NEW STATION

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 February 1947, Page 4

NEW STATION

GREYMOUTH POLICE PLAN FOR MODERN BUILDING OF THREE STOREYS EARLY START PROPOSED Greymouth’s new police station is to be a modern threestorey concrete building and the site at the rear of the Opera House on which it is to be erected will be taken by proclamation, if necessary, in order, to expedite a start on the construction. This was stated in a report presented to the meeting of the council of the Westland District Progress! League at Hokitika last evening by representatives of the league who met the Commissioner of Police (Mr J. Cummings) during his recent visit to Greymouth. The report stated that Messrs W. D. Taylor (president), J. M. Bunt (vice-president), A. Hughes (chairman of the Public Utilities and Amenities Committee) and J. Saunders (secretary) met Mr Cummings at the Greymouth police station on January 27, 1947. Inspector Angland was also present. “Disgraceful Condition” Mr Cummings said that he did not wish to waste time discussing the presen testation because he agreed that it was in. a disgraceful condition and that a new station was urgently needed. He said that the department proposed to acquire the site at the rear of the Opera House and that the matter of taking the area, by proclamation if necessary, would be put in hand immediately. Mr Cummings said that the site of the present station had obvious disadvantages as it was in the flood area and too far from covered footpaths. These were some of the reasons which caused the department to select a site elsewhere.

The Commissioner said that his instructions, from the Prime Minister, were that the erection of the station was to be proceeded with without any further delay.

The department intended to erect a modern three-storey concrete building on the site, said the Commissioner, who gave an assurance that the building when completed would be a credit to the town. No Need for Delay

It was pointed out to the Commissioner that the building could be proceeded with notwithstanding the fact that a price had not been agreed upon with the landowners and he was strongly urged not to postpone building operations until after the price was fixed He said that he would take this matter up immediately he returned to Wellington. The Commissioner was urged to call tenders immediately and he said he hoped to do this before the end of March, 1947.

The report was approved and, on the motion of Mr J. M. Bunt, it was resolved that, if no proclamation is published within the next two weeks, the attention of Mr Cummings be drawn to the fact.