NORTH BEACH HALL

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22591, 22 December 1938, Page 2

NORTH BEACH HALL

OFFICIAL REOPENING

The official reopening ceremony of the North Beach Hall was performed last evening by the Mayor of New Brighton (Mr E. L.. Smith) m the presence of many guests. Mr W. E. S. Furby, deputy-chairman of the North Beach Gala and Foreshore Improvement Society, presided. On the platform with him were the Mayor and Mayoress (Mr and Mrs E. L. Smith), Cr. J. N t Clarke (DeputyMayor), Mr C. T. Middleton (Town Clerk), and Mrs Middleton. Crs. J. S. Ainsworth, T. E. Thomson, H. R. Macdonald, W. X. Glasgow, and W. E. Wilkins were also; present. In introducing the Mayor and welcoming the guests, Mr Furby expressed pleasure at the good attendance. The hall was not now the property of a private society, but the property of New Brighton, and was a municipal building. The Mayor expressed pleasure at the honour of declaring the new hall open. It was built in the first place as a memorial to those who had died in the Great War. It was a community asset erected by the gala committee which had had many difficulties for years to finance the scheme. The lease to the committee had run and the council decided to recondition the hall and make it worthy of the district. The cost of the renovations was nearly £7OO. The- society had given £75 towards the cost. It has carried out the decorations and furnishing at at cost of nearly £IOO. The council considered that to maintain the community interest the society should have control. All would agree it is a fine hall, with lounges and dressing rooms. Mr Smith paid a tribute to the good work of the contractor, Mr B. D. Kennedy, the designer and overseer, Mr F. Muirson, and the special work and help of the hall committee, Mr and Mrs Furby, Messrs L. R. Moore, A. S. Cooksley, F. S. Moore, and F. Johnson. Mrs Furby (treasurer) presented the Mayor with the society's cheque for £75 towards i the cost, and the Mayor handed Mr Furby a lease giving the society control of the hall.

Mr Middleton, on behalf of the Mayor, councillors, and burgesses, thanked Mrs Furby. for the cheque. Cr. J. N. Clarke referred to the excellent work by the overseer, Mr Muirson, also the invaluable assistance of the hall committee. The music for dancing was played by Maisie Otley's orchestra. Mr L. K Moore was master of ceremonies.

Before the opening of the hall the New Brighton Municipal Band played selections outside the hall, under the conductorship of Mr J. A. Nuttall. The guests were entertained at supper in the new supper rooms. The arrangements were carried out by the hall sub-committee, Mr-and Mrs W. E. S. Furby, Messrs L. R. Moore, A. S. Cooksley, F. Johnson, ant a: S. Norrie.

Those present included the Mayoress (Mrs E. L. Smith), Mesdames C. T. Middleton, W. E. S. "Furby, "H. let. Macdonald, Neil McGillivray, F. S. Norrie, V. U. Colville, N. Neylon, W. Leverett, R. D. Kennedy, H. L. London, L. Gill, T. E. Thomson, A. Webb, G. Marriott, N. Ball, A. S. Cooksley, W. Hamilton, J. S. Ainsworth, O. C. White, H. Field, E. J. Williams, R. Davison, S. E. Hamilton, L. R. Moorf\ T> -. McKenzie, F. Scott, S. Barlow, J. C. Cadenhead, Misses Irene Leaver, N.

McKenzie, P. Read, M. Parker, B. Walls, G. O'Neill, J. Kennedy, B. O'Neill, M. Smith, E. Smith, Boyns, I. Reece, M. Eades, S. Sparks, J. Fine, Joan Macpherson (Akaroa).