Our Illustrations

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVI, Issue 9, 3 March 1906, Page 23

Our Illustrations

GREATER AUCKLAND. THE MAYOR’S COMPREHENSIVE SCHEME.. Although the man in the street does Hot know it, Auckland is Greater Auckland already, and the proposals of his Worship the Mayor, Mr. Arthur Myers, are but the logical continuation of the scheme whieh was begun 20 years ago, when the districts of Pousouby, Grafton, and Kara-iigahape were added on to the Auckland City of that time, which only extended from Franklinroad in the west to the Cemetery Gully in the east. One would imagine that after the lapse of two decades the time was ripe for another adjustment of the boundaries. The admirable plan we give this week enables one to see at a glance how much of the surrounding districts Mr. Myers proposes to join to the city, .ami the following table shows the areas concerned: City of Auckland (the whole) 1762 acres, borough of Parnell (the whole) 480 acres, borough of Newmarket (the whole) 145 acres, borough of Grey Lynn (the whole) 900 acres, Remucra road district (the. portion west of the gully between Sea View and Arney- roads) 312 acres, One Tree Hill road district (the corner north of Ciydestreet) 25 acres, Epsom road district (the portion north of Owen’s-road) 265 acres. Mount Eden road district (the portion north of Owen's and Valley roads) 443 acres. Arehhill road district (the whole) 150 acres, Eden Terrace road district (the whole) 194 acres, Mount Alliert road district (the portion north of -Raleigh and Princes streets and the Westron Springs-road) 307 acres, Point Chevalier road district (the portion north of the Western Springs-road and the City Council property- north of Meola creek) 264 acres, total 5247 acres.

One great advantage of amalgamation, the Mayor points out in his report. on the scheme, would be the continuity of policy over the whole area that would result from it. This would make itself felt more particula rh - —-

(a) In the adoption and carrying out of a drainage scheme or schemes applicable to the whole area instead of each local body requiring to adopt a separate scheme whieh may or may not work into the schemes of the adjacent districts. (b) In the maintenance of the fire brigade service. One strong brigade, with the necessary- branch stations, would be substituted for the existing state of affairs, under whieh the appliances of a brigade are very of.eu not available across the boundary of its particular district. (c) In giving to the submits a participation in the management and ownership of the various departments now managed by the City' alone, but availed of more or less 'by- suburban residents, such as the publie library, the. public baths, the Domain and parks, the cemetery; and a right to the use of the refuse destructor.

(d) In making the financial strength of the whole area available as security for loan purposes, thus enabling the united borough to obtain loans on easier terms than can now be secured by any - of the local bodies whieh -would be merged in it.

(e) In the efficient carrying out of schemes of public works under the direction of a. skilled engineer. Consideration of the advantages or otherwise of union should not. be confined to the (pies’ion whether the immediate result would, as between one district and another, involve a surrender of more assets by one than another. or a slight or temporary- increase of rates in any - particular district. While these matters are no doubt elements that must be taken into account, the future must also be regarded, especially- in relation to the modern tendency towards increased municipal functions, and the greater ability possessed by a larger body to accomplish them. Moreover, it must ■be remembered that a great number ot the residents in the suburbs carry o.i their business in the city, and that the moral and material interests of city and suburbs are in many ways so intimately connected as to be practically identical.

The question of finance is too wide to refer to, but we may show how the general rates would be affected. .1 he city general rate is 1/ in the £. A rate of this ar| nut on the aggregate valuation of the suburban districts would yield (no allowance being made for arrears) £13,370. The general rates (including lighting rates) at present struck iu the suburban districts amount, disregard ng arrears, to £ 15.366. Some of the local bodies, however, pay- charitable aid ami sanitation accounts out of general rates. If tire amounts actually paid last - year under these heads (totalling - £1224) be deducted, the figure stands at £ 14,142. Thus the revenue from general rates would be £772 Tess titan it now is. The. suburban districts in which the rates available for general purposes now. amount to more than 1 in the £, with the approximate excess, arc the following: — Parnell —General rate 1/5, cost of sanitation about: Id. in the £, hospital account 2Ad., leaves general rate at 1/11... 1J Grey- Lynn—General rate equivalent to 1/1, cost of sanitation Id., leaves general rate at 1/0J...... I Newmarket—-General rate 1/7, cost of nightsoil service about 3jd- in the £, sanitation Jd. hospital account 2-ld., in. all 61d., leaves general rate at 1/OJ.s 5 Mount Eden- General rsttc 1/,'lighting rate 2?d 3* Eden Terrace—General nite 1/, lighting rate 2d................ 2 On the other hand, in Point Chevalier, Epsom, and One ’Tree Hill, the rates available for general purposes now only’ amount to about lOJd., lid., and lOJd. respectively, the balance of the shilling being absorbed by the hospital and charitable aid contributions. The loss of Government subsidies would amount to £2565. As the my mnt charged for administration in the suburban districts last year only aggregated. £2291, it is obvious that even after

making allowance for any saving that could be effected under this head there >i would still be a considerable deßciency, With regard to the constitution of the council, the law now allows the council of a borough having a pupulition of over 30,000, whether divided or undivided into wards, to consist of as many as 21 members, exclusive of the Mayor. Perhaps the simplest solution of the question of representation would • be to make the united borough an undivided one. as Auckland City is at present, and increase the number of councillors to the full complement < f 21. In case, however, t he suburb in residents desire separate representation. it would be necessary to divide the united borough into wards, of which, as already stated, there may not be more than live. Assuming the pioportions of the outside districts to be included to he one-half of Mount Eden, one-quarter of Point Chevalier, and one-eighth each of Kemuera. Mount Albert, and Epsom, and disregarding One-tree Hill, of which only » small corner is included, the population and valuation of the wards would be as. follows: - -

Assuming that the number of council lot’s for the Central Ward was kept at 12, as at present, the arithmetical proportion for the other wards would bo as follows:—On Population On Valuation

In order that the suburbs should be fully represented, four members might be allotted to Parnell, three to Gre\ Lynn, and two to Mount Edon, thus making up the full number of 21. This, of course, is merely given in t he Mayor’s report by way of illustration; no definite scheme of representation can be decided upon tiil the boundaries of the united borough have been settled, and at least an approximate estimate obtained of the population and valuation of the included parts of any districts of which only part is absorbed.

A NEW WAIMANGU. People all over the colony were interested to read last week that a new Waiimingu had broken out. Ou February 21 a telegram from Rotorua in announcing the great event stated that th-' g.yser had played as high as BtM) ft. It. is situated below the shelter shed, ami between that and the Black Crater. I Ihis new geyser at Waimangn vvil 1 be as welcome to the people of Rotorua' as a first-class gold mine, for it is well known that its predecessor was the: means of inducing a never ending stream of tourists to see one of the wonders u< the world. The first W.timiiugit was tlis largest geyser known, and the new geyse.i judging by the descriptions of its firs*, display, gives promise of rivalling if not excelling the former eruption. The first development of thermal activity in this? district, was first observed by Messrs. .1. A. Pond mid Humphrey Haines early its February, 1901. and named by the latter gentleman on a subsequent visit. It wax' situated about midway iu the line ot southern craters whieh terminate thu great fissures opened through Rotonia.liana by the eruption of Taravvera. lit the hollow below Parehnru it occupied tin - fiat between the dills of the Ech« Lake crater and the hill above the Inferno, an area but recently coveted by extensive deposits of mud brought down from the Ashfields by the great watercourses. Wainuingu was mi explosive crater of remarkable continuity, but very Irregiilm - act ion. The basin measured) about 317 feet by 182 fed . mid, at period* of rest, it was tiearly full of black muddy water, the surface broken only by mt occasional ripple or canopied by curliiijj clouds of steam. The eruptions of Wailiving u were of four kinds: (1) Wavelike upheaval, attended by the escape - O? low- pressure steam; (2) geyser display: of iH-uutiful black fealltery fountains, aviTiiging about a hundred feet - in height* projected in an endless variety of above billowy clouds of purest whiter (3) eruptions—paroxysmal outbursts of tremendous energy, throwing up tfi *

height of from 100 to 500 feet magnificent cathedral like masses of black ash, which are instantly wreathed in steam escaping from the ejected material. These astonishing exhibitions of hydro-thermal activity are followed immediately by a wondrously beautiful pillar of cloud which rapidly ascends, sometimes to a height of 5000 feet. (4) Volcanic explosions, which discharge enormous quantities of earth and stones, often to several hundred feet in height, and in various directions, from the crater basin. The projectiles. in tailing, leave a trail of misty steam, like comet tails; sometimes they explode in mid-air, and fall like the shower from a rocket, which the rapidly rising steam cloud soon envelopes. These magnificent displays are the grandest thermal phenomena in the world, and as they seldom give any warning, visitors bare to be very cautious in approaching too near the centre of eruption. Waimangu was the scene of a terrible accident on August 30, 1903, when Guide Marbriek and three lady tourists were enveloped in an exceptionally severe eruption, and swept to their death in the scalding rush of mud, stones and water. AVaimangu for some time played continuously, but, later became intermittent till about fifteen months ago, when it b'eame quiescent. The reappearance of a new geyser of equal dimensions in the immediate vicinity will prove of immense value from a tourists’ point of view, and

is calculated to attract hundreds of visitors. who might otherwise not care to visit the thermal reg on around Rotorua.]

AUCKLAND'S SCHOOL CADETS. INSI’Kt Till) BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR. Over a thousand public school cadets paraded at tiie Metropolitan Grounds last week, when his Excellency the Governor, Lord I’hmket, presented the North island < ad't Shield to the winners, the Onehunga school corps. There is an animal competition amongst the cadet-; ot the North Island for the shield, which was won by the Terrace School, Wellington. last year, and by the Onehunga th * year before I hat. This year the winners made a splendid score, Sergt. Prior making H.> points out of 84, the top score of the North Island, and probably of the colony. The ranges were 100 yards l5O yards (kneeling), and 200 yards (lying down). The team which won the shield was composed of .Lieut. Carson, (‘olour-Sergt. Vausc, Sergts. Prior, Ardern and Slade, Corps. Brackenridge and Rowe, Bugler Neels, Privates Cross and Henderson. I lie parade was in command of Lieut.tail. Loveday, oilier?)- commanding and organising the School Cadets of the colony. His Excellency was accompanied by Col. Kirkpatrick, the Imperial Inti.dligenee officer who is visiting Auckland, • olon I Davies. C. 8.. officer commanding the Auckland district, and Capt. the lion. A. M. R. Bingham, A.D.C. There were also present Mr. S. Luke (chairman of the Education Board), Messrs. G. L. Peaeocke and J. 1). MeKpnzie (numbers). Inspectors Petrie ami Purdie, Mr. E. Hall (ehairman of Onehunga school committee). and Mr. M. M. Kirkbride, 51.11.1 t. The parade state showed HOG on parade. There w ere three, battalions, No. 1, under Major Robb; No. 2, under Adjutant Paterson; and No. 3, under Major

Kay. Th<> stall mnnb<ri<l 101, and the companies were rt presented by the following numbers: Newmark,?t, 39; Bayfield, 44; Beresford-street, 62; Devonport, 50; Epsom, 41; Grafton-road, 60; Mount Albert, 43; Mount Eden, GO; Napier-street, 52; Nelson-street, 52; Newton East. 56; Newton West, 56; Northcote, 50; Onehunga, 52; Parnell No. 1, 60; Parnell No. 2. 44; Ponsonby, No. 1. 60; Ponsonby No. 2. 43; Reinuera, 56; Hichinond-road, 56; Normal School, 60; total. 1106. As this cadet movement has attained such proportions, and is claiming so much attention at present, not only from our own public, but also from England, a brief history of the movement (for which we are indebted to Mr D. W. Dunlop, of the Northcote school, who takes a kern interest in the cadets) may be of interest to readers.

Before July, 1902, public school cadet companies, when formed, were under the control of the Defence Department. This system did not work very well, and there was occasionally friction between the head masters and the Department as to the limes of parades, etc. In Auckland a corps was formed at Wellesley-street school, but after some time was disbanded. Later on, when the Boer war was in progress, and military enthusiasm ran high, a movement was set on foot to establish a cadet corps in connection with the Na-pier-street school. The local authorities of the Defence Department were communicate<t with, and Colonel Banks visited the school and inspected the hoys. lie reported favourably on the proposal, and the application was forwarded to Wellington. Several other applications were forwarded from dif-

ferent parts of the colony about the same time. After some delay word was received that Cabinet had under consideration a scheme for forming cadet corps in all large schools—corps to be under the control of the Education Department. Early in 1902 the Government adopted the new scheme, and Lieutenant-Colonel Loveday was appointed ollicer commanding public school cadets. On receipt of the necessary authority and regulations corps were formed in many of the large, schools, and by July, 1902, there w ere 4126 cadets of all ranks enrolled in the . colony. The movement was taken up enthusiastically by the teachers and parents, and by December, 1902. the total had increased to 10660. At the end of last year there were, close on 14,000 cadets in the public schools—surely a tine recruiting force from which to draw future volunteers. At present there are about L5O companies in the North Island, numbering nearly 8000 cadets, ami about 100 companies in the South Island, numbering close on 6000. In smaller schools, where the number of boys is not sufficient to form a company, a detachment is formed, and Avhen battalion drill is indulged in, two or more of these detachments join forces. The companies have been formed into battalions, and there arc at present about 25 such battalions in New Zealand. Auckland was slow to adopt the battalions, many of the head masters objecting to any extra drill being •taken, as, with the technical school subjects, the syllabus was ?/'e.ady overcrowded. Three battalions were finally formed in the city and suburbs, and their total strength at present is about 1209.

At first the Auckland battalions presented a rather mottled appearance, ass every company chose its own style of uniform —and tastes differ, as was very evident. The regulation uniform, consisting of Glengary cap, blue jersey, white collar, and blue knickers, has recently been adopted, and the battalions now present a neat and soldierly appearance on parade. Every company has a distinctive school colour, which is worn on the cap. The cadets are equipped with “model rifles” (dummies), which have been imported by the Department, for purposes of drill and with a percentage of miniature Martini-Henry rifles for target practice. Belts and pouches for cadets and swords, etc., for officers are also issued to companies.

A free issue of ammunition for target practice is also made annually. To further encourage shooting, which is without doubt the most important part of the cadet’s training, the Government has presented two challenge shields to

be competed for by the companies of the North and South Islands respectively. The conditions are that the competing squad shall consist of ten cadets, all belonging to the same company or detachment; each cadet to have seven shots at 100yds (standing), 150yds (kneeling), and 200yds (lying), the local range being used in each

1 nfortunately the Auckland companies, with the exception of Onehunga, have, been placed under a great disadvantage with regard to these competitions, as they have had no range at which to practise. Several companies, notably Richniond-road and Devon* port, have done their l»est to obtain ranges to practise on, but the difficulties in the way have prevented anything in the way of regular work. The Onehunga, company has a ranga within reasonable distance of the school, and they have evidently made very good

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Population Valuation ((i-nsus 1901). (Annua 1 > Central .... 34,213 A* 424,149 Parnell .... 6,899 56,452 Mount Eden 4,930 39,69(1 Grey 1. ynn 5,952 45,867

Basis. Basis. Paine 11 2.42 1.00 Mount. Eden 1.7" 1.12 Grey Lynn . 2.09 1.30