A TOWN HALL AND THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 42, 6 September 1900, Page 2

A TOWN HALL AND THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

TO THE EDITOR. Silt : The present time seems an opportuue one for raising the question of building a town hall in a central position. It has long been felt that a pl»ce of public entertainment should be situated in Queen street, and the fact that the Library Committee are considering the advisability of selling their land in Queen street, and that the suggestion has been thrown out that the corporation might give the Library Committee a site for their new building near the present Borough Council oifices, seems to give a reasonable opportunity to open up the whole question. The Borough Council and Library Committee are to have a meeting to discuss the new arrMngements, and it is at this juncture that the feasibility of erecting a Hall worthy of the Borough should be threshed out. It should also be borne in mind that this^ year Canterbury celebrates her jubilee, the fiftieth year since the foundation of the province, and that nexfc year we are entering on the twentieth century. Thera seems a general desire in the committee to celebrate these interesting events, j and taking into consideration the peculiar, facilities now offered one may fairly ask if this is not the time for us to seriously discuss the question of erecting a substantial structure worthy of the growing importance of this township as the centre of a rapidly- | increasing and wealthy agrical- i tural district. At the present time the Oddfellows' Hall is the ' only one available for many purposes, and can hoM, when quite full, about 500 to 600 people, while its floor space is 60ffc by 32ffc. if a Hall were erected in Queen street, it would necessarily be brick, while it might be made to accommodate, say, 1200 people. The floor space need not be much greater than the Oddfellows' Hall, because if built to carry a gallery all round, the number ifc would accommodate would be greatly increased. A building 80 feet by 50 feefc would probably be more than ample. Such a structure would, on a rough estimate, coat about £1500 to £1700. Proper stage accommodation, ante-rooms, scenery and seating are included in this estimate. If such a building were erected on municipal land, with the Library rooms

in front, and a couple of spare rooms for committee meetings, etc., it would prove both ornamental and useful. For a long tim« some societies, farmers, among others, have discussed a suggestion to have a club room of borne sort in the town. It would be fop t such a purpose that I suggest one or two extra rooms. The care of the whole building and library might be in one person's hands, thus minimising the coat of maintenance to both interested bodies. To find the money for such a proposal, it would be possible to look in two diiections. A company might be 'formed, and the shareholders build the hall and reap the benefit, if any. This is open to many objections. For instance, the Botough could hardly assist such a scheme in any way, if carried on for private ! profit, anil if it did not prove pro- . Stable a prohibitive ptioe might be charged by shateholders to those requiring the nse of the hall. A hall, .however, built by the Municipality and run on such lines that the takings should be expected only to meet interest and sinking fund would be a very distinct boon. A loan would be required for such a purpose, say about £1000, and though for a few years thee would probably be a deficit, that is, the funds gained by letting the hall might not equal the interest, still in a few years' lime it would practically cease to be auy burden on the ratepayers at all. It is estimated that about £70 a year would be the receipts, from this, cost of up-keep, etc., would ueed to be deducted, and it appears to be almost a certainty that such an institution would soon be almost self-supporting. I am merely thi owing this out in the meantime as a crude suggestion, which criticism might ultimately lick into shape. — I am, etc., H. O f Barclay, Mayor.