The Times. PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1919. TOWN HALL SITE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 8, Issue 477, 31 October 1919, Page 2

The Times. PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1919. TOWN HALL SITE.

"We nothing extenuate, nor let down auaht in malice."

VERY few people seem lo be aware of the fact that the Pukekohe Borough Council possesses a town hall site, but posses one it certainly does, its ownership thereto being substantiated by certain irrefutable deeds and documents. At the end of 'he year 1911, when a town board (under the chairmanship of Mr R. F. Webster) was the local governing body, a section at the corner of what is now Harrington Avenue, and West street. where the latter meets King Street, was donated by the late Mr Thos. Kennelly, the transfer being duly bound by legal documents stipulating that this section, having an area of a quarter of an acre, with a fib feet frontage to West Street, or the end of King Street as that portion of the main road is more familiarly known, was to be used for the purpose of a building site for a town hall and municipal buildings only. Here we may as well detail the circumstances leading up to the donation, in order that the public sh.nlll lie fully conversant with the whole transaction. The town board had considerable trouble with the storm water coming down from West Street, which used practically to flood the upper end of King Street for months at a time. The Board decided to run the water off down Harris Street, but found the levels such that a drain six feet in depth would be required. This scheme being voted a failure, the board approached the late Mr Thos. Kennelly, who had allowed the water to he drained away over his property, to open up a road which could he used for drainage as well as for purposes of subdivision. This arrangement suited both parties, and the late Mr Kennelly gave the land for the road now known as Harrington Avenue, and which now takes the storm water from the main road, though at the Victoria Street end the drain is not of sufficient capacity to cope with a flood, and surplus water still escapes over another portion of the Kennelly property on the north side of Victoria street At about this time an old resident of Pukekohe suggested to the late Mr Kennelly that he should donate the corner section fronting King Street, as a town hall and municipal buildings' site, which proposal was agreed to, and duly carried into effect, this being the first property to become the possesion of the local governing body, which had not previously a square yard of ground to store its road gear and implements on. In all, a quarter acre as a building site, and an acre for a road were given to the town by the donor named.

Innocently, or designedly, the fact of the existence of this hall site has been kept somewhat in the dark, though it was brought to a brief glimmer of light on one occasion when an attempt wa- made to erect a firebell station on it. Objections were raised that a hall and municipal building* only could be erected thereon, and the firebell. perforce, was fixed elsewhere. At the present time this gift site is being used as a clump for various sorts of Borough Council gear, and is rather an eyesore on the main street. Situated ;ts ii is. on the main thoroughfare, and vol not actuall v in ihe most noisy and hu-y par! "f ihe low ii. the place i- * i-i v ■ iihulile indeed for a hall ■-it'.-. Iha I it is llank'-d by II ii i ; n Joe A \ cnue i.- a singularly u'""'l leaMtiv, because "ii thai i >ad ears couhl stand during performances at ihe hall without im|)o(ling traffic after the in inner of w hat occurs any day in K ing St root, and especially on busy days. Ihe time is I'a-t approaching when a town hall ,„nml municipal chambers v\ ill ha\ eto be built in l'tlkekohe, and therefore the Kennelly -ite. which cannot legally be used for anv other purpose, should prove ;i valuable aciptisition to the town, and may save the ('oiineil Ihe expenditure of at least CMHIO for another site as suitable elsewhere