EVANS BAY RECLAMATION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6383, 4 December 1907, Page 6

EVANS BAY RECLAMATION.

The recommendation made by a joint committee of the City Council and the Harbour Board and approved by the latter body to proceed with an extensive scheme of reclamation at Evans Bay -will be received by those interested in the industrial and commercial progress of Wellington ■with feelines of untnxxed satisfaction. It has for some time been felt that the industrial activities of the city had readied a point beyond which there could be little further growth unless some plan wore devised of very materially increasing the area available for the erection of tie premises required for new industries or the extension of works necessary to indus-

tries already in existence, but cramped for want of space. There is only one reason why Wellington should not bs tho chief industrial centre, as it is already the chief commercial centre of the Dominion, why it should not be one of the most flourishing manufacturing centres south of the line—and that reason is the small space available for the erection of tho necessary works. Whilst Nature has bestowed upon the city one of the safest and most commodious harbours in tho world, she discounted Her gift by bringing the hills impracticably near to the water’s edge. With the aid of a good tram service residence on the bills is quite practicable, is, as a matter of fact, preferable to residence on the flat; but hill areas are absolutely useless when it comes to be a question of erecting factories and workshops on a large scale. It must be allowed that i the authorities of Wellington, notably the Harbour Board, has faced with great enterprise and ability the problem of correcting this disadvantage under which Wellington lies through the natural configuration of its site. The reclamation that has been effected ti the oast of Lamhton Quay is a very honourable record for one generation of colonists to nut up. But this valuable ground has now been cccup'ed almost to the last square foot, and the ory is urgent for more space.

Tho reclamation scheme of Evans Bay is designed to meet this clamant, need. The plans are so drawn up that the work can proceed as it is required, and when the scheme is completed seme X3O acres, more or less, of ground ideally fitted for tho purposes for which it is intended null have been added to the area of the city. A groat deal can be done with 130 acres, especially when this area is fronted bv deep water, flanked by commodious wharves. The scheme will mean a great deal for suburbs lying convenient to the area of reclamation, and tho engineers were quite right, in submitting their estimates of cost, to suggest that adjacent lands, which will appreciate greatly in value by the. contemplated improvements, should hear their share towards carrying them, into effect. ' In connection with a scheme of this kind the man who has done most to bring it to tho practicable stage is surely entitled to the recognition of his foresight and public spirit. The matter has, no doubt, been simmering in more minds than one; but the name with which the Evans Bay reclamation scheme will be more especially associated is that of Mr J. P. Luke, to whose initiation and insistence it is largely due that the scheme has so definitely and so speedily taken shape. We trust Mr Luke may live to see tlhe Kilbimie frontage as full of activity and stir as the Queen’s Wharf.