MUNICIPAL TOWN HALL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 930, 13 December 1910, Page 3

MUNICIPAL TOWN HALL.

DISCUSSED BY COUNCIL. ONLY ONE COUCILLOR OPPOSES PROPOSAL. SPECIAL MEETING TO BE HELD. At last night’s Council meeting the question of the erection of a Municipal Town Hall was brought forward for discussion by the Mayor, who stated that a few days after the Public Hall had been destroyed by fire, Mr L. G. West, architect, of Palmerston N,, called on him and made an offer in reference to preparing plans and specifications for a building suitable to Foxton, and he (the Mayor) had advised him to put same in writing, which had been done. He asked the Clerk to read same together with a letter from Mr J. W. Rough, architect, of Eltham, on the same subject,

Mr West’s offer was to prepare plans and specifications, and a correct estimate of the cost of construction, free. Should the ratepayers refuse to sanction a loan for the purpose, no fee would be payable, but if the work was to go on he stipulated he should be appointed architect on the usual terms. He also forwarded plans of a hall which had been erected at Timaru some years back, which he considered would be suitable for Foxton. He also had other plans he would be pleased to send down for the Council’s inspection if desired. Mr Rough forwarded plans and particulars of a hall which is at present being erected at Eltham at a cost of something like £3OOO. The Mayor said this matter was a very important one and had been before the public for some years. At the election two years ago, he, together with several of the Councillors, had pledged himself to support the erection of a municipal hall, and after his election as Mayor for the second term he had mentioned the matter at the Council table, and had asked the Clerk to communicate with the different boroughs that possessed municipal halls and obtain all information possible. This had been done, but he had not brought the matter forward while the old hall was in existence as he was of opinion that Foxton could not support a third hall. The old hall had now been destroyed and he was strongly of opinion that the time had arrived to erect a hall suitable for present and future needs. There was no doubt the size of the town warranted a hall of a fairly decent size. The Council had a site in the Avenue, just out of Main Street that would suit down to the ground. Cr Adams : “ Too small.”

In reply to a question the Town Clerk said the section in question was 63 feet wide. Continuing the Mayor said in erecting a hall they should not go in for one at too small a price. He considered that a hall suitable for Foxton would cost from ,£2OOO to £2500. At present they could only approximate the revenue, but if an up-to-date hall were erected, double the fees charged for the old hall could well be charged. He considered the fees could be fixed on a sliding scale, similar to that charged at Marion, which he considered was a very fair scale. It must not be expected that if an up-to-date hall were erected that it would be self-sup-porting straight away. For the first year or two it might be necessary to vote something out of general rates to make up a deficiency. Cr Coley: You don’t think there would be any need to call up a rate.

The Mayor: No. The deficiency if any would only be a small one, and could well be paid out of the general icvenue. Continuing, he said that even supposing there was a small deficiency, it would be nothing to the advantages to be derived from a good hall. He was firmly of opinion that if a loan proposal on this question were submitted to the ratepayers there would be no hesitation on their part in carrying same. He thought the Councillors were all agreed that the time had arrived when an up-to-date hall should be erected locally. He had a certain amount of information obtained from different boroughs which could be read at the present meeting if desired, or held over for a special meeting. Owing to the lateness of the hour he considered it would be better to hold a special meeting to fully discuss the proposal.

It was decided to hear the letters read and if necessary a special meeting could also be held. The Town Clerk then submitted the following information Greytown : The total cost of the building, furnishings, scenery, etc., was £2,300, of which the building cost £IBBO. The revenue lor the year ended March 31st., 1909, was £143 7 s rod and for tbe following year £152 9s. Xaihape; A loan of £4,270 has recentlv been floatedj for the erection of a building, including a hall to seat 750 people. Waipawa: The building included two halls, one to accommodate 750 and the other 400, and the cost was £3029 5s 2d, and the takings from March 15 to August 20 was £9l. The upkeep amounted to £7O, including custodian £4O.

Cambridge: The Municipal Hall was opened last Christmas and the income up to the end of June was The hall cost about and was built to accommodate 750, Marton: The hall is a twostorey wooden building, 85ft. x 72ft; size of stage 50ft., x 72ft; seating accommodation, 650. There are two offices in front let at 15s and 7s 6d per week respectively. The hall cost ,£1,500 to build, including scenery and chairs. The dress circle and stalls are provided with Austrian cane seated chairs and the pit with forms. The dressing rooms are built under the stage. The charges for hire ci same, including lighting and piano are, as follows: Dramatic and operatic companies charging ss, £5, charging 4s, £4, 3S, £3 los ; variety and vaudeville companies, £3; picture shows, lectures, and concert companies ; £2 1 os. For the year the receipts and expenditure were as follows: —Receipts.—Rent hall £l4B 16s, rent hordings £27, rent offices &6g 17s 6d, bill posting fees £1 Bs, total £247 is 6d. Expenditure.—Salary, wages, and commission £33 13s 6d, bill posting fees £1 4s, materials £6 3s 1 id, insurance and accident £64 2s6d, gas lighting £33 15s lod, gas fittings £ll 8s gi, erection of bill board £8 10s, fire escapes £7 1 os, sanitation 16s 2d, petty cash 2s fid, interest on loan £67 10s, balance in hand £ll 19s 3d, total £247 is fid. Cr Levett said in considering this matter it must be taken in account that Foxton was not on the main line of railway—was sidetracked—and consequently there would not be the same number of companies as would be the case if it was on a main line. Further, companies came to play to an audience not to an elaborate hall. Foxton only had a population of about 1500, and could not fill a hall built to seat 1000. In answer to a question Cr Levett said the old hall had been let on an average of about once a week. He did not think the Marton charges could be applied to Foxton, as local people would not pay 5s and 4s for a seat. The people around Marton were wealthy. He said he had seen it reported that J. C. Williamson, Ltd., were considering including Foxton in their companies tours. He didn’t know if this statement was intended as a joke, but if it was he considered it was a very poor one. Cr Coley said he quite approved of the erection of a hall but was not prepared to go to too big a price. He thought from £2OOO to £2500 would be a reasonable amount to spend. Further, when putting the matter before the ratepayers they should know just what was required, and not ask £ISOO and then find £2OOO would be required to complete the job. As regards architect he knew Mr West was a good man, and he was close handy. If the building were to be erected a clerk of works must be on the job. Cr Rimmer said that he had worked on one job under Mr West and had found him very straight forward and very strict. The job was a £ISOO one and there was absolutely no extras whatever. Cr Levett said he thought £2500 was as much as Foxton could afford to spend on a hall.

Cr Gibbs said that if the hall was going to cost more than £2500 he would go dead against it. He would also oppose £IOOO or £ISOO loan. He would rather be without a hall than put up a poor place. He was quite in favour of a loan of £2500 to cover the total cost. Cr Speirs said that he couldn’t say he was in favour of a hall at present. He wanted to see water and drainage first. Cr Adams : Did Cr Speirs support the water and drainage proposals last time they came before the ratepayers ? Cr Robinson: Yes, he supported the proposal at the Council table, and then canvassed against It afterwards.

Cr Stewart said from enquiries he had made he was satisfied the ratepayers would not sanction a loan of more than £2500 for this purpose, but there was every possibility of anything up to that amount being agreed to. Cr A.ui.iio oaid that Foxton could not do without a hall and it was the Council’s place to do everything possible in the interests of the ratepayers generally. Practically the whole of the Council was agreed to put a loan proposal of £2500 before the ratepayers, and in his opinion that was a proper and reasonable amount. He considered that because Foxton was on a branch line was all the more reason why a good hall should be erected, as people were so situated that there were no conveniences to get to an adjoining town to see an entertainment and it there was a good hall here, good companies would make a point of visiting Foxton. Cr Levett had said companies came for the audience and not for the hall, but it was necessary to have a hall before an audience could be got. He had been informed by managers of travelling companies that Foxton was a real good show town and he was quite satisfied that if a decent hall were erected good companies would include Foxton in their tours. He had gone through the file of the Manawatu Herald for the current year and found that the number of entertainments given in the old hall was about 50. Possibly in going through the papers he bad overlooked some. He consideied the Martou scale of charges a very fair one. It was only right that the ratepayers should be afforded an opportunity of voting on this question. From enquiries he had made he had

ascertained that at the present time most of the leading companies visit Greytown, whereas before the new hall was erected that to<vn was not included in their tours, Cr Levett said he was not opposed to the proposal but he wanted to see it bound down to a fixed amount. Further, it must be erected on a front street. There was some further discussion on the matter and it was eventually agreed that a special meeting be held on Monday next for the purpose of further discussing the question, and that Mr West be asked to attend.