THE WAIWETU RIVER PARK

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2715, 9 March 1916, Page 7

THE WAIWETU RIVER PARK

.. ®r, I have read "Wake lip's" letter ,bn tojvn planning that appeared in your i columns of March 7, in winch lie suggests our conversion of tlio banks of the Waiwetu River into a public park. I consider the proposal a really good one, and one deserving of strong support. Tho public should certainly ac- , quire at least two chains in widtJi along both banks from the river mouth to tne AA'aimii bridge. It is not very many years ago that small sailing craft were launched! into tho harbour from this river. It is really an ideal rivet for purposes of recreation. It has been neglected for many years, and- has been allowed to silt itself up with weeds, etc. The cost of cleaning it up and confining it to its proper channel should he comparatively small, as the channel is mostly of gravel. The soil on both sides is most adaptablo for the making of a very decent park. Tho adjoining surroundings have been dccidedly brought into prominence by i>ho recent opening of the new road to Day's Bay. I ask are we, tho public, to quietly look on while the land is cut up and sold to selfish individuals, who would jealously Erevejnt anyone else from landing on the anks of the river, and perhaps even dispute anyone else's right to row up the river, when-by purchasing the laud liow at a reasonable prico wo could; secure for ourselves tho indisputable right to use the river and the park for all time? Surely not. I have too much faith in our public men to believe_ that they would'permit such an injustice if the matter were-properly put before them.—l am, etc., OLD IDENTITY. Marth 7, 1916.