A BIG PROPOSAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6383, 4 December 1907, Page 7

A BIG PROPOSAL.

ROOM FOR MANUFACTORIES. EVANS BAY RECLAMATION. Legislative authority was given to the Wellington City Council anti tho Wellington Harbour Board last session to acquire land abutting on the foreshore at Evans Bay in connection with the proposed reclamation of sites for manufactories for tho City of Welling ton. / This scheme, which has been under consideration of the two bodies for some timo, has now received the approval of tho Harbour Board, and it will be dealt with by the City Council to-morrow night. Tho engineers of the Board and Council, in tho preparation of their plans, regarded the scheme as one of considerable magnitude, but such as to lend itself to execution in detachments from, time to timo as tho demand for land for industrial purposes would warrant. They also had regard to tho contiguity of such reclaimed area to deep water, or to water that can be easily deepened by dredging, and in such a position that wharves can bo constructed providing berthage accommodation for tho industries that it is anticipated will bo installed on the reclaimed land.

Tho reclamation of about 135 acres will possibly take place. The proposal is to start the seaward * limit on the eastern side of Evans Bay, some eighteen chains to tho southward of Miramar wharf, extending in a north-east-erly direction in a straight line for about twenty-eight chains. It then takes a curve to the north-west, the face line of the reclamation meeting the Evans Bay road between Kilbirnio and tho patent slip. There are about 106 acres below high-water level in the proposed reclamation. Of this some twenty acres vests with the Harbour Board as foreshore. Private property of about ton acres in area adjoins the boach, and this will bo added. There is besides over eighteen acres that the City Council, bos authority to reclaim for recreation purposes. On the western sidp of Evans Bay there are seventeen acres, sea frontage, Which, after dredging, would give good berthage accommodation, and nearly twelve acres will bo available as building allotments. Hero ample room would be given for marine industries, suen as 'boat-build-ing, efco.

Tho Harbour Board has appointed a oommitteo to take the necessary stops for the acquisition of the required land for this purpose. The advantage accruing to the City of Wellington from such a scheme cannot bo over-estimat-ed. The groat need of land near the water-front for the city’s industries has long been the subject of comment. On this reclaimed area there will ho room not only for such manufactories as it may be desired to start, but the City Council will he placed in possession of land for numerous municipal requirements—library, destructor and storage sites, etc., whilst the Harbour Board will have land at its disposal that, in view of its rapid expansion of business, it is very much in need of. In view, also, of Wellington becoming tho headquarters of the Union Steamship, Company, and with the increased facilities that will bo wanted to satisfactorily carry out the developments arising out'of such an important change, the proposed reclamation will doubtless commend itself to the community generally.