GROWING WELLINGTON

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 53, 31 August 1926, Page 10

GROWING WELLINGTON

POPULATION AND TRANS,

PORT

A HALT TO AMALGAMATION

REMARKS OF RETIEED CITY

ENGINEEE.

What are the high lights of Wellington's probable future development? ■was a general and very wide question asked of the retiring City Engineer, Mr. A. J. Paterson, who relinquishes his duties to-day after practically twenty years' service in various capacities. The high lights, replied Mr. Paterson, would, as far as he could judge, light up one by one, for Wellington had never been a boom town, and would be controlled always and in very marked degree by difficulties arising from the topography of the city area and environs. Amalgamation, said Mr. Paterson, had probably halted for a good many years to come for there were, in his opinion, no further areas which could | be taken into the city upon an economic and sound basis. Johnsonville might come in, as had for a long time been desired by a big proportion of Johnsonville residents, but the big area which would soon be opened up by the Tawa Flat railway deviation was probably beyond consideration for many years to come. Nor did he think that there would be a joining of administrative forces between the city and the Hutt Valley boroughs, though those boroughs woud be sure to amalgamate. As regards water supply, there would probably be a joining of forces between the city and the Valley, but not beyond that. A WIDESPREAD CITY. Amalgamation with additional areas could only add to present difficulties, continued Mr. Paterson, and those difficulties arose from the fact that though the extremities of Great Wellington lay within a block eight miles long and six miles wide, only about one-half of that paper block was useable land; the rest wa3 difficult country or water. As a result of that spreading out of services over a double area to serve a given number of people all services became more costly than they would be were hills and valleys conveniently smoothed, hill roads made level, tortuous roads made straight, and outlying suburbs, still within the same population capacity, brought nearer the city.'s centre. POSSIBLE SUBURBAN POPULA--1 TION. How big would Wellington grow? Its growth would be gradual if past history was any guide, said Mr. Paterson, for never at any time during the past twenty years had there been a mushroom period, followed by the bad times which came after a boom. The eastern districts were by many people regarded as being capable of carrying a huge population, but if those districts were to be settled by those who went there to build a home, that is, if the present air space ideals were adhered to, those suburbs could not carry more than about 80,000 people.

Karori and Onslow had greater population possibilities, say 120,000 people, so that Wellington's suburban population, not taking into account the Hutt "Valley, JohnsonvilTe, and the Tawa Flat areas, would Teach its limit at about 200,000. Wellington City and the nearer portions of the old Melrose Borough could only develop, as the years went .by, into, more congested business and apartment flat areas.

TRAMS FOR MASS TRANSPORTATION.

"More than in any other city in New Zealand, transport problems here • are controlled by considerations of topography," said Mr. Paterson. "You cannot get where you like how you like, in bulk. Alternative routes to a given point in the suburban areas are the exception, and though money will provide more routes when the real need arises, still the difficult nature of the country will preclude such free access as is given by the straight ahead system of roading possible in any city on level country. With few routes and a big population well removed from the city centre, the tram, I am confident, is the one means of transport which will carry the people as they insist upon being carried,, within a few hours of each morning and afternoon, and in a hurry."