QUEEN’S DRIVE WIDENING

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12433, 29 April 1926, Page 7

QUEEN’S DRIVE WIDENING

GRAVE DANGER TO LIFE COUNCIL CHARGED WITH PROCRASTINATION v CROSSLY NEGLECTFUL OF PROMISES More than one deputation to the City Council or its committees has had its ardour for the carrying out of public works cooled by the suggestion that the expense would involve an increase of rates, or has gone away full of hope when told that it would be put on the estimates. Judging from the attitude of a de- . putation which waited upon the works committee yesterday, some of the ratepayers are regarding the talk of increased rates as a bogey, and that to put a thing “on the estimates” is not what it seems. The widening of Queen’s • Drive between Cruickshank street and Coutts street was put on the estimates two years ago, according to the deputation, with an additional assurance from the then chaira man of the committee, Mr T. Forsyth, v“that the work would be done. The position to-day Ts just the same, and the deputation yesterday asked the works committee for a definite assur-

ance that the work would be put in hand immediately. THE MOTOR AGE i Mr A. C. Blake, representing the Municipal Electors’ Association, said that two years ago the work of widening Queen’s Drive was promised favourable consideration, and did receive consideration to the extent that it was put on the estimates for the ensuing year, but nothing had transpired since then. The Lyall Bay ratepayers wrote to tlie engineer on the subject in October, 1920, and they had been hammering away ever since. It was the age of the motor-car, and more attention was paid to the needs of motorists than pedestrians. There , was no footpath from Coutts street to Kreyburg street, and the road was traversed daily by hundreds of school children, and it was a marvel that a serious accident had not happened there, for motorists drove along at a very fast pace along that road. What path there was was in such a state that people preferred to walk in the road. The council knew the position, and there must be something holding it up, whether it was compensation or not, they could not say. They desired an assurance of the urgency of the work, and that it would be put in hand as soon as possible. Mr A. Sando, for the Eastern Suburbs League, said he considered the council had been grossly neglectful of promises and their bounden duty in this matter. His attitude was one of hostility, because the council had. no to procrrtMinrtie over a matter which was recommended by the committee. Mr R. A. Wright (chairman of tho committee): They have not got the money. Mr Sando: They put it on the estimates, and should have found the money. Mr Wriglit: When we have a hundrea jobs of a similar character wanted to be done, you will see what it means. Mr Sando: They should not havo made’ the promise if they were only procrastinating. He emphasised tho danger to children, and said he had pulled children from the front of mo-tor-cars, besides having had a narrow escape himself. Queen’s Drive junctioned with Coutt street, Childers terrace, and Bay road. He believed some of the properties on the hank side encroached on the road reserve, and, if necessary, that land should be thrown into the road by cutting hack the bank. The corner property should be acquired and pulled down, as it was in a state bordering on collapse, and Queen’s Drive should he widened into Bay road. F.ATrrAYERS WOULD AGREE Mr Evans supported the remarks of the other speakers, and Mr D. McLaren said the Civic League felt that it must endorse the action of the other bodies. So far as increasing the rates was concerned, if there were necessary works of this nature which were urgent, hut the carrying out of which would increase the rates, they should he listed and the public informed, and he had no doubt the ratepayers would agree. Councillor Aston said there were other districts with matters just as mgent. Did the people at Lyall Bay want preferential treatment? Mr Blake asked iF Councillor Aston could point to a similar work of urgency on a highway, and said far less important works were being done by tho council. They could be seen going on every day, yet an important matter like Queen’s Drive was hung up year after year. Councillor Aston: We discussed cue ■ this afternoon before you came hero, The chairman said it would be interesting if one day these urgent works were listed to see what works were wanted. In Miramar it would take £IOO,OOO to do the storm-water drainage as it should ho done, hut they talked about it as if it were 100 pence. These troubles were caused by the increase of houses in the suburbs, hut the council derived no additional revenue from them. Mr McLaren urged that the essential point was the danger to human life, and particularly to school children, which differentiated it from othe» cases. Mr Sando said the real danger was between Coutts street and CruickslianV street; beyond was a question of the formation of a footpath. “NO INITE PROMISE” Mr ITriglit said he could not recall any defhiito promise to carry out the

works. Tho committee, possibly, promised to put it on the estimates, and did so, but it was struck off. There was a similar work at Roseneath which bad been under consideration for six or seven years, and was not done yet. It was urgent work, he admitted, and the committee would consider it, but he could not promise anything, neither could the committee. 37r Sando: Mr Forsyth said emphatically that this work would be d6ne. The city engineer called attention to the dip in the road and other difficulties, amt these details are to be gone into on the spot when be will meet members of the deputation.