BANK CORNER.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 17017, 14 December 1920, Page 6

BANK CORNER.

NO REBUILDING AT PRESENT. ' Tlk- Finance Committee reported to. the City Council last night that they hail mnde ennui rios as to the intention. of the directors of tlio Bank of New Zealand to oroct a now building fa Christchurch, nnd had received a reply | from the chairman of directors, who stated, inter alia, "the directors haTe no present intention of rebuilding the , Christchurch premises, so that it is not now possible to afford tho Council an opportunity of widening Colombo ' street. ,, ' Tho Mayor said tho local manager t had informed him that tho Bank proposed to build on tho present vacant , area. A suggestion was made that the footpath should run under the firsfl storey of the new building, nnd tho rondway should bo widened to present building line. ■ Cr. J. \V. Bcanlnnd said he knew that plans had been prepared for the new building, and the Council should watch tho matter carefully to protect the interests of the citizens. Tho letter from tho chairman of rtvrortors of the Bank was read by request It was dated December 6th. Mr Benuchainp said: "I nm in recejpb of your letter of tho 3rd inst., in which you inform me that at n recent meeting of the Christchurch City Council }b , was stated that tho directors of this 'Bank contemplated tho erection of ft new building in Christehurdh in the near future In reply, I have to inform you that the. statement which you hav* heard has been made under some misapprehension. As tfoo Mayor was informed in my letter of April <[th last, to which you refer, tho directors of the Bqnk haro no present intention of w building the Chr.istcb.urch premises, *) tihat it is ,Tiot now porsiblo to afford the Covinci! the opportunity of purchasing; from tho Bank tho land •which is desired for tho purpose of -widening Colombo street. It is to. be regretted that the ratepayers of Christdliarch did not avail themsolvcs of the opportunity -which was offered them eomo yew J ago, before tho last alterations were ,i mode in our ChrisichurHh building." V The Mayor said that if the Bnnk were not going to pnfc up a new buildirijr. they were going to extend tho prasenu premises. Cr. J- 0. Jameson said tho Coloiiuw ' street roadway at the Bank corner.w« much wider than many busy Btrecta in: London. Tho Mayor said there wen no trams in those etreets. Cr. Jameson said there should be >t better recnilation of the traffic to eara the trouble. The Mayor said that -would be attend--led to when the new by-laws were pnssod.