TWO TOWN HALLS COMPARED.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1629, 21 December 1912, Page 7

TWO TOWN HALLS COMPARED.

e WELLINGTON AND AUCKLAND RETURNS. The Town Clerk of Auckland has been furnishing the local papers with Eome figures setting out the revenue returned by the new Town Hall in that city for its first year. The article states that the Town Hall and Concert Chamber returned revenue to the amount of JC3OGG lis. 3d. Added to that was the 6um of .£230 per annum received from the Auckland and Suburban Drainage' Board-, making up tho rovenuo account to .£3296. The loans for the Town Hall buildings in Auckland totalled ,£121,000, which at 4 per cent, presented an interest bill of £4810. Deducting tho reveuue from that sum, "only" £1511 was left as representing rental "for tho magnificent set of offices in which tho City Council and its officers carry out their work." It will be noted that nothing is set down for tho expenso of upkeep, cleaning, custodian, etc., which perhaps is debited against the council offices, and tho amount so paid for the maintenance and cleaning of tho halls should ba added to the rental charged, if tho real position of tho Town Hall as an asset is intended to be defined. As the subject seemed interesting ono, inquiries wore mado from tho Town Clerk (Mr. J. R. Palmer) yesterday as to how the Wellington Town Hall had fared during the past year. Quoting figures on the same basis as thase used in the Auckland "Herald's" article (which was submitted to Mr. Palmer), that- official, after consultation with the City Treasurer (Mr. T. Collins), stated that tixe revenuo from both halls during tho past year totalled £3033 Gs, lOd. Tho amount iof our loans for hall-building was £77,130, and the annual sum paid in interest on that sum amounted to £3215, so that the annual sum paid in rent for the office accommodation of tho council's staff amounts to £207. In a nutshell, the position is ns follows:— Loan Office Money. Interest. Rent. .£ £ £ Auckland- ...' 121,000 4,840 1,544 Wellington ... 77,130 8,245 207 This simple comparison would serve to show that our Town Hall account is in a fairly satisfactory condition, particularly if there be cause for congratulation in tho. state.of,the account for tho .Auckland Town Hall. "•