DARGAVILLE PROGRESS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 185, 4 August 1923, Page 9

DARGAVILLE PROGRESS.

XEW 'MUNICIPAL BUILDING. (From Our Own Correspondent.) DARGAVILLt, Friday. i Since the inception of Dargaville as a ■ 'borough its progress has been marked,; < and, although it has greatly advanced 1 i in size and importance, no stage of its ; progress has been so fitly marked as has the carrying'of the loan policy initiated by the last Council. It was realised that the business 'of the borough demanded adequate housing for its administration work, and at the wish of the ratepayers a sum of £10,000 was allo- | . anted for the provision of municipal , buildings And library: Messrs. Wade I and Hartley were instructed to prepare i plans for the new building, and Mr. B. V*. Rope, in open competition with many ->oteide contractors, was the lowest. tenderer. With the present offices the borough should be able to carry on for the next fifty years. At the present , time the municipal buildings proridu; accommodation for the clerical and engi- { needing branches, public library and | , reading room, Plunket nurse and ladies' rest? room, council and committee rooms. Maker's room, and a room which may be used* for civic and social functions, the need for such having been for some time .self-evident. The building, which lias been open to the public fince the Ist of August, is restrained and tasteful in style, carefully designed fur lighting ' and convenience, and soundly con- , J etrueted in brick and concrete, and \ finished- in white plaster. | \ In opening the building the Mayor 11 {Air. Robert E. Hornblow) struck the 1 ; right note of optimism for our growing ; i town, and, in tracing the progress we ] had already made, forecasted our future ' increase in importance as a community. | Oil the conclusion of his remarks he was ; presented by the contractor with a silver key, suitably inscribed, as a memento of the occasion. Mr. V. Trounson (chairman of the Hobson County Council) felicitated the Mayor and burgesses on the acquisition j of such a fine monument to progress. I After the key had been turned, the i i public were entertained at afternoon tea '■ , i>y a committee of ladies, headed by the ' Deputy-Mayoress (Mrs. A. C. i'aul). ' Aβ an added, but unconsidered cele- '. oration, an impromptu dance was held ! . in the ; social room in the evening, and ! provided a fitting climax to a day which j marks an epoch in the history of: Dargaville. '