WIDENING OF TARANAKI STREET

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 127, 31 May 1928, Page 21

WIDENING OF TARANAKI STREET

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Would you ki|:ill,y publish the following letter on behalf of the lessees of the corner Beetion adjoining Wakefield street? The Mayor, in iinswor to a letter written by Colonel T. W. M'Donald, ro the widening of Taraiiaki street, made, the following statement, which is misleading: "The City Valuer, in dealing with the question of widening, recommended that the widening should bo reduced to S4 feet throughout, but the demands of the lessees of the corner section adjoining Wakefield street wore such that it was .cheaper for the council to retain the 16-foot strip as street than to hand it over to them. They demanded, if the widening were reduced to 84 feet, not only the free use of the 10 feet at the corner ¥or the balance of the first term of their icase (for 16 years), but £.3000 to cover the additional cost of building." Why did the Mayor not state the position fairly and mention that when the council approached us wo had our building erected to; Ijhc ljeigjit of one story—ls feet above ground; :and tlie" cos'fly foundations 13 feet below ground level, making; a total height of 28 feet, the front portion of; would lutve to bo altered as the present-"foundation; would then become an internal foundation. At this stage, fully seven urolith's after being granted our long-looked-for building permit, which originally was applied for on the old building line, but filially granted 'on- the 100 feet line,, the' City Council'made the ..tempting offer to,us of the, 16, .feet, strip .of land free c'f cost'for th'e/iirft/term tif lease (about sixteen-'j-fcjirs)'/ which' wits iVatj iii-ally declined without thanks. The lessees were then asked what die; they Want, and replied;that all they wanted was to be left alone to get on with their building. Again the lessees were approached on.the subject,, and after going into the cost of alterations and additions, which would amount to £6000 not taking into''account a delay of at least six months, ihey informed the City Council that, if it found that half the cost £3000) of the necessary alterations, we would find the balance of £3000. We were then informed that the City Council now considered the matter closed. It was an unrea'-' sonablo tiling to ask us to pay £6000 to cover the council's blunder, and.get it out of a deplorable muddle in connection with the Levy Estate. The lessees above mentioned have the right to compel the- City Council to carry the 100 feet iine through to Manners street, as that was the intention and understanding when the council placed the survey pegs for lessees to built on, otherwise the £57,000 already spent will bo wasted. Th? City Council in the first place should have compelled lessees to erect their building on wheels so as it.could be pushed back and pulled forward to suit their various decisions. If the building at the corner om Manners street is allowed to stand oat 16 feet beyond the general building ■ line, it will become an everlasting eysoro and a. danger as well as a reminder to the citizens of Wellington how the ,-City Council does things'. The citizens of Wellington owe a great debt to Colonel M'Donald for his very able exposure of tho whole matter.—We are, etc., WAKEFIELD BUILDINGS, LTD., Taranaki and Wakefield streets [The letter was referred to the Mayor, Mr. G. A. Troup, who said that what fie had stated previously was quite correct. Nothing could be done with the lessees of the property referred to, as in addition to the free use of the land offered by tlie.counp.il the lessees asked for £3000. This the council could not, and would not, aeccde to.]