THE ESPLANADE EXTENSION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 233, 25 September 1908, Page 4

THE ESPLANADE EXTENSION

OPENING A PDI'fLAU PItOMENADK. Postponed Junctions arc not usually a .success, but, vcsierday's was certainly an except ion'to the general rule. The 1 olliciai opening of the extension 01 our seasiii. esplanade had been lixed tor Thursday .il'u-rno.in of la-i week, but! the uealher co]uli L ions .vei'e uulav.treble, and the function was postponed lor a week. Captain Edwin had evidently been propitiated ill the meantime, for the allernoon ftiriud out bright and soma, but with Ihe accompaniment •>< a I'ni'rlv stroiis; breeze which came cool from ihe sea.' Nevertheless three er four -Hundred people wended their way lo Jloturoa to be present at the olliciai opining of the new M-.-iioii of the esplanade and to see the work for lliemsclve-. Mo-i ~!' tin- visitors reached the scene after a stroll along the esplanade iiscb. and to most of them the amount ..f wink performed came as a revelation, l't is now possible lo enjoy a seaside stroll from the ■-.\lay-l." biidge aimo-t to the breakwater in all stales oi the sand ami tides. The track winds along above the beach. The track was cut out of ihe sand, and had then to be dre-s.-d with a few inches of clay ill order lo make it lit for pedestrian trallic. There is mil the slieiitest doubt thai this e\-J tension of the Victoria Esplanade will! become immensely popular and confer lasting benelit 011 the town, for, besides providing a seaside promenade a couple of miles' in lengt'h it gives access to 11 very tine stretch of sandv beach that hitherto could be reached only with considerable diuicultv. The funds for this work were obtained by public subscription, supplemented by tlte proceeds of a Garrison Hand concert and social prinitited by the ltnilway (Social Club, the ninvcniciil having been originated 1111.1 the work authorised by Mr. Tiseh its Mayor and laid oil' by tile borough engineer, Mr. Kendall. There is still work remaining to be done, tor the Esplann le should be planted and seats provided at intervals.

The Garrison Hand opened the proceedings yesterday, and then Mr. Tiseh mounted a stage that had been improvised (Hit of a packing-case, and Ihe crowd gathered round (he spot where a ribbon was si retched across Ihe put!,. First of all apologising r.ir the ab-ce-e of Air. 11. Okcv, ALP., his Worship proiI'ercd lo the public a welcome lo this little cerei i.v of ollieinllv handing over to the public' Ibis continuation of the Victoria LCsplanado, which he felt, sii'-e would become a most popular resort. lie stated that the Esplanade was lirst opened in IS>7. when the late .Mr. .lames Paul. Who had an interest in the

Terminus Hotel, gave a strip of laud which gave access between, the hold grounds and the sea, to liegilia Vhu-e, where the ornamental fountain and lamp now stand, at the foot of Dawson street. Then Messrs. \V. Newman im.l L. P.ullot donated a further strip which enabled a path to be taken along to what was then known as "Keserve E" (siti'-c christened Kawaroa Park), where the band rotunda now stands. Very lit lie had been done since in the way of extension, although the Press had repeatedly drawn attention lo the lie-cssi'.y for the work. When tlic speaker was returned as Mayor he determined that this should he one of his lirst works. and within ten days he had nea -mi

plovcd in the work of continuing *hEsplanade towards Moturoa. Messrs 11. Weston and W. Newman contributed verv pbernllv to the mild, and the punlie 'had also come forward well with donations, with which money they ha.l now .been able to construct about a cou|de of miles of new work. Air. Tiseh opined that this work would prove of incalculable benelit to New Plymouth, for it would be much appreciated by the annually increasing numbers of visitors to the town as a seaside resort. People from the inland districts woiwl appreciate it. Townspeople who used it --he quoted a doctor's words—would

have ten years added to their livs. "And." continued ihe .Mayor, amidst hearty laughter, "th,. voiing pioplewhat'do they say about' itv They say

it's jii-t U.vi'lvl" Yes. people all iiai-i-nl thai, i! was a'goo'l tiling, and thoy'w.'-c asking now. whv wii.sii't it done before': Hut the work tt'a- not yot finished, lie intend,'.! |,usliin« on farther vol. and nlroadc a small bridge had boon iliroun acros-' the lilllc- si roam wliii-h had nit oil' this part of ihc l-ispiauadc from I !io breakwater „t retell of sand. Tliere had lieen promised to dale CHI.), and of iVs aui had boon oolleef.-d, im-lii-iivo -.l' Clll odd from the llailway Social (lab I Clil and tin- Can-win Kami ( C-t). The work ai thai end to date had eutail-d an expense of CSll. At, the llonui end work was being (tone bv prison labor, and Clll had been paid out there, leasing Cl2 in hand. I'lirlher donaliol:-. he said, would bo thankfully recehv.l. Mr. Ti-ih mentioned Hull the strip of

kind alongside them was a railwav re serve, mid In- tin' iulliicncc m lliiii. o. Samuel and'.Mr. Okoy, Md'., this hal lii'i'ii secured by tin; Seaside linpi<i\cuient Committee. This laud would he availalih' fur camping parties, who ka I in tin' past had dilliculty ill securing a .site tin which to pilch their tents. Possibly sonic prcscul would want to know what this Seaside Improvenient Coiiiniillec was. It was a committee thai hid keen elected at a jiuhlic meeting eon veued Jiy himself, to take in hand I'.provision of amusements for Ihe Childmas holidays. Amongst other thiiu-s they had arranged to hold u. big seaside picnic and were endeavoring to socire the attendance of a war-hip and the training ship Auiokura. Mr. 'f'iseh 51..;.cd that it was kis intention to extent the Ksphmucle eastwards to the mnuh of Ik:. Waiwakuiko river, and .villi th.>: oliji'cl. in view lie had rc.piostcd pcniifssinu friini the Uailunv IVpnrlnielli to const ni-t a footbridge" below tke ileuai railway bridge. He lioped to receive a favorable reply in a .lav or two. lie

then called upon Mrs. Newman to sever Ihe ribbon. .Mrs. Newman did so. and declared the Kspkuiade open, amid-i cheers.

The Mayor then formally handed over the work to Mr. A. Humphries, representing the Seaside Improvenient Cominiltee. In accepting the trust llv. Humphries explained that the object of this Seaside Improvenient Committee was to bring more forcibly before thenotice of the outside public the advantages (hat other places had not, but these had not I n advertised or put before the people, lie lioped soon to see a whole row of bungalows from th" breakwater and tke .band rotunda. Th"

seaside in other places was made use of; then whv not here? The operations ~i this eommiUce would be for tke bcttvimeat of Xcw Plymouth and tke pleasure of Ike visitors, and .that wa-i what thev were aiming al. t'keeis'werc given fiM- the Mayor and Mrs. Ti,eh and .Mr. and .Ur,. Newman.

Mr. 11. Cock was the next .speaker, and he referred to the fact that wlem he. as ..Mayor, had advocated placing the hand rotunda in its present position,, people had said it was 100 far out of town lo be of us,.. Hut evidently ,\lr. Tisek's ideas were more ambitious .still, -for he had extended the | pie's pr>nii'iiiHlc to Moturoa. The public were to be congratulated upon having two men -ucli as Messrs. Newman and Tisc'i. lie- former of whom had. before the speaker's time. ink..i an interest in this mailer of improving the seaside, and spent no small amount of time and eu-li-on ii. I'eople. however, and some „f the leading people, kad opposed tile idea. I!ut lie kad better be careful, else he would be told he was exceeding his position. No matter what the Taraniki Daily New- -aid, he was going to call a spade a spade. |\Vc do not object u Mr. Cock calling a =pado a spade so Jong as it is a sp.ule and not a boomerang. -- lvlii.or.l lie then congratulated the young people of to-day upon the, pos-se-inn of s„c], a "lovers' walk." and appeared lo regret that lie kad not heed similarly circunislanced.

Captain lloml .wt-U-ollldl Mr. vi-itur-i to Uotur.-a. ,111,1 ciildaNul tin- value uf llii- MM-iilc walk. Mr. \\. Newman returned ,| hanks for fin' iiivitiiirmi extended l» .Mr.,. Xewnnln Mini liinsolf. Hi' slid In- could pietu-.e in niiiid 11 improved l>--vinid n.-ii-iiitiiiM. iiii.l In- fell it \v;i----piin-' lo In- ;i w<<«\ thin". Hi- oa lis hearer- Hint this path belonged io III" |ii-o|ili-. and ovi-ry member of the public was part owner, and thus inter i'-lrd in inaiiiliiimiijr it and maintainine, order on it. lie looked to each individual to exert his miliience in-On I di reel ion. Fnllowili;; the speeches the ladies' committee had ii vcrv liiim- time ill the afternoon-lea booth, where an excellent repast was hiv,-,1. The .n ra m-emi-nl s in thi-department w,-n- v,tv complete. Tile |la;s f,„- ||„- dee.iril.lii.il-, wevKilldU lent li\ the liarlinniKi-u-r.