THE TOWN HALL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2070, 20 December 1919, Page 2

THE TOWN HALL.

NEW LEASE FOR TWO YEARS. - RENTAL £7 PER WEEK...-- 1 At last night’s Council meeting a letter was read from Air J. H. Reid, of Wellington, offering to lease theTown Ilall for a period of two years from the expiry of the existing lease, February 29'lh, 1920, at a rental of £7 per week. An offer of £(5 10s per week for a period of two or four years from Messrs W. Hamer and Son was also read. » The Mayor stated (hat three months ago, when the matter of another lease was before the Council, a resolution was passed that the question remain in abeyance for three months. That period had now expired. Air Reid had made an offer, and he had asked the present lessee, Mr Powell, to pul in a price, hut he had slated that, he was not anxious to go on with the business. The Alayor said he had also asked Messrs Hamer and Son to make an offer. The position now was that, having publicly advertised for tenders some time ago and none being - received, the Council was at liberty to deal with same hy private treaty. Air Reid was a showman who had been in the picture business formally years, and being the best offer, ln\ thought the Council should accept it. He moved that Air J. H. Reid’s offer to lease the Town Hall, ■ on the conditions laid down hy the Council, at £7 per week, for a period

of two years from March Ist, 1920, will be accepted subject to the , guarantors names submitted to the Council being satisfactory. This., was seconded by Cr. Coley. Cv. Thompson said that as it was some considerable time since tenders bad been invited, he thought it would be wise to again call for offers. There was over two mouths before the present lease expired, and there was amide time to get fresh lenders and also give the .successful tenderer time to get ready to take over. He moved as an am- " endment that fresh I (index’s be called for leasing the Town Hall for a,.period of two years, on the conditions as previously laid down by the Council. This was seconded by Cr. Rand. • Cr. Hunt considered that one'' month would he ample time for anyone to lake over an established business. Cr. Thompson agreed that if tenders dosed in January it would give plenty of time for the successful tenderer to make all his arrangements. The Mayor considered Hint the > public had had sufficient opportu- A nity of tendering. If they “dillydallied” the offer now made might be withdrawn. On the amendment being put, Crs. Thompson, Rand and Hunt voted in favour of it.

The motion was then put, and a show of hands being asked for, the Mayor and Crs. Coley, 'McMnrray and Walker voted for it, and Crs Thompson, Rand and Hunt against. Ci*. Pearson, who had arrived late, did not vole, and upon the Mayor calling his attention to the fact (hat he must record his vote, Cr. Pearson said be did not know what the position avus,'. having arrived after the offers Avere read, and most of the discussion had tak-

en place. Another show of hands was called ' for, and the votin';' was even, Or. Pearson voting against the motion. The Mayor gave his easting vote in favour of the motion, and declared it carried. y Mr W. Hamer, who was in attend- 1 .'% anee at the meeting, said that he had only been asked to put in a •' price that afternoon, and probably would not have been, afforded an opportunity of tendering had he not rung up the Mayor to find out what was being done. The Mayor said that had Mr Hamer not approached him he bad intended interviewing Mr Hamer and asking him to put in a price.