THE CITY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2958, 22 December 1916, Page 8

THE WORK OF THE YEAR

MAYORAL REVIEW

Owing to the prevailing conditions the municipal year just closing has not been one of big things. _ It is not the time to launch out heavily, and consequently expensively, in any ono particular direction. As long as the good services of the City are maintained it is as much as citizens have tho right to expect in war time. That conclusion as to the council's policy is pretty well established in the review of th, work of tho year given by the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) yesterday to a Dominionreporter, a review largely based on a report furnished by the City Engineer (Mr. W. H. Morton). Mr. Luke said 4hat the activities of tho year had been restricted to the more necessitous works in the City and suburban districts. In the City the principal now work had been the erection of the seawall at Oriental Bay, and the formation of the esplanade it is to flank. This work had been carried out with the utmost dispatch sistent with economy. The wall was now finished to a point well past Hay Street, and already shows what a splendid improvement it is to the bay. The spoil for widening the icad was beingbrought from the City at a minimum cost. The present idea was to continue the wall round to the Kiosk, and he hoped the incoming council would adhere to that intention! The work of continuing the esplanade right, round to Kilbirnie was one that couldl very well occupy the councils of the future. The little reserve in the bay had been greatly improved, and was now in keeping with the general smartening up of the bay. Later on he hoped the council would adopt tho suggestion of the City Engineer, and remove tho unsightly corrugated iron fence at the corporation yard at Clyde Quay, and replaco it with a light concrete wall neatly panelled, over which, climbing roses and other plants could be trained. In that way a vast improvement could bo effected to the entrance of Clyde Quay and Oriental Bay. Strest Works. Gradually the council is getting better streets, and the year past has not been without results. Some of the secondary City streets', such as Upper Cuba Street and Webb Street, have been laid down in concroto and asphalt, that in continuation of the' council's policy to do a little permanent street surfacing each year. Tho eastern end of Courtenay Place (north side) is to. bo wood-blocked as soon as the material is aiailable. The footpaths in Bunny Street_ have been concrete slabbed, as this is the direct thoroughfare from the quay to the now Ferry Wharf. At Newtown, Kilbirnio, Melrose, Island Bay, Brooklyn, and Vogeltown a good deal of roadwork has been done during tho year. At Island Bay improvements, had been made in tho drainage, and the ''Run Round" had been protected by a concrete wall. Oh the southern slope of the Ohiro Road, below Brooklyn, an important work had been done which had made a vast improvement. This was the construction of a concrete storm-water culvert of considerable length, and tho widening of tho read, where it used to curve dangerously at its narrowest front. This improvement had been a great encouragement to vehicular and motor traffic in that locality. . Road improvements hod also been effected in Mitchelltown, Kelburn, Northland, and Wadestown. Respecting the latter placo, the Mayor said that it was a part of the City the council will need to consider in any policy of improvements, as, with" the opening up of Highland Park, tho district was rapidly becoming settled. Tho steep nature of the roads made improvements expensive, in that locality, 4>ut it was expenditure that would havo to bo faced. Tho 'Basin." Regarding the City reserves, the Mayor recalled tho which were being effected to the Basin Reserve. It would be remembered that Parliament threw out the major scheme of improvement proposed, and the council loyally decided to carry out the minor one. When that work was completed, the fence set back to the new' alignment, and the streets in the immediate vicinity attended to, it would bo found that a very substantial improvement had been effected. ' The work at Central Park was not so far of a very spectacular character, but there was already evidence of its picturesque possibilities. The new foundtain presented by Blundell Bros., and the rockery were distinct features in the new park. Bathing Facilities. The council cannot be said to have been backward in fostering sea-bathing, though it runs two municipal baths. During tho year a new bathing shed had been erected in Balina Bay (Roseneath), and alterations and additions to existing sheds had been made at Kilbirnie, Lyall Bay, and Island Bay, so that the council was doing its best to meet the ever-increasing number of citizens who indulge in sea-bathing in the open. Tramways and Eleotric Light. Ono work of importance that should not bo overlooked was the manner in which the council has pushed on with tho drainage works in tho outlying districts. It was the desire of the council to connect up every house with the system, so as to ensure a high standard of sanitary efficiency. ' In the forestry department work had been steadily pursued. A new nursery had been started at Kilbirnie, where on the eastern slopes of Mount Victoria 80,000 trees Had been planted. Tho electric light department was an important one, and more than ordinary progress.had been recorded during the year. Indeed such difficulty was being experienced in getting material that they_ wero almost on the point of discouraging further _ connections at present. Tho financial returns continued to bo quite satisfactory., In the Tramway Department two big works had been completed during the year, viz., the Constable Street extension and the erection of new accommodation sheds at Onopu Road. Both works wero a big forward stride, tho former as it was necessary to relieve the turned section, and the shed because it affected big economies at once in-the running of cars to tho eastern suburbs and gave the full complement of cars house-room. Lifts. In connection with "helping people to rise in tho world," the council had approved of a schomo for providing a lift service for the people resident on Wellington Tcrraco and thereabouts. The council had 6ent Home particulars of its requirements, and hoped soon to have definite information about tho cost of tlio plant that would _ be required to establish such a service. Tho financo for the scheme was already provided for, so thero would bo no delay on that score. There was another proposal for a lift for Roseneath people, but the council would probably wait and see how tho Tcrraco idea worked out before launching out in other directions. Finally Mr. Luko paid a compliment to the energy and respurco of tho City Engineer, who was in charge of all these works, as well as being tramways manager. He also referred to tho defections from the staff owing to enlistments and the loyally of those who

were loft behind. He also commended the conscientious work of the Town Clerk (Mr. J. R. Palmer), the City Treasurer (Mr. .C. Collins), the City Valuer (Mr. James Ames), Ttlr. M. Cablo (Tramways Engineer),. and Mr. George Lauchlan (manager of the Electric Light Department), and Mr. P. M'Coll (Power-houses Engineer).