DEPUTATION.

Evening Star, Issue 3169, 17 April 1873, Page 2

DEPUTATION.

At noon to-day, a deputation from the City Corporation had an interview with His Honor the Superintendent, to confer with him concerning some proposed alterations in Gaol street. The deputies were His Worship the Mayor, Messrs K. Ramsay and Walter. The Mayor said the object of the deputation was to enquire the intentions of the Government wit hj regard to closing Gaol street. The question of opening up Cumberland street had been brought before the City Council, and of conHuuing it to High street. The proposal was that an equal quantity of ’round to that taken in front, should be given at the back of the sections. To effect that would render the closing of Gaol street necessary. At the time the negotiations were entered into, tiie Corporation were under the impression that the Government would have no objection to the closing of Gaol street, but it was now understood that there was a doubt about whether it should be closed wholly or-partially. There were four parties interested, each of whom was willing to have the road opened up, on condition of receiving an equivalent for the land given. The feUPERi ntendent said the Government did not see the way to giving away the whole of Gaol street. There was no objection to shutting it up, and possibly giving away a portion of it. The greater portion of it was required for extending the gaol. It was clear that the portion the Government might bo inc'incd to give, was not equal in area to the land that would have to be given up to make the street. The Mayor : The width of the street would be 613 feet. The Superintendent : The Government could not give that. Mr Ramsay : Is it not intended to erect a gaol outside the town altogether? The Superintendent : it had been talked about, but no funds were available; by the alteration proposed the present gaol could be made available for some time.

The Mayor did uofc think closing Gaol street, except for such a purpose, would meet the approval of the citizens; for it was a road much used now. The Supkkin tkndent : It was at the Mayor’s instigation the proposal was made. The Mayor : Could your Honor promise, subject to ratification by the Executive, that half the road would be given ? His Honor said ho w r ould bring it before the Executive. He could nob say what proportion might be agreed upon, but he had no doubt the Government would give some portion. He thought half the width would leave the remainder too narrow for the purposes of the gaol. He supposed all that was needed was a right-of-way : suppose fifteen feet were given ? The Mayor : So far as the Corporation are concernel, they would be satisfied if they got nothing. In fact, opening up Cumberland street would be a great advantage. The Suteuintendbnt said he thought if it were agreed to take twelve or fifteen feet there would be little difficulty in the arrangement. The idea was to build an immensely high wall to the gaol boundary, so that iu case of need it would be built up against. Mr Walter said if Cumberland street were opened up, no right-of-way would be required. The Superintendent ; The only objection was, it might afford facilities for escape. WEIGH BRIDGES, Mr Ramsay said it had lately come under notice of the Corporation that great discrepancies had occurred between the results of the two weigh-bridges at Stuart street and Princes street, something like one cwt., and that mistakes were often made. The Superintendent : The proper course would be to hand the weigh-bridges in the City over to the Corporation. He, for one, would be glad to do so. The Mayor : The weigh-bridges ought to be under the Corporation. There was evidently something wrong at present. It was not yet ascertained where the fault was, but if all were under one control, discrepancies might be avoided. road to the railway station. His Honor asked if the Corporation were going on with metalling the street in front of the railway station. The Mayor said that a tender had been accepted for that purpose, and the work should be gone on with immediately. Mr Mirams estimated that it would not be completed in less than six weeks. It was intended to ask the Government to make a considerable portion of the footpath. The Superintendent : The Government were prepared to do that, and would start it at once. The deputation then withdrew.