QUAY STREET WIDENING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18896, 19 December 1924, Page 12

QUAY STREET WIDENING

CITY COUNCIL'S SCHEME.

PROPOSED LAND PURCHASE.

REPORT FROM THE MAYOR.

TJie following report in regard to the Quay Street widening scheme was presented by the Mayor, Sir .Tames Ounson, at a special meeting of the City Council last evening:—

In view of the streets improvement

loan being carried on December 17, I ' recommend that the purchase from Messrs. L. D. Nathan and Co., Ltd., of their interest in the lease of lots 50 and

51, Queen Street, and Little Queen

Street, be completed for A 116,000. I have conferred with the chairman of tho Harbour Board, and. subject to tho com-

pletion of the above purchase, I recom-

mend that a letter he sent to tho board accepting tho proposals between tho board and the council for the board's

interest in tho two lots, Nos. 50 and 51, Queen Street, Little Queen Street and Quay Stieet, viz., £9049. payable by tho council to tho board in 1933: tho council to pay £92 3s 9d per annum in the meantime to tho board. 'I ho board will execute a conveyance of the properties in feo simple to the council, together with tho land m front of tho board's office:;. Further, that tho beard bo advised that* the council is taking steps to acquire tho lessees' interest in both properties. The Mayor explained that tho arrangement was tho same as that made in 1923 and embodied in tho bill repealed in Parliament. Mr. G. R. Hutchinson said that in acquiring this land tho council would do something for the future of the city thai: it would have no cause to regret. Ho believed tlfnt it would mean a second city square on the waterfront, but that, perhaps, was a matter they need not now discuss. Tho question of acquiring the interests of sub-lessees was raised. Mr. I. S. Crockes said that tho council should complete the job now by negotiating for the leases. The Mayor suggested that tho matter, if it was the council's wish, would be brought before it in January. By that time they would know better ho v they stood. Mr. A. J. Entrican said tnat if it. might be two or three years before the widening of tho street was put in hand it would be inadvisable to neg< tiato for leases at the present juncture. One lease had 10 years to run, and another six years. Tho Mayor said that ho would deal with this aspect of the matter when ho reported in January.