LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14244, 19 June 1908, Page 3

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

ACCESS TO THE FORESHORE. Silt,—l am glad to see that your paper is taking up the matter of shutting up Rattray street as proposed by Mr Millar, and it is tima tho big merchants of the town woke up and joined you in trying to prevent the main streets to the town being spoilt, as this Government proposes to do. There havo been two or three large stores to let down here for tho last month, and it is no wonder, if the Government intends cutting Lower Rattray 6trcet and the wharves off from the town by blocking Rattray street off at the 1 railway crossing. No one wants to take a long lease or buv a property down here when they don't know what day it might be shut off from the town and out of the busiuess parts, My interest in the place is very email, but I do not want to lose it, and I" do not want to see tho place put back, as the Government wants to put it,—l am,etc., ISTEREBTED. Sir,—ln jour issue of this date interviews are reported of which the general tone is one of condemnation and disapproval of the closing of Rattray street. But, Sir, tliere are one or two points that must be taken into consideration over this matter," and they are;— First: That the question of tho delay to traffic by trains crossing and recro&suur is considerable, and that it is a growing evil. Let this kind of thing continue for (say) the next 10 or 15 yeans, and what kind of a situation will the traffic be in at that time? Secondly: The Cabinet Ministers have not arrived at a conclusion, on the subject without due consideration. For them to have done so, and for tWs conception of the situation to be entertained, is, to immediately condemn them as incapable, The Cabinet k in. possession of data that are not procurable by tho average citizen, and it i 6 also in possession of knowledge of what other cities of the world have done- and possibly are suffering—through not giving such subjects the consideration they deserved. Our Prime Minister has not travelled for nought, and we expect him in his administration to apply the knowledge and comparisons so gained. What Rattray street or'Dunedin traffic will be like in 10 or 20 years is the present consideration of the Government, and it purposes acting accordingly. That i 3 my opinion—l am, etc., June 17. C. J. B-K. THE CLOSING OF STREETS IN ST. KILDA. Sib,—Owing to an accident I was delayed last evening, and arrived at the Council Chambers at 8.12 p.m., just to hear the motion on the above matter being put and carried. Note the time taken on such an important question. All honour to Cr Taylor for standing aione. ( We want, moro of this. How councillors can say they see no objection is amazing. The fallowing tire strong objections against the proposal:—! It makes three blind, streets. 2. It does away with 29 building sites. 3. It gives away 1 acre 2 roods 28 poles of property to tho Trotting Club. This belongs to tho ratepayers, and we get nothing in return. 4. The most serious of all is that the main thoroughfare to the proposed ground is Bowen street, 50ft in width, which has now to carry the tram and Tahuna Park traffic, and, being alongside the sohool, is at the present dangerous to the children, What will it be with the increased traffic caused by the. club? 5. From the borough's standpoint there is something to lie 6aid. If this is passed we have i'our recreation grounds within a radius of 1 lialf a mile, and a likelihood of Forbury Park becoming one. Surely the council should look at the rating aspect. Did Mr Tapper consider this when stating that we needed mono reoreation grounds? However, the matter has yet to be decided by the stipendiary magistrate. Tlio Legislature has, in its wisdom, removed the final decision from local and interested partisans, and made the magistrate tie final arbiter' on the matter, thus ensuring a broad public outlook.—l am, etc., High street, Musselburgh. E, Asun.