NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH. COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 May 1918, Page 8

NEW PLYMOUTH BOROUGH. COUNCIL.

MONTHLY' MEETING. The monthly meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council was held last night. There were present: His Worship the Mayor (Mr. C. H. Burgess), Ors. J. Clarke, J. W. Hayden, F. J. Hill, W. F. Short, E. Griffiths, W. A- Collis, li. J. Dc-are, and G. W. Browne. REPORTS. The reports of departmental officers and committee reports, as already published, were adopted. EXCHANGE OF LAND. The committee set up to meet the New Plymouth Harbor Board to consider the proposed exchange of sites between tlie two bodies reported a# follows: That, subject to the conditions that no rates shall lie levied by the Borough Council upon the old Town Hall property during the. time it is used as the Soj/iers' Club, the land owned by the borough and set out in the first schedule j hereto be exchanged for the land owned I by the New Plymouth Harbor Board set | out in the second schedule hereto.

First Schedule. —Section 2336 (old Town Hall); suib-sections 1, 2, and 3of part 2335 (leased to J. Banks; section 2337 (leased to W. P. Niclioll), a total of 1 rood 12.5'J perches. Second Schedule.—Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, S, 20, 27, 2S, 2!), 30. Mt. Eliot Reserve, containing a total area of 3 roods 16.7 perches. The committee point out that if the exchange be not effected it will be impossible, except at a. prohibitive price, to acquire a sufficient area of laud in a central position for a municipal theatre. Tho committee consider the site proposed an ideal one for a municipal theatre, being quire central, having street frontages on three sides, and being served by both the trams and tho railway. In addition, it will prevent small fruit shops and other unsightly buildings being erected right in the entrance to the town. The town clerk recommended the acquiring of this land in ■IOO4, in IDK, and again in 1018. That the costs of the exchange be divided equally between the two bodies. Cr. Clarke said he thought the future should be looked to. The thing for the council to do was to get control of the ■St. Aubyn street site opposite the railway station before it was too late, as it was certain an exchange would not ho possiblo in the future on such satisfactory terms. Whether the site was used for the erection of a municipal theatre was not actually the point just now, though the need for such was great, and no doufot after the war pressure would be brought to bear with sudi an object. 3r. Griffiths, in moving that the repart of tlie committee be adopted, said, from his knowledge of values in the areas concerned, he thought those agreed upon by the subcommittee were absolutely fair. Tin- exchange, if effected, was going to affect the town for ail time, Cr. Kiowi'.e seconded the motion. Cr, Deare said the step was a