HOSTEL PROPOSAL

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 154, 25 March 1939, Page 10

HOSTEL PROPOSAL

Accommodating Exhibition Visitors TEMPORARY BUILDING ON HARBOUR BOARD LAND The possible shortage of lodging accommodation in Wellington during the term of the Centennial Exhibition is turning people’s thoughts in the direction of providing ways and means of meeting the expected demand. In the exhibition area there is probably less means of accommodation for visitors to Wellington than in any other part, of the city. Rongotai, being in ■,in unlicensed area, has no hotels, and the number of boarding establishments east of the Mt. Victoria range could be counted on the lingers of one band. The locality of the exhibition itself is the centre of cottage homes, for the most part one-story dwellings with no accommodation to spare for visitors, so that the great bulk of the visitors will have to look for board within the limits of lhe city proper. One proposition now being seriously considered which may belli to provide accommodation for those who, from business or other reasons, desire to reside near the exhibition, comes from a Christchurch resident, who has secured the right to lease an area of harbour board land at Kilbirnie South for the purpose of erecting a building, which, it is estimated, might provide sleeping accommodation for at least 100 people. The area is in that triangular block which lies to the east of the Kilbirnie Bost Office, and has frontages to Seatoun Road and the by-pass road between Evans Bay Crescent and Seutoun Road. This land has a frontage of 175 feet to the by-pass road, and one of about 140 feet to Seatoun Road. It is right opposite the southern end of the new causeway, and is close to the sea beach and the Kilbirnie Recreation Ground and parking area. The city council is prepared to waive the building by-laws to allow of the erection of a temporary structure. In this case the investor must be able to see a reasonable prospect of getting his money back, and making a profit in the six months’ term of the exhibition. That is the position the council has to meet, if adequate accommodation is to be provided to meet the emergency.