TOWN HALL DATES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1791, 2 July 1913, Page 7

TOWN HALL DATES.

"NO PICKING THE EYES OUT." The matter of the system under which dates may bo booked at the Town Halls is at present under review, and, judging from what the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) had to say yesterday, it /will not be possible for anyone to pick single dates out a long time ahead. Mr. -Luke stated that tho whole question was raised by t Jlr. L. D. Ohatsau, acting for Mr. Edward, Branscombe (as indicated in The Dominion yesterday). : Yesterday Mr. Luke stared that ho had-had aji interview with Mr. Chateau, and had asked him to put his views- into writing for the consideration of the council. ; Mr. Chateau had done so, tind, in. his (the Mayor's) opinion, had made a good case against the of picking tho eyes out of a season. As the result of this." said the Mayor, ' the oouncll at its last meeting passed a resolution -which should prevent a recurrence of the practice. The council had made certain agreements this year which they could not violate, but next year wowd be different. The principle of allowing anyone to piak out six or a dozen non-succes-sive dates/ when such would probably bar another .from booking the hall solid for. that There were now and again certain municipal gatherings that were required to be hold in one of the 'tv.o halls, which would override any bookings;: and-this .was provided for in a clause in the agreement under the provisions of which all bookings are made. It was necessary that some of these gatherings must be held at night, as the people'concerned could not always attend in tho nfternoon, A case in joint was the recoption accorded to MlS3.Mary Proctor,'the astronomer. During tLe time I am in office," said Mr. Luke emphatically, "there will be no preference shown in the matter of Town Hall 'engagements, and an opportunity will be given to the public—tho ratepayers—to get the best lesults out of tne halls!".