TOWN HALL SITE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 34, 17 March 1914, Page 9 (Supplement)

TOWN HALL SITE.

DEPUTATION TO CITY COUNCIL. QUESTION REFERRED TO COMMITTEE. A deputation representing the Christchurch Citizens' .Association waited upon the City Council last evening to discuss the question of the site for the proposed new Town Hall. Mr J. A. Frostick, president of the association, said that a Town Hall was necessary to the progress and attractiveness of the city. The question of site was one which caused considerable dispute. Taking everything into consideration, the decision already arrived at by the council as to the site was by far the best. There could be ndvmore commanding position than that which the council had selected. It was essential that the entrance to the halj should not be by means of a flight of steps. All modern ideas were against steps. Both Mr Cyrus Williams and Mr Hurst Seager had determined on practically the same scheme —the difference being very small. Mr Cyrus Williams expressed the opinion that there was nothing to be afraid of in any scheme of passing the river under the foundations of the posed new building. In this respect Mr Seager agreed heartily with him. His idea was that the main entrance should be well away from the public thoroughfare. The front of the build-

ing would be -almost on the site of the present band rotunda. Cr Acland asked for a comparison . : between the schemes for the building of the hall on land already held by the city.and oh land which would have to be purchased. Mr Williams said there would be very little difference. In any case, if they were to make a job of it, they would have to spend from £120,000 to £140,000. Cr M 'Cullough: Does that include the land ? Mr Williams: I am not taking the land into consideration. In answer to a question by Cr M'Combs, Mr Williams said that ample provision was made for footpaths 011 the river bank. Cr M'Cullough raised the point of the Queen's Statue. He thov.ght that it .should be placed in front of the proposed new building, and then the God- ■ • ley Statue, which was in a most undignified position in the Square, could be placed in front of the Supreme -Court. Cr Hayward asked if the Citizens'" Association was of the opinion that ' . £120,000 should be spent on the building as against £90,000 which the council" "contemplated spending. ,;-* Mr Frostick said that the citizens - appealed to the council, if it intended, ' doing anything, to do it well. It, was , essential that the building to be erected; should be substantial enough to last a century at least. If they were going "*_ to build they should build well. (Hoar, hear.) The Mayor thanked the deputation.--for the information it had given, and the members withdrew. Cr Cooper then, moved that the matter be referred to the Town Hall Committee. This, committee could eonsider the question from all points of view. Cr M'Cullough said that the council' would never get any finality if they were going to refer this back to tho committee. Would the council debar - such an, association as the Burgesses* Association coming forward with their ideas? There would be no finality. Cr Sorenßen agreed to the matter being referred to the'TTbwn Hall Committee, so long as the consideration of the question was Restricted to the Market Square site already adopted by the. \ council. €r Williams said that they should put - the very best building they could on. ) such a beautiful site. He thought* that ,the question should be deferred for a week or two. \ Cr Acland said that they were greatly indebted to the -Citizens * Association, for showing such a live interest in the' - question. He was pleased to *e» that*- > the publicum general were in favour"\ of the council's proposal. If other bodies were opposed to the council's''' scheme, he would be pleased to heat, . what their ideas were. ' 5 ' The motion to refer the matter tothe Town Hall Committee was carrietL.