THE TOWN HALL BLOCK

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 145, 21 June 1934, Page 10

THE TOWN HALL BLOCK

The Education Board claims that there has been a definite sale of its property in Mercer Street to the City Council, and yesterday the board called upon the council to complete the contract immediately. This matter should be cleared up without further delay, -as it has an important bearing on future Corporation building plans. ,The proposal to acquire the board property was made with a view to replanning the whole of the civic central area. The Mercer Street-Wakefield Street triangle was to be occupied wholly by a-remodelled Town Hall and a Corporation administrative ■ block. A new' library was to be built onj the Wakefield Street-Jervois Quay site. Now these plans appear to have been changed completely. The council has bought another property in Cuba Street, and proposes to put ' the library on the north side of-Mercer Street. What is to be done with the present library building (or site, for the building apparently is considered due for demolition) and with

the board property if it is taken over? If the council imakes all its plans in the expectation of not purchasing the. board property, and is afterwards compelled to "complete a purchase contract it will be holding land and buildings for which it has no immediate use. We have always held that the board property should pass to the council, which owns the rest of the block and could use this area to the best advantage; but we do not say it should pass on any terms. There will be'two opinions "also on the question of whether one ■ public body should, hold another strictly to the terms of a deal made under different conditions.