ALL ABOUT A ROAD

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2300, 6 November 1914, Page 3

ALL ABOUT A ROAD

THE RESERVES COMMITTEE AND A DEPUTATION OP LADIES J Thirteen ladies and four infants waited on the Reserve Committee of the City Council yesterday on a matter concerning the widening and straightening or I ark and Sutherland lloads, two thoroughfares which traverse the side of tlie hill immediately to the east of that portion of Nowtown Park devoted to the Zoo. Mrs. Dalgleish, who acted as speaker, said that the existence of the nursery at the north-east corner of the Park was of little use, that it created dangerous curves which was likely to cause accidents, and prevented the road being widened to 66ft., which was what the deputation wanted. By shutting off the nursery the citizens were . deprived of a reserve they had* every right of access to. , Councillor L. M'Kenzie said that he failed to understand why that patch was wanted as a. reserve when they had the whole of Newtown Park. Mrs. Dalgleish said that already the Zoo had been fenced off, and the > hundreds of people who used to go to Mt. Albert had now to go a mile or two round to get to it. Councillor Frost (chairman) said that the committee would be pleased to KJ 1 ' 6 every consideration to the request of the deputation, but he was afraid that it would be almost impossible to interfere with the nursery, at present, as it was full of young trees, which could not be moved without killing them ...

_A voice: "There's not £10 worth there altogether." Councillor Frost said that he had visited the nursery that morning with Councillor Thompson, and the opinion they had formed was that the young trees could not bo moved until about March next, owing to the dry season, even if the council decided to do it. The committee wouldi go into the matter, and report fully 'to the next meeting of the council. That hint was not strong enough to satisfy the . ladies, who wished to know if the work now being proceeded with was to go on. They were being, given no satisfaction at all. Councillor Frost said that they only advised the and could not decide anything definitely. He oalled in Mr. Glen (superintendent of reserves), who in reply to a question said that some of the trees might be shifted if there were a good fall of rain. ' That he could hardly guarantee. Then Mr. Frost pleaded that the committee had a great deal of work to do, and assured the ladies of the sympathy of the . committee, and finally the deputation retired still doubtful as to whether they had driven the enemy from their trenches.

A Hardy Protestant. Following the ladies came Mr. William Tonks, who was concerned in the same matter, but who took a rather different line of action. He referred to letters which he had sent 'to the council, and pointed out that it was laid down that the streets in question were to be. 66ft. in width—said that such was the case for the whole of tho Melrose district. Tho road that went from the Park to the Melrose district was through the Town Belt, and should be 66ft. in width. That he wanted to be acknowledged. That was a' question for the people, and he was only asking for what was going to be.. Councillor: Frost said that ten ye'arß there was onlya rough track there with a gate at each end.

/ . Mr, Tonks: "I'm aware of the gate. I'm'- the''one * who said ' 'that ' if the council did not take it away I would. .If the road is not made 66ft. wide I will not agree to it." Here Mr. Tonks handed in a netition signed by 44 residents, supporting' the application for tho road-widening and straightening. He apreed to the nursery reserve being infringed upon to enable the . work to be done. He wished to.repudiate what Councillor Frost had said as to the width of the road ten years ago, and said that ha hod lived there for twenty' years and knew all about it; ' "I am a goodtempered man," concluded Mr. Tonks, "and if I were going to smack you on the face," I wouldn't ,do so without saying, 'Are vou ready?'" Councillor Frost: "You're not the Kaiser breed?"

Mr. Tonks: "No: and I'm not a fighting man. I'm glad to have the opportunity of giving you notice as to what we expect."