THE MIDHIRST HALL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 74, 27 November 1913, Page 8

THE MIDHIRST HALL.

NEW SYSTEM OF CONTROL

I'he County Council has had con

dderable trouble with the Midhirst L'ublic Hall, but a decision come i« at yesterday's meeting should set tin

mutter at rest for some time. Messrs Mount ford, Wybourne and Wunsch waited on the Council in support of a petition, the signatories o. vhich offered to take control of tin tall and devote the proceeds to pay ng interest, any balance to be used .'or repairing and enlarging the hall. The chairman stated that a public neeting had been held a week previously to consider the matter. Then

ivere about twenty persons present ai he meeting. liocal residents wer< tot in a position to take over the hall. tut they did not desire the County Council to lose control. A number ol :ettlers had agreed to form a board to take control of the hall. He though I the offer was in the right direction. Mr Mountford said that at the public meeting the settlers found out a minier !)f facts which they were previously ignorant. For instance, he thought he interest on the hall should hav ■ecu paid hy the North Riding and lot hy the whole of the County. Tin mil had been built by local resident-. vho put their time and energy into :he work. The hall was then vesie:' n the Manganui Road Hoard, and aierwards money was .spent on the hall, ringing the debt on it up to the pre;ent total of £l3B 6s 7d. He was •cry surprised to find tliaf the whole if the proceeds had been paid to the 'emetory Board. He was satisfied hat the hall would prove a good specuation for the North Hiding. In three iiid a half years the Cemetery Board tad received £6O of revenue from the mil.

Mr Wiuisch said the proposed board suggested taking charge of the hall, bus freeing the whole of the revenue or interest and repairs. Or. Walter thought the board should ruarantee to pay the annual interest. Ms- Wybourne said there was about ;20 in hand to purchase a piano for he hall. The chairman said the piano would lecome the property of the hall. Cr. Smith moved that the request >f the deputation be granted, any <leieienc.y to be paid by the North Riding, the Council to have power.to cancel the agreement at any time. Cr. Walter said boards of control ilway-s looked promising at the beginling, but sooner or later a split was sure to occur. In that case what would '•ecome of the Council's interestH The chairman pointed out that the Council did not part with, its interest. Cr. Walter said that if the hoard '.bought life hall was such a good proposition they ;should buy it. They ■ould surely- got an overdraft on it "pial to the present debt. Mr Wunsch said that he bad canvassed for supporters of a syndicate o purchase the hall, but in many •ases he had heard objections to the lull being privately owned. The chairman repeated that at the oubjic meeting''there were only about

twenty present. Cr Walter: That shows that nobody takes much interest in tlie matter. The chairman said the position was imv different to what it was when the hall was erected. Then there was only me schoolroom in the Riding, while there were now a number, in which entertainments could he held. The ofFer now made waS a very good one from the Council's point of view. Cv. Rogers thought the Council should accept the offer, which Avon Id relieve the Council to a very greal extent. The motion was carried.