THE GLOBE. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1879.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1739, 16 September 1879, Page 2

THE GLOBE. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1879.

The new City Council has now got fairly into harness, and, judging from tho absence of delay and wordiness in their first meeting, promises to conduct the business of the city in a satisfactory and businoss-like manner. As will be observed from the report of the proceedings, one of tho important questions which will have to be dealt with by the Council has been raised thus early in its career. Wo allude to tho question of tho municipal designs. It is proposed, either by making copies, or through being published in the local papers, to put before tho new Council all the proceedings of the defunct design committee. Now, if the new Councillors desire to become acquainted with what has been done in the matter, tho minutes and papers in tho office of the Town Clerk will afford them eveiy information. But it is not evident what good would done by publishing in extenso past proceedings. To take up the matter where it has been loft by the late committee would, to our mind, bo eminently unsatisfactory. This is, however, just what tho notice of motion given by Councillor Ayers proposes to do. It says: —“ That as none of the competitive designs for town hall and municipal buildings comply with tho advertised conditions, the whole of tho same ho returned to their respective authors, and that no premium ho awarded, hut that a committee he appointed to go through tho more highly approved designs, with a view of selecting therefrom the one nearest the conditions, and report to the next meeting of tho Council.” It may he pointed out, in passing, that it is not very clearly defined by the resolution which are to he considered the <l more highly approved designs.” Whether this moans the six designs first selected by tho old committee, or designs to ho approved by the new one, is not at all clear. Then the notice of motion goes on to speak of “ tho one nearest the conditions required.” There is here a vagueness which prevents the subject—one of great importance —being brought clearly before the Council. The conditions under which tho designs were sent in have been found to he totally inadequate to the wants of the city—at least in one very vital point, the question of cost. The committee has reported that none of tho designs comply with these conditions, and therefore it seems, on the face of it, somewhat curious for the gentlemen proposed to he appointed to select the “ one nearest the conditions required.” If the notice means other conditions, in which a larger sum for the buildings is contained, then the proper way would have been for tho Council to have settled the sum which the ratepayers are to he asked to sanction, and have conditions framed thereon. We are afraid that Councillor Ayers’ notice of motion will land the new Council in the same dilemma that the former committee found themselves in.

It has been urged that no new competition should ho invited, and this on two grounds, the first being the expense, and the second that the late competitors have a claim upon the city which claim should be recognised by selecting a plan from these gentlemen, and these only. The first ground is scarcely worth debating. The cost would be but small, and in comparison to the good which might arise from a reconsideration of the whole subject should have little or no weight. The next point deserves more serious consideration, but we think, when looked into, the objection is not tenable. It will probably be conceded that one thing has been ascertained from the labors of the old committee, and that is that £20,000 is an insufficient sum for the purpose of building such a Town Hall and municipal builings as is desired. This being so, it is probable that the Council will ask the ratepayers’sanction to the raising of a larger sum. Now the designs in the possession of the Council were supposed to be framed on the condition of the expenditure of £20,000 or £25,000 at the outside. Should it be decided to spend a larger sum of money, it would be unfair to all the competitors for the new Council, under an altered state of things, and with more money to spend, to be bound to select from those sent in under the old conditions. Not only so, but it would be prejudicial to the interest of the citizens in the direction of obtaining a building worthy of the city. It is possible that architects of high standing and reputation who would not be induced to compete when the cost was fixed at £20,000, might do so when a larger sum is fixed. The delay caused by calling for fresh plans will not bo time wasted if we secure a design which will give us the accommodation required, and at the same time be an ornament to our city. Looking carefully, therefore, at all the bearings of the case, we cannot but arrive at the conclusion that it would better, both in the interests of the city and for the Council itself, to start entirely afresh in this matter. Let them decide first what sum of money they will recommend the citizens to borrow for the work and invite fresh designs upon that basis. They will then bo in a position to decide what is best for the city, quite untrammelled by former conditions. The whole aspect of the question has changed since the old committee considered it, and therefore wo say that to proceed upon the old basis, when the circumstances were entirely different, will only land the Council in difficulty. The subject is such an important one that wo trust it will bo discussed very fully, and that the Council will arrive at a decision which will be for the benefit of the city as a whole. If the late competitors have any claims on the city, let them receive such satisfaction as may be deemed necessary. But it would be unadvisablo that their claims should embarrass the City Council in its endeavors to procure the best possible Town Hall for the city. Let the Council make a fresh start. They have now valuable data to go on, and their success depends much on their throwing overboard the complications raised by the late Council. These complications may serve to point a moral, but they can hardly adorn any tale that tho present Council may adopt with reference to the new municipal buildings.