REBUILDING NAPIER

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 248, 10 June 1932, Page 7

REBUILDING NAPIER

IMPRESSIONS OF OPOTIKI '*'* * RESIDENT AFTER HOLIDAY ' . NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED OPOTIKI, Tuesday. An Opotiki resident who has just returned from -Napier and Hastings, where he has been spending a short holiday; gave his iinpressions of Napier at the present time to our representative yesterday morning. Napier appeared as busy as a beehive owing to numerous buildings; going up, and a few of the remaining ruined ones being demolished and rebuilt. One building contract alone wcrth £40,000 had been let. This was the Masonic Hotel. Building permits had been issued to date for £500,000. It Was estimated that Napier woul'd be completely rdbuilt within two years. Despite all this activity it was estimated that there were upward of 2,000 unemployed in Napier at present. This was partly dae to the fact tha!; outside coritractors had brought many of their own men from other dbfricts,' and large numbers of men seeking employment had drifted to Napier in the hope of finding work. Streets vtere being widened and beautifying work was being carried oUt by relief worke-'s :he seafront where the old beach was being faised to the level of the old shore line, and the -whole laid down in iawns and gaxdens. This, in addition co the exisring parode with its avenue of Norfolk pines would make a very fine drive. Business generally was very brisk and although a number of ruined buildings were still under demolition, the streets were clear of debris, and presented a very tidy appearance. The qttestion of what to do with the innel1 harbour, however, still presented a problem.