CLOSING NGATITAMA STREET

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 29 July 1929, Page 10

CLOSING NGATITAMA STREET

iTo the Editor) Sir, —1 note from your report of tin Nelson City Council’s meeting o. Thursday last that it was resolved t( sell to the College Governors'that portion of Ngatitama street bctwcer Hampden street east and Franklyr street. Only one councillor opposed namely-:Councillor Moynngh, notwithstanding that three others upon being approached stated that they were not in favour of selling any streets, osSocially that one. Now. Sir, it is well mown in the locality that quite a lot of people especially on Sundays enjoy a walk in that street, and why should the residents in the neighbourhood ho faced with a blind street? Also’Task, Why 1 arc the College Governors so intent upon shutting it up? Aro'thoy going to do things that they are ashamed for the public to see; or are the residents , suspected of being thieves and vagabonds to bo barred out by a fence (uld notice: “Trespassers will be prosccuted?’’;lt jf was understood before the unfortunate 111 earthquake that it was proposed to build some fine residences upon the sites, but it seems the public are to be banned from seeing them. If it is on the score of danger, is the road one-twentieths part as dangerous with traffic as the Waimea, road where •the- boys are crossing and.refsrossing at all hours of the day and night to three houses on the opposite side' of the .road? But perhaps this is only, a log-in and they will want to close Waimea road afterwards. I suggest that the ratepayers should turn up in force to the public meeting and vote against’it. Look, too, at the waste of the, ratepayers’ money. Last winter a new drain was laid'up the street to within about a chain of the length of road to', be sold, complete with manholes, etc. The road was regraded and metalled. It,must have cost £4OO ns,it was done in the worst time of the year. So far ns I know no statement has ever been made by the Engineer as to the cost, nor do I ever remepiber its being authorised by the Council. Is nil this to ho the ratepayers’ present to 1 the :Cbllege*‘G6vernoys ? It certainly looks suspicious. I don’t seo how it can legally bo closed altogether as the water main to the Mental Hospital is laid' in the street and to which the Government contributed £BOO some years ago. The street is also used by several attendants at' the Mental Hospital four or more times a day. In fact, Sir, to close the road is nothing short of a scandal. What do the College - people Wjrat of <it anyhow ? They have now a good road, a .good water ’ supply and a" good drain -tile entire length of-the property and jf they pay for all the money expended on that road and the value of the lands they could dm a lot more good with it in other ways, and ' ' V>* < •