The Opera House.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7928, 8 October 1904, Page 5

The Opera House.

More Money Required

Steps to Raise Loan to be

Taken.

The special meeting, of the Borough Council to consider the matter of providing additional money for the completion of the Opera House was held last night. The Mayor read the following report from Mr Wilson, the architect:—''l have the honour of bringing before your notice the amounts of the different items that will be necessary to finish the Opera House in brick with all the necessary accessories to make the same in every way complete, up-to-date, and to rank with any other Opera House.in the colony. You are aware that when the contract was let in brick many of these items were omitted, and no provision was made for seating, scenery, curtain., etc. The different items are as follows:—Extra for steel-ceilings. £200; gas, £250; contingency on £7,000, 5 per cent., £350; seating throughout, £1,150; scenery, £275 ; curtains, £150; extra for vestibule, asphalting, per front, concrete fence and iron gates, £90; extra items, £250; difference between £6875 and £5877, £998 ; total. £3718. The original tender in brick being £6875, and that amount being cut down to £5877 to enable you to come within the £6000 voted, you will note that it will take the extra sum of £3713 to finish the work in a proper manner. The Mayor informed Cr Haydon, in reply to a question, that the 5 per cent for contingencies was usually allowed by architects.

Cr Goodger thought it would also be advisable to go into the question of the cost of installing an electric light plant, as had been done in Wanganui Cr Jack said it would cost £600.

Cr Essex pointed out it would also be necessary to allow for a cottage for the caretaker of the Opera House. They would have expensive buildings and fittings there and a caretaker's cottage should be built at the back where there was plenty of room.

Cr Essex said that when in Wellington the Finance Committee saw some fire-extinguishing arrangements, in the shape of a system of ceiling pipes, the water in which was released Dy the melting of plugs at a certain temperature. It might be advisable to put in such a system. Cr Essex therefore suggested that a loan of £4500 be obtained. They need not call all the money up if they did not require it. The ratepayers had been aware that the meeting was to be called for the last 10 days and yet there had not been a single complaint. He had expected that there would be at least a couple of columns in the newspapers about it, but he had seen nothing. Cr Essex moved that the Council authorise the Mayor to take the necessary steps to take a vote of the ratepayers to raise a second loan of not more than £4500 to complete the buildings and furnishing the Opera House.— Seconded by Cr Goodger. The architect for the work was in attendance, and in reply to questions said there were only two places where fire extinguishing sprinklers would be necessary—over the stage and over some dressing rooms. The building was practically fire proof. As to electric light, if the Council had its own plant, it would necessitate the attendance of two men while the plant was running, one to look after the engine and the other to attend to the inside fittings. It would of course be much cheaper to work conjointly with others as the light could then be drawn from the cables direct He mentioned that there was a proposal that some business premises in the vicinity of the Opera House should combine for the purpose of erecting an electric light plant. The allowance of £350 for contingencies was ample and the other estimates well within the mark. He had allowed for putting the grounds in order.

Cr Browning said that if the electric light was driven by water power, as suggested by a Councillor, and a fire occurred in the vicinity while the Opera House was being used, it would necessitate taking all the water in the mains and thus cutting off the light from the building.

Cr Armstrong moved as an amendment, That the Mayor, take the necessary steps to raise an additional amount of £4,000 for the completion of the Opera House and for furnishing requirements, a complete detail of requirements with their approximate cost to be presented to the Council by the Opera House Committee before the Mayor proceeds with the first part of the resolution.

Cr Haydon was prepared to vote for the resolution. The matter had to be sanctioned by the ratepayers, and if they agreed to the loan it was taken out of the Council's hands.

Cr Tolley, in seconding the amendment, said the members of the Opera House Committee knew what was being done, but he, who was not on the Committee, knew no more than the man in the moon. He thought that before they were asked to vote a large amount like this they should be supplied with some details. The increased expenditure had been expected more or less, but the Council, after rejecting plans for a £10,000 building, were being gradually led up to that amount again. The Opera House Committee should take them into their confidence.

The Mayor again read over the architect's report, but Cr Tolley said he failed to grasp the details merely through hear ing them read over. One wanted an hour or two to consider them.

The Mayor informed Cr. Haydon that the Council could call upon the present contractor to do "the extra work, if the Council wished him to do so. For such things as scenery, seats, etc., however, tenders would have to be called.

Cr Haydon said it was not the Council who were going to do this work. It was the ratepayers who had to vote yes or no. It was practically taken out of the Council's hands.

Cr Armstrong said he took no exception to the figures supplied by the architect. He objected, however, to an amount of money being added to the loan for electricity. Cr Tolley said he now saw that the Opera House Committee was going to take the ratepayers into their confidence and he would vote for the resolution. He was satisfied the Mayor would not take the chair at a public meeting unless he had the fullest information.

The Mayor thought £4000 was quite enough and would vote for the amendment.

The amendment was lost, the Mayor and Cr Armstrong voting for it, and Crs Tolley, Haydon, Jack, Browning, Essex, Goodger and France against it. The motion was then carried.

The Opera House Committee reported :—A meeting of the Opera House Committee was held on September 30th. It was resolved that information be supplied to insurance companies— when verified by the engineer—that permits totalling upwards' of £60,000 in value of buildings had been issued since April 1st. A subsequent meeting was held on October 3rd. It was decided the architect of the Opera House be written to enquiring if the contractor was carrying out any alterations in the building as had been rumored, and if so particulars of same were required. It was also decided that if any such unauthorised alteration were being carried out, the chairman be authorised to instruct the Borough solicitor to write to Messrs Trevor and Sons pointing out the terms of the contract; and that such unauthorised additions or alterations would not be recognised ; to inform the Orchestral Society that the ratepayers had yet to be consulted as to obtaining the balance of money required to fit up the Opera House, but that the committee will endeavour to give the Society three months' notice of the date when the application will be formally considered; that the ceremony of laying the foundation stone be held on the same day, if posssible, that the loan for extra fittings is placed before the ratepayers ; that the Mayor perform the ceremony and that the stone be inscribed with the names of the Mayor, architect, contractor and date.

Cr Tolley inquired who employed the clerk of works.

The Mayor replied that he was an employee of the Borough Council. Cr Tolley asked how it was that he did not report any deviation from the plans to the Council. He was there to protect the Council, and Cr Tolley thought a breach of the clerk's duties had been committed.

The Mayor: There is a good deal of truth in that remark.

Cr Jack said the matter was easily explained. The clerk of works was entirely under the instructions of the architect. The Mayor said the matter had been referred to the Borough Solicitor. The architect denied that there had been any alteration of the plans. Cr Tolley said the Opera House Committee should ask why he did not report the matter to the Council. He had been given to understand that the alterations were advantageous and that the concreting being done was a very fine class of work, but there was no proof that the same thing might not occur again. The matter was closed by a remark of the Mayor's: "I think we have shown that we don't intend to have any humbug."

The committee's report was adopted.