Greymouth Evening Star, AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. TUESDAY, JULY 9, 1901. TOWN HALL SITE.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 9 July 1901, Page 2

Greymouth Evening Star, AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. TUESDAY, JULY 9, 1901. TOWN HALL SITE.

As many enquiries are being made as to the particulars of the two sites to be submitted to tho ratepayers to-morrow for thoir recommendation as the most suitable place on which to erect a Town Hall, wo may state that the Council do not possess any freehold land in Boundary Street. Tho Boundary Street site is really n portion of Boundary Street itself, and tho width of that street will have to be reduced by special order of tho Council, advertised for four consecutive weeks - and is open to bo objected to, by any Burgesses in tho Borough, who may prefer wide streets to narrow ones. To reduce the width of the street and build the Town Hall next to tho Chinese st« r.i would mean depriving Mr Flanagan, the owner, of bis frontage on Boundary StroJ. and for this loss of frontage-ho is to obtain TIPI). The foundations in Boundary Street will bp Sift dorp, as could beacon by any pissor-by laat week, when the drain-culling was open-that being the depth of the made up ground—as disclosed by that excavation. Tho Church of England site offered has a frontage on Mackay Street for about four chains by a depth of about two chains—in fact it extends along Mackay Street for tho whole distance from Albert to Tarapuhi Street, and is rent free for 17 years. The price £SOO, is iu reality only about half its market value, and tkc reason of this is, that tho trustees will only sell it for public purposes, and not for business sites. It commends itself for the present purpose for many reasons. It is handy to the Post Office, Railway Station and Banks. As the Church of England and the Town Hall together will occupy the

whole square, its position will be isolated and its neighbourhood respectable, and in no way objectionable to the lady subscribers who will patronize the reading rooms and library which will form part of the proposed building. The foundations for a brick building will be good ; for this site has never been filled up and there is solid ground from the surface fit to build upon. There are many other reasons in its favour, especially its convenient position for the ratepayers in the matter of business, with the Council which now the gas works are the property of, the Corporation is daily increasing. We would remind the voters that the two polling places arc the temporary offices of the Council, Mackay Street, and the State School, Tainui Street. The above is a fair statement of facts, and it is for the ratepayers to-morrow to make their recommendation.