THE TOWN HALL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 275, 17 November 1905, Page 3

THE TOWN HALL.

BUILDING TO COST £50,000.

PROPOSED INCREASED AREA

The City Council sat specially yesterday afternoon to consider the proposals for the. erection of a Town Hall in Auckland, and after a sitting lasting nearly two hours, arrived at certain conclusions with respect to the proposaL The members in attendance were the Mayor (Mr. A. M Myers), and Crs. Court, Entrican, Sniceton, Grey, Farrell, Bagnall, Tudebope. Glover, and Knight.

The Mayor said that public opinion was practically uuaniiiious as to tbe necessity for a large Town Hall where meetings such as the Trafalgar celebrations and the Premier's recent address could be held, and the necessity was rather likely to increase than diminish as the city increased in size. The Council had offered to it properties fronting Queen and Grey streets which would enable an imposing edifice to be erected. The Council had under offer a property adjoining the reserve at Grey-street for £10,250, but the valuations made by Messrs. Ewington and Thornes were much below that sum. No reduction of the amount asked seemed like'y to be agreed to, but he suggested a small subcommittee might be formed to confer with the trustees and endeavour to arrive at a settlement. There were some other properties adjoining which it might be advisable to secure, and although the prices asked and the valuations made varied considerably, an arrangement might be arrived at, in default of which the Council would have to take them at a price to be fixed by arbitration. There arose also the question whether this area would be sufficient tor future needs, and some other properties adjoining had been mentioned. If those were acquired it would give tho Council an additional frontage of GOft to Queen-street aud 64 to Grey-street, making in all with the reserve a total frontage to Queen-3treet of 400 ft and to Grey-street of 452 ft

On tbe motion of Cr. Bagnall, seconded by Cr. Tudehope, it was dwnded that it was not desirable to go further than Cooke's factory- in the acquire - ent of land, and a sub-committee, consisting of the Mayor and Crs. Smeeton, Hut _hiFon. Bagnall, and Entrican, was appointed to obtain options as necessary.

On the proposal of Cr. Entricwn it was resolved that the sum to be expended on the building should Dot exceed £50,----000, in order that tbe tota l expense of the establishment, furnished, and with the organ, should not exceed £75,000. Cr. Entriean considered that they could get as good a building inside for that sum as for the £60,000 proposed to be expended at tbe sacrifice of a little ornateness.

The Mayor accepted tbe amendment of the amount, but said that tbe architectural beauty of the building was a Thinrr ,to be considered, and not to be thrown aside simply because of the small extra expense.

The Council determined that the premiums which were to be offered for the competitive designs should be £250 (first) and £100 (second), provided that no premium for plans would be payable to any local. architect who might be the successful designer, and also the local superintendent of the building during erection, as his fees for the latter would be adequate remuneration. The time for the return of designs was fixed for four months from date (March 31).

It was agreed that the seating accommodation to be provided in tbe main hall auditorium should be not less than .1500 (accommodation for 300 singers being provided on the stage), and in ihe small hall not less than 800 (15G ?.-•_■- formers being provided for extra ou uhe stage.)

The Mayor estimated that tbe rr-vf-Tiue from the halls -would be not less. Ctan £1000 a year, and tlris would go .«<■ <ar towards paying the interest ami providing for the sinking fun-* ih_t it would not be neoesfaiy tn lecy a rate of more than a penny and a small fraction to pay the difference. Tlie remainder of tlie details coitcernerl oftiee accomTiiodatiou, and were approved.

On.the motion of the Mayor, it was decided t.ba.t the n-ecessary meeting with the ratepayers and the subsequent poll should take place about the middle of January, as the holidays and the elections prevented any earlier meeting. A vote of thanks to the architects for their public-spiritedness in preparing plans, etc.. ,