A BETTER ’OLE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11248, 28 June 1922, Page 5

A BETTER ’OLE

HATAITAI TUNNEL SUBURBAN RESIDENTS DEMAND A TRAFFIC WAY. NEW PROJECT URGED. A well attended meeting of Hataitai residents was held last night to discuss the question of a traffic tunnel from the city to their suburb. Mr E. A. Batt presided. -He traversed much familiar ground in urging the need for the tunnel. The need, for the tunnel was obvious, he said, and those who advocated that it should be constructed without delav did not do so out of more parochialism. The proposed tunnel would serve all the suburbs on tho eastern side of the hill ns far out as Miramar and Seatoun. The present tunnel was inadequate, and had been obsolete from the date of its completion. Tho city engineer had an idea of piercing the hill near the Basin Reserve, but that would not suit as it would mean long walks both ways for residents of Hataitai proper. If the city engineer said that on account of grades ho could not put the tunnel nearer Hataitai than the Basin proposal would bring it, he was not tho city engineer they wanted. The present idea was to run a tunnel through from tho top of Elizabeth street to a point just north of the present tunnel. TUNNEL NEAR ELIZABETH STREET. The district was growing rapidly. In 1911 the population of Roseneath was 755; now it was 1125. In 1911 there were 2037 people in Hataitai; to-day there were 3677. A tunnel put through near tho Basin Reserve would be so inadequate that in ten years’ time another tunnel would bo needed. The City Council proposed soon to settle the tunnel question, and the voice of Hataitai had to be heard. Mr H. A. Huggins moved: 1 ‘That this representative meeting of ratepayers and residents of Hataitai and North Kilbirnie urge on the City Council the necessity for an early decision as to tho location of tho authorised traffic tunnel through the Mount Victoria hills, and also requests that in order to serve the best interests of the majority of the citizens concerned, the tunnel should pierce the hill as far north as possible, preferably in the vicinity of Elizabeth street, where the distance through the hill is shortest and th© easiest natural grade of approach occurs.” FAVOURED BY LEADING ENGINEERS. Mr George Halliday seconded the motion. He said that three of the leading engineers in New Zealand lived in Hataitai. They favoured the Elizabeth street route, and lie suggested that permission to use their names in this matter should be sought. It was remarked that the tunnel would not cost a 6 much as the City Council had estimated (£167,000), and it rather looked as though that sum had been set down as a means of killing the scheme. Councillor TV. J. Gaudin thought the Hataitai residents had the sympathy of the councillors, and he said he considered the tunnel was a city need ae well as a suburban need. Mr A. TV. D. Travers suggested that a monster deputation hundreds if necessary —should wait on the City Council. Mr Huggins thought that when the Orongorongo tunnel was finished (in say, eighteen months’ time) the council could swing its plant and some expert tunnellers on to the hill, which would bo easy to pierce. In reply to a question, the chairman said he did not think the old Patterson street proposal would be persevered with now that the Girls’ College was being built. Mr A. Leigh Hunt said this advocacy had been in progress for over fourteen years. Nothing had been done; yet Khandallali, one of the newest places to come under the wing of the city, was to have its wants attended to soon, if certain proposals were given effect to.