THE HIRE BLOCK: REDUCTION OF INNER AREA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 9089, 28 April 1890, Page 3

THE HIRE BLOCK: REDUCTION OF INNER AREA.

TO THE EDITOB. Sib, —I believe an attempt is being made to deter the City Council from carrying out the proposed reduction of the inner area of the fire block. It seems surprising that any citizen can be so blind to the interests of the city, or so unjust towards the owners of land within the blocks to be dealt with, as to wish to prevent the alteration. What makes visitors say that Christchurch does not look so much of a city as Auckland, Wellington or Dunedin ? Why, very largely the vacant land and the consequent scattering of buildings. What has crippled several of our prominent citizens of late years but erecting .buildings so expensive that it was impossible to make'them.pay interest ? And they were almost forced into this course by. the building regulations. If some of the opponents of the proposed alteration were owners of the land now lying idle and eating itself up in interest, they would be glad to change their tune, and to be able to erect cheaper buildings (dwellinghouses, if business premises are not wanted), that would enable the land to earn something towards interest, till better, buildings are required and payable. These (more or less) temporary buildings would certainly adorn our city more than the vacant spaces and tumble-down shanties they would displace;—l am, &c., ECONOMY.