OTAKIRI HALL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 6, 14 September 1943, Page 4

OTAKIRI HALL

Sir,—Tt consider the interesting story of the Otakiri Hall which appeared in Friday's issue; of the "Beacon" requires some correction.

The original hall was built as a "Settlers Hall" with money partly raised by subscription and partly by Bank overdraft under "joint and .several" on a section which I believe was donated by Mr A. Woodberry, the committee at that time endeavoured to reduce the overdraft by arranging concerts.. then the Education Board helped by renting the hall for school purposes until, a school was built. As time, went on the number of guarantors became so reduced that it was deckled to have some body, board or company in which the set-, tiers had representation own and. control the hall, the possibility of the council taking over was investigated but owing to the difficulties to be overcome at. that time it was dropped and the Tarawera Dairy Co. took over the hall, about 11 years ago there wa.s a move to have the. liall taken over by the council without success as it. was eventually opposed. It may not be generally known but at that ti'me it had very little chance of? success in any case. About. 12 years ago when the Tarawera Dairy Co. was liquidated the. hall and the rest of the property was purchased, by Mr J. Beattie who later made subsl-an-: tial additions to the hall.

c For a number of years Mr Beattie t has desired to dispose of the hall - to the residents of Otakiri without ! success at the same time refusing ■ to dispose of it otherwise and it was - only when there was a danger of our district being without a hall and believe 1 mc Mr Editor that danger really existed, that a number of the settlers got together and formed a committee to go into the position with the result that tlie council has formed a special Otakiri Hall Rating Area and is taking over the hall on behalf of the Otakiri latepayers. Yours, etc., 11. LESLIE!, Hon. Sec. Otakiri Settlers Hall Committee. (We stand corrected and thank our correspondent. The information we published was received from the Otakiri district and we printed it more with the intention of focussing attention on the meeting. Ed.)