Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6829, 6 October 1883, Page 4

Mn. J. C. Fiiith and "Anti-Goth" i n our columns to-day, advocate that the space at the foot of Shortland-street nowcleared in readiness for the erection of the buildings by the New Zealand Insurance Company, should be left vacant as an open space, which would give light nessand airiness to Lower Queen-street and Shortland-street. The writer of the A.B.C. papers also aids the cause by some of the remarks which he makes upon our' city We are inclined to attach great weight to the opinions of these writers but we are unable to coincide ihfi conclusions on this subject. The first ques ion is, is the benefit of ijjt £ email space vacant worth the cost f 0 the y • That cost would be close on £3000 per annum That would be a constdevble amount tor the ratepayers to sac-i----fice and our conviction is, that if the BDand fwnn naade U£> their mindE » to opdntt £3000 per annnm in doin-v snm „ it« « 8 -f beautif y city and improvTn ' its sanitary condition,- they might with f - m °S 6y ' d 0 something far more ficantlatch*" 1 Th Viag Va ° ant thia ins'gnia rX 4 The a P ßce is too small for a really good square. It might accom 0r a statuf, but the Ilk Uhood is. ln t ta situation arid in ß ignifi.

cant size, ihst ifc would wholesome s> or Eot a very the City Counoilcould bu» a Dnnai piece of ground on th^ perhaps two or three pieces " jot them into recreation ground* *£°? vert mnch wanted, as v lch ar e city are fast' ft 0 * «* think what £3000 spent on the Domain for—sbv fio« The place might be made ! equal in all these colonls P sum of £3000 a year were put Jg for the next ten years, to t recreation groands for the of Auckland, there might be one formed 2 cach of the suburbs, and even tW, sacrifice of the £3000 need not be in per petuity. Ten years would finish the work for ever. If it be thought necessS that an open square should be madeh lhe <f7» then one which would really be worthy of the name could, for a fraction of the money now proposed to be sacrificed, be formed at tbe junction where Queen, Grey, Wakefield, and Cook Streets converge. There, with part of tht Market reserve, a spacious square might be formed, having on one side the Town Hall and Municipal buildings, andhavin* also the advantage of being in the centre of the town. The arguments against the course recommended by Mr. Firth and , Anti-Goth appear to us irresistible, but we willingly afford an opportunity for discussion, in prder to elicit the public opinion of our citizens. The New Zealand | Insurance Company might object to give up the lease which they hare purchased or might claim a considerable sum for doing so, but that question does not arise at present. The point to be considered is, is it worth paying £3090 in perpetuity to keep open this small space, which never could be made to have an imposing appearance, which could not be a place of recreation, and which would do little ia the way of affording fresh air.