Gray-street.

Manawatu Herald, 27 August 1903, Page 3

Gray-street.

MEETING OF BOROUGH ELEC-

TORS.

'"DECISION TO STOP THE

STREET.

A public meeting of district electors was held in the Public Hall last night to obtain the vor,e of the electors re the closing of Gray-street. His Worship the Mayor presided, and between 40 and 50 electors were present. The Mayor said they were there to-night fur an express purpose, namely, to pass a resolution re the stopping of Gray street. The advertisement calling the mee'iug read as follows .—“ A meeting of the district electors will be held in the Public Hall on Wednesday, 26th August, at half-past seven, to decide whether or not Gray-street shall be stopped.” There was a little history connected with the stopping of this street, which he supposed every ©lector present remembered, but in ease there should be any person pr© sent wuo did not, he would repeat it. Soma time ago the Council had decided that a road through where the present Wharf-street is constructed would be much handier for

the town than Gray-street. For one reason the bridge on Grayatreet* had been constructed for a considerable number of years, and a new one was required. That was one reason why the Council had asked the Government whether they would allow them to have ‘a ro id where Wharf-street now is. The Council made the application to the Bailway Department and sent plans, and offered to exchange Gray-street for the new street, and the department replied making a gift of Wharf-street to the Council, and that they had no nse for Graystreet, so the latter practically be came Borough property, and since then it had always been intended that Gray-street should be closed. At the last meeting of the Council a resolution was passed that Graystreet should be closed, and that was why the present meeting had been called. The Council considered that the new road was much more convenient than the old road, owing to the lattar being very winding and requiring a good deal to keep it in repair. But the principal reason was the necessity for a new bridge. It was fiSShded that at some future • time if the street were closed to use it for Municipal Buildings, or for letting, which would bring in a small rewiue for the Council, or that it be sold. He would move the resolution, and ask some one present who was a ratepayer to second it, and would give every opportunity of discussing the His Worship then moved—“ That in accordance with the resolution passed at the last meeting of the Foxton Borough Council Gray-street be stopped and Wharf-street be taken.” This was seconded by Mr A. S. Easton. Mr A. Cook asked if anyone would be allowed to make any ro marks in regard to the closing of the street.

His Worship said anyone could speak to the resolution.

Mr Hennessy sa : d lie supposed that if the vote went against the motion the road would have to be maintained, and would be a burden on the ratepayers of the Borough. Some objections to the closing of the road m'ght be that peop’e owning property there might have their frontage cut off But the Borough could do something by which they could avail themselves of the frontage ot the-road. He did not care whether the road was closed or not, but would like l;o see. rights conserved and used to better advantage. The road might cost a good deal. There was no doubt the bridge was rotten.

His Worship said that certainly if tbs meeting decided that the road should not be closed the Council would have to see that it was looked after. Mr B. H. Baker said he would like to suggest on b-half of those who were not familiar with the Act on the subject to have it read. His Worship accordingly read the provisions of “ The Municipal Corporations Act, 1909,” in relation to the Council’s power to close streets, and the procedure to be observed. ' Mr Bpeirs said there were some peoi le interested in the street, and he thought before speaking of it he should like to hear what they had to say. Ha thought so far as the Council was concerned they wished to injure no one. and that they should all come forward and say what they had to say if they had any objections. His own reason for ( Baying this street should bs closed was was plain enough to anyone who would walk through the two streets. They would sea that only one,was required. There was chain between the two, and anyone not biassed would see there was only one stree* required. The Council noticed some time ago that there was a fine street could be made through that paddock, and through the Council's efforts (Mr Jenks was Mayor) we got from the department ■a new street, which was now end a footpath on both sides,

which would soon be finished, and it was a very nice street, and to show how the Railway Department appreciated olir efforts in making the street, they actually shifted the gates on the railway so as to face the new attest* It Was very convenient in every way. When yon oome to look at the two scree's, one of them had a very nasty bend * H ti~>thd old one, ahd there WaS a bridge across it, just about falls n in, which would cost the Borough (and that meant cash ftut of iho ratepayers’ pockets), to make this new culvert or whatever it could be called, The new street cost about £IOO. If they attempted to do anything with the old street, and tried to make it anything like the one they had jus f formed, it would cost about £3JO instead of £IOO. It had been a cheap and good bargain to them to form the new street. They could not h ivo got the old street formed for twice the money There was noobjecicil to the money spent on the ne\V. street. It was money spent and money saved. As soon as the Railway Department said they did’ut Want the old street they, (the ratepayers) saw they had made ihem a present of three or four hundred pounds. It could be let for shops because there was a demand for shops, and he should like to see a. Council Chambers on it; he did not mean very expensive works, but he hop d they would see the day when such chambers would be built, and the balance let. In that Way it Would bring in rent, so that the cost of the new street would be compensated by the re venue which the old street would bring in. Theie was some one aggrieved that it would cut off their frontages. That was not a thin? for this meeting- to decide. It had to decide whether the old street should be kept open. That (Oompen Bition) w©uld come up when this question was referred to the Magistrate. So that whatever the ra epayers thought of the street they were not to think their vote was final. If they had grievances the time wou’d oome for them to B‘ate those grievances. At present he hoped the meeting would vote the closing of the old road. It was a dirty I'oad, and nothing more than a mud-hole, and he did not think anyone present could have any objection to closing the street. Mr W. Collins—The mud-hole has lasted a long while, anyway? Mr A. ('ook said the first point to be considered was that if the street were stopped it would cause great Injury to the owners of. the adjoining properties. The second was the question of compensation. There was no doubt about it that as things were going the town was likely to improve considerably, and that road, especially along the river bank, would be far more valuable within the next few years at the rate things were going Therefore though it was not a question of compensation at the present meeting there was little doubt that the owners of th adjoining land would claim a large sum. A third point was this :It had been said it was a dirty road, and useless, and all that sort of thing. That was all very well. But if things went on as they were going and the town imoroved to a great extent, that wsuld bo a good road The one opposite - the Railway road —would never be built on. They would very likely be building on the old street, but not likey in the new street, because the Railway Department would not give a lease for over 7 years. The Mayor—-There is no such thing as frontages to Wharf-street ?

Mr Cook—l mean there will never be any frontages to Wharfstreet, whereas the other is owned by private individuals, aod they may want to build at any time. There is Mr George Coley. If that street is closed up it will do his property a great deal of injury, and therefore compensation will very likely tun into more than what most people would think Continuing, Mr Cook said that in the early days the land had been given by his father, Mr T. U. Cook, to the town for a road, and as a frontage to the property which was there now, and it would be a great injustice to the people new owning that property if it were closed. It would also be an injustice to those who owned the hotel and to Mr W. Collins. It seemed to him that only one side of the question had been considered, and he thought it was only a fair thing that the other side should have their say iu regard to the subject. The property on the opposite side of the road would also be injured (Mr Easton~“ I am the owner of it and am in favour of it being closed ”) (Laughter.) As far as things are going we had every reason to expect that this town would progress. His reason for saying so was this, The value of hemp exported from this colony till the 30fch June last for the year was £578,205. In 1895 the value was £21,040. In 1890 it was £381,789. Foxton was the centre of the richest flax district in New Zealand.

His Worship asked if these figures had any bearing on the subject of the resolution.

Mr Cook said it was leading up to part- of fails subject, and continuing,

he said it was very likely if the prices were maintained the town woild jump ahead very fast in the nekt three years, and therefore the town would be better able to pay for improvements to that streets The only road by which access could be gamed to the river; with the exception of Wharf street; was. Gray-street. Along the river bank a splendid esplanade could be made; and Wharf-street would never look anything because the railway was there, Down Graystreet it cmild be considerably improved by building. People would prefer to build when they could either buy outright or lefts© for ft long term of years). . Mr A. Jonson—lf that road is stopped will the Borough have to keep the drain in order; or Close the dram up. His Worship—Certainly we would not close it.

Mr Jonson —There is a drain running through that street. His Worship—"-The drain will haVfl to be kept clear. We cannot build over it. .... ; + Mr Jonson—Your Worship; may I ask where does Harbour-street run to ? Would that be injured by closing Gray-street. His Worship hero exhibited a map showing the position of the streets in question. 1 Mr Jonson said he could not see, and he had left his spectacles at home.

Mr Jonson here pointed ouir that flax was going down to the mills through Gray-street, and could not be taken down the new road, unless Harbour-street was made, that was the one going along the back. His Worship-“l believe there is a cutting in Harbour-street, and the Council would see that the road was constructed sufficiently. Mr H. Austin asked His Worship if he had any idea how much it would cost the Borough to close the street.

His Worship said it would cost nothing. Mr Cook—What about the compensation. Mr Baker said the matter was not one of compensation to decide this evening. There were two roads—one new one made because the other was a white elephant, and the question was not whether, it "Was to be opposed because some people were injured thereby, or imagined they were. It was to be considered that if it were a great inconvenience to the people they would approach the Borough shortly to purchase the street. As far as he understood it had been recognised for the last two years or more that this Gray-street was to be closed. No complaint had been made to the Council, though there had been considerable newspaper matter upon it, and therefore he thought it was recognised that it was a white elephant, and the sooner they had it closed and out of existence the better.

Mr Speirs said that Mr Cook had made remarks that the value of property was going up after this. Rut they had nothing to do with what it was going to he bye-and-bye. They had to consider the present and not the future. Mr A. Cook here rose to explain, but the Mayor ruled him out of order. Mr Speirs had spoken twice and now Mr Cook whished to do so also.

Mr.Hennessy—Keep to the order of debate.

Mr Simpson said he was quite unbiassed and should like to urge some of those who were opposed to the closing of the street to give some reason for it. He had heard none so far, and it was unfair if they did not give their reasons. It might alter the vote considerably if they would give their reasons. They had to consider they were ratepayers, had borrowed £3OOO, which had to be met, and he did not see that they should keep two roads where one would do. (Hear, hear.) A ballot was then taken. Messrs R. Moore and G. Archibald being appointed scruitneers. The result was 23 in favour of the resolution, and 15 against it. His Worship having announced the result said that the resolution would now be sent on and would be heard before the Magistrate, and those who had objections could send them to the Stipendiary Magistrate and he would take notice of them. The meeting then closed.