1373876 SATURDAY, JULY 23, 1960. Town Hall Site

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29264, 23 July 1960, Page 12

1373876 SATURDAY, JULY 23, 1960. Town Hall Site

The Christchurch City Council did well to reaffirm the choice of the Cambridge terrace site for the proposed town hall in spite of the unco-operativeness of the Canterbury Club. The discussion showed that full weight was given to the attachment of club members to their present premises, and to that extent may serve a useful purpose in promoting a more reasonable atmosphere. The council wisely rejected the idea of a poll of citizens on a town hall site. Quite apart from any doubt about the council’s authority to take such a poll, the obvious fact is that the public are in no position to decide such a question. The Limes site, for instance, might appear attractive to the layman until he learned that for technical reasons it was quite inadequate. The council has rightly concluded that in this it must be guided by expert opinion. As for the unwillingness of the club to move, the council would face exactly the same problem, probably in a more difficult form, wherever it decided to build. Now that the site has been finally settled the council has no reason for further delay in the preliminary planning of a major project that will take long enough to complete. That, indeed, seems to be the general feeling of councillors. If this means that the club land has to be taken under the Public Works Act, the necessity will be regretted, though it should be clearly understood that the act provides for full

and fair compensation. Cr. W. J. Cowles appeared to question whether the council has the power to take the land. In fact there can be very little question about it. This is a necessary, power for local authorities, which would be intolerably hampered in the discharge of their responsibilities without it. Provided the power is used in good faith it is both lawful and reasonable. We hope that the club will now yield gracefully and make the best use of the few years’ occupation that remain to it Though the council has in no way committed itself to show more consideration to the club than the club has shown to citizens, a suggestion by Cr. A. R. Guthrey about the siting .of the town hall on the block is worth study. It would apparently be feasible to design an impressive building lying largely behind the club premises and to provide for its completion with a handsome terrace or portico towards the Cambridge terrace frontage. , By the time construction had reached the final Stage 'the club would probably not find it so hard to vacate its old, and oldfashioned, wooden building, lacking parking area or garden. Citizens who do not see why a few persons should be permitted to hold up an amenity for the many would probably think that degree of latitude warranted. In the meantime the club could take advantage of opportunities to buy land in the near vicinity, much of which will soon come on the market.