GARDEN PLACE HILL.

Waikato Times, Volume 114, Issue 18986, 1 July 1933, Page 9

GARDEN PLACE HILL.

(To. the Editor.) Sir, —I was very Interested In reading the proposal for removing this hill to provide a hlg central business area in Hamilton. I would like to ask the supporters of this huge undertaking if they have given any consideration to what the results will be on property owners, who are at present having a hard time to pay their rates and Interest on their business premises? One has only to take a walk down Victoria Street from the Post Office to London Street, and I feel certain one would he convinced that it is not a matter of being able to do the business —It is a matter of being able to get enough business to do. If there is such a demand for a new business area I would like to know why there are such a lot of empty shops and vacant sections in good business areas today? If there were no further room for expansion I would certainly say now is the time to carry out this work. I would like to know if the council has given any consideration to the revenue it will receive for the business sites when the work is completed. I would suggest that the council prepare plans and call tenders for all the sites and receive a substantial deposit for each section before any work is commenced. The council will then, I feel sure, get all the support it requires from the ratepayers to carry out this work. As regards finding work for the unemployed, no doubt a few could be placed on this work to advantage; but not with pick and shovels, as this undertaking is quite a different proposition from anything undertaken before in Hamilton. If the borough oouncil proposes to use the same methods as were used In the Anglesea Street cutting It is up to the ratepayers in Hamilton not to support this proposal. If this work is ever undertaken I hope it will be carried out in a moder.i method, such as sluioing into a suitable pipe line under Victoria Street ana discharging into the Waikato River. If permission could not be obtained to discharge this snoil into the river mentioned, another suggestion would be to erect ail endless belt line to the Frankton end of the Lake. By doing this it would be doing two good jobs in one. If this latter proposal were carried out a great benefit would result in beautifying the Lake ground. This method of removing hills is quite a common undertaking in America and other countries. The bells are fed by two steam-shovels, working side by side and very often the distance has been double what it would be in this undertaking. By cither of these methods this work could bo completed in as many months as years if under the borough council’s proposals. I am, Cto ” RATEPAYER. Hamilton, June JO, 1933.