A ROAD PROBLEM.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1094, 5 April 1911, Page 5

A ROAD PROBLEM.

BEYOND THE FIRE BRIDGE. . The construction of (ho approaches to the Hutt l'ipo Bridge—now only a matter of a littlo time—may be accepted as a definite forward step. But even' when these connecting links with the adjacent territory are provided a difficulty or two will have to. ho surmounted before a road can be carried onward from the slioro end of the eastern approach to connect with the Lowric Bay Road, and so complete the new highway extending around the head nf the harbour. Over the greater part of the distance from '■ the Huttl Bridge to the I.owiio Bay Road it is proposed that the new road shall accompany the Wainui pipe line. Under a Gazette notice issued about 30 years ago (he city was granted a sixteon-i'oot strip of land over the whole distance, named, tho accommodation of its water-mains. From the eastern end of the Hutt bridge to a point a few chains beyond the \\ aiwetu River tho pipe line runs for the most part through the Hutt Park, and it is over this length that difficulties in. connection with the construction of the projected road may arise. East of the Unit Park the pipe line runs to the, Lowrie Bay Road through private properly, and it is stated that in regard to this section an agreement has been entered into with the owners of the land. The sixteenfoot strip set aside for tho pipe-lino will form part of the road, and the private owners will provide tho remaining laud required. Through the Hutt Park the Wainui pipes pass under the lawn in front of the grandstand. The authorities concerned, among them the City Council, have submitted a proposal to tho ■Hutc Park Committee that it should pornm the hot read lo traverse the park on a line passing round the back of the grandstand. Questioned bv a Dominion reporter, Mr. H. Baldwin (chairman of the Hutt .Park Committee) stated that the proposal'mentioned would be considered by that body at its next meeting. At the same time he did not see how it could be nccedea to. The committee had at present no power to set aside any portion of tho park area for road-making purposes, and only a special Act of Parliament, would' empower it to do so. Although 'the park is at present, traversed by a road, no public right-of-way exists. Once a, year, by way of demonstrating Ihe fact, the committee closes up the. road and excludes the public from (lie park, after having given duo notice of its intention to do so. At. (his stage the matter rests for the time being. Possibly some fresh light may bo thrown on the situation when (ho Park Committee meets to consider the ronil-conslnictiou proposed, at the end of this week. Some davs ago it was announced that the construction of the new Waiwetu bridge would probably be delayed owing to the fact that (ho Hull Park Committee had suggested that the bridge should bo raised three feet,'in order to permit the passage underneath of canoes and launches. Mr. Baldwin objects to tho statement in this form. His committee, he says, simply asked whether it would be possible to' raise the bridge. ' Tliero was no intention of delaying its construction. A good many launches and canoes now pass up the Waiwetu beyond tho bridge, he added, and numerous oilier craft would lx> taken up if tho bridge were raised. At present many boats can only pass beneath the bridge at low water.