AUCKLAND’S HERITAGE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 645, 23 April 1929, Page 7

AUCKLAND’S HERITAGE

BEAUTY MUST BE PRESERVED DANGER OF SPOLIATION A warning to Aucklanders was Issued by Mr. H. E. Vaile last evening. He said that, if it was desired that Auckland should compare favourably with the showplaces of Europe and America in years to come, preparations for the future should immediately be instituted on a large scale. Mr. Vaile. continuing his campaign i for the city Mayoralty, was speaking 1 at Avondale Town I-lali. After dealing with questions of policy, the candidate impressed on his audience the fact that Auckland was in danger of lagging belli 1 * in the race for prestige. They ciiy possessed wonderful advantages, and if they were realised it would both assist and justify the growth of a town that would, in the fairly near future, harbour a million people. To-day Sydney could point with pride lo its national parks, its botanical gardens, and recreation grounds. These were regarded as among the greatest wonders of Sydney, ancl yet provision was made for them when the Australian metropolis was no bigger than Auckland. The candidate then roamed Europe with his audience, and finally settled down on the Riviera, where lie referred to the magnificent boulevards of Nice, a town with a waterfront not half as pretty of Auckland’s, yet charmingly dealt with. Mr. Vaile considered Hauraki Gulf quite as beautiful as the far-famecl Bay of Naples, and it was for such reasons as that that lie advocated preparation of the city for the days when it would be one of the world’s playgrounds. Mr. Vaile further pointed out that valuable lessons in traffic control and ; such other subjects as the laying out of suburban sreets could be learned from overseas cities.

“As far as traffic is concerned.” the speaker continued, ‘Auckland’s problem is easily solved, and this is understandable when one considers that Auckland is no larger than a. small suburb of "London. Auckland s traffic problem is due to the sparseness of traffic. There are so few cars in Queen Street that they race each other, and dart hither and thither, instead of moving in an orderly manlier.”

Mr. Vaile promised that, if elected, he would light hard for the preservation of the city’s beauty spots. “I shall strongly oppose the further demolition of what, is left of our volcanic hills,” he said. “I shall also do my best for the waterfront. Campbell’s Point is lost to us, but there is still hope for Hobson Bay.”