LORD MAYOR'S HOUSE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 14, 27 October 1934, Page 8

LORD MAYOR'S HOUSE.

PROPOSAL IN BRISBANE. OPPOSITION TO OUTLAY. "It will bo an extremely bad precedent that may have a far-reaching and costly result to the community," said! Mr A. H. Tait, a member of the Brisbane City Council, recently, when referring to the proposal of the Finance- Committee of the council to convert Newstead House into a Lord Mayoral residence. The provision of a. residence for the Lord Mayor, or any other public man, was bad in principle, Mr Tait contended. It might be found later that the Premier .of a State wouid consider that he was more entitled to free rent than the Lord Mayor, and Mayors of important cities might discover that they required suitable homes in which to entertain distinguished visitors. In. the Town Hall ample provision was made for entertaining visitors for civic functions, said Mr • Tait. There was a Lord! Mayor's reception room, with kitchen attached, and a Lady Mayoress' room, both suitably furnished with grand piano, etc. Stewards were also in attendance. hi the Town Hall, which cost the community oyer £1,000,000 provision had been made for all the requirements set out in the arguments advanced in favour of a Lord Mayor's residence. ■ "Lord Mayors come and Lord Mayors go, and perhaps, only one in six would care to leave his own home," continued Mr Tait. Caretakers would thus be in charge, waiting for the next Lord Mayor who felt that the Town Hall facilities were inadequate. The present administration of the Brisbane City Council was clearly demonstrating its slogan of "spoils to the victor." Free rent for the Lord Mayor definitely would be regarded by the already overburdened ratepayers as a further instance of this policy. The former Lord Mayor, Mr J. W. Greene, said that during his period of office the matter of an official Lord Mayoral residence had never been considered l . He personally had found his own home quite sufficient for his needs as Lord Mayor.