THE FORTS ROAD

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 138, 6 March 1919, Page 8

THE FORTS ROAD

MINISTER OF DEFENCE CRITICISED The Minister of Defence (Sir James Aljen) is reported ns having said that he did not think it P.dvisahle to open up the Scorching Bay-Point Halswell Road —that section of the wain waterfront road that traverses the Defence Reserve at Miramar .North, from' Scorching Bay on the entrance side to Shelly Bay in livans Bay—even in peace times. People wuo reside in tlfe vicinity and motorists generally are considerably perturbed at, t'io prospect of the embargo on the use of the finest marine drive Wellington possesses being made permanent. Mr. P. lownsend, Mayor of Miramar; wJien seen yesterday by a Dominion- reporter, stated that the Minister's proposal to efoss the road permanently was not, in his opinion, well advised. The question was one which not only interested Miramar, but the whole of Wellington, as the section of road now closed was an effectual barrier to 'what wns probably the finest motor drive, handy to a city, in the whole of New Zealand.

"Shortly, before the v.ar," said Mr. Townsend, "I had Hie pleasure oi motoring some Auckland visitors round Oriental Bay, Evans Hay, mid round Point Halswell, liaclc through the Seatoun tunnel to Lyall Bay, pnd home again via Island Bay and Happy Valley. These people wore sceptical as to the thought of Wellington having any claims to scenic beauty, but after that drive those people said that it mi the finest seaside drive in the Dominion, and Wellington was very fortunate in having so beautiful a road on the level (until we came to Happy Valley), and with an uninterrupted view of the water all the way. And this is the road the Minister proposes to close—even in peace times. I can't understand him. The forts, are on the top of the hills, remote altogether from the road, and no one need be allowed any liberty on the hill side of the road, but what possible harm can ensue ff'om the public use of the road I fail to see. It is certainly robbing the whole of Wellington of a great privilego. Wellington has not many motor drives, and I sincerely hope that the Minister does not seriously intend to deprive us of tha best one we hove."