STREET NUISANCES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5260, 1 February 1878, Page 4

STREET NUISANCES.

A correspondent semis ua the following complaint, undoubtedly well-founded, in reference to the above subject:— X desire to direct the earnest attention of the Inspector of Nuisances to the urgent necessity which exists for enforcing the removal of obstructions of the most d ngerous and unsightly nature from many of the principal streets in thia city. Ido not believe that in any other town in New Zealand such license in respect of street obstructions and other breaches of municipal regulations is permitted to the same extent as in Wellington, and this is the more to be regretted as the inhabitants are continually boasting of Wellington's great progress in commerce and population, and that this was the first settlement in the the colony. It should, however, be borne in mind that this place is many years behind several other settlements of later date in those substantial signs of civilisation which should murk the progress of an English town of forty years standing. Not the least of these is the condition of the streets, and a glance at these of Welliugtou shows that a duty devolves upon the Inspector of Nuisances to report immediately to the Council, with a view to proceedings under the Municipal Corporations Act, 1876, against all persons who are responsible for planks, posts, sheets of corrugated iron, bricks, packing cases, iron rails, kerosene tins, bottles, and all the other obstructions which are now lying carelessly displayed, without let or hindrance, in the open thoroughfares, endangering the lives of the inhabitants, and in opposition to all rules of neatness and order. The powers of the Inspector of Nui-ances under the Act above quoted are ample, the penalty for creating street obstructions being stated as not exceeding £2O, in addition to the cost to the Council of removing any obstruction. It appears to me that the Council itself is blameabie for the large heaps of road material which are allowed to remain upon the streets, and I would suggest that proper depots should be reserved for these stones, which should no longer he au obstruction and an eyesore in the streets. This might well be followed by an improvement in the streets themselves, the roadways being arched, as they should he, instead of being hollow and worn in the middle, and almost unused at the sides, and the present improper obstructions might be succeeded occasionally by the tressels used to enforce an equal distribution of traffic over the streets.