A few discursive remarks in closing this sketch of the first or "Old Identity" period may be allowed. It may, however, be fairly stated that the whole treatise shows too much diffusiveness; but the object has not been to preserve strict continuity or to exhaust each subject, simply to deal with each event as closely as possible in the order of occurrence.
Considerable friction occurred regarding the street levels. The Provincial Engineer had the fixing of the levels of the main streets through the town, but these he would not furnish to the Board, possibly having got his back up because the Board would not allow him to cut a straight line across the Octagon to connect Princes and Greorge-streets as they now are. This divided authority in the town was of considerable hindrance to the Board, as no levels for the streets abutting on the main line could be determined under the circumstances, so that intending builders were at a disadvantage. The Board itself had no funds to pay for a thorough survey, so that under threats and denunciations it knew not what to do. Consequently the idea of throwing the whole onus on the shoulders of the Government was suggested. The streets certainly had not been much improved even under the Engineer, so that it was well remarked that in going along the main road through the Cutting it was common for travellers to sink knee-deep, and females often got helplessly stuck, and had to be dragged out by force of arms.
This condition of affairs had something to do with the attempt to carry out an old suggestion—that of making the Pelichet Bay flat the business part of the town. One or two large proprietors of town sections about Albany-street had sufficient influence to induce the Provincial Council to vote a considerable sum to build a jetty at Pelichet Bay; but this was the whole length to which the proposed change was carried into effect. The trade of the town had become fixed, with High-street as its centre, and to move it would be an arduous task. A considerable portion of the municipal estate was in that locality, and the most of it had already been leased for business sites. So great was the desire to get possession of these, that while at the first sale in 1856 prices ranged from 8/- to 12/- a foot, in 1859 some of these which had been forfeited were re-sold at £1 13s to £2 a foot per annum.
