GILL-STREET EXTENSION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 162, 3 August 1909, Page 3

GILL-STREET EXTENSION.

To the Editor. Sir,—Being practically only a newchum resident in New Plymouth, and a suiall ratepayer at that, perhaps 1 ought to he chary of airing my opinions on a subject of considerable moment to so many others; yet that same fact gives I my views whatever value may attach I to an outside disinterested standpoint I and therefore possibly worth diuL-usaion. | one lmrdly help taking an interest [ I iu the Gill-street extension proposals, J and for a good few months i have been i observing the locality, and, with many I apologies to the gentlemen who have -xpemied so much time and thought oyer the knotty problem, i cannot think either of the options u.,uld be a good

bargain for the borough, inasmuch as neither of them provide for what I take it will be the next important work already rising on the Borough Council horizon. A tramway from Aloturoa to Filzroy, with its attendant branches, will inevitably be demanded sooner or later. A very few gleams from the sua- ] shine of prosperity will make ii soun.-r, and assuming that such a line must run to and past the station, the question of the beat route and grade fur such tramway must be a very important factor to consider when a new opening tu- | wards tile cast end is contemplaiKi. I Subjected to that test, 1 would ask the intelligent reader if, independent of the heavy cost, either ot the three proposals is entirely satisfactory. Two of them suffer from the defect of their angles, the third runs into mirruw streets on either side; but once the fact is accepted that the tramway is to cross the river in that vicinity, I need not extend this letter to point out objections. To any one standing at the corner of the ■ Express Company's buildings but otic route ia possible, namely, a chain road ironi Xolan and Co.'s brick wall entering the railway gates, crossing the Harbor Board reserve into Cume-street or better still, to serve .both Molesworth , and Gill streets up to Kawnu-strect op- J posite the Brillshed, thus giving a commanding starting-point for all interesting and payable points in, the East end n (probably the Gas Compay would find 1 un interest in a line through there 4a ' no building lias been commenced yet on , the Harbor Hoard leases, it is fair to * assume that no great expense would be !?«., V\ al ; ran S in S w ith present esi,ee.Tlie bridge would be 'built at a favorable point and inexpensively; in feet, the advantages are so palpable BUT blocking the gangway. At first

sight this is not very formidable. In a practically disused corner of the railway it looks as if only one block of concrete required shifting about 30ft and the way is made clear; the real up the Gallic phrase "not a stone of our forts, not a foot of our territory" tor A 30ft shortening of one line of rail, possibly 00ft of another, is -all the inconvenience the railway people could P,°Tf ■£? er from ' U »»"«« not ways that would compensate the railway ten times over; it Wtter> not hit one may walk past the corner day after day and see no more sign of occupation than a carrier's team or two gettine the fiat has gone forth, and will prob«bly be adhered to as long as present arrangements last; and yet the pri *", worth contending ami waiting for. j u pit the doggedncssof DevonslHre a-mlast wooden-headedness till a ehan'o in , jupe.. little more pliability i, to ce. tam heads of Departments: Z «me soon when that debate over Adwheie the dry rot came from.-T am PS-Tt nil, i F-ROSSITER. i.-n. it will be curious if that ne*. Nt™ c ,? n, « «»ddenly breaks out 2,6 spasmodic activity.