Page:Municipal Handbook of Auckland 1922.djvu/50

 1880, in which year the question of a site received the consideration of the City Council, and it was then resolved to seek legislative authority to occupy the reserve at the junction of Grey and Queen Streets for the erection of a Town Hall.

This was carried into effect, and by "The Auckland Reserves Exchange and Change of Trust Act, 1881," Clause 5, the Council was authorised to erect a Town Hall and such other buildings for municipal purposes as to the Council should seem fit upon such reserve, being Lot 57, Section 29, City of Auckland, containing 30 poles, which previously, by "The Auckland City Endowments and Reserves Act, 1875," had been vested in fee simple in the Mayor, Councillors, and Citizens of the City of Auckland and their successors as an endowment for the improvement of the City of Auckland.

The area of the reserve was manifestly too small for the purpose, and, as an addition thereto, the Council purchased, in 1883, Mr. Lally's property in Grey Street for £1,350, and Mr. S. Jagger's property fronting Queen Street, on which was erected the Army and Navy Hotel, for £3,800.

In 1901 proposals were submitted by the Council to the ratepayers to erect a Town Hall at a cost of £26,000, and to purchase two areas of land between Coburg and Lorne Streets, known as Philson's Square and Graham's property, containing about one acre, at the price of £14,000. Although these proposals were not officially connected, still, in the minds of the rate-