CORRESPONDENCE. THE PROPOSED TOWN HALL AND SITE.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 228, 18 July 1873, Page 1 (Supplement)

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE PROPOSED TOWN HALL AND SITE.

(To tlte Editor of tits Mount Ida. Cusonici/s.) Sib, —Personal animosity, pure selfishness, and an implicit belief among a large number in statements devoid of foundation and truth, have prevailed for several weeks past in. reference to the proposed Tovi n Hall and site. Allow me, through the medium ©f your columns, to give publicity to what is not generally known, arid, it' possible, to show the other side of the question. In my opinion the advantages of a Town Hall would be many, otherwise, when the subject was firat introduced in the Council, it would not have met with the encourageme.it it did. The Mayor supported the idea, and when the available vacant sites were talked over in the Council Councillor Busch mentioned.that a piece of ground could be purchased at a moderate figure from Mr. Inder, situate between the Melbourne andOtago hotels which would be very suitable for the purpose. On the day following, I believe, the Mayor, who knew how the wind was blowing—acting from the purest and most disinterested motives, and who would scorn to be a party to any dishonest or selfish act —quietly concluded a sale with Mr. Inder for the site alluded to. The Committee appointed to fix on a site selected another, and, in their opinion, a preferable one to .that purchased by the Mayor. Por the insufficient accommodation at present given to the Councillors the Corporation has ,to -pay £2B per annum, and the valuable property belonging to that body is stowed away in every conceivable shape and form in a place about six feet by six feet, and how the unfortunate Town Clerk manages to keep his books and papers in order would puzzle anyone acquainted with the dutes he is expected to perform. Of course the erection of a Town Hall would put a stop to this nice little income, which, if continued for two years louger, would amount to more ..than what would purchase a suitable freehold site —hence the bitter opposition exhibited in a certain quarter. Now, what will the miners say to this ? It has been urged, I believe, in the Council by those who opposed the purchase of a site on freehold property that that portionoflandadjoining the Athenaeum building be reserved for the purpose —richer ground than which does not exist in the neighborhood—thus locking up, from the enterprise of the miner, hundreds of pounds sterling. If this had been agreed to no opposition, I am convinced, would have taken place, as the sign of the "Victoria" would then have been at a convenient distance, and the value of that property would thus be increased—hence the opposition again manifested. Of this fact, also,; I am certain, that no matter where the site may be selected, whether in the east, we3t, or south wards, violent opposition to the selection will'be made. Let the rate-payers then return men who are not actuated by selfish motives, who have the weal aud welfare of the town at heart, who will go into the Council determined to act conscientiously in all matters brought before them, without faar or favor. , I cannot conlude, Mr Editor, without taking notice of the fact that the active agents of the opposition are several who hold'shares iu the Masonic who are thus striving to accomplish a selfish purpose, retain*u o> hy every means at their command, the present hall monopoly, with the fond desire, of course, that the value of their shares may increase. So anxious are they that this public source of revenue should not interfere with their pockets, that the manager of the company, I was told, has for some time past been moving the heirts of the innocents to sign a protest, for presentation to the Conur.il, against the proposed public hall—hence the opposition in. that quarter;. —lam,.&c, A .ftATRPATEB.

Tub Gk>vernmenfc havo promised that a road will shortly bn comtruetcd from the coalpit to upper Kyeburn. In sentencing a prisoner convicted ■ of obtaining money under false pretences, Judge Gresson said he wished he had the power to punish storekeepers for the enormous ozpeivjo inflicted upon the.country by these prosocutionH, owing to the facility with which they cashed cheques