The Grey River Argus FRIDAY, April 9, 1948. MUNICIPAL ECONOMY

Grey River Argus, 9 April 1948, Page 4

The Grey River Argus FRIDAY, April 9, 1948. MUNICIPAL ECONOMY

'pi-IE public doubtless will be satisfied that ' the Borough Council has decided to make a move tor the partial utilisation and the partial demolition of the remnant of the Town Hall. It has been rather an eye-sore since July last. The eastern portion, of which use is to >bc made again as a. library, should servo the purpose (piite as well as formerly, and it must be admitted the present makeshift, while it has met an emergency, is scarcely one. on which to rely for any great length of time. The Council has had before it a proposal to purchase a library site on Mawhera Quay, which, as an alternative to the rehabitation of the old structure, would be at least financially less economical, its recommendation having apparently been that it would leave the municipal site clear for other uses. Councillors last evening appeared to be agreed that Creymouth may have to contemplate going without a town hall for a decade or more. The evident reason is that the construction at this juncture of a hall commensurate with the growth of the municipality would, in view of other impending obligations, prove beyond the means of the community. There certainly are 'water supply and other needs at least equally as urgent as that of a town hall, and if these were not provided for in due time there would be greater inconvenience than has meantime been experienced in the absence of a town hall. Moreover, the latter project is not one which ought to be conceived anywise as a makeshift, but should, when it does take shape, have dimensions' ami ornamentation worthy of Greymouth, It is hardly to be credited that the remnant, of the old structure is susceptible of repair in a manner that would make it thus worthy, although it doubtless could be turned into something in the way of a makeshift, like those which the Council has had to rely upon since the fire. An outlay thereon of say £1 1,000, which would include the restoration of the library, would still leave the ultimate question of a proper civic centre for the next generation. The decision of the Council regarding offices, which is that a storey be added to the Women’s Rest Room building, and that the area of that fatructuTe lie extended, is estimated to cost £10,650. An .advantage here ’would be the fact that the building would be made permanently more serviceable, without anywise complicating the eventual question of making the best, use of the present town hall site. As that site would be serviceable as a parking area, the Council’s decision not to leave it encumbered with the shell of the old structure seems also to be judicious. As to the final question. of the town hall itself, the purchase of the whole block, if other municipalities are any guide, ■ ought to be contemplated, because in any event it is a valuable site, whether for municipal or other use. At the present. time, it is desirable to concentrate upon immediate utility for any actual expenditure, since the prospective outlay upon municipal development cannot by any means be reckoned inconsiderable. When the ratepayers are asked 1o sanction expenditure they will look carefully to the return, and this is a point which cannot be left out of account.