TOWN HALL SITE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16491, 5 March 1914, Page 11

TOWN HALL SITE.

ADDRESS BY COUNCILLOR

TAYLOR

DISCUSSION AT ST ALBANS BURGESSES’ ASSOCIATION.

A meeting of the St Albans' Burgesaes’ Association was held last night, Mr A. D. Hassall presiding over, a snfall attendance.

■ Councillor A. S. Taylor addressed those present on the town hall question which ho stated had been debated for a number of years. The time had now arrived for a definite move and it was necessary to obtain a site. Practically the available sites before tho public were the rotunda cite in Victoria Square, tho site in. Cambridge Terrace and the Provincial Council Chambers. .The- requisites for a site were accessibility, nearness, to main arteries of traffic and architectural suitability. The controversy, resolved itself into a free site as against tho purchase of land. If a site were bought the cost would be at least £20,000, which would entail about £2OOO a year for interest and loss ol rates. Unless the citizens exhibited a more liberal attitude towards loan proposals it would be fatal to increase the cost of a town hall by adding the amount required to purchase a site. Those who advocated such a purchase were under a duty to show how it could he financed. The rotunda- site wiis central, architecturally good and freo of cost to the city. It had been said that the small triangle on Cambridge Terrace opposite the rotunda site, should be used. Its shape however was not suitable and the size was small, being two roods twenty-eight porches. If the- citizens made.up their--minds they would not use the, rotunda -site they .should negotiate for t-lio Provincial Council buildings. At the conclusion of Mr Taylor’s remarks Mr Frnnldyn congratulated tho speaker and thanked him for the trouble lie had taken in coming to the m/eeting of the Association to deal with the Town Hall question. He referred to the l apathy of ratepayers and said that the newspapers had not •given sufficient support to matters such as the one, before the meeting. There was an indefiniteness about the public Press to-day which was feeling for opinion instead of expressing it. Ho moved, “That this meeting of the St Albans Burgesses’ Association respectfully urge on the City Council the advisability of purchasing the block of buildings on Cambridge Terrace known as Moor’s property for a town hall site.”

Mr Hyde moved as an amendment that. the City Council should take into consideration the site between Kilmore Street and Colombo Street before coming to a decision in the matter. He said- that it was a narrow-sighted policy - for. the Council to put forward just one site. . After "some, discussion the motion and" amendment were each put to the meeting and /were ench lost. A'motion by Mr Gulliver that the City Council should be respectfully asked to consider the question of securing His Majesty’s Theatre with the object of converting it into a Town Hall was also lost.

Mr Franklyn then moved, “ That this meeting of tho St Albans Burgesses’ Association protest against the site' chosen by the City Council. for a Town Hall.” The motion was carried. .A vote of thanks to Mr Taylor for his address concluded the meeting.