Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 1906. OUR NEW CHAMBERS. A THREATENED BLOCK.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3628, 24 March 1906, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 1906. OUR NEW CHAMBERS. A THREATENED BLOCK.

The Act of Parliament dealing with Loans to Local Bodies threatened a block in the matter of the loan for our new Borough Chambers at last night’s meeting of ratepayers. It happened this way: Mr Speirs, after plans had been exposed to the meeting of a wooden building, brought up the matter of erecting the structure in brick. The meeting agreed, and then the trouble arose. The Act provided that any 1 -an ffir the purpose of such works was to be advertised for a month, and then discussed at a public meeting, after which, if the Mayor thought fit, he could put it to the poll. As the loan already asked for was thought insufficient to erect the structure in brick, it was at first thought this procedure would have to be adopted. But Mr Fraser solved the question by explaining to the meeting that the unanimous opinion of ratepayers be obtained with much less trouble. And it was accordingly agreed that the Mayor take a poll as already advertised. Then the Council are to call for tenders, both for a brick and for a wooden building. After these tenders are received they are to be submitted to a meeting of ratepayers, and that meeting “ shall ” decide whether the building shall be wood or brick —even, as the Mayor said, although there may be only five ratepayers present. If this public meeting shall decide on a brick building, and the tender accepted shall be for a larger sum than £iooo, then an extra loan will have to be made to complete the work. This will mean an extra poll. It seems to us rather unfortunate that the matter of brick or wood was not discussed at the previous public meeting, but possibly the fact that a Celestial lays claim to the erection of the first brick building has stirred up the dignity of Foxtonians. It now remains for ratepayers to record their votes at the poll to be taken, and decide, whether or not, £IOOO shall be raised tor the purpose of erecting new Council Chambers. We have no fear of the result. All ratepayers in the Borough have the right to exercise their votes, and they should approve of the proposal.