SALE OF KILBIRNIE TOWNSHIP.

Evening Post, Volume XV, Issue 197, 23 August 1877, Page 3

SALE OF KILBIRNIE TOWNSHIP.

One of tho most important sales of freehold property which, it may be fairly said, has ever taken place in Wellington, was held to-day at Mr. R. J. Duncan's auction-room, when the whole of the allotments in the township of Kilbirnie, Evans' Bay district, were offered for public competition. Tbe lots offered comprised an area of 130 acres, situated about a quarter of a mile from tbe Iwundaries of the city, and which had been subdivided into building sites aud sections ranging from a quarter of au acre to six acres in extent. As was only to be expected, in a sale such as this of property convenient to the city, there was a large attendance of buyers, comprising gentlemen of leading professions — memliers of Parliament included — merchants, speculators, and others, to tiie number of quite two hundred or more, a sprinkling of ladies likewise appearing in quest of a building allotment. The allotments were sold at onefourth cash, the balance by hills at C, 12, 18, and 24 months. Section 4 comprised altogether 108 lots, varying in size from a quarter of an acre ; and section o, 23 lots of larger area, ranging up to six acres, the whole being subdivided by roads shown on the plan. The sale commenced with section 4, in which the allotments from 1 to 16, fronting Evans' Bay Road and Overtown Terrace, realised various prices ranging from £85 per ncre up to as high as £180 per acre, the latter price being paid by Capt. Williams for an allotment of 2a 2r 3p near the Patent Slip, that gentleman being also the purchaser of another allotment adjoining at £115 per acre of la 3r 14p. The Hon. W. B. Rhodes was the buyer of lot 16, comprising la lr 14p. Nt £125 per acre, situated near the proposed jetty, the adjoining lot 17 being secured by Capt. Williams at the rate of £145 per acre. The sale continued with great spirit up till near one o'clock, the prices realised in lots over an acre being from about £100 to £150 per acre, when an adjournment was made for lunch. On resumiug shortly after two o'clock, the bidding- was even more spirited than before and for some of the smaller quarter-acre allotments prices ranging from £80 to £95, and £100 per lot were obtained, being at the rate of about £400 per acre. The sale was still continuing with unabated spirit as we went to press, some heavy buyers including Messrs. Short, Smith, Harcourt, Barber, ana Williams, making almost wholesale purchases of contiguous allotments. The sale altogether up till three o'clock this afternoon, appeared to have been an immense success, and will no doubt yield a large return to Mr. J. C. Crawford.