SECOND EDITION Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1878] SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 1893.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4365, 11 March 1893, Page 2

SECOND EDITION Wairarapa Daily Times. [ESTABLISHED 1878]

SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 1893.

Being the extended hub op the Wairabapa Daily, with which it is IDENTICAL

About once or twice a year for tbe last eight or nine years the question of rebuilding thejjasterton Town Hall, destroyed formerly by fire, comes up. No very great interest is taken in it beonuse the town is fairly well sup* plied with publio assembly rooms, and the main arguments in favour of re-ereoting such a structure are that the Town Land Trustees are morally bound to find a sum of money for constructing it, and one or two local orators would like to have the run of a building either free of' charge or at a nominal price. There is no urgenoy ahout tbe thing, and we regretted that Mr Gapper should, at the last meeting of the Trust, have expressed a hope that they would be in a position to order timber for the hall in t'ia course of another year, We sincerely trust that they will not be in a position to do anything of the kind, If we are to have a new town hall, we ought by all means to bare a 'brink structure, Mastertou is steadily growing into a town of considerable dimensions and sensible people, long-headed builders, who look to the future, give a deoided preference to brick buildings, Sooner or later a fire is bound to sweep away scoreß of the wooden structures that now adorn the heart of the borough and in the publio interest it is imperative that briok buildings here and there should be encouraged so that whon the evil hour does come there may be some structures that will impede rather thin assist the oourse of the fire fiend, A wooden tow. 1 ■ Jjijll situated in the post office block, I would be a grave blunder.' It is a i misfortune in Maßterton that leading 1 publio men do not look to-the future, j do npt study the prospective require*,

ments of a growing town, do not con- j aider what progressive steps are necessary for the safety, comfort, and health of its inhabitants. When Masterton was at a standstill, when untenanted houses were plentiful, when work was scarce and many' people found a difficulty in paying monioipal rates, a policy of economy and even of pnrsimony in public mat* ters was defeasible, But now these conditions are reversed, now that business prospers and most people are thriving, we have a right to expect something more irom intelligent publio men. In this matter, of a Town Hall, if it pays private persons to erect briok structures, it must answer the purpose ot a body like the Town Lands Trustees to use a similar material, But apart from the mere pound, shilling and pence aspect of the question, we might expeot a public body whioli virtually can pick its own time for the construction of such a building to decide that when it is erected, it shall be constructed in tho best possible manner to meet the future, as well &b the more immediate requirements of the town. A wooden building woulu be a danger to the community, a brick one a protection,