CIVIC CENTRE

Hokitika Guardian, 26 August 1938, Page 8

CIVIC CENTRE

DEPUTATION TO INTERVIEW MINISTERS. BLENHEIM, August 24. Two matters of importance to Marlborough will be discussed with Ministers of the Crown at Wellington tomorrow by a deputation representing the Blenheim Borough Council and the Marlborough County Council. The first is the proposal to build a civic centre in Blenheim to house both the borough and county offices. It is hoped that this may be erected as part of the province’s, contribution to the centennial celebrations, The second is the provision of land by the Crown at White’s Bay, some 10 miles from Blenheim, to replace the area at the Blenheim aerodrome taken from the Omaka Domain Board some years ago, for which no compensation has yet been made.. The deputation will travel to Wellington by aeroplane in the morning and will return in the afternoon. The object of’ the deputation, as far as the civic centre is, concerned, is to interview the Minister for Finance .(the Hon. W. Nash), and the Minister for Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) to ascertain of a Government subsidy towards the cost, estimated at £23,000, could be made, and second, if tlie Government would approve the raising of a loan by the borough and county councils to meet their share of the cost. Unless financing in this way is possible the general opinion of councillors is that the project cannot be carried out. The area at White’s Bay is desired as compensation for, a borough reserve which was taken over when the Blenheim aerodrome was constructed, and it is proposed, if the land is available, to use it for a seaside resort for the town. The difficulty to be overcome, apparently, is that the land in question is native land. "