CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 422, 13 March 1880, Page 20

CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

The new schools at Thorndon, which have been erected near Hobson and Murphy streets, on a piece of ground purchased by the Board of Education from Mr. McNab, are now completed, the only work yet unfinished being the drains, fencing, &c. This work is, however, in progress, and it is expected that the schools will be ready for occupation early in May. Two schools have been erected, namely, a primary school, intended to replace the overcrowded buildin Sydney-street, and a normal school, the necessity for which has long been felt. Both schools have been erected at a cost of £4OOO, the architect being Mr. C. J. Toxward, and the contractors Messrs. Scoular and Archibald. They axe very substantially constructed of totara and rimu, with kauri for the interior fittings, and the roofs are covered with corrugated iron. The style of architecture is domestic Italian. The primary school will hold 600 children, and is a two-storey building, each floor containing one large room _ and four class rooms. The dimensions of the large room on the ground floor are 42ft. by 24ft., and those of the class rooms 20ft. by 22ft There is a room for the head-master on this floor, in the rear of the other rooms ; and there are also lavatories and other conveniences. On the first floor there is a similar schoolroom, besides which there is a teachers' retiring room, and a committee room. The height between each floor is 15ft. The floors of the schoolrooms consist of a series of steps, in order that each row of pupils may be raised above the preceding one, and thus be in full view of the teacher. The seats are of the class known as "dual seats." Ample provision is made for ventilation, and also for the introduction of cool air, which may be regulated at pleasure. Between the primary and normal schools is a piece of ground 50ft. or 60ft. square, which it is intended at some future period to cover in with corrugated iron, and fit up as a gymnasium. The_ normal school is also a two-storey building, and has on the ground-floor a lecture room (with step floor), 36ft. by 20ft., to which there are two distinct entrances —one for ladies, and the other for gentlemen. There is also a room for the principal, 22ft by 14ft.; a laboratory, 14ft. square; and' a ladies' room, 15ft. by 14ft. On the second floor is an art room, 30ft. by 35ft., and a museum 22ft. square, while on both floors the necessary lavatories have been constructed. The height between each floor is the same as that of the primary school, namely, 15ft. in the clear. Water and gas is laid on and the proper ventilation of the building has been amply provided for. The

Board of Education may fairly be congratulated upon having provided such excellent school accommodation for the children of that porcion of the city, and also for the establishment of a normal school, in which pupil teachers may receive that training which is designed to fit them for the proper discharge of the important duty of teaching the young, to which they have devoted themselves. A word of praise is also due to the architect and contractors for the faithful manner in which the work has been executed, and we have also to express our thanks to Mr. Toxward for his readiness to furnish our reporter with every information upon the subject. The contractor for the erection of the new Volunteer drillshed, Mr. S. Brown, will commence his work this week, and the building is to be completed in two months from the date of commencement. The shed is to be erected immediately behind St. George's Hall, and it will front on Maginnity-street. It will be 99ft. long, and the height to the centre of theroof will be 45ft. The width of the building will be 76ft. between the pillars, upon which the roof will rest, but the space between the pillars and the side walls will be between lift, and 12ft. on either side, making a total width of about 99ft. The walls of the shed will be of brick, which will be erected upon 36 concrete piles similar to those used at the new Supreme Court, and these walls will form a sort of lean-to, the main support to the roof being the pillars already mentioned, which will be of totara. The roof will be constructed of angle iron, trussed, with pearlings on the top. The latter will be boarded over, and corrugated iron will then be placed over the boards. The gables will also be covered with corrugated iron. The shed will be lighted with large windows in the gables, while there will in addition be some smaller windows nearer the ground. The only entrance will be by means of large sliding doors. The shed when finished will be a very great convenience to the Volunteers of the city, and will supply a long felt want.

Two very important Corporation works were commenced on Monday—namely, the cemeting and covering in of the Thorndon and Te Aro streams, works which will take the contractors some four or five months to complete. The Te Aro stream, which flows through Martin-square, and all the thickly populated neighborhood in that vicinity, will be covered at a cost of £1648, Mr. Cleary being the contractor. The bottom and sides of the drain will be of cement, and the top will be a brick arch, the shape of the drain being that of an eo-g. The area of the culvert will vary, it being smallest on the steepest o-rades, but its greatest dimensions will be 2ft. 2m. by 3ft. 3in. The grade varies from lin4o to lin 133. The Thorndon culvert will also be egg shaped, and constructed similarly to that in Te Aro, the cost being £2693. Mr. Scully is the contractor for this work. The greatest area of the culvert will be 3ft. lOin. by sft. 9in., and the grades vary from 1 in 66 to lin 22. The courses of both streams will be considerably altered in places, so as to make them straighter. The covering in of these streams will do much towards removing one great source of disease during the summer months, and the residents of Te Aro in particular will greatly benefit by the change.

The work of covering in the Kent-ter-race drain has been rapidly progressing during the past nine or ten days, under Mr. Bayliss, the contractor, and this work will also be an extremely beneficial one to the neighborhood. When completed the thoroughfares now known as Kent -1 errace an d Cambridge -terrace, which have hitherto been divided by this stream, will form one good wide street, and it will then be highly desirable to give the street one name, instead of calling it by the two it at present bears. The upper portion of the same stream beyond the Basin Reserve is also to be covered in and straightened in places, and Mr. McKirdy, the contractor, commenced this very desirable work on Monday. Two storm water pipes are to be laid down on the Thorndon Reclamation, one in Bunny-street, and the other in Whit-more-street. It will be remembered that a month or two ago Lamb ton-quay, in the vicinity of the Government Offices, was flooded, in consequence of a heavy rainfall occurring while the tide was at its height, the outlets of the drains being thus closed, and preventing the escape of the flood water. The two pipes referred to above will be laid near the surface, so as to carry off any storm water that may accumulate in Lambton-quay, and discharge it at highwater mark. The work is a small one, but its benefits will be very great.

The new fire-bell for the Hill-street station will shortly be hung in its place. A new belfry is being built for its reception, the foundations of which are of concrete and are very substantial. This work is a necessary one, as it would have been unsafe to hang the new bell in the slight structure in which the small bell ac present doing duty at that station is suspended.

THE WELLINGTON-FOXTON BAIL- # ™£

DEPUTATION TO THE GOVERNMENT. A deputation, consisting of the gentlemen appointed at the public meeting on Monday night, waited upon the Government at 11 o'clock on the 4th March, at the Government Buildings'. They were received by the Hon. the Premier, the Hon. the Colonial Treasurer, and the Hon. the Minister for Public Works. The deputation consisted of the following o-entlemen :—The Mayor, Hons. John Johnston and Robert Hart, Messrs. Walter Johnston, M.H.R., Colonel Gorton, W. T. E. Travel-?, George Hunter, J. E. Nathan, J. H. Wallace, W. H. Quick, James Wallace, S. Palmer, F. A. Krull, and J. Taylor. The Mayor introduced the deputation, which he said had been appointed at an influential public meeting held on the subject of the Wellington and Foxton Railway. The resolutions passed at that meeting had been forwarded to the Government, and he hoped they would indicate to the deputation something in regard to the proposed railway. Probably other members of the deputation would like to speak to the subject. Mr. Travers said the deputation had asked bim to speak to the Government on the subject upon which they had waited upon them. With the large settlements and the great extent of country along the proposed line of route, there could be no doubt whatever that the line in question was one which was urgently required. Mr. Travers proceeded to refer to the main trunk line to Auckland, which, he said, must start from some point to the west of the Manawatu river. The speaker proceeded to go over much of the ground traversed by him at the late meeting. This was not a matter of rivalry, as between the East and West. It was a recognised fact that both lines were necessary for the requirements of the country. At the same time some deference might, he thought, be made to the respective populations and productions of the eastern and western side. The chief product on the former side was wool, while there was a large amount of agricultural land available on the western side, and as soon as this land became accessible quantities of it would be placed under crop. He instanced parts of the country where agriculture had made wonderful progress, in consequence of the means of carriage. Inland of the Sandhills, land that had no means of carriage had already changed hands at advanced prices, from the mere fact that it was well known to be valuable. There was a very large quantity of land there s —which would be available and saleable at £2 an acre as soon as the land was made accessible by means of a railway. His own belief was that this was a colonial work, and would tend to the prosperity of the country generally. Mr. Travers further proceeded to quote figures to show the great advantages which must accrue from the construction of the railway in question. The deputation were anxious that the Government should leave the matter of the purchase of rolling stock to a future date, and that they should at once continue the railway, at least as far as Porirua. If the Government would give an assurance to that effect the deputation would be very glad to convey the same to the public of Wellington. The deputation was also desirous of commencing the line from the Foxton end, and they submitted that the construction of the line through the West Coast would open up a tract of country of great magnificence, which could not fail to benefit the colony at large. The Hon. the Premier said that the resotutions passed at the public meeting, the other night, and forwarded to the Government, had received a very considerable amount of attention at their hands. Mr. Oliver, the Minister within whose department these matters came, was present and would no doubt inform the deputation what the views of the Government were on the subject. The Hon. the Minister op Public Works said the matter was one which had received a great amount, of consideration on the part of the Government. The reasons adduced by the Mayor and Mr. Travers no doubt operated with former Parliaments, or the line would not have been adopted. But he would beg the deputation to bear in mind that it was not a question of the adoption of the line at all now. The present question, he presumed, which they wished to urge on the attention of the Government was the question of expenditure as voted by the Parliament last session. He might say, then, that more money had been expended out of this vote than was the case with any other vote in the colony. In fact there only remained a balance unexpended of £2874 1 s. lOd. They would, therefore, see that in this respect they could not now come down and blame the Government for not having done their duty. The fact was, as they were no doubt aware, the vote was taken with a view to absorb that labor which the ordinary labor market could not do. The reason for passing the vote was the necessity which, it was stated, existed for providing some means of employment for the unemployed. With regard to the more active proceedings which it was said the Government should take in this work, he would inform the deputation there were similar applications from almost every district in the colony where works of a similar kind were desired, and where it was urged that the Government ought to comply with the demands. There was a very serious difficulty in the way of proceeding with these works as actively as the Government would have liked. The public hardly yet seemed to realise the difficulty in which this colony would be placed unless the strictest economy were practised, and the expenditure were extended over a proper duration of time. With a view of properly utilising the funds at their disposal, last session the Government proposed a Railway Commission to make enquiries into the requirements of the various districts where railway works were really required. Parliament adopted the view brought down by Ministers, and the Commission had just been signed by his Excellency the Governor. The gentlemen

appointed had already arrived in Wellington, and he hoped in the course of a week they would begin their labors. Their work included an inquiry .into all railways which had been urged upon Parliament, either in cases where railways were required to be commenced, or in the pushing forward and continuing of works which had already been begun. He say that, notwithstanding that he sympathised entirely with the views of the deputation and the public meeting, he was of opinion that the line of country and the districts which would be opened up by this railway would in some cases be rich and advantageous, and whether immediately or some time hence, there was no doubt that the line would have to be constructed, but as the Commission had been appointed for the very purpose of making enquiry, it would be very injudicious, and would indeed stultify Parliament, if the Government were now to give an answer to the arguments of the deputation, and decide the mattei% without reference to the Commissioners. He did not, of course, know what portion of the colony would immediately claim the attention of the Commission, but he was quite sure he was expressing the views of the Government when he said that, if the Commissioners would consent to make this railway their first object of enquiry, the Government would be very glad if they would do so. Major Atkinson, who was in charge of the finances of the colonv, would no doubt tell them how financially" embarrassed they were. Mr. Travers remarked that that was not generally denied. The Hon. the Premier said it was not realised at all events. If the Government conceded one-fourth of the applications made to it the colony would in a very few months be in a state of inextricable confusion as far as money matters were concerned. Mr. Travers again addressed the Government, urging the claims of the line in question.

In answer to a question put by Colonel Gorton, The Government said it was intended to go on with the railway at once at the Foxton end of the line.

The Hon. the Colonial Treasurer said the Government did not require to have any pressure brought to bear upon them in the prosecution of the works in any part of the colony, for the public might depend upon it they would do the best they could in the interests of the colony. At the same time he would like to inform the deputation that next year the whole of the five million loan would have been withdrawn from England, and they would then have to remit to the old country the sum of a million and a half yearly, while they must remember they would be unable to go on the money market again for a period of two years. As business men they must knowthat were the Government to accede to all the requests made to them, they would in so many words have to stop payment of the public creditor. It was said last session, when he had delivered his Financial Statement, that he was taking too gloomy a view of things, but he thought it would be found when he came to make his next Statement that he had overestimated the revenue, as be should have to show upon that occasion. He was sure that he deputation, as a body of business men, must see the difficulties the Government were laboring under, and must also see that they were right in wishing that all these questions should wo to the Commission, with the object of considering how they could, from a colonial point of view, spend the balance of their money to the greatest advantage. The Government wished to consider where they could spend the small amount of money available to the credit of the railways most beneficially for the interests of the colony at large. The Government had not said that they had abandoned this line. The position taken up broadly was that the money should not be expended except on such lines as would be found most remunerative, or, in other words, would give the greatest return, and in this view of the matter he thought it behoved everybody to support the Government. He had carefully read through the report of the meeting, and it seemed to him that Mr. Travers was mixing up two questions. As a matter of fact a railway from Wellington to Foxton would open up very little good land. It would certainly pass through or near two or three small blocks of forest land. The 67 miles of line which he understood the deputation to be urging the Government to construct would in fact open up very little country. It was true the Government were now in treaty with the natives for some four blocks of land, containing 12,000 acres each, and upon these blocks the Government had ad vanced money, but probably they would not get more than half this land. The good land the natives would probably keep for themselves, and would kindly allow the Government to have the hills. If the wishes of the deputation were carried out they would have two loop lines. He did not think it would .be right to carry on such works. It would, too, be quite beyond the means of the Government. A direct line to Foxton would not open up any country at all. It was for the Government and the people of Wellington to consider how the money available for the work should' be spent. His owu idea was that a line from Featherston would cost very little money, and would open up a far greater extent of land, which would have a direct and beneficial bearing on Wellington. What was required by the deputation was qaite beyond the means of the country. However, the Government would hear what the Commissioners had to say upon the subject, as to which would be the beat line to proceed with.

Colonel Gorton maintained that a very large extent of agricultural country would be opened up by the Foxton railway. The Hon. Major Atkinson said no doubt everybody knew that a railway must be a good thing for the country through which it ran. Mr. Walter Johnston addressed the Government, and said the feeling of the meeting uere was quite in accordance with the feeling

of the Manawatu people, and proceeded at some length to apeak on the subject of a deputation which had previously interviewed the Government.

The Hon. Major Atkinson said the position taken up was that a considerable sum of money had been spent on this line in support of the unemployed. A subsequent vote was taken, but it was understood that it should not have been expended until the sitting of the Commission. If it had not been for the unemployed no steps would have been taken with regard to the Foxton railway at all. The speaker proceeded to describe the method by which rolling-stock was purchased. When a vote was passed for a railway a portion of it was always set apart for rolling-stock. If driven to spend the money on the unemployed they would have to do it, but the Government would rather send them away into the country. The Hon. the Premier said no Government could provide against men being unemployed at times.

Mr. Travers asked the Government if they were prepared to say anything against the allocation of money arising from the sale of reclaimed lands along the lines of railway. The Hon. the Premier replied that this was a new phase of the matter which the Government was not then prepared to consider. Colonel Gorton wished to know if he understood aright that the Foxton railway would be commenced at once from the Foxton end.

The Hon. the Minister of Works said there was a vote of £15,000 made last session, and this would be expended at the Foxton end. It was a work which must be done, but the money would not be expended on this side of the river.

The deputation then thanked the Government and withdrew.