EDGECUMBE THEATRE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 3, 29 August 1944, Page 5

EDGECUMBE THEATRE

REPRESENTATIONS TO

COUNCIL

SETTLERS URGE CON-

STRUCTION

SYMPATHETIC CONSIDERATION

PROMISED

Following the recent meeting of Edgecumbe residents with regard to the proposal to> reconstruct the Green Parrot Theatre at Edgecumbe Messrs I. Gow and' O. V. Marx waited 1 on the Whakatane County Council last again urging that body to waive its brick by-laws in favour of allowing the proposed building to proceed.

Mr Gow t who handled the subject in a particularly able and convincing manner pointed out that the by* laws were ) in the first instance framed for the benefit of the community, and that when a community was almost unanimous, in making for a variation that it would be the natural thing to do for the Council to relax slightly in the direction favoured. They had abundant evidence at Edgecumbe to ask for the withdrawal of its opposition. Possibly the Council's, objections were based on the exaggerated danger of fire hazard in the new but he could assure them that under the rigid control exercised over picture theatres *>and also: the lire-proof, nature of the proposed structure itself that such danger was cxtremeiy remote,. ,Messrs Hay and Rogers, who formerly objected to the building had now decided to accord it their support. Mr Gow maintained that the rigid insistence of the brick by-law being applied to Edgecumbe would lead to a handicap to that town's development as few business, undertake jngs could afford the substantial outlay of a brick or • ferro-concrcte structure. Furthermore if. the Council persisted, he doubted very much whether Edgecumbe would have its ne.w theatre at all. He gave details of the structure which was fire-proof and fire-resisting both inside and out. , With regard to precedent which had been quoted by the Councillors if the Council felt that such a petition as theirs was justified in the interests of the people they had no need to fear, a precedent. Mr Marx added that the meeting at Edgecumbe had been called by the people themselves to enable them to get a new theatre. The proprietors had no knowledge of ■*the meeting whatsoever. At the present time, picture programmes in Edgecumbe-were screened in a hall totally unsuited to the and ihere was every risk of. the pexm.it lieing withdrawn on that account. Edgecumbe residents did not wish "to see the brick by-law entirely waived but. claimed that it could

be exercised in judging each case-on its marits thereby enabling the 'Council to use its own discretion. Cr McCracken said he would not be prepared to lift the by-law indef finitely, whilst the chairman reminded the deputation that, it had been introduced in the ratepayers' interests as a protective measure.. Cr Butler said he had attended the meeting and there was no doubt about, the desire of the people for a theatre. He felt that if the Council once waived the by-law it would have to waive it for all time, though he was not going to say that he would vote against the granting of the permit. Cr McCracken feared that by ignoring the by-laws after once having framed them to cover such vitial places as picture theatres the Council would be held up to ridicule. He considered that in view of the fast, improving international situation, the people of Edgecumbe might -agree to suffer their inconvenience a little longer. Mr Gow: Would you not use your discretion? What if Edgecumbe as a business centre is retarded by the absence of a theatre? Capital is now available, for building but it may not. always be. Mr Marx insisted that the Green ■Lane Hospital at Auckland, which housed SOO beds was built of almost identical materials—a fact which spoke for itself. In answer to Ci Hunter, he said he understood the new building was going to cost £5000. The ehairman t . l the deputation that the Counc, go carefully into the matter . 'r Vd them that had the by-la v troduced years ago L might have been a better to and that the fire which* ■-'' (Continued in 1 < lf "

Gtroyed the theatre might easily have destroyed the. whole business area. N Discussing the matter with the Council, Cr Hunter said he thought that if'the building conformed to Government the fire risk as far as the Council was concerned, was negligible. He favoured waving the by-law if these regulations were fulfilled.

Cr Burt said that the Council had the right to grant the permit under the hardship clause. Cr Wardlaw added that he did not think the fire danger of any great account. From his own observations he was convinced it was practically impossible for a fire to break out from the projection box. Cr McGougan said he had been impressed with the delegation: and though he would like to see all the by-laws carried out, he realised that it was going to be a hardship on the Edgecumbe people. The chairman thought the Council was putting the cart before the horise. Before taking any action, he thought the applicants should first of all obtain 'their building permit. When this was done the Council could go further into the matter and sltudy the nature of the buildifriigl with a view to possibly waiving its by-law. The following motion was then carried: That the Council will be prepared to reconsider Mrs Holden's. "•lan. for building a substantial the°i at Edgecumbe, of fire resisting : als other than concrete after c sary permit had been ob- * the building controller.