MILLERTON HALL

Grey River Argus, 27 March 1928, Page 8

MILLERTON HALL

(From Dur Own Correspondent.) Deputation to Buller Couu.ty Council On Friday afternoon last a deputation consisting of Air H. E. Holland. M.P., and Mr Graham (Millerton). waited on the Buller County Council re the batlance of insurance money received by the County in connection with the County Hall recently burned down at Millerton. Mr Graham said he was there on behalf of the residents of Millerton, who desired that the balance held by the County should be handed over to a local organisation. The hall hud been built by means of voluntary subscriptions and local labour, and .ihe Milerton people felt that it belonged to them. Mr Holland said that when he last visited Millerton he was interviewed by the executive of the Miners’ Union, who desired that ho should make one of the deputation. The position as it had been presented to him by the Miners’ executive was that when the hall was erected for volunteer purposes the money expended on its constrm,tion was raised wholly from Millerton i sources. Whatever money had been advanced by the West port Coal Company had been put in because the Company’s mine was situated there. It was quite clear that none of the County’s money had been spent on the hall. The Chairman: “The County raised loans -to meet expenditure in connect ion with the hall. ’ ’ Air Holland said that was so, but the fact remained that all the liabilities on the hall had been met. The hall having been destroyed by fire, there was a surplus of about £l2OO in the hands of .the Council. To that surplus the Council had no moral claim, and the Millerton people were justified in asking that it be made available towards erecting a new hall. The Chairman: “I suppose you know that the Millerton people held a pistol at our heads over this hall?” Air Holland replied that even if .that were so, the pistol hadn’t gone oil. However, the position as it stood was that, whatever money had gone into the hall was Millerton money, and whatever labour had been expended on it in the beginning was Millerton labour; there was nothing owing to the County in conection with its construction; aud no one would dispute the fact that a. hall was badly needed at Millerton. The County would not be justified in using the money for any other purpose than that of replacing the hall. The suggestion of the Miller ton people was that the surplus money should be handed over to some responsible body at AfiUerton for this purpose. Possibly the land on which .the old hall stood could be vested in the Alillerton Domain Board, and the same could be done with the insurance money. However, the first step neces-

sary was that the County should express its willingness to meet .the wishes of the people of Millerton and apply the insurance surplus towards rebuilding the hall. Whatever subsequent formalities should prove to be necessary- could be got over quite easily, even if it should be necessary to secure legislation empowering the transfer. The County Clerk gave details of the money for which the County had made itdelf responsible in conection with the hall. He said there was a sum of £6O owing by the Miners’ Union for rent. Councillor Niven said the hall was practically stolen by the Government before (he County had come on the sceu’o. He personally had put £25 into Ihe fund for building the hall, which was constructed by the Alillerton Vol nnteer Corps. AYhen the G ivernmont confiscated .the hall the Abdunteers got nothing. The voluntary laimur by means of which a good deal of the work w.-. done was Volunteer Corps labour. Ifp lost £25 wlic.i the Government confiscation took place. That was because they had neglected to have trustees. Denniston had trustees, and consequently did not lose their hall. Councilor Mclntyre said lie thought Air Graham would have some difficulty in finding one of the Volunteers in Alillerton now. Air Graham said he could find a number. Councillor Alclntyre went on to say that when the Government took over the hall it paid off a mortgage held by the Westport Coal Co. He was responsible for the County taking over the hall. If it had not been taken over it would have become a wreck. He did not .think there were now a dozen peopledn Alillerton who had invested a penny in the hall. Mr Graham rose to say that some i time back a public subscription was ‘ raised in Alillerton to send Air McTn- ; tyre to Wellington to endeavour to have the hall transferred <to the) .Miners’ Union. Air Alclntyre had not j succeeded in that mission, but later he had got the. hall transferred to the County, and he (Air Graham) felt the Millerton people had been let down. Councillor Alefn,tyre said the amount raised to send him to Wellington was At a later stage of Ihe proceedings. Councillor Mclntyre said that while everything .that had been asserted by the deputation was not correct, he fell that Ihe Council should give some assistance towards rebuilding the hall if a properly constituted body was available to take charge of .ihe building. The Miners’ Union represented only thoso engaged in mining, while the Do main Board represented the whole community. He moved that Ihe Conn oil be prepared to grant £lOOO towards the erection of the hall when a properly constituted body was organised at Alillerton. Councillor Archer seconded. He said a hall was badly needed at Millerton. If the people th. re had been responsible for the old hall, and it owed oolbing to the County, he would be agreeable to give the surplus now in the hands of the County to Millerton. At the same time lie recognised that the County should not be left with a loss over the hall. Councillors Griffiths and lSivcu opI the proposal, ami Councillor llawes said that instead of 1 he Coumil granting the £lOOO it should find the lot and have complete jurisdictiion over the hall. . The County Clerk explained th. while it had cost Ihe County about £lOOO to put Ihe old hall in oidei, there would be a balance oi ILIo after meeting all liabilities. When the hall was taken over by .the County it was a barn. Al Hie tunc of the hie it was just beginning to show a profit. The Department would not giant the site to the Miners’ Union, but migiu grant it to the Domnin Board. The Chairman said the Council could not legally vote the £lOOO nt the piesent tune. There was no properly e< i stitnled body to whom I lie grant could be made. . , , Councillor Mclntyre said a propeilyconstituted body could be got it tie Council were willing to voti ThJ motion was lost, only the mover and seconder voting for it.