THE BURNT BLOCK.

New Zealander, Volume XIV, Issue 1313, 17 November 1858, Page 3

THE BURNT BLOCK.

TllE question which has been so long- agitated as to the best mode of dealing 1 with the Block of Land which was the site of the late Fire in this City, was last evening finally determined by the Provincial Council. The resolution, being the first of a series moved by the lion, member for the Suburbs, the Provincial Solicitor, that the Superintendent should be authorised to purchase so much of the frontage to Shortland Crescent as would bo sufficient to aliow High Street to be widened to GO feet, was negatived on a division by 14 to 4, as was also an amendment moved

by another lion, member, Mr. Harris, that theSuperintendent should be empowered to purchase the whole block.

There is occasion for regret that, under the circumstances, no other conclusion could be prudently arrived at. The very large demands made by the holders and others interested in the property, as the price of the several allotments, and the claims for " compensation," in some instances extravagant even to absurdity, which were advanced, made it tolerably certain, judging from experience, that the cost of the land to the City of Auckland would be at least double its actual market value, and that, consequently, on the resale of the block after improvement, reduced as its area would be in size, a considerable deficit must result. That deficit has been estimated at £IO,OOO, and all that could have been accomplished for that sum would have been the widening of High Street as far its junction with Chancery Street, leaving its upper portion narrow, unimproved, and terminating in acul de sac. '

Under these circumstances it apparently became subject for consideration, whether, the resources of the City being limited —and the necessity for an efficient system of water supply and of sewage being pressing, it were better at once to widen High-street, or indefinitely to postpone the execution of the above-named works. It seemed certain that if the purchase and improvement of the burnt block were effected, the City Endowments must have been charged with a debt of .£IO,OOO ; and it seemed, in that case, equally certain that as it is from those Endowments alone the City can expect to derive the means of executing the Water-works and Sewers, which are indispensable—one or the other must be left undone. The election lias, as we think, (under the circumstances,) been wisely made by tho Provincial Council.

We assume that the restriction upon the owners of the land in the block will be at once removed, and we are not without hope that some arrangement may be come to amongst themselves by the proprietors on either side of High-street, by which, as was done on a former occasion, the wid-h of that street may be increased even by five feet, and an alignment of the houses to be built may be effected.