KENT TERRACE INQUIRY

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 54, 27 November 1926, Page 10

KENT TERRACE INQUIRY

MAYOR PLEASED WITH RESULT BEST IN INTERESTS OF CITY OBJECTORS ILL-ADVISED From a personal standpoint I and tiie members oi Hie council feel gratified that a public inquiry lias been held in connection with Kent Terrace, in which a greater diversity of expert evidence has been given than could otherwise haie been the case, and that the outcome has been a full and complete endorsement by the Commissioner of the policy of the council. The above statement was made by the Mayor (Mr. C. J. B. Norwood) yesterday, following upon the publication of the finding of Mr. E. Rage, S.M., and his recommendation that the Government proclaim the “canal reserve” in Kent and Cambridge Terraces a public street. Continuing, the Mayor said that he and the members of the City Council were pleased with the result, not so much on account of the favourable issue of the inquiry, so much as it concerned the advancement and interest of the city.

“The compliments which have been paid to the City Council relating to the improvements made at the northern end of the Kent Terrace reserve,” hesaid, “warranted me in feeling that there could be no serious objection raised to a similar beautiful scheme being given effect to at the southern end, particularly when it was borne in mind that this thoroughfare, which has been the scene of so many accidents, would be taxed to the utmost during the visit to Wellington of the Duke and Duchess of York in March next. The belief that this work could not be Field up for any length of time forced me to make the recommendation to the council that an effort be made to have the work completed. if possible, before Christmas, and failing that, in time for the visit of the Duke and Duchess.

“If there appeared to be undue haste to get this work done the public may rest assured that such haste was prompted solely by what I felt was in the best interests of the city, as I am quite sure the civic spirit of our people makes them jealous of Wellington’s good name, and carries with it the wish that all visitors should carry away with them a favourable impression of the place. “From that point of view it is regrettable that the work has been delayed to such an extent as to make it well-nigh impossible to carry out the work intended before Christmas. I do not suggest that the action of the objectors to the work was dictated bv aught else than public spirit, but the result of the inquiry shows that they were ill-advised.

“As soon as the formalities are gone through (tlie dissolution of the injunction and the issue of the proclamation) the work of tidying up the area will be carried out with the greatest dispatch, and in that I hope the objectors will do all they can to facilitate matters, so that we will be able to do all we can before the Christmas holidays.”