CORRESPONDENCE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume L, Issue 16545, 27 September 1924, Page 14

CORRESPONDENCE.

BOROUGH BY-LAWS

(To the Editor of the Herald.*)

Sir, —V.our issue of the 23rd September contained a loose pamphlet advising the public of various amendments to the by-laws as passed by the local Borough Council at its last meeting. With respect to the question of forcing motor traffic to stop when the Iramears are taking up or putting down passengers, 1 feel sure that past history in Gisborne Juliy justifies the amendment, hut what I wish to particularly refer to are what are scheduled as number 19 and 20, dealing with what the Council are pleased to refer to sis the Council’s reserve, as hereunder: “19. No person shall use the Council’s Reserve in Aberdeen road, known as the Botanical Gardens, for the purpose of cycling, and any cyclist using the paths of the Reserve as a thoroughfare to or from the footbridge must in all cases'dismount from his machine and wheel the same through the Reserve.” "20. No person shall use the Council's' Botanical Gardens, Aberdeen road, for the- purposes of any games or sports.” Now, sir, a. cycle has two wheels and requires approximately lOin. of space; a perambulator lias four wheels and requires perhaps 30m. Does the Council not see lit to prohibit perambulators in such a congested area. The person who cycles wiio lives in the vicinity of the footbridge is to be forced to walk home .or else travel two blocks further on in order to cross Roebuck road bridge, and for tiic best part of the year he finds that lie has to wade through a veritable sea. of mud which the Council designates Wi Fere street. It certainly was intended for a roadway, hut owing to the inability of the Council to formulate a reading policy, it remains an apology. The reason, sir, the amendment did not receive a single protest was because no member of the Council requires to use the footbridge, and yet one cannot help recalling the ro|>eated protests of one councillor because a tree, in Derby street affects his vision, There are wide pathways in the Reserve. What possible harm do cyclists do when riding? And what, greater benefit will it lie when they have to walk, as with the cycle they are compelled to occupy twice t ho spate. Then we come to amendment number 20: No person shall use the Reserve for games, etc. 1 presume that the children are to he driven on to tiic street; the swing boats are to l,e taken away Why not complete the taree and loi'co everyone taking children through this generous Council's properly to have them properly chained and padlocked. We arc led to believe that God gave lh(. grass and sent the little feet to play on it, hut by no stretch of imagination can we credit God with the creation of minds such as those exhibited by the individuals responsible for the deprivation of the children’s playground. One gentleman suggests that it is the Council’s intention to turn the Reserve into a. zoo. lam not a wealthy person, but 1 am quilo prepared to provide one of the cages to house that responsible body. In conclusion, sir, I do seriously suggest that the time has arrived in Gisborne when everybody should lie compelled to apply to the Borough Council for a permit to allow them to live.—T am, etc., A HUMBLE CYCLIST.-