Plan to buy Theatre Royal for Raetihi town hall approved

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 612, 14 November 1995, Page 1

Plan to buy Theatre Royal for Raetihi town hall approved

Ruapehu District councillors last week approved the release of $29,000 from the E H Irwin Bequest Special Fund to the Raetihi Town Hall Trust for the purchase of the Theatre Royal in Seddon Street, Raetihi. In 1990, the Council received funds from the estate of the late Mr E H Irwin and were subject to the condition that "... the local authority expend on trust, the funds in or towards the erection of a town hall or in or towards the renovation,extension,repairorrefurbishingofanexisting town hall. The funds received relative to the above must be held in trust by Council and expended only for the purpose as defined by the bequest." Local law firm Harris Harvey Nash requested partial

release of the funds held in the E H Irwin Special Fund on behalf of the Town Hall Trust' s chairman, Mr Garrick Workman, to enable the Trust to purchase the Theatre Royal from the Waimarino Youth and Fitness Trust. Council heard that the Town Hall Trust is retaining the services of conservation architect Christopher Cochrane of Wellington to ensure that any actions taken in respect of the building are historically correct and will preserve the Theatre Royal as an example of the architectural style of the 1910-20 period. Cr Bob Peck spoke in favour of the release of funds and in support of the project saying that plans of what is proposed are now available and, having seen them, he was very much in favour of what is to be accomplished.