PIPED DRAIN HAMPERS EXHIBITION HALL PLAN

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29189, 27 April 1960, Page 18

PIPED DRAIN HAMPERS EXHIBITION HALL PLAN

Canterbury Court, the new exhibition hall to be built at the Addsngton Show Grounds as a joint effort of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association and the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association, is sited over a piped part of Jackson's creek. As it is not permissable to build over the creek, the drain must be relaid, at an estimated cost of £3OOO.

An approach was made to the Christchurch Drainage Board last night for assistance. The board was asked to pay for the diversion of the drain, which is against the usual practice. The only precedent was when the board made a grant to a charitable organisation, said the chairman (Mr G. A. G. Connal) when he introduced a deputation consisting of Messrs G. N. Francis. H. M. Studholme (A. and P. Association) and J. R. Maddren (manufacturers). It had not been known that the drain was there when the decision was made to build, said Mr Francis. Canterbury Court

would be for the benefit of the people of the province. The associations had been able to find £30,000 and they were putting up the building with their own labour. It was hoped that the building could be erected at £1 a square foot.

“If we have to spend £3OOO on diverting the drain, which we should have known was there, but didn’t, it will mean we will have to take 3000 square feet off the building,” he said. "We are looking to you to see if there is some way of softening the blow.”

It was intended to build over the whole four acres eventually. It was proposed to run the hall on a businesslike basis so that the eventual scheme could be financed. Both organisations were nonprofitmaking, he said. What they made they had to put back into their associations. Mr A. J. McTainsh said the board might be able to do the work as a form of loan, the associations to pay the board when the hall was making money. The present drain was 30 years old and it would be very unwise to allow a building over it, said Mr H. F. Page, the chief engineer (operations). He agreed that the drain would have to be rebuilt “some time.”

The A. and P. Association contained members from a very much wider area than that from which the board drew its rates, said Mr F. R. Price.

As the board would be getting a new drain, it seemed fair that the board should meet half the cost.

The matter was then referred to the works committee to see if it could find some way of assisting.