TESTING OF CARS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22917, 21 December 1937, Page 16

TESTING OF CARS

CITY COUNCIL STATION SITE TO BE ACQUIRED ; FREEMAN'S BAY AREA ' A CONVENIENT LOCALITY Negotiations for the acquisition of a Bite for the proposed municipal motorvehicle testing station are to be concluded. This will give the City Council possession of a large area of land on the south-eastern corner of Fanshawe and Halsey Streets, opposite \ ictoria Park, now held by the Parker Lamb Timber Company, Limited. The Legal and By-Laws Committee Reported to the council last night that tho site was ideally situated, being convenient to the city and served by wide streets that were not carrying heavv streams of traffic. 'the area was owned by the Auckland Harbour Board and was leased by the Parker Lamb Company until 1956 at £l6O a year. / The city engineer, Mr. J. Tyler, said the company was prepared to surrender the lease for £ISOO. Interest at 6 per cent on this, together with the rental of £l6O, would be £250 a year. He believed there was- a probability that the balance of the area not required for the station could be leased at a rental substantially approaching this. The committee recommended" that the chairman, Mr. W. T. Anderton, M.P., and the town clerk, Mr. J. Melling, be authorised to conclude negotiations with the company for the purchase of its interests in the lease at a sum not exceeding £ISOO, provided that the Auckland Harbour Board would bo prepared to accept a surrender of the lease with the issue of a new lease for the balance of the present term, containing a covenant for a right of renewal for four periods each of 16 years. The committee's recommendation was •adopted.

ORAKEI ROADING SURFACING OPERATIONS NO GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTION Recently the Government Housing Department notified the City Council that it could not contribute to the cost of surfacing the streets in the Orakei block, where Government houses are being built. These streets were formed by the Government and were _taken over by the council when the block was opened. Later £19,365 was provided for bringing the roads up to a modern standard, but the area in which the Government houses are located was not included in the work •contemplated. The council decided last night that repairs should • be made to Coates 'Avenue out of £2OOO, which had been placed on the estimates in the hope that a substantial contribution would be made by the Government. The estimated cost of completing the roads ia the housing area, was £12,000.

DAMAGED BUILDING NOT TO BE REPLACED CONTRARY TO ZONING PLAN In. declining the application of Cavanagh and Company. Limited, for a permit to reinstate the building in St. Martin's Lane, off Symonds Street, recently damaged by fire, the City jCouncil last night expressed its sympathy with the company, but stated .under, its zoning., sohenie it had no right to approve of the application. The premises were extensively gutted by fire on the night of December 2 and application was subsequently made for permission to reinstate the buildine. It was then reported by the city engineer, Mr. J. Tyler, that when • the • city was zoned this building was a nonconforming one in that particular area but was allowed to remain during its normal life. The application was then referred v-to the town planning committee, which last night expressed sympathy with the applicants in the circumstances that had arisen as the result of the fire, but said it felt that it had no right to permit the re-erection of a non-con-forming building in an area not zoned £for the purpose. It,therefore had no "alternative but to decline the application. ; , £ The committee's report was accepted i'Jjy the council.

J THE LAST MEETING 9> " " « GOOD WISHES EXCHANGED :•> ■ / ' . ~ - I ' . Members of the City Council exchanged seasonal felicitations at the meeting last night when the formal business of the council for the year was brought to a close. The Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis, expressed his good wishes toward all the members, while the deputy-mayor, the Hon. B. Martin, M.L.C.. oh behalf of the members, thanked the Mayor.

TRENCH CONSUL'S DEATH TRIBUTE TO SERVICES Reference to the death of M. Jour%ert, former Consul, for France, was made at the meeting of the City Council last night, when the Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis,,spoke of the many close friendships which the late consul had formed with the business people of the city. He was a perfect French gentleman who had endeared himself to all. Sir George Richardson spoke on behalf of the returned soldiers. The council decided to place on record its deep sympathy.,