WINTER SHOW

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 139, 4 February 1932, Page 4

WINTER SHOW

building scheme GENERAL MEETING OF A. AND P. ASSOCIATION TO BE CALLED COMMITTEE SEEKS ABPROVAL •As previously publislied, it was decided at a generql committee meeting of the Rotorua A. and P. Association on Monday evening that the final negotiations for the ereetion of a winter show building be held over until the work in hand was fully explained to the members of the association at a general meeting to be called at the earliest possible date. The president, Mr. H. P. Ford, in opening the meeting, remarked on the satisfactory way in whieh the subeommittee, set up at a previous meeting, had gone into the matter of a suitable building for the association. He said that they had found it necessary to amend the plans as previously' drawn up in order to obtain the necessary floor space for the show and yet keep the cost of the building within the specified sum of £4,000. Mr. Ford also reported that a satisfactory reply had been received from the association's legal advisors, Messrs. Hampson and Davys, which stated that they eould use the proposed building and the section to bring in revenue for the purposes of the association, and that the few restrietions placed on them would not handicap them in any way. The sub-eommittee's report stated that as it had been decided at the previous meeting that the cost of the building should not exceed £4,000, preferably less, the committee had put forward certain alterations to the proposals. Architect's Report The different plans as submitted by the architect, Mr. E. La Trobe Hill, had been perused, and after hearing Mr. Hill's explanations, it was considered advisable that the poultry section should be separate from the main hall. It was finally decided that the area of ground floor space shown on No. 1 plan, be adhered to, with provision for an additional exit, and that additional space be provided by a wing off the main hall, approximating 1,400 square feet in area. In order to rneet the cost of providnig this extra space, the committee recommended that the interior finishiflg of the main hall be deleted from the tender, and suggested that alternative tenders could be asked for this section of the work. This would serve as a guide to the committee when working out the total expenditure. They also recommended that the front portion of the building be altered with a view to bringing the cost of the structure within £4,000. The report of the architect on similar lines was also read. This gave further information as to the amended space provision and cost of the proposed building. Mr. Hill stated that with very little alteration from the original plan the building could be completed at a cost of £4,300. If the interior of the hall was left partially unfinished the cost could be reduced by about £400, thus bringing the building within the stated price. Mr. Hill then explained to the committee the alterations made to the plans and answered questions regarding space, cost, and the suitability of the building for other purposes. Dr. Bertram said that the section where it was proposed to build was in the wrong position from the point of view of earning revenue, as it was outside the business area. He expressed the view that it would be better to spend another £2,000 and get a section in Tutanekai Street, where it would bring in a revenue. Members' Challenged He challenged members to guarantee a 2 per cent. return on the money if the building was erected on the present section, and asked if any of them would invest £4,000 of their own money in a building there. They were trustees for the money, he eontinued, and they should make- sure that some return could be obtained, so that the building would be a sound investment. Dr. Bertram said it would be better to expend, say, an extra £200 in prize money in order to increase the size of the show than to squander £200 a year just to have a home of their own. Whereas in the one ease they would be losing money, in the other the extra expense could be obtained from the interest .on the capital. He questioned whether the committee were doing the right thing with the money. Mr. Ford, in reply, said that in the committee's opinion, the present section in Fenton Street was reasonably good. He said that it was impossible to get a section in town for the money with sufficient room to provide for side-shows and such additions to the annual show. "Even if the building is built in town," said Mr. Ford, "we have no guarantee that it will be sufficiently revenue-producing." Mr. C. Burrows moved that the report of the sub-committee be received, and its recommendations adopted. Amendment Defeated Dr. Bertram then moved an amendment that the report be referred back to a committee to investigate the possible revenue to be derived "from the building, the sources of revenue, and the cost of maintenance. The amendment was lost by nine votes to six, and the motion was then carried by the same margin. The wisdom of the committee in dealing with such a large sum of money without referring the matter and explaining the whole proposal to a general meeting of members, was then questioned by Dr. Bertram. He said that the committee should have their opinions and decisions endorsed by the association as a whole before anything definite was done, so that the responsibility would be placed upon the shoulders of the whole body of members. Dr. Bertram said that he would have had no objection had the committee been unanimous on the matter, but there Was only a margin of three on the voting, and all thq

members were not present. He therefore moved that before anything definite was done, the committee obtain the confirmation of the members of the association at a general meeting. Committee's Powers Mr. Burrows: There are enough here to make a definite decision as to whether we build or not. Mr. E. T- Johnson supported Dr. Bertram's resolution, and added that . although, by the rules of the association, the committee had the power to act in the expenditure of the money, the members of the association had never seen the rules, and they were thus unaware of the committee's powers. Mr. S. H. Hale agreed that the responsibility should be spread over the whole of the members. Dr. Bertram said that he had been on the A. and P. Association for many years and had supported the prize money probably more than any other member. He admitted that he was only on the committee as a guarantor of the art union, and said that , this was the last . meeting that he would be able to attend as his time was too fully talcen up. It was wrong that the members should know nothing of the powers of the committee and what it was doing. He emphasised that it would be a wise proeedure to get their actions confirmed before taking a final step. The motion was - carried on the casting vote of the chair. •