DURIE HILL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19844, 19 May 1927, Page 3

DURIE HILL

RATEPAYERS’ ASSOCIATION ANN UAL MEETING HELD. A large attendance of suburban residents assembled last evening at the annual meeting of the Durie Hill Ratepayers’ Association. ’ The meeting was an enthusiastic one, with a general discussion of meters relating to the welfare of the hill residents. Election of Officers. The election of officers resulted as under:—President, Mr J. Ball; vicepresident, Mr McPherson; executive, Messrs Frethcy, Cox, Tye, Pearce, Poynter, Follett, Burtt, Bourgeois, McElwain, Tavendale, Gannaway and Rowell; secretary and treasurer, Mr Urwin; auditor, Mr Poynter; representative -to the Wanganui Ratepayers’ Association, Mr Tye. The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the chair. Annual Report. The following report was presented: During the year just concluded the residents of the suburb have experienced and greatly appreciated the benefit and convenience of the bus service. The extension of the service by the institution of a Sunday evening return trip will no doubt come in time, but so far the authorities have not been able to see their way to provide for this without a special guarantee to cover cost of running. As such a guarantee does not seem to have been required from the residents of any other locality, it has been deemed inexpedient to pursue the matter further. Considerable improvements have been effected within the suburb. These include the kerbing and channelling of Durie and Taylor Streets; bitumen scaling the whole length of Maxwell , Avenue, extra road maintenance, par-; ticularly over the bus route, a substantial improvement in the environment of the District War Memorial aud the prosecution of the erection of the Water Tower on Bastia Hill, which it is expected will be completed not later, and possibly before, the end of .Tune. Unfortunately, although street improvements are urgently needed in Durie Vale, the City Council has . not yet been able to see its way to do any work of appreciable value in that locality. When framing its estimates for the immediate future it is hoped the Council will endeavour to make such provision as will enable residents to be given better access to their homes. In the meantime an additional street light, to be placed at the end of Webb Road, has been authorised.

Among several minor matters to which the attention of the / Council has been drawn is the desirability of removing from the roadway leading from the memorial to Durie Street and Maxwell Avenue the thick layer of loose stones by which the road has been for some time encumbered. One matter of outstanding importance of which sight should not be lost is tfie provision of this now rapidly growing part of the city with an adequate reserve and playing area. Every year that passes will make it more difficult to secure the ground necessary for this purpose. The importance of securing the piece of land necessary to the junction of Park Avenue and Hutchinson Street is also a matter of which the Association should continue to remind the Council.

Appreciation was expressed of the services which over a long period were so ably rendered to the Association by Mr. T. B. Hayden, who in July last relinquished his honorary secretarial duties. The breach was temporarily and ably filled by Mr. E. A. Frethy, but the executive regrets that that gentleman is unable to see his way to continue in office.