TOWN HALL FOR CITY

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24614, 10 July 1945, Page 4

TOWN HALL FOR CITY

* COST OF £600,000 ESTIMATED DISCUSSION BY COUNCIL An estimate that a suitable town hall and concert chamber for Christchurch would cost £600,000, involving an annual charge of £30,000 on the ratepayers, was made by Cr. M. E. Lyons (chairman of the finance comipittee) at last evening’s meeting of the City Council. Asking whether the finance committee had a long-range plan for the provision of a town hall, Cr. L. G. Amos said that the Prime Minister was received at the Auckland Town Hall and spoke to 2500 persons. Cr. Amos hoped Christchurch would have a hall in which such a reception could be held. Cr. J. E. Tait: He won’t be in office that length of time. Most councillors had something of a town hall in mind, replied Cr. Lyons, but budding costs made a town hall, of necessity, a very long-range one; rather than a long-range one. Many looked forward to seeing a town hall worthy of the city; and to that end something had been done in recent times. "With a view to giving some thought to a suitable site, a portion of the city has been marked upon the townplanning map as a practical reservation for future municipal purposes," said Cr. Lyons. "To that end it maybe said that something has been done preparatory to a proposal being put to the ratepayers at a future time. On to-day’s building costs a suitable town hall, seating 3000, and with a concert hall attached, in a dignified setting and with the building architecturally beautiful, I cannot see the job being done for less than £300,000." Councillors: Too low. “Multiply it by two,” suggested Cr. G. D. Griffiths. “Call it £600,000,” continued Cr. Lyons. “That would mean an annual cost to the ratepayers of £30,000. Most of the town halls in the Dominion do not pay more' than the cleaning and the lighting. Some lime, we will make a proposal to the people of Christchurch to see if they are prepared to put their hands in their pockets to the extent of £30,000 a year for a town hall, and I think I know the answer.’’ Cr. A. R. Guthrey asked if certain funds could not be appropriated for the purposes of a town hail. Cr. G. Manning: The funds for the baths? (Laughter.) "If ever you build the town hall, you will have to borrow money to do it,” replied Cr. Lyons, who said the present system of obtaining loans from the funds of a municipal department was very round-about. The profits for the year ended March 31 could be transferred to the general funds of the council; but once they were made reserves they had to be invested. The M.E.D. reserves* could be lent to the Otorohanga Town Board or the Te Kuiti Borough Council, but could not be lent to the City Council. Legislation should be passed enabling the council to borrow from the M.E.D. reserve funds under a repayment scheme supervised by the Local Body Loans Board to ensure that the funds were not alienated from the department. “I do not think the present time justides us asking the ratepayers to provide £30,000 a year for a town hall," concluded Cr. Lyons. “We have to complete before long the baths building, for which we have £40,000 in hand.” ... Cr. J. L. Hay said that in his desire not to increase the rates he was with Cr. Lyons. However, he was an advocate for a town hall for Christchurch at some time. He suggested that £25,000 a year be allocated from M.E.D. profits for the purpose. Further discussion was ruled out of onjer. ■