FATE OF THE TAKAHE

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23128, 18 September 1940, Page 8

FATE OF THE TAKAHE

BUILDING MAY GO TO MORTGAGEES PROPOSAL TO WIND UP TRUST An extraordinary general meeting of the Port Hills-Akaroa Summit Road Trust will be held shortly. It will be proposed to members that if the sum of a little more than £2OOO required to complete the Sign of the Takahe cannot be found the trust be wound up and its affairs placed in the hands of a receiver.. If such a decision is made, the Takahe- will almost certainly revert to the mortgagees and will no longer be public property. The Government has for some time been supplying the labour for the completion of the Takahe, on the understanding that the trust provides the materials. The trust has not been able to maintain the supply of materials, and the Minister for Finance (the Hon. W. Nash) and the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple) have decided that the work must therefore stop. Their decision operates from to-day. A meeting of the Summit road trustees was called for last evening, but there was not a quorum. Those who attended informed “The Press’’ that they intended to call a general meeting* of members to place the whole position before them. If the amount required to finish the building could not be found, then there seemed no alternative but to wind up the trust and place its affairs in the hands of a receiver. Protection from Weather Mr V. H. Smith, foreman on the Takahe job, said that if (he work was suspended for any time then not only would the public probably lose the building, but materials already there and work already done wpuld suffer severely. On the new wing there was only a light felt roof, which could not pos'sibly withstand heavy weather, and without adequate protection the iyterior would be ggriously affected. Only about two feet more of stone was required for the tower on the south-east comer, and half of that was

prepared. Very nearly all the stone was ready to be put in place. Mr Smith said that with a Publ-C Works Department representative a r -£ the honorary architect (Mr J. G. Got* lins) he recently investigated the act* ual amount required to complete tne building. Including such details slates, plumbing, timber, cement, ? n glazing, etc., the cost of materia* would be a little more than £2OOO. lack of this sum the city was likely 1 lose the Takake. Advice has been received from m Government that the Takahc is suitable for use as a home for convalescent soldiers, as was proposed a (ho annual meeting of the (rust. The trust controls not only the kahe. but the Sign of the Kiwi the Sign of the Bellbird, as well « reserves, and all these would be ar* fected by a decision to wind UP 1 • affairs. , . . Mortgages on the Takahe total £4500, The trustees believe that u tn« building can be completed then tne revenue it will produce will certainly cover interest costs and so preserve the building as public property.