NEW PICTURE THEATRE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 19, 29 October 1943, Page 5

NEW PICTURE THEATRE

i — ♦- —. SUBSTANTIAL EDGECUMBE PROPOSAL 'COUNTY BY-LAWS QUKSITONKD Whether or not the Whakatane County Council should agree to waive its by-laws relating to defined 'brick areas' # -throughout the County, in order to allow a £5000 wooden-framed roughcaste picture theatre at Edgeeum.be to be erected was the subject of a keen debate at the meeting of the County Council last Tuesday. It was finally decided to defer the application for a month. Writing on behalf of Mrs Holden, of Edgecumbe, Messrs Suckling and <Barry submitted plans and specifications of the proposed building and requested that in view of. the diffi-> -culty of procuring reinforcing and other materials for the erection of a fire-proof building, that the •Council agree to waive its recently Imposed Brick Area By-law and make application for a building permit from the Controller. It was pointed out that tlie township was the centre of a large fanning population and the theatre was urgently neeessary. The building avouUl be in wood and iron and would cost well •over £4000. Two Objections Two objections to the above were received from Messrs Hay and Rogers and Mrs H. M. Walsh, which •called upon the council to enforce its ■building restrictions -which had been •designed for the protection of other ratepayers in the vicinity. • Discussing the question Cr Hunter said that there was no doubt about the building being needed. The present structure was far from satisfactory and as the new proposed building was to be rough-caste outSide and lined with lire-proof material, he felt that under all the circumstances the Council could well afford to meet the application. The main objection of the people tit Edgecumbe was due to the fact that they thought the building would be wooden throughout. When the position was explained he felt sure that most of the objections vrould be overcome. Cr Smith agreed that under the •circumstances permission should he given as he did not think the fire risk very great and felt that, during the war private enterprise should be met. Strong Opposition Cr McGougan spoke against any •departure from the existing by-laws and urged that the applicants should be prepared to wait until such time us, the proper building material was available. Cr Cavvtc. pointed out that it. was ibarely twelve months since the Council appointed and advertised its brick areas, and it would look verv foolish if they broke down on the first- application. Cr McCready also contended tha.t <the arguments for brick areas were .'Just as strong to-day as ever and as the proposed new theatre was in the Jieart of the business section at Edgecumbe it would be unwise not to enforce the by-laws. "If we. agree to waive our by-laws on this occasion we can scrap them jor the duration of the war," said Ci McCrackcn. He urged that with the improving war situation and materials for building in brick or reinforced concrete becoming more available, the applicants could well afford to Avait for the. opportunity to construct a sound and permanent Jmilding. Cr Wardlaw said he thought the Council should assist in the building of the theatre which he understood was to be a similar structure to the Waimana building. The Waianana theatre he claimed was; almost fireproof. Deferred for a Month Cr Luxton: If we. grant this plication which is the first since we defined the 'brick areas,,' we will look ridiculous. The areas were defined as a protective measure and if it jnas to be 'scrapped' every now and then it was not worth observance. He was against any breaking of the Council's regulations. The chairman said lie would be Very loath to see the by-law waived, particularly in view of the fact that it concerned the. reconstruction of the very building in which, the last fire had' broken out. On that occasion only the prompt action of the Fire Brigade prevented, the fire from making a clean sweep through the whole of the central block and Hie quite understood the. attitude of Jhe objectors. (Continued at foot next column)