THE BETTER 'OLE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11296, 23 August 1922, Page 5

THE BETTER 'OLE

MEETING AT KILBIRNIE DIVERGENT VIEWS AS TO SITE OF TUNNEL. THE COUNCIL AND THE PEOPLE. A meeting of the Kilbirnie Ratepayers’ Association was held last evening in the Kilbirnie School, for the purpose of discussing the tunnel question. . Mr A. G. Wallis presided. The chairman said that the meeting was called principally to discuss the tunnel question. Kilbirnie was in a peculiar position, being between north and south. It would not be Kilbirnie that would decide where the tunnel should be made, but Kilbirnie had a ■ right to be heard in the matter. Mr A. C. Blake said that the matter had been discussed at a meeting of the Eastern Suburbs League, but it had been left over until further discussed by the other bodies.. It had been decided to ask the various other local bodies to talk over the questions and remit their decisions to tho league. There was a good deal to be said on both' sides. Mr Batt made it very clear at the meeting of the Hataitai electors as to the views of the Hataitai people, hut Kilbirnie residents also had views which were worthy of consideration. MR BATT EXPLAINS THE POSITION. Mr E. A. Batt said that the tunnel was a long-needed convenience, which would soon be supplied. The City Council had voted some £187,000 towards the erection of this tunnel, hut it would not be a “body” which would decide the position of the tunnel, but an individual —the city engineer. Hataitai and North Kilbirnie unquestionably desired a tunnel as far north as it could possibly be put. This was not from any selfish motive, but statistics had been weighed, and it was found that the bulk of the traffic came from north of Kilbirnie terminus. If a tunnel were put through from Goa street to the Basin Reserve, it would represent the shortest of the three sides of a triangle, and would thus be a very favourable route. A tunnel excavated where the Hataitai people desired it would servo the whole of the eastern suburbs as well as the one placed in the previously-mentioned locality. _A great number of people, however, still preferred the old tunnel route. There were other reasons . why the tunnel should go as far north as possible, one of which was that the tunnel should he opened on to the city at the nearest possible point, namely, Elizabeth street. The support of every individual and every association In the eastern suburbs was required. Roseneath was in a very queer position. It was very near the city, hut at too great a height to enable a reasonably-graded road to he constructed. SOME PAST HISTORY.

Mr A. E. Jorgensen, who Was a member of the City Council at the time that the present tunnel was put through, explained that when the work was effected there Were very few people living in what was now Hataitai. Also, what could be done with the greatest ease at the present time could not have been done at all at the time that the present tunnel was constructed. There was a certain amount of history attached to the old tunnel. When the eastern districts entered into an agreement to amalgamate with the city, it was decided that the suburbs concerned should be granted tramways.' Melrose was to “foot the hill.” The question had then been raised as to the money required for the purpose of constructing the tramway, and the council held that there was no obligation upon it to find the money. There oould never he a loss on the city tramways, since when a loss was threatened there -was always the remedy of increasing the fares. It was a piece of impertinence for the people -who were not living in the district at the time that the old tunnel was constructed to say that a blunder had been made regarding the existing tunnel’s situation. The future tunnel was to be constructed so that it would serve the whole eastern district. As long as it was the shortest and quickest route into town it did not matter where it “came crat.” If any route was suggested which did not comply with the above principle it should be opposed. The speaker continued that some portion of the money required would have to be borrowed, ana great pressure should therefore be brought to bear on the Oity Council to have the proposed plans prepared.

TUNNEL FOR “BULK OF PEOPLE.”

Mr J. J. Clark held that if there were differences at the time that the old tunnel was put through and the resulting tunnel proved to be thoroughly inadequate, how much greater would be the difficulty of decision at the present time. No matter where the tunnel went it should be as flat as possible. This was the essential fact. Another member was of the opinion that the people who should be considered were the people who were furthest away from the oity. Mr Morton’s scheme, however, obviously offered the greatest benefit to the greater number of people. Mr dark explained that if the tunnel was to be made “direct” it should not be made on the Hataitai side, since the latter district was purely residential. The tunnel should he as flat as possible and should leach the bulk of the people whom it was intended to serve. Mr Batt said that Mr Morton had made it known that the least grade that could be obtained would be one in thirty. The grade of the tunnel proposed by tho Hataitai people would, however, be one in twenty-six. Mr A. 0. Blake pointed out that one important point which had not been discussed, was: “What is the best way of disposing of the spoil from the tunnel?’’ The speaker suggested that it should be used for reclamation purposes on the foreshoie of Evans Bay. Mr E. E. Stoupe said that the new tunnel would be mainly for traffic, and if the grade question could bo overcome, there would he no harm m

tho Kilbirnie people travelling up to Hataitai. Mr Batt suggested that if the blue metal spoil from the new tunnel were carted to the corporation yards and crushed and screened, it could be used for road making. A TUNNEL NECESSARY. T.e chairman said that one point, at least, upon which all were agreed, was that a tunnel was necessary. The council, before being approached as to the location of tho tunnel, should be urged that a tunnel was necessary. It was then moved by Mr Clark, and seconded by Mr Jorgensen, “That this meeting of ratepayers and residents of Kilbirnie urge upon the council the necessity of at once preparing plans and borrowing money authorised

to be raised for the construction of a second (traffic) tunnel to the eastern suburbs.” The motion mot with the unanimous approval of the meeting. i