LORD MAYOR'S HOUSE

Evening Star, Issue 21822, 11 September 1934, Page 7

LORD MAYOR'S HOUSE

PROPOSAL IN BRISBANE OPPOSITION TO OUTLAY. “ It will be an extremely bad precedent that may have a far-reaching and costly result to the community,” said Mr A. H. Tait, a member of the Brisbane City Council, recently, when referring to the proposal of the Finance Committee of the council to convert Newstead House into a lord mayoral residence. The provision of a residence for the Lord Mayor or any other public man, was bad in principle, Mr Tait contended. It might be found later that the Premier of a State would consider that he was more entitled to free rent than the Lord Mayor, and mayors of important cities might discover that they required suitable homes in which' to entertain distinguished visitors. In the Town Hall ample provision was made for entertaining visitors for civic functions, said Mr Tait. There was a Lord Mayor’s reception room, with kitchen attached, and a Lady Mayoress’s room, both suitably furnished, with grand piano, etc. Stewards were also in attendance. In the Town Hall, which cost the community over £1,000.000, provision had been made ior all the requirements set out in the arguments advanced in favour ci a Lord Mayor’s residence. “ Lord Mayors come and Lord Mayors go. and perhaps only one in six would care to leave his own homo.” continued Mr Tait. Caretakers would thus be in charge, waiting for the next Lord Mayor who felt that the Town Hall facilities were inadequate. The present administration of the Brisbane City Council was clearly its slogan of “ Spoils to the victor.” Free rent for the Lord Mayor definitely would be regarded by the already overburdened ratepayers as a further instance of this policy. The Former Lord Mayor. Mr -T. W. Greene, said that during his period of office the matter of an official Lord Mayoral residence had never been considered. He personally had found his own homo ouito sufficient for his needs as Lord Mayor.