PAVING SIDE WALKS.

Auckland Star, Volume IV, Issue 1201, 9 December 1873, Page 2

PAVING SIDE WALKS.

To the Editor of the Evening Star. Sir, —Your correspondent "Wheels within Wheels" evidently belongs to that fortunate class of citizens who possess city property, and who it would appear did all he could to evade paying his share for the improvement of the city. Some months back when the City Council first endeavoured to get these lucky owners to contribute something for the valuable rents they were drawing, upon the question of paving-stone soveral councillors disapproved of theNewZealaud stone, and strongly urged that either Yorkshire or ScotchHaggingshould be imported, andaloud cry at once arose upon the disgraceful shame (5f sending the money out of the colony when we had such good stone here, and as is the usual thing here, insinuations were—as with your correspondent—freely imputed against those who talked of such a thing. And as the City Surveyor at that time recommended the Thames stone the City Council yielded to the pressure of public opinion and consented to it being laid. Asphalt at that time was comparatively an untried material, and had as many opponents as advocates, besides which a number of persons had already paved in Queen-street without the compulsion

necessary to your correspondent upon the faith of the promise that the whole of the streets was to bo finished in the same manner. Seeing ihe Thames stone has not turned out as could be wished I do not think the City Council would expect owners to replace other stone at their own expense. "Wheels within Wheels " is like a great many, in fact too many here, more anxious to find fault, cast blame and mean insinuations, than he is doubtless to lend a hand to have the city permanently improved. Is it any wonder responsible men shirk positions which allow them to be criticised by men incapable of thinking good of any but themselves? — Yours, &c, Pro Bono PITBLTCO.