PROPOSED NEW TOWN HALL.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 289, 23 May 1929, Page 4

PROPOSED NEW TOWN HALL.

ALTERNATIVE SCHEME. Legal Position to be Ascertained. The Putaruru Town Hall and the Town Board’s proposal for a loan for the erection of a new civic edifice were before the monthly meeting of the board on Monday evening.

The first portion or tile discussion, that of the present Town Hall, was raised by the receipt of a letter from the Putaruru Bowling, Croquet and Tennis Club (inc.), in which the club recommended that a sum of approximately £BOO should be spent on the Town Hall, to bring it up-to-date; that the present stage should be shifted to the rear of the hall and that the supper and dressing rooms should be placed on the eastern side of the building, and that tea urns should be provided in the kitchen. The committee of the ciub felt that if these improvements were carried out it would be unnecessary for the district that a new Town Hall should be built. The letter went on to state that these suggestions were made with the object of assisting the Town Board and ratepayers, and not by way of complaint. It was felt that such an expression of opinion by a committee which comprised members of practically every body using the hall, and which had carried through the biggest function ever held in the hall would be appreciated. The chairman moved that the letter be received and laid on the table, giving it as his oninion that it nearly bordered on imnertinence. “If they want to run the board they should be on it,” said the chairman. Mr. McDermott failed to see the exception to the letter and the suggestion contained therein. The chairman held that no good could come of it. The town clerk (Mr. Dukeson) was of the opinion that the provision of urns would be a boon to the ladies, the task of handling tea from tea-pots at a big function being no light one.

The chairman said that the modern practice in letting halls was not to supply crockery. If they wanted all these things the rates would have to be revised. After a little discussion on the question of crockery, the chairman aa am stated that it was not quite the thing for an outside body to write in the strain that the club had done, though he recognised that it probablv was not meant in this way.

Mr. McDermott stated that the letter was well meant in every way. The second portion of the discussion was introduced by Mr. McDermott, when the general business stage was reached. Mr. McDermott said that he bad had the matter of an alternative scheme long before the letter from the Bowling, Croquet and Tennis Club was received. When the loan proposal for a new Town Hall was before the ratepayers, in the event of this being turned down, they should have an alternative scheme, involving alterations to the present Town Hall, to be placed before the ratepayers. The Auckland City Council, at the recent transport leans poll, had alternative schemes put before the ratepayers. The chairman pointed out that the difficulty lay in not having the proposal advertised.

Mr. McDermott said that if the proposal for a new Town Hall was turned down, it would mean having an extra poll for something would then have to be done to the present Town Hall. If the original proposal were turned down it would save money if his proposal of an alternative scheme were put into force. The chairman held it as his positive opinion that the Town Hail could be built at no cost to the ratepayers. Personally, he placed it before the water scheme. Mr. McDermott said that he would not do that. ..He thought that the towg clerk should ascertain if it were possible to have an alternate scheme placed before the ratepayers. The chairman suggested that they should ascertain if it were not possible to legally call for tenders for the. etofcion of the hall before the poll, so ns to give ratepayers the exact cost of same. It did not necessarily mean he took it that hecause they balled tenders they should have to vo on with the work. Mr. Bent was of the opinion that unless it could be shown to the ratepayers that the new Town Hall could ho run at a profit, the proposal would be turned down. I'be letter from the sporting bodies was again referred to, Mr.

McDermott holding that there was no intention on the part of the writers to “ chip ” the board. The chairman said that they should get legal opinion on the two points. The calling of tenders for the Town Hall before the poll and the alternative scheme of alterations to the nresent Town Hall, as proposed bv Mr. McDermott. This latter proposal was agreed to.