No. 2.
REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
PUBLIC
WORKS
COMMITTEE
at a Meeting held on the 30th December, 1908.
PRESENT:
The Honourable the Director of Public Works (WILLIAM CHATHAM, C.M.G.), Chairman.
the Colonial Treasurer, (ALEXANDER MACDONALD THOMSON).
"1
Mr. EDBERT ANSGAR HEWETT.
79
Mr. HENRY ADOLPHUS Warre Slade.
ABSENT:
The Honourable Mr. WILLIAM JARDINE GRESSON.
Proposed Tramway to Victoria Gap við Glenealy. (C.S.O. 6272/1906.)
The Chairman stated that 3 proposals, plans and sections of which were laid before the Committee, had been submitted to Government for the construction of that portion of the tramway extending from Upper Albert Road to Robinson Road, namely:-
(i.) By an open cutting running through the western section of the Public
Gardens and intersecting the areas occupied by palm trees.
(ii.) By a tunnel about 300 yards long, underneath the Public Gardens, commen- cing below Upper Albert Road and emerging near the entrance to Glenealy culvert, whence the line would be in the open and would approximately follow the course of the existing nullah.
(i.) Partly by cutting in an unimportant portion of the Public Gardens and
partly by bridging in Glenealy supported on lofty trestles.
He further stated that (i) was the original proposal prepared by Messrs. DENISON, RAM & GIBBS when the Government was first approached on the subject, and that His Excellency Sir M. NATHAN had refused to consent to it on the ground that it would cause serious damage to the Public Gardens. Scheme (ii) was then submitted but, before any definite conclusion was arrived at, the matter passed into the hands of Messrs. LEIGH & ORANGE, who, after a survey of the ground, prepared scheme (iii).
After full discussion, during which the opinion was freely expressed that there was great need of additional facilities for reaching the High Levels and Hill District, the follow- ing recommendations were unanimously agreed to:-
(a.) That proposal (iii) (bridging and trestles in Glenealy) be not approved. (b.) That proposal (i) (open cutting through the Public Gardens) is the best and should be adopted, the damage done to the Gardens not being, in the opi- nion of the Committee, so serious as to justify its rejection. The width of the cutting to be reduced as far as possible by the construction of retaining walls, if necessary.
(c.) That, failing the approval of proposal (i) by Government, proposal (ii) should
be adopted.
The Committee were of opinion that the zig-zag pathway between Government House and St. Paul's College should not be closed and that the Tramway Co. should be required to carry out whatever alterations were necessary to preserve this path for the use of the public.
With regard to the Limits of Deviation shown on Messrs. LEIGH & ORANGE's plan, the Committee were of opinion that these could be much curtailed and should be restricted to the narrowest possible limits.
The Committee then adjourned.
W. CHATHAM, Chairman.
Laid before the Legislative Council this 11th day of March, 1909.
A. G. M. FLETCHER,
Clerk of Councils.