A QUESTION FOR THE CITY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2917, 1 November 1916, Page 4

A QUESTION FOR THE CITY

Williams Park, the extensive reserve of pleasure grounds and nativo bush which the Wellington City Council purchased some time ago for tho citizcns, occupies, roughly, about two-thirds of the Day's Bay district. The other third is rapidly becoming a closcly-scttled community of permanent residents. And two important questions affecting both tho City Corporation and tho residents of the Bay are calling for settlement, in the interests of tho public health, namely, the complementary problems of drainage and water supply. The Day's Bay district forms part of tho Wainui Riding, in the jurisdiction of the Hutt County Council, whose revenue includes a sum of something like &100 a year in rates paid by the Wellington City Council in respect of its Williams Park property. County government has Seldom proved satisfactory in tho case of closely-settled communities. Tho administrative functions of county councils are more concerned with tho oversight, of country ai'eos. In cases where rapid progress and settlement have occurred within a county district, ■ the practice has been to secede as an independent body with the status of Town Board, or a Borough, or in some cases to be absorbed by a neighbouring corporation. The difficulty with Day's Bay is that it is not largo enough, and by reason of its limited settlement area can_ never bo largo enough, to work out its salvation as an independent body. Yet its problems of drainage and watersupply must bo solved or the health of its small population will be placed under a serious menace. In such a contingency the consequences would react on tho Wellington City Council. Tho public at large frequents the Bay in great numbers, and it is duo to these pleasure-seek-ers that the sanitary condition of tho distriot should bo beyond reproach. In this matter tho Wellington City Council has a direct interest. That it is prepared to assist tho Day's Bay residents in the matter was mado clear at the meeting of residents which was held last Saturday, when two simple schemes, drafted by the City Engineer (Me. W. H. Morton), wero submitted and unanimously approved. _ The question for the city to consider is whether this work should bo carried out on behalf of the Hutt County Council or acccpted as part of tho city's obligation to a new territorial annexe. It appears to bo the desire of the Day's Bay people to be taken under the city's wing, as a suburban annexe, and having regard to the fact that two-thirds of tho district is actually in possession of tho City, there is a. good deal to be said in favour of this point of view. Any arrangement of this nature, however, would require closo examination in tho interests of all concerned. A deputation from the Bay is to interview the Mayor this morning, when these questions will be fully ventilated. The main point is that a definite understanding should be reached with regard to the watering and sanitation of the district.