The Hutt News THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 1930. STREET NAMING.

Hutt News, Volume 2, Issue 40, 13 March 1930, Page 7

The Hutt News THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 1930. STREET NAMING.

Wile a tho question of altering the names of some of the borough streets was first mooted, no one, we feel sure, expected so many changes as have been decided on by the Council, nor possibly did any one . expect so much criticism to arise, nor so much adverse feeling to be shown as has been in evidence front more than" one part of tie borough. First of all, may we ask where the objection to the old condition of street names arose—who took exception to it —what body of people had protested that the naming was confusing or illogical. Possibly the postal ■department is called upon to display an. intimate knowledge of street nomenclature and. location, So far as we

are awaTe no objection.to existing conditions has ever been.raised by- the postmaster ot any of his staff either on the postal or telegraph side. Did the objections and . suggested alterations come from any recognised section of the community after due deliberation. Some consideration was given fbr a very shoi-t while one-one-occasion by the Chamber of .Commerce who' made a few suggestions- to the Council, winch suggestions were then passed on to the

By-laws . Committee. Did that body give, the very full- consideration to the -■ whole .problem be'forQ .making . its re-

commendations to' Council and are we sure that Council fully considered the matter before agreeing ( to so many alterations? May we also ask what guiding principle was behind the suggestions of the By-laws Committee-^was it a questjon of working from-a given centre so that where one or two names were to be serapped^ the oiLe to-be retained was the one nearest to that selected' centre? To 'make our A point clearer, may be ask why t»he name Laings Eoad was passed on to Bloomfield Crescent and Belleveue Eoad as well. as being retained by what is now

tilings Road? Why not have called the

three streets by the name Bellevue ~Road, which to thousands outside .as < w ell as inside the borough has very pleasant memories of Bellevue Gardens, one of the best known spots ah "She': -whole valley, although no lionger a ( scenic garden as of old* In perpetuate, ing the name "Laing" who is being kept in mind? Doe3.the Council know? We have asked a number of old Tesidents and confusion" exists in their minds as. to w»ho the Laing was after whom the street or road is named. Some declare it, to. be one half of the name of a sailing ship that came to Wellington long ago, others .declare it to be called after a Wellington business man. whose place of business was a well known spot on Lambton Quay fifty years ago, and yet others .connect the name wit«h a civil engineer who

did much woTk in the borough. Is the

Council certain which is the source of the name? If not, we that definite information be obtained before the name is gazetted as covering what now is covered by three streets. One change that has aroused opposition— we had almost said indignation—is chat ■whereby vrti&t is now Hautana Square was to drop its identity and was to be merged into Hautana Street. While the strong resistance to t«he change, or rather to the dropping of the word--1 'Square" nray rest, largely on.sentimental grounds, nevertheless the'residents in that locality are certainly entitled to be heard, and their protest should be given t»lie' fullest eonaideratioD.. Some years ago. tire residents: in the Square secured an. area of- land* in thi9 Square and this was laid put" as a reserve and play area, the . interest charges on the capital cost : being borne hj these residents who were quite'prepared to make tMs monetary, sacrifice

in the best interests of the borough

This reserve is qtsite fittingly known as Hautana Square Reserve and is cer-

tainlv a beautiful spot although it is

not now a direct charge on the local, >e&idents. We believe friction can.

bs avoided if the Council will just delay matters a little and give time for

objections to be lodged or- deputations to be heaTd before t>l« final gazetting o p the alterations is made. Perhaps if

the principles upon which Council acts in this matter of name-changing were made public the feeling of irritation

now in eyiden.ee would be smoothed over and t>hat harmony "so charaeiteristio of the feeling between ratepayers ;i rtri council would be fully maintained.