THE CANTERBURY HALL

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 13933, 15 December 1905, Page 2

THE CANTERBURY HALL

PROTEST AGAINST CONVERSION. COUNCIL TO BE APPROACHED. A meeting of gentlemen interested in' the Canterbury Hall was held in the Chamber of Commerce yesterday afternoon, for the purpose of considering whether any steps should be taken to secure the hall for the city. The meeting was a result of the failure of the negotiations between the City Council a lid the directors of the Kail Company in regard to the property. Bishop Julius presided, and about thirty gentlemen were present. Bishop Julius said that the object of the meeting was not to decide that the hall should be purchased, but that the matter was of such importance to the musical and genera* public as to merit the most serious consideration. Christchurch required ouch a hall, and its less would be a serious thing for the citv. A second theatre was not required, and the Canterbury Hall had already proved itself -most useful. As a vice-president of one of She, musical societies, and a citisen earnestly desirous of forwarding the welfare of the city, he hoped that an effort would be made to preserve the hall. Mr T. Garrard said that the position was that the city was about to lose a splendid hall, which had been of vast benefit to the city. When converted into a theatre the hall would, be of little value for public meetings and musical entertainments. All those interested in the hall must deplore the attitude of the City Council, and probably tho councillors had acted under a misapprehension. The question now was whether some action could not be taken to induce the City Council to consider, the matter in a more friendly spirit. At the meeting of th& Council it had been stated that* not one citizen in ten would vote for th& purchase of the buildings. He believed that not one citizen in ten would vote against the purchase. No doubt the ratepayers would be opposed to an, expenditure of £BO,OOO or so on the erection of a town hall, but when they had been shown that Chrfctohurab could acquire its hall at a very moderate price and without any additional burden on the rates, the ratepayers would not raise any objection, A point to be considered very carefully was the organ which the Government proposed to present to the city at the olo&e of the Exhibition. If the Canterbury Hall were converted into a theatre, there would be no suitable building in which to place the organ, and the city would lose a great deal of the benefit it should receive from the fine instrument. The value of the building and its land was £27,600, and the property was offered to the city at £28,000. He estimated that the interest on that sum and the cost of maintenance would total £1849. The revenue received by the Hall Company in 1904 from the property had I been £1248, and the first half-year of 1905 had Bhown an inoreias© of £6O as compared with 1904. Assuming, therefore, that the city's income from the hall was only equal to that of the' company, the annual loss would be very small _ indeed. The City Council was spending £2OO annually in encouraging music by summer concerte in the openair. Why should it not' spend a little in order to secure organ concerts for the winter months? Ho moved—- " That this meeting is of'opinion that the citizens would view -with considerable regret the loss of the Canterbury Hall as a public building, and supports the suggestion that the property 'should be secured by the'city, and that the Mayor be urged to convene' a special meeting of the Council in* order to obtain the opinion of the ratepayers at the earliest possible date." Mr A. Kaye seconded the motion. He said that six or seven years previously it had been felt that the city urgently needed a hall for public and musical gatherings, "and a number of citizens had joined together to provide the hall. They had nob expected or desired any E refit-from the investment. The hall ad proved of immense benefit to the city_ during the past six years, and on various occasions had. accommodated gatherings that would not have been possible in any other building in the city. If Christchurch allowed the hall to be_turned into, a theatre, she would be doing herself a great injustice. The musical. societies would suffer particularly. The directors of the Hall Company had' tame after time ofiered i the buiMing to the Counoil, recognising that the city offices should be larger and .more convenient than they were at present, and that Clirristchureh should possess- a town hall. ■ They had asked for no profit on the investment, and had stated their willingness to take city debentures for their shares. Tlie Government had. now promised the city a magnificent organ, an instrument which would be of enormous value to every, music-loving citiaen. That" organ should clearly be placed in a building owned by the city, and the Canterbury Hall was suitable in every way. He hoped that the movement for the purchase of the property, would result in success. . M-r.W. D. Meares said that the position had been put- very fairly, although he thought a little too much stress had been iaid on the Musical Union. The cr-ty would have every reason to sorrow if the Canterbury Hall were allowed to be turned into a theatre. When tho hall was no longer available for large public gatherings the citizens -would realise what they had lost. The splendid organ to be presented to the city would i*equire to be placed in a building owned by the city, and he had no doubt whatever that the organ recitals would yield a very considerable revenue. The shareholders' of the Hall Company had never expected to make a profit. They had spent their money for the benefit of the city, and were now willing; to let the city have the hall at less than its value. He hoped that the matter would go ; to the ratepayers, and that they would decide to secure the hall. Mr E. O. Brown said that he could noc understand why the City Councillors wero opposing the purchase. Christchurch must have such a hall. If the Canterbury Hall were lost the citizens would speedily be faced by the necessity of building a town hall at a heavy cost. - Sir John Hall said that ho had been an original shareholder in the hall, and he felt that It would be a disgrace to the city if the building were allowed to be turned, into a theatre. He and others had spent ; their money for the public benefit, and had not thought of making any profit. The hall was a splendid one, and. had been of vast benefit to the city. ,He himself had put £IOO into the hall, and he would most gladly give that to the city, He had never expected to have it back

again. He believed that other shareholders would do the same, and that if the directors made inquiries,.-they would bo able to offer the hall to tho city on terms even more advantageous than those already mentioned. He felt that it would be a discredit to Christchurch if such a hall, were diverted from its original purpose and converted i into a theatre. Mr A. Ferguson supported the motion. He said that he had been an original shareholder, and he felt sure that if the city did not take advantage of the offer, it would regret it for ever. I)v Russell said that, as a shareholder, he had objected to the alteration of tho hall into a The citizens should consider, the social influence of such a building as the Canterbury Hall. Christ church had a population of 50,000, and it should have a proper.hall. He would" be most happy to hand over his shares to the city, and he felt that the City Councillors were neglecting their duty to the citizens. He sincerely hoped that the building would be purchased by the city. Tho motion was carried unanimously. Mr Garrard said that he hftd intended to move that if necessary a mass meeting of ratepayers should bo hold in the Canterbury Hall, but ho felt that probably what had been done already would be enough to induce the Mayor to call a special meeting, of the Council. Tho meeting decided that tie second motion was not required. Mr Kaye suggested that a deputation should wait- upon tho Mayor, and later, upon the Council. "Bishop Julius, Bishop Grimes and Messrs Kaye, Ferguson, Garrard, Frostick and Mcares were constituted a

sdepufcation, with power to add to its number. The meeting closed, with votes of thanks to the chairman and to Mr. Garrard. .., , "'