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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]
Area And Divisions
Area And Divisions.
The town as originally surveyed was composed of 1100 sections of an acre each, interlaced with about thirty miles of streets and roads, which probably occupy 150 acres. To this area of 1250 acres, made up of sections and streets, must be added 1100 acres of town belt and other reserves, making the total area for the original town as laid off and selected in 1840, 2350 acres.
Reclamation soon added to the importance of the business parts; but it was a long time before the area was much increased in this way. The first reclamation was that surrounding Mr. Plimmer's “Noah's Ark,” and it extended to Hunter Street. The second went as far north as the edge of Panama Street, as is shown by an excellent early picture of this part given under “Old Wellington.” The third was still larger, and included Panama, Brandon, Johnston and Waring-Taylor Streets; and some smaller portions near St. George's Hall (now Messrs. Kirkcaldie and Stains's carpet page 274 warehouse) were carried out in the early days.
In 1882 a foreshore reclamation was undertaken by Mr. Peter McGrath its extent being twenty-three acres, and the contract price was £34,955. Mr. McGrath failed, and the contract was re-let to Messrs. O'Malley and P. pperill at £44,107; this firm also failed and the work was dropped for a time. Three years later Mr. Joseph Saunders reclaimed about six acres near the railway wharf at a cost of £9670. In 1886 the same contractor undertook the reclamation of about ten acres of the Te Aro foreshore at a cost of £14,192, and in 1888 the last contract was let to Mr. Allen Maguire, the area being about seventeen acres and the contract price £40,128. There is still a considerable area within the boundary line agreed upon by the Council and Harbour Board, but it is probable that some time will elapse before this work will be put in hand, as all the requirements of the Te Aro railway are satisfied, and there is at present more room for erection of buildings than is needed.
Besides the above-mentioned additions to the City's area, several reclamations were undertaken by the Provincial and General Governments. In all probability an area of a little over a hundred acres has been added to the City by reclaiming the shallow parts of the harbour. Including reserves the City may be said to cover about 2500 acres.