THE RANGIWAEA HALL.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 144, 21 June 1916, Page 4

THE RANGIWAEA HALL.

(To the Editor) Sir, —I am pleased to note that there is at least one person to take up the cudgels on behalf of the Hall Committee. Yet it is to be regretted that Mr Spooner did not take the trouble to ascertain all the tacts relative to the committee which I still maintain is effete. I notice he blames the various patriotic functions which have been held as the cause of the debt, and yet there were only three held and the last of these was long before ’Xmas cf last year. Probably also, and especially a s he was absent from the Patriotic Committee meetings, he is unaware that I proposed a certain sum be voted out of the proceeds of every function held, for expenses incurred, such as lighting, cleaning, etc. But the motion was ruled out. This being so, the committee have but themselves to blame. Now, considering that the Hall was in debt, it would have been the duty of the committee to organise some entertainment whereby funds could be raised, yet notice how well the public have been served. Since November of last year there have been two dances in the hall, yet neither of those has been the outcome of the committee’s most earnest endeavour to serve the public. There have been also smoke concerts for send offs. Once more did the committee take the initiative? The only thing that has been held in aid of the hall, and which the committee did suggest, was a card party at which six were present, whilst a seventh arrived at 9.45 —and he, a member of the committee. These card parties were to be regularly held, but were dropped after the first one. And yet our committee has served the public well, so Mr Spooner says, and he is a member of that august body. He also wonders why I do not “raise the wind” for the committee. Once more, I am afraid ho is in perfect ignorance of the fact that I did try to organise learners’ dances, th e funds derived thereby to go to the hall account. But as it happened to be for the hall and not for patriotic purposes, it was tabooed. That once was sufficient for me, for when a committee wants assistance and will not take it, what then can be done?

As regards cleaning out the hall, how many times has our friend, Mr Spooner, been present to help to clean it out. No more than 1 have, but then I am not on the committee. One interesting item I notice in his letter

is that a meeting; .of the settlers is to be convened shortly—no date is gCjven, 'l:iowevtd|, —how delightfully Indefinite. Now. why was this meet-

ing not called at the proper time — in April, and failing that in June, as cf former years? But no. The present committee has fulfilled its duties so assiduously that it becomes a committee “in perpetuity” so the Chairman gives us to understand, for when asked about the formation of a ■new ccmmiteo, he distinctly said it was unnecessary. Considering that the long suffering chairman has had to pay out from his own pocket repeatedly, he ought to have welcomed the formation of a new committee, but 'tis far better to hang on and be a martyr —and ’.hereby (obtain, \t,he privilege of “grousing,” I suppose. However, a meeting is to be called, i* is h> be honed it will be well advertised, so as to give the settlers a chance to attend, and hear from the present committee how well it has not served the public.-—1 am. etc., CORRESPONDENT