RISKY CORNER AT THE CARLTON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17831, 27 April 1926, Page 12

RISKY CORNER AT THE CARLTON.

CITY COUNCIL TALKS OF ROUNDING OFF. The corner in front, of the Carlton Hotel was described as dangerous, at the City Council meeting last night. The suggested rounding off of the corner of Bealey Avenue and Papanui Road, and the refusal of permission for private owners to build on the land, caused much discussion. The matters were referred to the By-laws Committee for consideration. It was mentioned that an application had been received for permission to erect a petrol station on the site, and some of the councillors contended that the corner was a dangerous one and that it would be inadvisable to permit the petrol station to be installed. COMMITTEE’S REPORT. Councillor K. 11. Andrews, chairman of the Works Committee, moved the adoption of the following supplementarv report from the committee: — “Your committee has to-report that it held a special meeting on Friday afternoon to consider the question of the erection of a petrol service station on the triangular piece of land in front of the Carlton Hotel and is of opinion that if this is allowed it will block the view of traffic proceeding in an easterly direction along Bealey Avenue and also traffic proceeding southwards along Papanui Road. After giving the matter careful consideration the committee suggests that it be a recommendation to the By-Laws and Finance Committee to refuse to grant the permit for the erection of buildings on the site and that steps be taken to acquire the land under the Public Works Act.” “UNSIGHTLY ADDITION.” Councillor Andrews said that the committee had for some time been considering the necessity of purchasing land for rounding-off the corner. While the matter was under consideration an application for a permit to erect a petrol station on the land was received. Some members of the committee thought that the proposed petrol station would be an unsightly addition to the district, but the general concensus • ■<{ opinion was that the land was necessary for rounding-off the corner. The cost of the land, if taken under the Public Works Act, as proposed by che committee, would be fairly considerable and might be as much as £2OOO. An alternative proposal was to take a portion of the land, but that would not prevent the erection of the petrol station. lie moved the adoption of the report. NOT A BUSY CORNER. Councillor C. T. Aschman seconded the motion, pro forma. He stated that, although he was a member of the committee, he was opposed to the report because he. did not think there was any necessity for purchasing the land, l'or twenty or thirty or forty years ahead he did not think the corner would be as busy as Councillor Andrews would like them to believe. Councillor Elizabeth M’Combs also opposed the recommendation, stating that a few months ago the council had refused to provide the money for a children’s playground in a congested area. She considered that if the council could not afford the money for a necessity it had no right to provide so much money for a luxury. In reply to Councillor D. G. Sifllivan, M.P., Councillor Andrews said that the matter had not been considered at a 1 regular meeting of the committee. Councillor J. N. Du Feu moved that the council give permission for the erection of the petrol station 'without any further delay. The applicants had been waiting for a permit for some time, and he did not think the matter should be held up any longer. lie knew the corner quite well and considered that it was not a dangerous one. ENORMOUS EXPENSE. Councillor W. J. Sim said that if chi council attempted to take the land now it would involve enormous expense. Councillor A. F\ Carey suggested that the lessees be approached with a view to entering into an arrangement for the rounding-off of a portion of the corner. Councillors W. E. Leadlcy and A. D. Ford expressed the opinion that the corner was dangerous and that it would not be advisable to allow the petrol station to be erected. Councillor Ford said that if the petrol station were erected an accident would occur at the corner very soon after. The Mayor said he felt that Councillor Du Feu’s amendment was not necessary, as the permit could be granted if the matter was not gone on with. Secondly, the report could not be accepted as having come from the Works < ’ommittee, as it had been considered bv only a few members of that committee. lie suggested that Councillor Andrews move it on behalf of the council. Councillor Andrew's agreed to withdraw the recommendation and to substitute Councillor Carey’s suggestion that the lessees be approached with a view to securing a modification of their plans so that the corner could be rounded off. Councillor Du Feu said that he did not agree that it was necessary to take > any land at all. The outside of the proposed petrol- station .would be .set back eighteen feet from the present corner.. .All that was necessary was to remove a telegraph pole. When that was done there would be no corner at all. He considered it was an ideal site for a petrol station. Councillor Andrews was refused permission to withdraw his original recom- 1 mendation.