SHORT WAY TO KARORI

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12323, 18 December 1925, Page 8

SHORT WAY TO KARORI

PROPOSED HILL STREET LINE ANIMATED DEBATE AT CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS APPROVE SCHEME “That with regard to the question of an improved tramway route to the western suburbs, authority Be granted to the proposal to construct a tramway track from , Molesworth street via Hill strejt to Tinakori road. The length of this route from the proposed new railway station to the botanical gardens would be 6&J chains as against the distance of 111) chains

as at present. This was the proposal made to the City Council by the tramway committee last evening to the lqng debat. ed question of better ncoess to the western suburbs. There was a lengthy discussion on a motion to refer the proposal to the tramway committee, but this was defeated. The Mayor (Mr C. J. B. Norwood) expressed a desire to make it clear that outside experts had given careful consideration to the matter, and their decision was quite independent. “RATHER SUDDEN” Councillor H. D. Bennett sought to refer the clause back for consideration. It yvas proposed, he said, to close a matter which had For a long time claimed the attention of the people of the city. The decision of the committee had been rather sudden, and had apparently been the result of ratepayers’ meetings at Northland recently, where divided opinions were expressed. A previous council had decided that the only wav to adequately serve the western suburbs was by the cable car. The ratepayers had, however, turned down this proposal, and the council could hardly seek to re-open it again so soon. The decision of the committee, to put aside the next best route —via Bowen street—was not the best way to deal with the question. Because Mr Morton or anyone else, suggested Hill street ten years ago, it did not follow that he would do the same to-day, for conditions had changed considerably. The speaker assured the council that he wished to consider only the requirements of the people of the western suburbs, and to give them the best route. These people were driven to desperation, however, and had trlen the route that they thought they could most easily secure. The Hill Btreet route would riot be a permanent solution of the problem, hut would only jb® side-step-ping the ultimate decision to take Bowen street. “The tramways committee,” he went on, “is funking the question by deciding to go by Hill street.”

"JOCKEYED ON TO THEM” “If the City Council will decide that the Bowen street is right, and finds that the Government will assist them with the finance, it is plainly its duty to adopt this right away. . . This matter has been jockeyed on to the tramways committee.” , Councillor M. F. Luckie: In what wav ?, Councillor Bennett: The merits nf the case .'have not been fairly considered. “We havo been putting it off on account of finance. ' Councillor J. Burns: We cannot get the route. ... Councillor Bennett: Who Raid so? Councillor Burns: The tramways committee seems to'say so. Councillor Bennett: Immediately you decide to go over Hill street you alienate any assistance which you are to get from the tramways department, but if we go through Bowen street you will have the assistance not,, only (of this department, hut the Government also. It would be better to face the £65,000 now, and get the better route. I Councillor' Bennett then moved that the clause be referred hack to thq committee. “SCRAPPED IN TEN YEARS”

Councillor M. F. Luckie seconded. There had been no question in the minds of the council that Bowen street was better than Hill street during previous discussions, he said. Also there was no question that the residents prefer Bowen street. If they took Hill street they would had the public and, the district,to consider. The distriot'would be twioe its present population in a few years’ time as the future growth of Wellington’s residential area would have to be Karoriwards. It would not affect the price which they would have to pay for the Kelburn tram, for whether they took the tram or not he believed that they would have to lay a tramline along Upland road to the ton of the Kelburn car. He did not think that the pros and cons had been properly considered. If the council was prepared to make a network of tramlines round ,Bowen street and Bunny street, said the Mayor, he was right against it. But he believed in putting the big street right through to Tinakori road as a civic betterment, so that ’buses might come down it and drop their' loads at the quay. It would take them years to get the legislation necessary to go through Bowen street, and in. the meantime they were losing heavily each year. The only saving made on the other route was a matter of 5i chains, and he !relieved that they would make up for this by getting the work through earlier. £32,000 WASTED Councillor J. Aston said, when he l)ad previously advocated the Bowen street route, both Councillor Luckie and Councillor H. D. Bennett had voted against it. It had been estimated that tlie council was losing about £2OOO annually by taking tho tram traffic around the longer route, which meant that during the sixteen years the matter had, been under discussion about £32,000 had been wasted. To suggest further delay seemed an amazing attitude. The people in the western suburbs favoured the Hill 6treet route, and the council’s duty Was plainly to have this carried through now that the opportunity had presented itself. Councillor Luckie said that Councillor Aston had innocently misrepresented the position. Both he and Councillor Bennett had merely voted against a proposal which would have tied the council definitely -to one line of action.

This was the onlv possible way of Betting finality, said Councillor B. A. Wright It seemed fo him that the Bowen street route was absolutely honeless fnr ten years. Councillor R. McKeen: That denpnds on the mhnril. Councillor Wright: It doesn’t depend on 'the council Rt all. The council cannot act without money. WOULD GOVERNMENT ASSIST? He believed that ihe work would not have any assistance from the Govern-

ment. The bulk of the responsibility of, say, £60,000 for the Bowen street work would fail upon the city authority, and personally he thought this estimate £20,000 too little. He was not prepared to hold up the matter for another ten years now that the people of the district had themselyes agreed to the other route.

The people at Karori had certainly not accepted the Hill street route in desperation, said Councillor J. Burns. It had been discussed by the council years ago. The new route would confer a great blessing on Karori and Northland residents.

They had been l<jpg-suffering, and the suffering should end, said Councillor B. G. H. Burn, whose home is in Karori. He hoped that the council would take this into consideration. Councillor W. H. Bennett said he still favoured the route via Willis and

Mount streets,, thence to Kelburn by ’bus; and thought the Hill street tram route was the most suitable. Councillor It. McKeen agreed with Councillor H. I>. Bennett that the people of the western suburbs had snatched the Hill street route in sheer desperation on account of the vacillating policy of the council during the past 15 years. They wanted Bowen street, apd he strongly advocated giving it to them. The report upon the negotiations for the taking over of Museum street had not been seen. The Mayor: It .is not yet" ready. But I don’t think there will be a tram route in it. “PRIME MINISTER INFLUENCED” Councillor H. A. Huggins-favoured approaching the Prime Minister for a direct answer on the question. The Mayor: He has already refused us. Councillor Huggins: Yes, ,but then he was under certain influences which have now almost disappeared from the Government. Councillor G. A. Troup said he would vote for Bowen street route, but for the serious traffic jamb which would accrue at the Government Buildings through a multiplicity of lines converging there. Councillor A. L. Monteith' was convinced that the saving occasioned on the most direct route Would repay the council for a heavy expenditure. The amendment was defeated, and the committee’s recommendation adopted by 10 votes to 5.