The Proposed Town Hall.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14903, 17 February 1914, Page 6

The Proposed Town Hall.

Th© proposal to provide a Town Hall for Christchurch has been advanced another stage by the report adopted by tho City Council last night. It will not be disputed that a Town Hall is very much wanted in the interests of our social and intellectual life. We do not think that there will now be any serious objections to the Victoria square site. Of course, it is desirable to preserve as many open space- as possible, but seeing that this particular reserve was originally set apart for a municipal market, we do not think that the mass cf the citizens would prefer to go to the expense of buying more land for a Town Hall rather than utilise the site already in the city s possession. Tho method proposed by the commitTeo of inviting competitive designs, to be adjudicated upon by an expert assessor, is undoubtedly the best that could do adopted. The money mafket just now is favourable for the flotation of a loan, so that if tho citizens deoi'de to go in for a Town Hall there is every prospect of their being able to secure the money on reasonable terms. Thero is only ono lion in the path so far as we are able to see. Tho rote.- have steadily Increased for some years, and tho ratepayers aro growing decidedly restive. It is not only that the grogs amount raised in rates is increasing year by y_ar. but tho sum paid by individual ratepayers is increasing. This is among the numerous drawbacks of tho system of rating on unimproved values. If the rating were on the capital value, or even on the annual value, the large increases of building during the last few years would have automatically produced a corresponding increase in tho receipts from rates without actually increasing tho amount of the rates themselves. The fate of the Town .lall will ultimately rest on the question which each ratepayer will ask himself: " .. ill it materially increase tho amount "of ray rates?" It is on this point, we think, that the Mayor and Council should especially seek to satisfy tne public. They will ho note io estimate approximately what the Town 'Hail will produce in the way of receipts, and they should thon be ablo to tell pretty nearly what extra rate, if any, will bo needed to provide the annual expenditure.