FOR WHAT USE?

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 206, 1 September 1936, Page 12

FOR WHAT USE?

POST OFFICE SITE.

CITY COUNCIL OPINIONS

THREE PROPOSALS OUTLINED. Arrangements had been made with the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, to confer with representatives of the Auckland City Council at as early a date as possible on the proposals recently submitted to him for that city's utilisation of the old post oliice site, stated a report presented by the Mayor, Mr. Ernest Davis, at the Auckland City Council meeting last night. The report was received.

"During my recent visit to Wellington," stated the Mayor in his report. "I was informed by the .Minister that the engineer-in-chief of the Public Works Department had taken out valuations of the alternative sites for Government building purposes, which had been inspected in Auckland, and that when all the figures were available it would be a question of conferring in Auckland and endeavouring to arrive at a mutually satisfactory agreement between the Departmental interests and the council. My main concern has been to secure to the city the additional land comprised in the area of the old post oliice site in Shortland Street, recognising that the question of the purposes to which the land might be put is one for determination later on. It is gratifying to record that business men with whom this project has been discussed express their agreement with the course the council in this matter is pursuing.

"As I see the position the possibilities in the present negotiations with the Minister for the acquistion of the area are three: The Public Works Department might agree to erect its administrative offices on the site in Chancery Lane which is owned jointly by the Government and the council. The Government Life Insurance Office might be induced to rebuild on its Queen Street frontage, and provide ground floor accommodation for the post office; and the council could negotiate for the acquisition on reasonable terms of the balance of the old post office site in Shortland Street."

Pending the conference ' with the Minister and his Department, the report added. the finance committee had appointed a small sub committee consisting of the Mayor, the Hon. B. Martin, M.L.C., and Mr. A. Rosser to deal with the question of valuations and to discuss the questions with representatives of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, the Institute of Architects, the Real Estate Institute and the Minister when Mr. Semple came to Auckland on his projected visit.