WATERFRONT ROAD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21114, 23 February 1932, Page 10

WATERFRONT ROAD.

GREAT TASK COMPLETED.

ALL SECTIONS NOW OPEN.

REALISATION OF A DREAM. NET COST TO CITY £270,000. Auckland's boulevard, officially known as Tamaki Drive, but more often spoken of as the Waterfront Road, is now open throughout its length from Campbell's Point to the Strand, St. Helicrs. Work on the final section, the foreshore at Kohimarama, was completed at the end of last week and yesterday it was made available for commercial traffic. The main point of interest now with habitual users of the road is the section running across Mission Bay. Plans provide for tho bringing of this portion up to the standard of tho remainder of the road, but so far the City Council, the controlling authority, has not sanctioned this work.

This great civic boulevard is the realisation of a dream, long-treasured by farsighted residents of the city. For many years it was something to be spoken of as for the future, an indefinite period which was given substance when the late Mr. Massey, as Prime Minister, promised 'that any scheme which gave the Government block at Orakei, now the Orakei garden suburb, easier access to the city, should receive Government aid to tho extent of one-third of tho cost. A further step toward reality was made in 1924, when Parliament authorised Ilia City Council and other local authorities to contribute to the cost of the road from King's Drive to Orakei. Financing the Work. There followed two anxious years while nebulous ideas took shape. The City Council, tho now defunct Tamaki and Orakei Iload Boards, the Public Works Department and tho Lands Department had to consider ways and means, plans and specifications and pass the hundred and one resolutions and comply with all the formalities inseparable from a public undertaking of such magnitude. There were conferences in Wellington and in Auckland, proposals and counter-proposals. They seemed interminable at tho time, but undoubtedly they led to that easy understanding which saw the work authorised at a most informal meeting at the Grand Hotel, Auckland, on May 29, 1926.

The then Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, and the Minister of Lands, the Hon. A. D. McLeod, were in the city and a deputation comprising representatives of the City Council, the road boards and the Auckland members of Parliament waited on the Ministers to urge tho commencement of the work. It had been agreed that the section from Campbell's Point to the southern end of the sewerage tanks at Orakei could be completed for £317,000, of which the city should find £IOO,OOO and the road boards £IOO,OOO between them. Tho Government was asked to provide the other £117,000 and in support of this were used such arguments as tho relief of unemployment, access, the desirability of carrying on the work concurrent with the building of tho Westfield railway deviation and the avail: ability of spoil at Campbell's Point. Prompt Decision Reached.

Mr. McLeod was not in the room at 1 lie time and the Prime Minister requested his presence. Could the Lands Department find the money required and load it on to the Orakei sections ? Mr. McLeod pointed out that the suburb was already carrying a heavy load in the cost of its subdivision and reading, as well as £71,000 for the waterfront road from the sewerage tanks to Bice Avenue, Mission Bay. There was more informal discussion and it was then agreed that tho Government would provide Ihe money. Would it be necessary to take polls of the ratepayers to obtain sanction for raising the local bodies' contributions ? The question was put to Mr. Coates and ho passed it on to the members of Parliament. They agreed to the passing of validating legislation, and, in less than an hour from their entrance, the members of the deputation walked out with their road authorised. Work was started in October, 1926, and from time to time the construction of additional seotions beyond Mission Bay was sanctioned by the City Council, which had absorbed the Tamaki and Orakei Road Boards, and also taken over their liability of £IOO,OOO for the section to the tanks. By the winter of 1929 it was possible for motor-cars to traverse tho section to Orakei Pe:::fc and in the following year this route was opened to all traffic. Saving on First Estimate. Other sections have been opened as soon as thejy became ready for all forms of traffic. The road throughout has been lighted and pohutukawas which have been planted are flourishing. It is the council's intention to cover the bare clay faces at Campbell's Point and Point Resolution with a creeper which will improve their appearance and also hold the surface soil. Final accounts have yet to be taken out, but it is expected that these will show a saving of about £20,000 on an estimate of £488,000 prepared in November, 1930, for the whole of the construction of four miles 77.3 chains from Campbell's Point'to the Strand, St. Heliers. Allowing for Ihe Government's direct contributions and its subsidies to the council for tho work as unemployed relief projects, the net cost to tho city will be about £270,000.