THE ARCADE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20499, 29 August 1928, Page 6

THE ARCADE.

Thk proposal of the City Council to raise a loan of £26,500 to purchase the property known as the Royal Arcade and to construct a street of standard width through it was placed rather half-heartedly before a meeting of ratepayers last night. The Council itself, it was made apparent, is divided in its opinion respecting the wisdom of the proposal. Three members of the City Council spoke in favour of it and two declared themselves in opposition to it. The members of the general public who expressed their views concerning the proposal were generally antagonistic to it. The main argument that was advanced in favour of the purchase of the property was that in time to come the congestion of traffic at the intersection of Princes and Rattray streets will necessitate the provision for vehicles of some additional thoroughfare from the city that will connect with Maclaggan street. It is impossible to deny the existence at the present time of a congestion at this particular intersection. This is largely due to the fact that the terminus of the Roslyn tram service is almost at tho intersection, and it would be overcome to some extent by the removal of the terminus to its former location. But the assumption that tho construction of a full-width street through the Arcade would lead to a diversion to it of a considerable part of the traffic that now passes through Rattray street into Maclaggan street on its way to the hill suburbs seems to be somewhat bold. There are various reasons upon which the I elief may be founded that a street through the Arcade would not be a popular one for vehicular traffic. And, since it is for vehicular traffic that tho proposed street is said to be required, this raises the question of the price. It may be agreed that the consideration of the profit, whatever it may be, that the owners of tho property would make on the actual transaction, irrespective of other advantages that may accrue to them, should not influence the result of tho poll. The ratepayers have certainly, however, to express their judgment upon the value which the city would obtain in the acquisition of the Arcade. If they are satisfied that the proposed street would not serve the purpose of substantially diverting the traffic from Rattray street they may reasonably conclude that the purchase of the Arcade would not be advisable at a price involving an annual charge equal to a rate of between a farthing and a halfpenny in the pound.