THE PROPOSED AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL HALL.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10215, 10 December 1898, Page 9

THE PROPOSED AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL HALL.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. .Sir,—-I was very much surprised to find, this morning, on reading the prospectus of _.the Company to be floated for the purpose .of raising funds to erect an Agricultural and Industrial Hall for C_ristchurch, that pro- • vision is to be made for seating' only 2000 j •people in the main hall. It seems to mc a force to spend £20,000 on an expensive block' of buildings and not provide a large hall I that will be Worthy of the city, and of some | real use. It must be i-e_»embered, too, that the future as well as the present needs must be provided for. Apart from the holding of j industrial and agricultural exhibitions, when I other space than that of the main hall will be available, off what advantage will it be i to have another hall in the city that will hold only 2000 people? The Theatre will) hold something like that number, and the I Opera House over 2000, but neither of these places provide suffioient accommodation at the present time for a good musical per-j formance or a large public meeting, and j what will it be in a few years' time? It is suggested that an organ should in the j future be procured, with a view, I suppose, j to musical festivals being held, and y«t provision is to be made for only one. person in twenty-five in the city, to say nothing of j those outside, to attend one of these performances, and we are an admittedly musical people. Our leading musical-societies can j no *' fih" .the Opera House, and many people, I I believe, stay away because the place is so unsuitable for the production of good music. The Dunedin Agricultural Hall will accommodate about 3500 persons, and I saw it almost filled on tho night of the opening concert, and the popular senior member for the city has no difficulty in securing a full house when he addresses his constituents. . Provision should certainly be made by the proposed company for a main hall, capable of seating at least from 3000 to 4000 people, otherwise a good deal of their efforts and money will be thrown away. Hoping that others will support the view I have taken, - as I believe it to be entirely in the interests of the city and province,—Yours, Ac., __ . CASTLEWOOD. C—ristchurch, December 7th. ■ ——_-_______.______■