THE TOWN HALL PROPOSAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 156, 3 June 1937, Page 4

THE TOWN HALL PROPOSAL.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Now' that the proposal of a Town Hall is being put to the ratepayers of Feilding, I think that they are entitled to all the information that is available on the subject!. The Mayor put his scheme (which is entirely his o" - n) to a puhlic meeting in tht Parish fiall, but the attendance on that occasion tad not- justify calling another meeting to put- the other scheme that is under consideration by a number of the councillors. The Mayor's scheme places the Town Hall on a section by itself, fronting P'ergusson, Stafford and McArthur Streets. The other proposal discussed by the council was for a Town Hall on the present municipal block. with the addition of a purchase of 10 feet in Kimbolton ' Road to allow space for sewerage, lighting, and fire escapes. The building suggested—and b.e it remembered that, at its present stage, it is only a suggestion —would be of two storeys measuring LGS x 50 feet over all, with the measurements of the hall itself being 90ft

by 48 feet. The stage i would be! 23 by 33 feet (759 square feet), the' kitchen 25 x 10 feet (.250 square feet), and the'supper room 28 x 37 feet (1036 square feet). Ihese measurements compare favourably with the Drill Hall, which is 60 x 48 feet, with the supper room 30 x 20 feet (720 I square feet) and also with the Mayor's seneme, his hall having a seating accommodation ot 816 persons, With a stage 34 x 20 feet (680 square feet), supper room 51 x 20 ieet (1020 square feet) and a kitchen l7ft. Oui. by yiti T lie municipal block proposal also ; includes the renewing or tue present I Municipal Buildings on an improved scale. as 1 have already stated, this proposal, as tar as the plan of the building is concerned, is in its present stage only a suggestion : the mam idea is to have our 'lown Hall in a prominent position, and either , attached to the other • municipal buildings, or near enough to be associated with them. ihis was the stage reached when the matter was last discussed by tne Borough Council. Now for some information that has 1 been brought to my notice since last : council meeting; but before I deal with it I wish to state, ill fairness to the other councillors, that as far as I can gather the Mayor and Or Smith were ' the only members of the Borough Council who had anything to do with the selection of the Mayor's site at a cost of £I9OO. It now appears that this was one of seven offers, but has any mention of.the other six been made to the council? My information, which is from a thoroughly reliable source, lists them as follow:—(1) AG6 by 166 ft section, the frontage being from the library to the Drill Hall, and extending from Stafford Street to Aorangi Street. This section was offered at £IOOO, but can be obtained at £BOO. (2) An acre section, with a house on it, fronting Staf-' ford Street (opposite the Oddfellows' Hall) and extending from Bowe'n Street to Hobson Street. £BSO. (3) A quarteracre section in Bo wen Street between Svendsen's Buildings and the Fire Brigade Station, £9OO. (4) A quarter-acre section (66 by 165 ft) in Kimbolton Koad between Manchester Hotel and the Tivol.i Theatre, £IOOO. (5) a quarteracre section in Kimbolton Road opposite the Bangikitei Club. (6) A quarteracre section in Kimbolton Road between Blake and Strawbridge's and Dr. Salmond's, £IOOO. I can assure your leaders that, if the municipal block scheme is accepted by the ratepayers, these offers will come up for consideration, and their possibilities thoroughly explored before any final scheme is accepted, or any loan proposal is put to the ratepayers. Finally, it will be seen that, if any one of these six properties were purchased, a Town Hall, independent of the Municipal Buildings, could be erected, with a saving of at least £IOOO in comparison with the Mayor's scheme.—l am. etc., ' '' P. G. GUY. Feilding, June 3, 1937.