Town Hall Site

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28415, 23 October 1957, Page 3

Town Hall Site

Sir, —Would you please correct two misprints in my letter of October 19 on the subject of the site of the town hall. It should read “as" not “in” a civic centre, and, "citizens should know where" not "when” it is to be built.— Yours, etc., D. A. HENNESSY. Waimate. October 20, 1957.

Sir,—Can you tell your readers whether all the land the City Council at present owns has been considered for the town hall site. I have in mind that full use is not being made of the old M.E.D. garage and the adjoining Tepid Baths building; and also that there is land behind the present Council Chambers. Furthermore, it appears uneconomic to move the offices from the present building which, I imagine, could easily carry several extra floors. Is there any technical objection to the town hall being on the first

floor and extending from the present staircase to the rear of land now housing the traffic inspectors? It seems to me that it would be immaterial if either now or later the Civic Theatre has to be sacrificed in the process.—Yours, etc., JOHN CITIZEN.

October 17, 1957. (The chairman of the Christchurch City Council’s finance committee (Mr H. P. Smith) said: “I do not think consideration has been given to erecting a town Shall on any land in Manchester street owned by the city, and I would not think such a proposal i 'ould be acceptable to the public. The question of moving the offices from the present site is another matter. Personally I think the present offices with some extensions would meet our needs for a long period and that we should concentrate on a town hall proper for the present.’’]