NAPIER RESTORATION

Taranaki Daily News, 8 June 1931, Page 5

NAPIER RESTORATION

“WHITE CITY” SUGGESTION

STREET-WIDENING QUESTION.

TOWN-PLANNING LIMITATIONS.

Napier, June 6.

Outside Napier there is a fairly common idea .that the rebuilding of the devastated business area is frustrated by all manner of things, from uncertainty of boundaries to town-planning restrictions. The fact is that 90 per cent, of the sites are not affected by townplanning schemes, though where they are' affected the position is admittedly difficult. As Jo boundary lines, there is practically no trouble. Lands Department surveyors are at present check 7 ing the standard survey and no owners need delay their plans on account of boundary uncertainties. Although town-planning is the common term the schemes are not townjianning in the true sense. What is proposed is rather street-widening, the extension of blind streets to make them part of the general through system, and the rounding off of sharp corners. Possibly some people had the dream that seeing that sb wide an area had been laid waste, a perfect opportunity was presented of designing a perfect layout, but (such dreams must be governed by financial capacity. It would be folly to neglect the chance of widening narrow streets and of rounding . corners, fox - once lost the trouble probably could not be corrected in two generations, but, apart from this, the degree to which the architectural dream will be realised must depend upon private co-operation in the interests of beauty and harmony. ; HARMONIOUS CONFORMITY. Of course, buildings will have to comply with the requirements of the authorities in respect of earthquake resistance and general safety against earthquake shocks. All plans will have to be passed by the committee which is now working under Professor Cull upon the new national building code. Obviously, the dangers created by parapets and other top-hamper will be avoided, but it will rest with the owners as to what style is adopted. Possibly the result will be better than some folk imagine. There appears to* be a, strong feeling that the aim should bo a white city, in MoorishSpanish style, which ,is considered appropriate for, tlie climate. Maybe local opinion may have a strong influence in bringing about harmonious conformity. Self-interest may. also operate favourably, seeing that there is individual benefit in achieving such a result. However, the new Napier remains to be seen. Some impatience is being evinced at present because the regulations to govern. street-widening and the other townplanning purposes seem to be taking a long time to appear. These will be under the authority of the Earthquake Act. Possibly the chief difficulties ; centre round the questions of compensation and betterment. SCHEMES UNDER CONSIDERATION. One gathers that there is a strong desire to make betterment a more definite offset against compensation than appears to have been generally the case in other parts of New Zealand. However, it is idle to speculate upon the trend of regulations that have not been issued. - The chief street-widening schemes, it is understood, apply to Tennyson and Emerson Streets, which run at rightangles to Marine Parade. As to extensions, it has been suggested that Vautier and Dickens Streets, both running parallel to the two mentioned, but terihinating at Hastings Street, should be carried through the last block into Marine Parade also, and that Dalton Street, which is one of the intersecting streets near Clive Square, should be 'extended to junction with Shakespeare Road, which is ope of the highways to the Hill.

Finality upon these questions will not, however, delay a number of building plans which are mature, and it is certain that in two or three months there will be considerable building activity in the commercial blocks of the town. MARKET SQUARE, FIRST WORK. The first structure of dimensions may be that for which the borough council had plans practically ready prior to the earthquake. The site is known as the Market Square, which was occupied by the Criterion Hotel and a miscellaneous collection of buildings, which were due for replacement. The Earthquake Act contained a special provision to enable the commissioners to execute a mortgage to facilitate its Market Square building, and one is assured that it will soon be under way. It will occupy the portion of the block which was not covered by the Criterion Hotel. Probably the reconstruction of this hotel will also be taken in hand shortly. Plans also are ready for the new Masonic Hotel and building is expected to begin at an early date. Although no official advice has been received as to the immediate intentions of the Government in providing muchneeded accommodation for the offices of its various departments, there is reason to believe that the plan of a large building is in hand. The site will be at the bottom of Shakespeare Road, where the old post office used to be, a large triangular section, on the upper end of which the Public Works Department is at present erecting for its own use, temporarily, a wooden building transported in’ sections from Wellington. CENTRALISING STATE OFFICES. The Government offices of Napier have been widely scattered and the erection of & building to house most of them was considered necessary before the earthquake. Now most of them are in temporary offices which could suffice only for a brief period. The Public Works Department, for instance, occupies a house on .Marine Parade, in the grounds of which the Royal Marines had their camp during their employment on guard duties in the first week or two of the disaster. The gate still has the sign “Royal Marines” in letters that evidently were printed with a paint brush dipped in tar, but what was sufficient for the marines can hardly be adequate for the Public Works Department, even though it has several accommodation tents on the lawn. In any case, the owner wants his house in a few months. There is a fear that the difficulties of finance might cause the Government to delay the erection of its building, but it is reasonably argued that what private people must attempt under the stress of the time the State should not baulk at. Nothing is more calculated to stimulate the rebuilding programme than a good example. MOST SITES PRACTICALLY CLEAR. The majority of the sites in the devastated area are practically clear of debris, but others are still the same, only the dented footpaths being clear. Quite a

lucrative job was done by numbers of men in clearing sites in return for the Jound bricks they could get out of it. X bricks with most of the mortar knocked off them were for a time readily sold for £1 a 1000, and some J i n dav OU this basis, Now men made xl a aay vu gu that most chimneys are the sale of these second-hand bricks is lot 50 The demolition of ruined storage sheds at the port has been completed and n structures will soon be nsin o • is absolutely essential to have a great deal of space for wool, and m than six months the first of the new s a .clip, will be arriving. _.. -