A FOKESHORE ESPLANADE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13354, 7 December 1906, Page 6

A FOKESHORE ESPLANADE.

CITY COUNCIL'S SUGGESTION. PONSONBY TRAFFIC DIFFICULTIES. Thk vexed question of an extension of Waitemata-street, Ponsonby,' through to Beaumont-street, to give a shorter route to the portion of Ponsonby fronting the harbour, was again before the City Council last evening. The Streets Committee, adding to its previous reports on this matter, reported that it had visited the locality. The city engineer had reported to the committee that the cost of forming a roadway from the east end of Harbour-street to Beaumont-street would be £3580, and from east end of Harbour-street to a point in a new road to be constructed by the Harbour Board, £2120 for forming footpath track and embankment from the north end of Harbour-street to the west end of the newroad to be constructed, £1875, or, with timber footway, £785; that the extension of Waitemata-'street was impracticable, and that the esplanade was the only project which commended itself to him- The committee met at the ground, and found that the, extension of Harbour-street would go through the Gas Company's building, at a grade of 1 in 20, while a line to the north connecting with the proposed esplanade would have a grade of 1 in 15, the costs respectively. being £3500 and £2120, irrespective of land. The committee thought it highly desirable that provision should be made by the Harbour Board for an esplanade, and recommended that the petition for extension of Waitemata-street be declined, that arrangements be made for continuation of footpath from Waite-mata-street to Beaumont-street, and that the Harbour Board be approached with a view to an esplanade from Beaumont-street along the fore-shore, to which connection could bo made with the various streets of the city running down to the harbour. Mr. Entrican moved, as an amendment, that the petition, instead of being declined, be referred back to the committee. He referred to the difficulties of traffic between l'onsonby waterfront and Freeman's Bay and the city.

Mr. Parr said there were 2000 or 3000 people living in some of those blind streets, who would have to make a detour of half-a-mile when the Gas Company cut off the footpath. The Mayor said that the committee, after most careful consideration, and while it was desirous of giving effect to the petition, had come to the conclusion that it was' impossible as a practical proposition to recommend the extension of Waitemata.street. The cost would be over £4COO, without compensation ; the Gas Company would ask for the dividing of its land into two parts, and the grade would be 1 in 9, which would be absurd. Arrangements must be made with the Gas Company" to obtain an entrance from Waitemata-street to Beaumont-street, and it was intended to approach the Gas Company to that cud. It the company was reasonable this could be managed, and it not the. Council would have to fall back on its rights. The amendment- was then carried, and the petition deferred for further consideration. ... ... , After further discussion it was agreed to* .seek a conference-.with the Harbour Board oil the questions involved.