CONCERT HALL.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18362, 21 April 1925, Page 8

CONCERT HALL.

PLANS PASSED TENDERS TO BE CALLED. "The plans of the new Concert Hall have been submitted to the Council and approved, and the Council has authorised that tenders be called as soon as possible." So reported the Mayor to the Council last night after a session in committee.

Cr. 0. W. B. Anderson objected to the plans being passed at that meeting. That objection was not based on the matter of the seating accommodation, but because tho Council had never decided whether tho new building wa3 to be a fully equipped theatro or a hall for lectures and concerts. The completed plans had never beCn before the Council till that afternoon. Tho Council might quite possibly find that tho Municipal Buildings experience would be repeated, when it was found that £3BOO above tho loan authorisation was rcguired for extras. Tho Council did not know what tho Concert Hall would cost, and what it would provide. The Council did know the details of the plans before adopting them. There had been no opportunity before of inspecting the plans. It was too late to wait until tenders were called. The councillors did not know, for example, if the present frontage was to be retained. Cr. E. J. Howard: That was the intention. Or. 0. Anderson moved that consideration of the plans be deferred to the next meeting of the Council. The motion was not seconded.

The Mayor said the plans had received full consideration from the Council. Sketch plans were sent to experts in America and Australia, and their reports were commendatory. The Hall was intended primarily as a 'Concert Hall, but provision wap made whereby the Hall could be used for other purposes, including picture screening. The retention of the present front elevation and the inclusion of the ofSceo were original features of tho scheme. The Concert Hall Committee had devoted the closest attention to the matter. It was regrettable that the project had been obstructed on the matter of seating accommodation Voices: Xo.

The Mayor said tlicrc had been too much delay already. The committee were informed that a leading contractor had offered to build the hall required for the money provided by the ratepayers. Everything had been done to make the Concert Hall project a success.

(Jr. E. J. Howard said he would not be a party to the grafting of a new theatre on to a set of >seeOnd-kand benches. That was the first opportunity he had had to voice his protest. The whole of the front elevation was erected originally only as ;i temporary strueture. The architecture was out of line with the remainder of the building, and the old front elevation should be pulled down. Or. H. T. Armstrong said the retention of the front elevation had been before the committee and the Council all along. C'r. Howard: Not since I have been on the Council. Cr. Armstrong: Yes.

('r. Armstrong said that private enterprise did not want, tlie City to own too o-ood a hall. The retention of the offices would help to make the Concert llall self-supporting. The Council approved of the report mad;' by the Mayor, Cr. 0. Anderson disseutiug-