WOOING THE CITY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 48, 20 November 1917, Page 7

WOOING THE CITY

WILL ONSLOW BOROUGH BE ABSORBED?

A TOUR OP INSPECTION

Some little iime ago the On:slow Soroush Council asked tho "Weilinston City Council to consider the question or taking in tho 'jorough as an integral part of Greater Wellington, and,, as tho result, the City Engineer (Mr. \\. "■ Morion) was'- instructed to preparo a report on the proposal—really a sketch of how Onslow stood in regard to its chiet utilities, roads, access to city, _w® ter supply, drainage, tho borough debt, its configurativß relation to tho city, and I otlier essential details. That drnft repoifc has been prepared, but as it has not yet been submitted to tho council, or oven to such committees as are immediately concerned, it is Jiot available for publication. , Another movement in connection with the amalgamation fcheine took P ln £° yesterday, when the Mayor (Mr. J. I. Luke) and the majority of the members of tho City Council accepted the mvitation of the Mayor and council of Onslow to lunch at the Borough Hall, hhandallah, and to toko a general survey ot the borough. The party was accompanied by the City Engineer (Mr. Morton), the "Town Clork (Mr. J. B. Palrow), the City Solicitor (Mr. John 0 Shea), tho City Valuer (Mr. James Aines), and the committee clerk 'Mr. J. M'Bain). A capital luncheon was served at ttie Borough Hall,-and after luncheon tho party covered a good deal of tho aTea included in tho borough by motor and on foot. Generally speaking, the roans woro found to bo in good order ana well graded. There are few footpaths so tar' and littlo channelling has been done, tho average size of rections is satisfactory, thero being no suspicion of overcrowding, whilst the general aspect of the borough .is distinctly picturesque. A real beaut) spot is the domain at the back of Khafldallah, where thero is a fine native bush reservo of about 35 acres. The borough also has a watershed area, of Ho acres. The borough's great need is a good gravitation water supply and dramago scheme, both costly works, and te f" dependent one :ipon tho other, and to provide such utilities, assuming the citj and the borough came to terms, some adjustment as to rating would probably be found to be necessary. Tho tramway system could be extended to !Ngaio ana to Khandallah, via Wadestown, by way of a viaduct, but tho counoil has been nsked to considor another route altogether by road, which so far only exists for tho main part on paper The only toast honoured at the luncheon was that .of "The Kin?- There were no speeches. During tho afternoon the members of t!je jjarty were entertained at nftornoon tea by tho ladies ot Khandallah at the local bowling club.