CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3367, 20 November 1872, Page 2

CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

A good deal in tho way of improvement is now being effected by a gang of prisoners on the hill at the Botanical Gardens. Three walks, each 13 feet wide, have boon formed, starting from the little bridge at tho foot of tho hill in the Gardens, and keeping, one on the Nortli-Kast Valley side of the grotind, another along the centre of tho hilt, and the third along; the river bank. The walks .merge intoone, and end in an entrance from I>uadas street. The ground as far as Dundaa street lias been taken over by tho Government from the Corporation, and has beea fenced in. It has been taken over rather too late than too soon, as, with tl» wasteful "economy" and Vandalism of the Corporation, numerous noagnificent native pines, some of them four feet in diameter, have been destroyed, and with them much of the surrounding vegetation. Such trees as these cannot be replaced, and their destruction is io bo regretted; but better treatment is to be hoped for the remaining trees under the present management. A walk along the paths reveals here aad there an unsightly gap in the trees, and. in the opening is seen tho stump of some fallen giant, and perhaps the top part, which was considered not worth removing. By those who have plodded through muddy cow tracks to admire this beautiful bush, and tho line views obtainable from it, the walks will be dccidedlj appreciated. The present bridge in thft gardens is to be replaced by one in thft rustic (style. The gloomy manuka scruV is to be thinned out in several places, and trees and shrubs planted among it. There is to be a number of smaller walks between the main ones, and seats placed at various points. The work is being superintended by Mr M'Gruer. Progress is being made in connection with the formation of the North Dunedm Cemetery. A pretty brick lodge, witfc slated roof, containing three dwcUm£~

tooras and a public waiting-room, is about *o bo erected for the sexton. The Cemetery lias been fenced in with a paling fence. The main road to it, from near the I>undas street bridge, has now been completed, and it in expected that the road will be widened and the footpath formed, thus making it a very nice walk for the citizens. There are to be boundary paths 12ft wide dividing thfl grounds «£ the- different denominations, and a main road 16ft wide in io take rather a winding •course, and will bring a person following it to the point from which he started— the Cemetery entrance. The area of the •Cemetery is 20 acres, of which 14 or 15 acres are available for interments, and the remaining portion, which is bush land, will have ornamental walks formed through it. An soon as /tufiicicnt of the road in the Cemetery has been wade, which will be \ in the course of a few weeks, as will permit of hearses entering on the part set .aside for graves, the Cemetery will be ■ opened for interments. Wo have pleasure in stating that the contract for the erection of the new Knox Church for the Rev. I)r Stuart wan signed on the 13th inst. by the Building Committee and tho contractor*, Messrs Roach and Martin. The probable estimate of the architect, Mr David Ross, was £7200 for church and spire complete, and the contract ha« hm:n ;iccepted under that amount. The foundation stone is to be laid on Monday next, the 25th inut.—the three hundredth anniversary of the death of 'John Knox, the great Reformer ; and the building is to be completed in fifteen months.