bo a pity to spoil and hinder an excellent scheme by trusting too confidingly to legislation in connection with a private, or rather, a local Bill.

It will bare been observed that a Ml has been introduced in the House of Kepresentatives to facilitate tho transfer of certain lands along the Maitai wii.li the object of enabling tho Nelson City Council to reconstruct Shakespeare Walk. This is a subject on which there have been several articles in these columns, and it is satisfactory to learn that a more hasat last been made to overcome some of the technical legal difficulties which have stood in the way of the accomplishment of tho project. It is to be feared, however, that the bill will have small chance of passing this session of Parliament. Members are eren now straining at the leash to get away to their homes, and unless tho measure be put through with the rucK of local bills there may be a still further period of waiting, Hut it is something to have the bill on the list, for it shows that the desire of the City Counand a large number of the residents for the revival of at least a portion of Shakespeare Walk is not being entirely ignored. There is a danger, however, that the bill ia mereiy a means of preventing anything been done. A good deal of the land along which )t is proposed to make the river path from Trafal-gar-street bridge to Normanby bridge is owned by the Government; and unless the revenue from the rent of these areas can be transferred to tho Council the work tvill not be self-maintaining, and therefore bs a charge on the rates which may not be regarded as justifiable just now. *■ * * It is for the Council to see that tho Enabling Bill helps instead of hindering the project. As the measure, if it passes at all, will be hurried through with local bills in an hour or so, there is no timfl to bs lost in malting sure that the scheme is not blocked. There may be reason for this fear; buL we have not seen the text of the bill, and it is ivellUnown that there are some privato interests involved whereby individuals would as lief havo things left as they are indefinitely. Apart from this issue however, and presuming that the bill is honestly meant to faciliato the construction of a portion of Shakespeare Walk, tho city will be in a position to revive a valuable asset at a very small cost. As frequently pointed out in these columns, there is very little chance of the wholo length of the banks of tho Maitai within tho town being made available for a riverside path, because of the encroachments and changes due to iloods and the removal of landmarks. It would bea very expensive undertaking to carry in its entirety the thoughtful and far-seeing project of the original surveyors for a rivorsirle road. But there is no reason why a largo portion of tho road or path should not be made, *■ * # Of course the portion from Trafalgarstreet Bridge to Normanby Bridge is referred to. A.t present, anyone who cares to take the trouble can get beside the river from an entry in Collingivood-street, walk some hundred of yards along n sylvan and weed-grown path with the stream flowing by his feet, and, by the grace of landholders who have no particular light or title to give permission (seeing that they themselves are virtually trespassers), emerge into Baidge-streefc by way of a back yard. The neglect and generally unkempt aspect of this deserted bypath apart, there is no more charming spot in the centre of Nelson than this stretch of riverside. If it were opened for a greater distance, and made accessible at both ends so as to enable persons on foot (,o walk from one bridgo to tho other without turniDg back or wetting their boots, it would be tho most frequented resort in the city-a veritable "Lovers' Walk" and pleasant short-cut combined. It would be the highway between the Wood and a : lar f Potion of the eastern residential part of Nelson and the city, for many would take the road to come into town, even it thereby they had to extend their