The Guardian. TUESDAY, JULY 3, 1928. PROPOSED NEW HALL AT SOUTHBRIDGE.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume XLVI, Issue 3233, 3 July 1928, Page 4

The Guardian Printed at Leeston, Canterbury, New Zealand, on Tuesday and Friday afternoons. TUESDAY, JULY 3, 1928. PROPOSED NEW HALL AT SOUTHBRIDGE.

Because the possession of adequate facilities for social intercourse and Jndoor recreation is a matter of importance to all communities, the Southbridge Town Board is to be commended for having made a definite move in the direction of building a new Town Hall to replace a structure which, as the chairman rightly pointed out at the ratepayers' meeting last week; has served its day, having been in use for some years before it became the property of the Town Board more than 40 years^1 ago. Although the. meeting could well have: been, more thoroughly representative of the large area about Southbridge that the Town Hall serves, it was interesting to find that there was complete unanimity of opinion as to th;c need of a larger and better hall, e\>en "though ail present were not exactly of the same mind as to [how the scheme should be financed.

It is out of the question to think of obtaining the major portion of the money for such an undertaking by any other means than 'by the raising of a \ loan, but whether a special rating area : should be defined,/ embracing a. considerable part of the Soutlibridge riding of the county, in order to give all the ratepayers in the district who use the Southbridge Hall an opportunity toshare the cost with the town district people, is a matter for careful consideration. Although the citizens of the Southbridge district invariably jpult together extraordinarily well "when any important undertaking for the good of the district is launched, the setting up of a special rating area is often a lengthy process, and not infrequently much difficulty is experienced in getting the property" owners to agree to the suggested boundaries. From the figures given to the meeting by -the chairman it would appear that the revenue from the present ToAvn Hall runs into something like £150 a year. Allowing £50 for lighting and earetaking charges, there would be approximately £100 left. The Town Board would have no difficulty at present in raising a loan at oi per cent. and a sinking fund of 1 per cent, would pay off the whole amount in 364 years. The interest and sinking fund for the first year would amount to £195. Assuming that a sum of £100 a year could be obtained from the, hall rents there would be less than £100 to raise by a special rate. '■ If the Town Boavd should decide to finance the undertaking itself, without looking to the riding ratepayers for assistance, it would be necessary ,to pledge the town district to a special rate of a little over 3d in the £, as a guarantee for interest and sinking fund, but actually it would not be, necessary to collect even a rate, for a fd rate would produce £116, or £21 more than would be required even in. the first year. The burden, therefore, would not be a heavy one, seeing that the present general rate is only l|d in the £. But the riding ratepayers are willing and even anxious* to assist, a# was shown at the meeting last week, and they should be given an opportunity to do so. To avoid the difficulties involved in having a special rating \ area created, we would suggest to the Town Board that a thorough, and systematic canvass of riding ratepayers an<J residents generally should be made with a view to raising £1000 by voluntary contributions, leaving only £2000 to be raised by loan. The Dunsandel district has raised £1000 iff^this Way

and we have sufficient faith in" the residents of- the Southbridge district to believe that they would .rise to the occasion and dot likewise. The average farmer would prefer to give a straightout donation of £10 to £20 rather'than be committed to even a very small rate for more than 30 years. It is, of course, quite immaterial whether the money is raised by cash 4onations* by gifts 6f produce and stock, or by a bazaar. The season has been an exceptionally good one and the present is an opportune time to get busy.