THE GOVERNMENT AND THE CITY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 734, 5 February 1910, Page 13

THE GOVERNMENT AND THE CITY.

-':' .Sir,—l and: many.■: other;: small; .and :heavily-rated.lahdboldersVin.this cityand, suburbs'-have been (compelled.;.by'-, law. to; set back' our frontages 33ft.' from the".cen,tre of:the narrow;roads and streets.at. great ■•: cost and : worry ■■ to ourselves.', In striking contrast-to .this;'.l'^notice.in the Mayor's'.last:report';to'the City: Council that the largest .and wealthiest;land and property '■ owner in /the ; city (the^Govern:-; ment) absolutely .refuses';to;set' back 'in the same way',its:frontages to.Molesworth. and ..Charlotte'. Streets,'; so. -.as - toV widen them toii the proper /width',' :66ft.:;-Now, ■the..'New; Zealand Government■ pays,'■■'no rates, or ..taxes' on its valuable 'land .and; properties :in;,this.,h'eavily:rated' city,':al-; though: they are-worth: many.,millions of money;'nor: does, it spend a'single farthing on;the.• improvement, bi',;upkeep,:.-.of the, capital;city;:::apart ■ from'; /.what,r' it... .is: obliged -to spend ,pn 'its; own, properties-, and buildings,'».many''of;which : ,are. a dis-, grace'to.the city and Dominion; On tho opposite' side, of. the ■ street; a j little •■ further. 'on'!;there. is -anotheir- large Mock [oi- most.littlo, and has not.put back;its.'frontage, as 'I.' and many others'have ;beeh/forced 1 :tb.'do. ; : r This is ,the:hospital block, which', is-oneofthemostccngested;and delapidated; eyesores --tdv.belfouhd:,in /the..city. Street, if' it is widened to this' "proper.: .width' and■'.: carried,. on • with "the • tramway!, to, Wadest'owii by' ah':' easy. grade, and/then.continued"off to join;the road tovKhahdallah; and;Johnsonville,'- will become in' time,: the■; main • entrance. or ■ gate to'tho.city f6r.:th6,.wholeVof!:.the':'North' 'Island, 'exclusive' of arid. ;Hutt-:Soa'd.": : S s;''; •':';' -.';'.'.-.:'■'■■'.•

\il:.do .hope'the.'City Council will find) some, way;of ;forcing.-the;Government;-.to,| obey: the law. and''put back-its-.frontages.; I noticed the other day in a Sydney paper:! .that:.oneiof ; .the,.suburban :councils;had, resigned:iii'a'body.;rather'. than .allow the Government,- .'or ■ one :,bf .;;itSi,.Departinehts,: : to'ride.roughshod 'over.fthe' ratepayers:--- | r'am.:etc;.'';:/ : : -;■:-!.'■:.;'-., : . "■'■:'■ '■,'■■'■>' '.'■■■ ,";';- ■'■; -;; ; ; S-.;; W ;;;WESTEEN;,EATEPATEE. : ; ;^Janu^^J ; ,3l.:i■; : ;,:"•,;.; : ; , ;;; ; ;';-/,'';';;'