TOWN HALL FESTIVALS

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29994, 1 December 1962, Page 13

TOWN HALL FESTIVALS

Early Planning Suggested

“History was made in Christchurch this very week when the City Council acquired the principal area of lapd on whilch the town hall will be sited,” said Sir James Hay, at the annual meeting of the Christchurch Civic Music Council last evening. This meant that within the foreseeable future, Christchurch could possess a town hall, and amenities, that could make it the cultural centre of New Zealand, Sir James Hay said. With a town hall, the idea of regular festivals was possible of attainment in Christchurch, he said —and it was not too early for the Civic Musical Council to plan now for that day. “No other city in New Zealand possesses the resources in music, particularly choral music, that Christchurch does,” he said. “It is most’ significant that when the Broadcasting Corporation presents a major choral work with the National Orchestra in other cities in New Zealand, it is to one or other of the major choirs in Christchurch to which it looks to provide the choral group.” This meant that if Christchurch people wished to hear their choirs performing at their best, with the National Orchestra, they had to travel either to Auckland. Wellington or Dunedin to do so. “We hope that day will end when we have our own hall,” said Sir James Hay. The Mayor (Mr G. Manning), who was in the chair, said that Christchurch had dilly-dallied for eight years over the town hall, but now it was doubly united—the City Council was united on the site, and so were the citizens.