THE DUN MOUNTAIN TRACK

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 21 January 1926, Page 5

THE DUN MOUNTAIN TRACK

(To the Editor.) Sir.--(bice more complaint has to be* made about the neglcefed condition of I,hat magnificent- wa Ik. -llie Hun Line. It is somewhat overgrown m several places, bat in Knurl!) House Valiev the tutu and other shrubs threaten to make thy track altogether impassable in a few weeks' lime if iielhimr is done. \\ by does not the City Council show a little mere appreciation of the value to Hie community of that splendid gift to the city, the Cawlliron Bark? It is literally true that nothing is ever done to keep the track in order except when some-, body complains to the Council either directly or through the medium oi your columns. T ii"is just the very minimum of work is done on the section about which complaint is chiefly made, alter which the track is absolutely neglected until the next time sonic indignant visitor raises voice in protest. But making complaints is no! an agreeable task and some of ns have often preferred to take along axes and slashers and clear the track ourselves. Such work, however, should most emphatically not be left to private Citizens. It is the corpor-

atinn's business and the corporation should attend to it without having to lie everlastingly reminded of its duty. The expenditure of a paltry ten pounds a Year would suHicc to keep the track in tolerable "order. ! am convinced that the present unsatisfactory slate of things is bound to continue until the Council adopts the policy of sending an energetic man along the line with a slasher at regular intervals, say once every six weeks, to trim back the undergrowth wherever it may he encroaching. In addition. the surface id the track, especially on the• zig-zag above Ihe reservoir, might receive attention about twice a year. Ten pounds a year spent in this way would at least keep tiie track available, for- visitors. - At present on the average not ten shillings’ worth of work is done to the lino per annum.

One would diarlv iike to suggest that other improvements should he made to the I’ark and that some of the other I racks should he kept open, such as that from Cummins’ Spur hack along the line min Cummins' Valley. But while it proves so difficult to secure that even tin: main track along the line is kept even barely passable, one hesitates to ask fi;r anything further. 1 am. etc.. F. G. GIBBS.