CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC HALL AND LIBRARY IMPROVEMENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1798, 15 January 1884, Page 2

CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC HALL A ND LIBRA RY IMPROVEME NTS.

In pursuance ot advertisement which appeared in The Waikato Tinus in its last issue, a joint meeting of the members of the Public Hall Committee, the Library Committee, and the Town Board was held in the Hall on Friday evening last. Present, Mr T. Wells, (in the chair), J. P. Campbell, J. P. Thompson, Jas. Johnson, R. W Sargent, D. Richardson, F. J. Brooks, R. _W. Sargent, Jno. Houghton, sen. E. Hewitt and Dodds. The object of the meeting was to consider the matter of enlarging and improving the accommodation of the above buildings. Mr Campbell in opening the proceedings explained his reason fjr calling the meeting. At a previous joint meeting of the Library and Hall committees he, together with the Yen. Archdeacon Willis, had been appointed a committee to lay befoie the Town B ard the resolutions then passed on tho subject now under notice. Having laid the niattei before the Town Boaid at its last meeting that body after consideiation agiued that a joint meeting of the bodies interested should be held, and the present meeting was the outcome of that arrangement. He legretted the unavoidable absence of the Yen. Archdeacon Willis fiom the meeting. At the meeting of the Hall and Library Committee-, it had been agreed to recommend to the Boaid that the sum of £400 be spent on the hall, and £250 on the library building. He had laid the matter before the board as delegated by the above bodies, but they were of opinion that the scheme would stand slightly modifying. It wa-> .suggested that both the library and the hall should hi combined — that the one building should do both. It was considered that by so doing the cost would be very much reduced, and the amount lequired to be b'inowed consequently much smxller. Other members were of opinion that having the library and reading room under the same roof as the hall would bo a most unworkable arrangement, inasmuch as it would be highly unpleasant for visitors tn the reading loom bent on having a quiet evening with an interesting book or pei iodieal, to bo troubled with the noise of an entertainment. Again, the band practiced in the hall, which would also be a source of annoyance to readers. He himself agreed with this view of the question. In improving their local institutions they should not consider altogether w hat the town was at present, but what it was destined to be, and at no very distant date. Such a coui' bination as that suggested would not be at all desirable. Ceitainly on the score ol expense theie was something to be said in favour of such a scheme ; but then a uiattei of this kind, he thought, should not be looked at exclusively in this light. If they carried out any improvements at all they should dso in a manner creditable to the place. The Chairman also addressed a few remaiks on the subject. When the matter had been brought before the town board meeting by Mr Campbell, some of the nieuibeis had nieiely expressed an opinion regarding the combination of both buildingin one, but he wished it to be distinctly understood that no definite suggestion on the subject had been enteitained. The board felt that the matter had not been gone into sufficiently ; and, consequently, a joint meeting of the three bodies interested had been suggested. A few of the gentlemen piesent had, during the day, been discussing among themselves several minor schemes, which possibly might find favour with the meeting. The piincipal scheme, as they were all aware, and as had been submitted by Mr Richardson, proposed to spend £400 on the hall, £200 on the library, and these sums, together with the £100 overdraft due on the hall, represented £750, which they would require tn raise. It had bsen suggested tnat £103 would be sufficient to spend on the library building. By not making the present hallroom larger, as suggested, but merely adding looms at the .side in the shape of a lean-to, it was thought that the accomodation of the hall might be improved for about £250. Certainly this would not add to the present appearance of the building, though it might afford the necessary accomodation. Mr Brooks was of opinion that it might add very much to the appearance of the building, though possibly the wrong way. In reply to a question, the Chairman stated that none of the proposals as yet submitted included the lining of the hall, or any portion of it. Mr Johnson admitted it was their duty to be as cautious as they possibly could in incurring a debt on behalf of the latepayers, at the satae time he was of opinion that £100 should not stand in their way. For the sake of this amount he could not see why they should spoil the appeal ance of their Public Hall, and make the building a local eyesore. Mr Richardson thought it mattered very little whether they wanted to borrow £450 or £550. If they could not get the ratepayers to consent to the latter sum, they could not, he felt sure, persuade them to go in for the former sum. Mr Campbell had no desii'e to see the town involved in a heavy debt — it was a thing he was decidedly opposed to : but he could not see why, in this instance, they should make a good job a very bad one for the sake of £100, and get neither the desired accommodation nor the appearances. Mr Sargent quoted, as an instance of the necessity for increased accommodation, the crowded state of the building on the occasion of the Church of England soiree and concert. Mr Houghton thought if they could not afford to do it properly, they should not do it at all. They should wait until they were able to afford it. He objected to their spoiling the appearance even of the present building by adding an unsightly lean-to to it. Mr Hewitt coincided. The revenue of the building would meet the interest and sinking fund on the loan and the special rate would not require to be collected. If they had any doubt in their minds about this, he hhnsalf would guarantee it. The plans of the improvements suggested both to the library and hall buildings having been carefully examined and discussed, Mr Campbell proposed the following resolution, which was seconded by Mr Houghton, and carried :— "That the members of the Cambridge Town Board, Public Hall Committee, and Public Library Committee, assembled together at a joint meeting, having carefully considered and esti | mated the lowest sums that will be re quisite for carrying out the necessary re pairs, respectfully suggest to the commissioners of the town board that they take steps for the purpose of borrowing a sum of money for paying off the debt on and add-

and suggest that the sum to be borrowed do not exceed £300 to be allocated as follows : —In paying off debt on hall, £100 ; in additions to and improving of hall, £325; in additions and improvements to library building, £175. The joint committees considered that if these recommendations were carried out, the revenues derivable from the b)th institutions would pay interest and sinking fund on the whole amount proposed to be borrowed. Mr Campbell enquired as to whether the present hall committee should remain in office until the recommendations embodied in the foregoing proposition should be given effect to. The committee, as they were aware, wai in debt to the extent of £10D, but on the other hand they had a quantity of m >veable property and furniture which mig'iit be valued at this amount. The committee, he understood, was now a sort oi advising body to the town board in respect to the hall. As chairman of the hall committee ho would like to have an evpiession of opinion from the members of the town board present as to whether or not they wished them to continue to act in the c mduct of the building. Of course in taking over the building the borrd took over the overdraft. It wa-> understood that the hall committee should remain in office and con. duct the affairs of the building until the matter of raiding the loan and the carrying out of the improvements should be settled. In reply to Mr Sargent, Mr Campbell stated he considered the library committee to bo on a different footing to the hall committee. He presumed that, notwithstanding that the building was vested in the town board, the committee would still continue to act as hitherto in conducting the internal affairs of the library, fie property of the library bamtf vested in the corporation. The Chairman, speaking on behalf of the town board, b^id this arrangement he believed to b^ entirely acceptable to that body. Tnis terminated the meeting.