THE POST OFFICE SITE QUESTION.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue XXXVI, 29 September 1902, Page 2

THE POST OFFICE SITE QUESTION.

1 CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS. At Friday 'a meeting of tbe City Council, Cr Light-band moved that in b view of the possibility for tbe sale of tbe t present site of Council offices being re 3 opened, it be referred to the Vublk ! Works Connniltee to repo-t as t> the 1 best site for muniuip 1 1 offices in tho event L of tbe sale being effected. Cr Hudson seconded the motion. Cr Fathers said the present site of the " Council iva.s a gool oae, and he mosred as an amendment that the Council take d ' direct vote as to whether they shoul lpave their present site. IJe nould nut agree lo its beniff offered to the bovernment. i Cr Fairey, in seconding the amendl ment, said lie was opposed to poing from . the present site. In lii 3 opinion it was f he place for a Town Hall, which could be erected if the public depired. , CrPipr eaid Ihis matter had been - sprung on thorn. If tho Government de--3 cidod in orectiasr H>© post oHice on the Co jnpij's sito. tlien let Llie Government " purcbiiso it U > «as opposuil to the mo* , tion. Cr Hudson eaid that rumours srerd in t ' be ai- about the disposal of this property to somebody, bat it did cot imply any.hing. He bhyught thoee Bpeaking in op

position to it were making to i much of it. All the mnton meant was that they ■ might get a suggestion as to where tuey could Ret a site. Cr Pettib thought that if there was any prospect of a sale being effected, the Council should koow. He suppjrted Cr Father's new, and was opposed to asms part of the Church Hill when they had the preeent site. Ho had heard that the site might be wanted for a post office, and baring found an offer had been made j he had dropped his intention to suggest ; making an offer. He thought it would i be nnwiee to sell the Rile. Cr Harl y said tbßre was a great diversity of opinion about the que tion. The Council should sell thn Bite, as it waß no good trying to fcet-p it. The Council had is d all sort? of schemes for a ne« municipal Chamber, but nothing bad insulted. If the Council sold the present site a new building could be erected on i Milton's Acre from the proceeds of the sale. The oreseat site oE Iho Council Ch'imbor was one of Iho mosb valuable blocks of land in Trafalgar-street, and be considered it was worth .£3O a foot. It was certainly a fine spot fur a p>st office, and he thought the Wo.ks Comcuittoe should fix its value. Cr Webloy intimated tbat be wonl support the motion if it was referred t > Helect Committee inßlead of the Work* Committee. Cr Light bund explained that he only wanted the Committee to inako suggestions fur I he Council {>.> discuss. (Ju the amondment being put, it was lost on a division by 7 to 4. Ayes : r<= Fathers, Peltit, Piper, and Fai^ey. Noes: ir- Ligbtband, Hudson, Mercer, Oisnian, Webley, Harley, and the Mayor. Cr Piper then moved another amendment that the words "Works Cunjmiltee" bo struck out. an I a Special ConimiLte*». consisting of the whole Council, be substituted.' Cr P9ttitsecunded, and on a vote being tasen it was carried by bto 5. Ayc3 : Cr3 Webley, Fathers, PettiL, Fairoy, piper, and the Mayor. Cr Fairey moved that the question of offeriug the Go?ernm»nL the lower end of Irafalgar-streot ns a eile for a poit oihec bo referred to tho Committee. Cr Barley seconded the motion The llayor stated that who.. Sir Jc.-eph Ward was la-4 here he favourod the prese ut bite for a po:t oflice. Tho motion was carried. [Tb? foregoing was unavoidably held Over on Saturday].