THE GLOBE. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1880. THE SOUTH BELT.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2077, 20 October 1880, Page 2

THE GLOBE. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1880. THE SOUTH BELT.

The trouble with regard to the formation of the South Town Belt, which we had fondly hoped was over and settled, has again cropped up. This time it is with reference to the actual work of formation in so far as the preparation of plans and specifications are concerned. It appears that upon this important subject the Sydenham Council entertains the opinion that the work of preparing these plans, &c., should devolve on the City Council. The City Surveyor, however, seems to have a different opinion, and considers that, having furnished the Sydenham Council with a section and specification, he has complied with the provisions of the Act. To laymen it seems rather a case of tweedledum and tweedledee. The Council asks for plans and specifications, and the surveyor will only give them a section and specification. Why need there be all the paraphernalia of a conference between two such imimportant bodies as the respective works committees to settle what appears to us a mere trifle. Surely the formation of a few chains of road is not so vast an undertaking as to require a conference at all. Mighty works exceeding in magnitude the formation of the South town belt have been undertaken ere now without any such conferences, and it does seem a little ridiculous that such a thing should take place Besides this, there is the fact that conferences between the two bodies have been productive of anything but satisfactory results. It is recorded in municipal history how time after time the representatives of the two bodies, in solemn conclave assembled, have failed to come to any satisfactory conclusion. Nay, more than that, on one occasion the whole meeting broke up in the most admired disorder. With these facts staring us in the face, the experiment of another conference seems both useless and hazardous. Supposing—which is on the cards —that the two committees disagree, then they will have to return to their respective Councils and report the fact. This will probably be followed by a conference between the Councils themselves, and not improbably another disagreement will take place. Thus delays will ensue, and ultimately we shall find ourselves landed in autumn before the work is commenced. It must not be forgotten that last year this very spot was the productive cause during the hot summer months of much disease. It is now exactly in the same state. Nothing has been done to improve it, and if the present summer, which is rapidly advancing, is allowed to go by without any remedy being devised, then we shall have a repetition of the alarmingly high death-rate which was so noticeable last season. Enough valuable time has already been wasted and perchance valuable lives sacrificed to warn us against any further delay. It is not a subject which concerns Sydenham alone. -The city is equally and vitally interested, because disease will not recognise a mere boundary line. If the present state of things is allowed to continue for another season, not alone Sydenham but Christchurch will suffer most materially. Hence we urge upon both bodies not to allow a little matter like the one now in dispute to prevent the work being pushed forward with the utmost expedition. As we have already pointed out, a great deal of time has been wasted unnecessarily. Legislation enabling the work to be done has been procured, and now there need not be any obstruction to its being immediately carried into practical effect. The little matter under consideration is one which never should interfere with the pushing forward of a work so intimately connected with the health and comfort of the residents, not only of the immediate locality, but of the whole city also. NO PASSENGERS. With reference to our article of yesterday on the Wellington " Evening Post's" remarks on the opening of the Waipara line, we drew attention to the total want of knowledge displayed by that journal of the usefulness of the said line and to the folly of the West Coast Line mania that is devouring the vitals of the Wellingtonians. Even the extremely small substructure on which the elaborate attack on Canterbury was made is swept away by the simple fact (told us by a gentleman who was on the spot at the time) that in the train the " Post" alludes to there were no passenger carriages.