HALLS OF SILENCE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1305, 7 December 1911, Page 4

HALLS OF SILENCE.

[ ME FISHER OX CITY COUNCIL, Mr. F. M. B. fisher has an ambition which ho has striven for years to satisfy. He wants to secure-tho Wellington Town Hall ou the night before a general election, Last night he described in detail his hitherto unsuccessful attempts to gain possession of tho hall on the night of nights. \Vhen he first stood for Parlament he endeavoured to hire the hall for the night boi'ore the election. Ho Was told it bad been already let to a councillor-Mr. Izard. • Prior to lost olection, Mr. Fisher iopeated his attempt. This time be was told that his opponent (Mr. Hislop), who was then Mayor, had taken tho hail and also the Concert Chamber. On the day alter last election, Mr. Fisher continued, he put in an application for the use of the hall on tho night beforo the present election. Ho was told that he would have to pav tho money for the hall in advance, and that, rooreovtr, he must name the date upun which he would require it—the date of tho election. In January, 1910, ho again applied for tho hall for tho night before the election, lie asked further that if he could not have it ou this occasion it might bo allotted to him on tho night before the general election of 1914. His letter came beforo tho council, and ho was informed that it had been decided to let the lnll for the night before the election by public Icucier.. , When lie again Applied later in the year, he was told that the Town Hull and Concert Chamber had been lot, tor concert purposes, to Mr. Bert ltoylc, for tno night before the election. ■ Mr. Fisher said that he took it that it was not usual for tho Williamson Company, whom Mr. lioyle represented, to put* on two concert companies in different halls on tho same night. In any case, the City Council had grossly deceived him by saying that public tenders were to be called for the use of the hall, and no doubt had grossly deceived other candidates. A council that would do (his was not fit to represent ihe city. Mr, Fisher is not yet daunted. 'I am going to apply on tho day after to-nior-row for tho use oi the Town Hall on the night liefore next general election, uo told his auditors, "and see what ray luck is to be this time." Apparently some misfortune overlook the concert companies which were to have occupied tho Town Hall and Concert Chamber last evening for both halls stood empty and unused.