THE LITERARY INSTITUTE PROJECT.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVI, Issue 83, 10 April 1902, Page 3

THE LITERARY INSTITUTE PROJECT.

+ PUBLIC MEETING. The public meeting held in Ewart's Hall last night for the discussion of the Borough Council's proposal to borrow £2000 for the re habilitation of the Literary Institute was attended by about fifty people. His Worship the Mayor occupied the chair, and had with him on the stage the majority of the Borough Councillors, and members of the Literary Institute Committee. The Mayor explained the object of the meeting. The Institute was conducted at the present time, he said, by trustees for the benefit of the town and district. The building had be come delapidated, and recently the Institute Committee approached the Council with a view to that body taking over the property and managing it as a municipal concern. Their main object was to enable money to be raised for the re construction of the building and the provision of an adequate public reading room aud library. At first hopes were held out that the Institute people would be abe to raise the necessary money, but, the matter having been carefully gone into, it was found that they did not have that power. The only course open was to hand over the property to the Council. The Council consented to take it over on the understanding that the concern would be self-supporting —• that the returns would provide for the interest and sinking fund of the proposed loan, and for the maintenance of the property. This assurance was given, and the Council were now taking steps to obtain the ratepayers' sanction to a loan of £2000, with a view of acquiring the Institnte and putting it in good order. A Joint Committee was tet up, and this had worked out a scheme for the management of the Institute as a municipal concern on self conducting lines. This scheme included the erection of three shops in connection with a new library and reading room. It was calculated that about £1800 would cover the cost of the proposed new building, and that £2000 would allow for a safe margin. His Worship then went into the details of the scheme, in the preparation of which, he said, Messrs Rayner and Adams had taken an leading part. It was estimated that the three shops would bring in a rental of at least £1 per week each. This represented £15G a year. The interest and sinking fund on the £2000 at 3} per cent, for 41 years would be £70 a year. Deducting the £70 from the £156, there would be a balance of £86 per annum. It was proposed to shift the present accommodation to the rear of the new building and let it out to the Friendly Societies, and it was supposed that a rental of £30 per annum would be obtained for its use. This £30 added to the £86 made £116. The cost of running the library would be about £36 a year, and thus there remained a balance of £80 for repairing aud maintainence expenses, additional sinking fund, etc. That was a pretty big margin, and even if the balance was half as much it would be safe. These figures were for ihe ratepayers to consider; if they thought the estimate would be borne out, they could only bo expected to vote for the project; if they thought there would be a lo;s they could not be blamed for voting against it. For himself, he thought the object in view wa3 an excellent one, and that the public should not hesitate. The scheme had been prepared by men of'good business acumen, and they were quite confident as to its soundness. The building would be of brick, and would last as long as we would last. He looked upon the offer of the property as a good one, and had no doubt bflt that in 41 years, or before, the property would belong to the Borough free of encumbrance without having cost the ratepayers anything in the meantime. In conclusion the Chairman invited free discussion, and said that the Council and Institute management would be pleased to listen to any impartial criticism and suggestions. Cr Penny, Chairman of the Council s Institute Committee, produced the plans of the proposed new building. These provided for a library for books 25ft x 20ft. Behind that would be a public reading norn 32ft x 30ft. The three shops occupying a porti n of the frontage would each be 18ft in width by 40ft in depth. They would be commodious, and well lighted, and there should be no difficulty in letting them. The front elevation would be an orna* ment to the town. Mr R. McArtney proposed the fol lowing resolution : —" That in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable that the Borough Council should acquire the Literary Institute property, and requests the Mayor to cause a poll of the electors to be taken upon the proposal to borrow tho sum of £2000 for the purpose of acquiring the said property and erecting thereon suitable buildings with the view of making the Institute property self-supporting." Speaking on behalf of the Institute Committee, he explained that the Institute as it existed had been self-sup-porting ; but the building had become delamdated,—it was a standing disgrace to the town—and as the Committee itself had not the means to replace it and the Council had the power to raise the necessary inotey, the Committee had asked the Council to take over the property. In fact he did not suppose that the Committee woiild have approached the Council if it had been in the position to carry out the work on its own account. The property was a valuable one, the land alone being worth frojn £700 to £10C0: and he felt confident tfiat the proposed new concern would be self-supporting. If be did not think so he would not advocate the scheme. Mr McArtney went on to maintain that the projeot, if effected, would be in the interests of the community. The time had arrived when Blenheim, which was notably behind other towns in this respect, should be given a good library and public reading room. Even if something had to be taken out of the rates —and that was not expected—the public would be well compensated by the removal of the present eye sore, which gave visitors a very bad impression, and by the erection of a decent Institute and the establishment of an up-to-date library and an adequate reading room. Or Penney, in seconding the motion, said he did not think the project would add the slightest burden to the rates. He thought tho scheme a good one, and worthy of adoption if only for the sake of town appearance; though it was not his ideal one. His idea was that they should have a town hall as well as shops or offices in connection with the Institute (hear, hear), but caution had been advised by the promoters of the movement. He pointed out that the Institute people were not asking for money for books for the library. All that they asked for wag a decent building. The property would be a valuable asset for the Borough. The Institute took in a considerable area of ground, which waa situated in what he maintained was the prlnoipalbjQckintown ; and as a municipal possession it would provide valuable scope for public purposes iv tUo feature. Time might prove it to bo a useful asset in connection with the Borough Council's insecure tenure of its offices in the J3oyornment Buildings. It v/onld be wise "goTfcyHo take this favorable opportunity of securing a property which would become more valuable as time wenfr on. He understood that the! Institute Committee abeady had an offer of £30 a year for the old building placed behind the proposed new one. gr/Penny went o« to emphasis? the

object of providing up-to-date literary privileges for the town such as would enable us to keep in touch with the advancement of art, science, and literature, help to keep our young people off the streets, and tend to the education and elevation of the community. Dr Redman f ally agreed that a good library and reading-room was a necessity for a district such as this, and he was of the opinion that such an institution should be the property of the Corporation. But he did not think that the proposal placed before the meeting went far enough. AVith such a valuable site in hand they should do more than build a library. There were other requirements. At the present time there was no such place as a good town hall (applause), and this was badly required. The Corporation* tenure of their offices in the Government Buildings was, he understood, a weak one. Why not have in conjunction with the Institute Council offices and a public hall that would be a credit to the place ? Such an improvement would greatly enhance the appearance of the town. As regarded the cost, he did not think that there would bo any more expense to the ratepayers in borrowing £€000 or £7000 than in raising £2000. Dramatic and other companis would be attracted to the town that would not look at it now, and the management of companies would not be able to tell us that our hall was the most disgraceful they had entered in the colony. He moved an amendment that this meeting refer the proposal back to the Corporation with a recommendation to consider the advisability of erecting a town hall and Council offices in connection with the Literary Institute. Mr R. L. Brewster seconded the amendment pro forma, suggesting that the Borough also provide for the extension of the water mains for the protection from fire. Mr D. P. Sinclair, a member of the Literary Institute Committee, sympathised with the amendment, but as he thought that the larger project would imperil the present proposal, he supported the original. He spoke of the desirableness of an up-to-date library and a reading-room which the public would find a convenient resort for reference to books and leading newspapers. He regarded the scheme as a self-supporting one, and the loan rate as a mere formality. Mv W. Carr did not agree with the proposal. If there was such a good thing in it why did not the Institute people keep it to themselves. Look what the magnificent managing talent of the Borough Council had done for the gasworks. Gasworks all the world over were known to be the most payable of investments, and what had happened here? He quoted figures. One "white elephant" wa* quite enough (laughter.) It was said that the Institute would not be a burden on the rates. ' Let them sanction the loan and see what would happen. Mr McArtney; in replying, said he had very little to answer. .With regard to Mr Carr's remarks, he would again point out that the Institute were asking the Council to take over the property because they did not have the power to borrow money for the sorelyneeded work of re-building, and the Council had that power. As for the gasworks, he did not come to the meeting to talk gasworks. With regard to Dr. Redman's amendment, he admitted that a more adequate town hall was very desirable, but before they launched out to that extent they would have to very carefully consider what kind of a hall should be put up. It was all very well to say that a town hall was wanted, and it would pay; but he ventured to say that if the proprietors of the present hall could see good business in increasing their accommodation they would not hesitate to do so. If it was such a great "spec" as people said, businessmen would not hesitate. He did not believe it was. A town hall would be very much more expensive than the present scheme, and it was very questionable whether it would pay. It was said that a good hall would attract first-class companies. But the question of the population of the place should not be overlooked. It was not the hall that attracted companies; it was the prospect of doing business. The main question was —Is there a sufficient number of theatre-going people here to warrant the erection of a larger hall ? He believed a better hall would pay, but he warned those who agitated for such an improvement that, if it was not to be a losing concern, the very best judgment would have to be used in deciding upon the size and nature of the building. The Mayor, referring to the townhall idea, mentioned a suggestion that had been discussed by Cr Macey and himself. This was that the Council should grant the free use of the ground adjoining Seymour Square to a private company for the erection of a hall. (Applause). He was in favor of the suggestion, and he felt sure that the Council would meet a combination of people interested in the object of establishing a good theatre. He for one would be prepared to take shares in such a company. In further discussion Mr G. E. Brown suggested a loan of £3000, and the erection of such a ball as that in Greymouth, which cost £2300. Before putting the amendment the Chairman explained that it was not necessary to take a resolution at all. He pointed out that only a small proportion of the ratepayers were present, and he explained that advertising expenses, etc., having been incurred, the Council would feel bound to take the present proposal to the poll. The amendment was lost on a show of hands. Mr Wemyss suggested a two-storeyed building for the Institute, the upper rooms to be used as the Council offices* The Mayor said the Council's tenure in the Government BuiJdings might be weak, but the Council would sell their birthright as dearly as possible. The present Institute plan did not provide, for two storeys, but it was a good suggestion that the building be made sufficiently strong to allow of an addition on top later on. Dr Redman added the suggestion that the new building be erected with an eye to the use of the property for other publio purposes in the future. The original motion was carried on a division by 26 to 12, A vo'e of thanks having been accorded to the chair, the Chairman expressed the hope that all interested in the project would work for its accomplishment. "If you give us this," he concluded, " perhaps later on we will give you a town hall." Novelties.—We have just landed, ex Gothic, from London, a good assortment of Children's Tunics and Dresses, trimmed with braid 3 and furs, with Bonnets to match each one. Smale and Hay, London House.

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