GOVERNMENTS BOROUGH COUNCIL

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1149, 9 June 1911, Page 4

GOVERNMENTS BOROUGH COUNCIL

ABOUT A CORONATION SUBSIDY.

Eccentlv tho Miramar Borough Council wrote to tho Minister for Internal Affairs stating that' they intended erecting "municipal chambers" at Miramar. The cost would bo between ,£(i00 and ■£rOO. They asked tho Minister to grant the "Coronation subsidy" towards the cost of the building. The sum of .£250 was the amount' of the subsidy they asked. The cost of erection was to bo delrayod out of ordinary income of tho borough, not out of loan money.

Tho Minister replied that "municipal council . offices" were not considered to be buildings for which the Coronation" subsidy ...could bo granted.Town halls meant halls available for public purposes by tho general public and not municipal offices. Tho clerk of the council wrote again to the Minister "pointing out" that it was the intention of the council to erect a town hall.

The Mayor (Mr. Brodie) said t'hat this error—if it could be called an errorarose out of the usual modesty of thu council. They were rather backward about calling the building a town hall, and thought, perhaps, tlicy might bo accused of wild extravagance. "I think," he added, "(he Government should fall through their red tape, and realise that that was t'he case, which I thinlc they will. I rang up Mr. Luke the other d" and he promised to come with us to interview the Minister for Internal Affairs, I hope that out of pure modesty we will not be debarred from petting pur subsidy for building a town hall. A 'hall is badly required out there." Councillor Bowie: "There should bo 110' objection to municinal offices being included in tho town hall."

The Mayor: No, I think not; bnt you must call'it a town hall.