TEAMS TO AVONDALE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20902, 18 June 1931, Page 13

TEAMS TO AVONDALE.

A TEMPORARY STOPPAGE.. '

PROBLEM OF OAKLEY CREEK

FORMER DECISION RESCINDED

Work on the excavation for tlie .extension of the. trams 'to Avondale will-be suspended within a day or-two and will not,, he resumed .until finality has, been reached , concerning the method'of dealing with Oakley. Creek,- which -forms -the boundary between Mount, Albert and Avondale.- The decision of the foimei Mount Albert-Council has been rescinded by the present council, which is now considering the question.

For .60 yards, just ;past. Bollard Avenue, the creek runs close to the New North Road and then passes' under it- through a, culvert, swinging .back for some distance almost parallel; with its . first course. The previous decision was to build a large retaining wall along ■ the creek bank to permit .the widening of the road, and also. to strengthen and widen the existing culvert. "1 he - foundations for the wall had been laid, but after an inspection of- the- position, the Mayor of. -Mount Albert, -Mr. W. I*. Stilweli, with the support of . the councillors, gave instructions to the engineer to cease work until two alternative schemes had been investigated and a satisfactory basis for'.'the allocation of • cost ■ between the local bodies affected had been settled. ' "The retaining wall at the very -best could' be only a temporary expedient," said Mr. Stilwell yes'terday. "There 1 is evidence, that Oakley Creek is already carrying a considerable amoujit of. sewage and as the slopes on" the other side are settled this', seepage. and general drainage will become accentuated'.. Moreover, those slopes will carry a population that will justify a direct road connection with the New North Road and this would not be practicable under the earlier scheme." Mr. Stilwell said he favoured the construction of a tunnel between the two arms that formed the loop of the creek and then completely, filling in the portion which ran parallel to the road. An alternative scheme would be to run the creek through a. culvert for the whole distance it ran parallel with the road. Neither of these schemes, said Mr. Stilwell, would cost very much the construction of the wall which, together with the strengthening of the existing culvert, would cost oyer £IOOO. "It had been intended to complete the line by August or September, but this development will delay the opening," sajd Mr. A. E. Ford, manager;of the Transport Board. "Arrangements for the reconstruction of the overhead railway bridge, are proceeding,- however, and this work will'be gone on with."