NEW TOWN HALL.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20091, 21 November 1930, Page 9

NEW TOWN HALL.

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nVV OXFORD csrbmonya

+n speakers at the 1I! - A^ ofdiSg Ition of the Tow " £ . tie Bda 7 terdav afternoon, jill •* °*!! Oxford residents have, frrt * f j aid abide their former •° flS time fnd have united to the district The new elf* contemp lated for some *■» bU A lZ that construction Irted, all feel that it » m >» bcen . ;!" ts Of the small commun'l6beit *u be ft spacious building and & U Vot Jtorms of entertampr°n 8 cinema to dances. !?st ' ft °lpleted the hall will contain ffi6B ' vestibule with ticket-bo«, J roomE on either side. Over *A cloS „ m , t jjpre will be an oper*•Tk'tball ,: ; selt itH- bOS Jn by 50ft, and the stag. b0 >t J full width, aud 20rt cee;: <-! be J' st L Kill be a basement and ts iez tke 'f f a k itehen, and cob;ffo dressicg^ 00 ® J eagt double door, T4B i«ce». h u fron! the sup- '^:' a TM«PP «i»»» "»* j' 3500 c-'f;. , tha foundation-stone havo JJ a. casket containing copies : " !,E £ d' s sl«ues of Thb Pkes* »,l?."christehurch Times," a cataisi # the silver jubilee of the Oxford "id documents giving the titles & Imeß of their officers.

Early History. Oxford Town Hall Company. Sis years I the Town Kali Company desired to Ifinio liquidation and to dispose of the !L This eansed much consternation the residents as, if the proposal fren effect to, the district would Xft without a hall. The Oxiord Benetoleot and Improvement Socl ZZ the hall from the company for ~>ioo bat then found that considerable npesu would ba involved iu renovat- ;« the building. public &i<* Tvas sought, but - cpiaioa was in favour of. a completely sew hadl- A Queen. Carnival was heiL. n3 £IOOO was raised. 'The Society codVitrei the question of a new building, W found that its finances were not adequate. It applied to the Coun y Council, offering to give the old hall, a,d to assist in the building of the new UH frith £IOOO. Owing to the dilterrces of opinion between lOast and West faford the matter was held up for a w and eventually it was decided t6 »jje a loan of £4OOO. A poll was take;: and carried by a three to one majority i 3 favour of the loan. The Council zjreedmot to raise more than £3OOO and traders werfe called, Messrs Keir ana Thompson being successful, at -310^. approximately. The hall would be " great credit to the district, satd -Mr wat»oc. Differences of Opinion.

"For many years there have been differences of opinion between East and West Oxford," said Mr A. Meyers, ehairman of the Oxford County Count& For tome time, he said, it Beemed ie!/ that the poll would be turned fcwn, but eventually the people saw mto eye, and a central site was tftud upon. The _ hall would _bo an waanding sight in the district and is few to come all would be able to ajj'lhis is Oxford; not east or west." ,Tlt residents had been very wise to wto for the building of the hall for it isnld bT? a source of pleasure to eldad young for many years to come. Mr Meyers was then presented, by 3lt Keir, with a silver trowel and, iiniUt cheers, hs declared the stone liii Mr D. J. Hawke, sen., an old resident j rf tie district, said that he had always j foaJ that, if anything important was it be done in Oxford it took a long tiae. "The building is yours," he Mii, "and if you fail to support it ii irill be your own fault. I hope that •» *ill not have to call upon the ratepayers for the interest on the borrowed Honey." (Applause.) The stone bears the following inscription; "This stone was laid by A. Meywi, Esq., chairman of the Oxford Conty Council, November 20th, 1930. H. 8i A. Murray, architect; Keir and Thsapson, contractors."