BOROUGH COUNCILS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18220, 3 November 1924, Page 6

BOROUGH COUNCILS.

SUMNER. The Sumner Borough Council held a, meeting on Thursday evening, after « meeting of the Standing Committee. Present—Mr W. H. Nicholson (Mayor), and Crs. C. M. Roswell, I'. 0. Cooper, •!. H. Thomas, E. Peek, W. H. Harris, P. T. Dick. Apologies we-rc received, from Crs. H. C. Jones and H. C. Jamieson. The Rev. E. C. W. Powell wrote inviting the Council to attend service on Armistico DaVi Tho letter was received', councillors present agreeing to attend if possible. Cr. J. H. Thomas's notice of motion to rescind the, minuto regarding the removal of the South, African War Memorial to Morton etreet was carried. Tho Lighting Manager ■ reported that 1,039,870 cubic feet, of gas had been manufactured, as against 915,730 cubic feet for September last year. The booster had been in action for ono month, and vkis running very satisfactorily. Three new consumers had been connected with tho gas reticulation during the month. About, 11 poles on the Esplanade had been taken down, and tho lino transferred to new poles. All houE© eervices had been strained up on this section. The "Waterworks Committee reported that from the combined wells 4,27.5,000 gallons of wster bad been drawn and delivered to Shag Bock reservoir. Of this 586,000 gallons had been taken for the high pressure Clifton reeervoir. Tho total number of units consumed, for the whole of tho pumping operations amounted to 8185. The manager drew the special attention of the Council to tho amount of water being used. The reports were adopted. RANGIOBA. A special meeting of tho Pandora Borough Council wa3 held on Saturday night to consider the Question of tho proposed Town Hall, for which a po'lis being token on 'Wednesday on a proposal to raise a loan of £BOOO. There were present tha Mayor (Mr W. A. Bowse) and a full Council.

The Mayor explained .•that as * result of a recommendation paesed at the inaeting of ratepayers last Wednesday night, to th* effect that before tbe taking of the poll the Council bring mora definite data before the ratepayers, be had called the meeting. Ho understood thero was a strong feeling against the class of hall which it was proposed to build, and also a strong opposition to the proposal to raise £BOOO. Tha Council were agreed upon a modified, scheme, as there was very little chance of the proposal being carried. Cr. Pike said he had never felt moro disgusted than he did at the public meeting, and he was surprised at the attitudo taken up by several of the Councillors. When he' placed his proposal for tbe Town Hall before them, the whole Council had supported it, and now they had turned ;; somersault and condemned his proposal Ho was quite -willing to have the scheme modified and cut down to £6500, and if tho Councillors did not support it they wern not progressive. He went on in say that if he had- been allowed by ■ the Mayor, when bringing down his proposals, to go into details more fully, there would not now havo been this trouble. He knew a water supply was needed, but so was » town hall. Tht» present hall was a disgrace to tho borough. Much had been made of the f.v.-t that there was not so much, need now for a danoing hall 6incc the Parish Hall had been built, but that belonged to a certain section, and what, was required was a hall for the people. He was not going to stick to tho plans submitted, and he was quito willing to cut out tho supper-room and to have a graded floor. Cr. Prosser (who was not present at tho public meeting) said that the hall was as much a necessity as the water scheme. Ho was satisfied that the. hail wDuld be selfsupporting, and ho was going to support the proposal. All Councillors, with the exception of. Cr. W, L. Murray, supported the amended proposals to build a town, hail, library, and readijnj-room for £6500. The Mayor "said thai there was no&ing to prevent the Council postponing the taking of the poll, but it iras not advisablo to do so on the score of expense; pcrsonallv, he wa3 opposed to the taking of the poll for JESOOO, but wa3 quite prepared to support the modified scheme, provided r. guarantee was giver, that not more than £6500 would be used. After some further discussion, Cv. Piko moved: "Thai, while it ww cucessary to

go on with the taking of the vcU. for £SOOO. the Council pledres iterii sot to spend more than £6oflo oil tho proposed town, hall, library, and reading-room." The motion was seconded by Cr. C. I. Jennings and carried. A further resolution wa3 moved that a concert hall be built to seat 700 persona comfortably and that the floor be graded. In discussing the site for the proposed hall, the Council were dividod in opinion whether the present site should be used or on the Council's property adjoining the Council Chambers. Eventually a motion was carried that tha hall be built on High street. Before adjourning, the Council decided to have their recommendations printed and circulated to tho ratepayers. The meeting adjourned a,i 11.10 p.m.