OLD POST OFFICE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22166, 20 July 1935, Page 15

OLD POST OFFICE

EOADWAY SCHEME IMPORTANCE OF WORK PROTRACTED DISCUSSIONS EARLY DECISION SOUGHT With the mast recent City Council discussion on the proposition, to continue High Street through the old post office sito from Shortland Street to Fort Street, another stage has been reached in one of the most protracted development projects in the history of Auckland. Impetus has been given to the question by the announcement that the Government has in view plans for a new block of State offices on the site. A building occupying the land would thwart the fulfilment of. one proposal designed for the relief of congested city traffic. The Mayor, Mr. Ernest Davis, has asked for early efforts to reach finality in the dealings with the Government, with equitable regard for the council's intentions, and this attitude has deceived the support of the council.

The proposition to extend High Street would not entail the use of the whole site, a width of 40ft. being sufficient. This would leave room for the erection of new premises on a fairly substantial area. The old post office building, while occupying a considerable space, is admittedly antiquated in construction and in the disposition of convenient office premises, which could conceivably be accommodated better in a modern building of perhaps an additional storey, standing on a smaller area. Inconvenient Premises There are at present accommodated in the building the offices of the Department of Labour, the Government National Provident Fund, the State Fire and Accident Insurance Olßce and the portion designated as the Shortland Street post office. The premises do not conform to modern standards. A prominent Auckland land agent commented yesterday that as much if not more efficiency as far as space and access were concerned could be obtained in a new building erected on a portion of the site, allowing space for a thoroughfare between Shortland and Fort Streets. He said the Government, in its negotiations with the council for the sale of a part of the area, could scarcely overlook the important fact that a ney street through the section would mean, even for the frontage provided, a considerable increase in the value of the property, .an increase which would not be possible were the whole site occupied by a block of premises as at present. High Street itself was a narrow thoroughfare, ■ and it would not be necessary, although that was not to say it would not be desirable, to occupy any. for the purpose of a continuation the thoroughfare. Long-standing Negotiations Another aspect, the land agent said, was that High Street, as a parallel to Queen Street on virtually the level of the main thoroughfare, was becoming increasingly important as a retail trade centre. A connecting link between : Shortland and Fort Streets would increase this importance. Thero was also the consideration of providing a further convenient traffic thoroughfare, although High Street generally should be widened for this purpose. The proposal has been under discussion for a great many years. It was raised, in fact, long before the central post office was planned about 25 years ago. The negotiations from time to time have not been completed, mainly because the Government has asked for prices beyond what the City Council has been prepared to pay. The old post office building, which is of brick and timber, has frontages of about 70ft. to Shortland and Fort Streets.

MAYOR'S PROMPT ACTION CONFERENCE WITH. MINISTER QUESTION OF PAYMENT No time has been lost by the Mayor, Mr. Ernest Davis, in bringing under the notice of the Government the decision of the City Council, reached on Thursday night, to- proceed with the new street project across the old Shortland Street post office site. The Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. R. Masters, was in Auckland yesterday and Mr. Davis took the opportunity of conveying to him the 'council's desires in the matter, lhe council decided to proceed with the proposal, and as a first step to submit the question of the price to be paid for tho 40ft. strip of land required to a Compensation Court, provided that it had the right of withdrawal should the assessment of the Court prove too high. When he called on the Minister yesterday, Mr. Davis contended that there would be no loss to the Government if the right of withdrawal were conceded, since it was the intention of the Government to build on ' the whole block should the present negotiations collapse. On the financial side the Mayor suggested that a reasonable arrangement would be for the payment for the land, if the proposition were concluded, to be spread equally over ten years. In reply, the Minister said the Government was desirous of reaching finality without delay, so that a start with the building could be made. He recognised also that the council -wished to have the matter dealt with expeditiously, and he undertook to confer with the Minister of Public Works immediately upon his return to Wellington. The Minister said he did not anticipate there would be any" delay in advising the Mayor of the decision.