PATCHING THE HASTINGS COURTHOUSE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVIII, Issue 125, 10 May 1928, Page 6

PATCHING THE HASTINGS COURTHOUSE.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —The news in your paper tonight that it is intended to again patch up the old Courthouse is disturbing. Who asked that any such thing should b e done? The building is nearly 40 years old, situate adjacent to the railway and right alongside the main road to Wellington and onlv six or seven chains from the very centre point of the town. A more unsuitable site fo r such a purpose could hardly be found, and the clamour and the noisiness of this location will increase every day until shortly it will become intolerable The peculiar aspect is that we have bought and paid for and we possess a large most suitable and conventent site in a quiet locality. i The whole business i b another glaring instance of the utter folly of Government departments. It is proposed to spend £l6OO on a wooden building nearly 40 years old. and on a site from which it must be shifted in the near future when the whole £l6OO will be simply wasted. For not much more money that part of a permanent Courthouse could be built sufficient t 0 serve Hastings for several years and there would be no waste. Is Mr. Campbell a party to this? Is the Mayor agreeable to our being side-tracked in this manner? Are the Chamber of Commerce and the Borough Council intending to sit still and submit to it? If we cannot build a portion of the new Courthouse now. let us remain where we are. If more room must be had let a room be rented. It is surely mor e desirable than wasting a lot of money on a Courthouse which everybody with any foresight knows must be removed before very long. There should be an emphatic protest and the Minister should be most strongly urged to come here and see the position for himself before he is committed to any such expenditure.—l am, etc . TAXPAYER. Hastings. 10/5/28.