MOTUIHI WILL BE MARINE PARK

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 498, 30 October 1928, Page 16

MOTUIHI WILL BE MARINE PARK

PRIME MINISTER’S PROMISE OTHER LOCAL QUESTIONS Before getting down to politics in the Town Hall last evening the Prime Minister dwelt on a number of local questions, and told the audience that the Government had decided to open up a great deal of Motuihi, the present quarantine island, as a marine park.

The Prime Minister mentioned Mount Albert scoria pit, the marine park, highways and the Kingsland railway.

“It was not in the interests of Auckland that Mount Albert should be destroyed.” A Voice: It took you a long while to find that out. Mr. Coates: It took me two years. Some other Ministers took twenty years and didn’t find it out. No more gravel will be taken from the mountain, and it will be repaired as much as possible. Referring to the Kingsland tunnel he said this was supposed to have been commenced in 1928, but the period the country had passed through had delayed this. The engineers were pushing on with the surveys of the duplication scheme, and the start would not be delayed longer than was imperative. By an amendment to the Highways Act and the petrol tax the Government made it possible to assist communications between city and country, particularly round Auckland, on the principle of the user paying. It allowed an economic use of the roads by the motor vehicle, and a steadying up of the taxation on rural and urban lands. The legislation had made for a sensible and sound progressive scheme to allow the motor vehicle the use of the roads.

“There are those who look for amusement on the harbours and and gulf,” he continued. “There is one question that has been before us for some time.” Voices: “Buses,” “unemployment,” “starvation.” The Government, continued Mr. Coates, had had under serious consideration the provision of a marine park. They found that they had a beautiful island with lovely beaches set apart for quarantine purposes, and absolutely closed to the public. It had not been possible to get another island for quarantine, but it was proposed to open up a great deal of Motuihi Island as a public marine park in the hands of such bodies as the Harbour Board, City Council — The council’s name drew uproar and laughter. The Prime Minister said the park would be open as a marine park for the yachtsmen and boating people of Auckland Province. Voice: How long?

Mr. Coates: Not long. It doesn’t take this Government long to do anything.