JERMYN STREET SCHEME

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16046, 12 October 1915, Page 5

JERMYN STREET SCHEME

REMOVAL OF BUILpiNGS. STEADY PROGRESS MADE. Considerable progress has recently been made with the Jermyn Street scheme, the removal of many of the old wooden buildings on the line of the new thoroughfare being a feature of present operations. The Glenalvon building, which was sold recently for £500, is now being stripped of its contents, but the work of removing the timber has not yet commenced. In the meanwhile, excavation work from the level of Beach Road has reached a point within a few yards of the building. The next portion of the work to be entered upon includes the building of a wall across Short Street to carry Jermyn Street on the new level, which will be some 10ft higher than at present at that point. The work has involved a large number of claims for compensation for land and buildings taken. The terms have, on the whole, been kept down to those on which the City Council based its estimates. From Customs Street to Short Street the whole of the properties involved have been acquired, and satisfactory arrangements have been made for the disposal of the buildings. From Short Street onwards many of the claims have been settled, while others are in progress of settlement. It is estimated that it will be at least two years before the scheme is completed. Its value to the city may be judged from the fact that the new Jermyn Street, when connected with Symonds Street, will have an easy grade of about 1 in 24. Not only will it relieve congestion ol traffic in Queen Street, but it will alsc shorten the circuitous route taken by heavy traffic from the populous districts of Mount Eden, Mount Roskill, Eden Terrace, Mount Albert, Morningsrde, Avondale, Newmarket, Epsom, and hunga. The widening of Beach Road is another important portion of the genera] scheme.