KAITAIA LIBRARY

Northern Advocate, 20 July 1935, Page 3

KAITAIA LIBRARY

BUILDING SOLD A LIVELY DISCUSSION. TABLE THUMPER REPROVED. There was a brisk discussion at the special meeting of the Kaitaia Town Board on Friday called for the purpose of passing a special order for the sale of the Public Library building. For some time past the Town Board has had the building of a new library and ladies’ rest room under consideration, but, before that could be : expected, it was necessary to dispose of the old library building at Grigg’s corner. Tenders far the present building, invited by advertisement, brought no response, and the chairman and Mr D. Archibald, one of the commissioners, were then appointed a committee with a view to obtaining the best offer by approaching possible purchasers privately. At the last meeting of the Town Board on July 15 the two members of the committee presented separate reports. The best offer obtained by the chairman was £l3O and Mr Archibald followed. this up with an offer he had received for £l7O. The price expected for the library was in the region of £2OO. Mr Clarke, a member of the board, was about to move that the better offer be accepted, but it was pointed out by Mr Lloyd Peace that it would be necessary to proceed by way of special order. The question arose as to whether the board was closing definitely with the offer made through Mr Archibald, and Mr Taa|te said that as far as he was concerned the offer was accepted, and members of the board appeared to acquiesce. In any case no opposing opinion was expressed. The proceedings were taken in committee and no resolution other than that a special meeting be called to pass a special order was passed. The price offered through Mr Archibald was withheld from the Press, which published no part of the discussion, but certain facts leaked out to the public and when the board met at the special meeting there was an offer for the library, beating that made by Mr Archibald by £5. Another Offer.

At the special meeting there was a full attendance of members and Mr J. T. B. Taaffe presided. ' The Town Clerk placed before the meeting an offer of £175 received from the Koa Rebecca Lodge and the Northern Star 1.0.0. F. Lodge. Mr Taaffe said that though the final acceptance of the offer had been held over for a special meeting he had indicated at the last meeting that as far as he was concerned the offer by Mr Archibald was accepted. He had gone as far as he was prepared to go in hawking the property. He did not think the new offer should be dealt with without the consent of Mr Archibald. Mr Taaffe went on to that though he had been working on a committee with Mr Archibald with the object of selling the library to the best advantage and he had let Mr Archibald have information with regard to any negotiations he had conducted, he was not treated with similar confidence, his colleague keeping him in the dark. Mr Taaffe added that there was nothing before the meeting and no resolution was passed. When a resolution was about to be suggested Mr Peace had stated that a special order would have to be passed at a special meeting. The chairman stated that while there was an offer for the library before the last meeting they did not know from whom it came. There was now another offer and it was for Mr Archibald to say whether this offer should be considered, unless of course members felt that the way was still open to consider other prices. Time Had Elapsed.

Mr D. Rutledge: “We all took up the attitude that the time for submitting prices had definitely closed and I took it that Mr Archibald was to table full particulars of his offer at this meeting. If not it could not be 3CC6pt6d* ,) Mr Taaffe: “Though I expressed the opinion that the deal was closed the board only had before it a verbal promise and nothing binding, and could over-rule me’in the position I took up. There had been nothing to prevent Mr Archibald coming along to the present meeting and saying that his client had changed his mind. There was still that possibility. I explained the position to people who wished to make an offer after last meeting." Mr Rutledge: “I am absolutely against considering any further offer. The matter has been finalised and we can trust Mr Archibald. If the offer of the 1.0.0. F. Lodge is accepted we will be making a farce out of Town Board proceedings. Mr Rutledge was emphasising his remarks by noisy gestures. The chairman: “You have no need to thump the table.” Mr Rutledge: “I can thump the table if I wish. It is one of my privileges.” The chairman; “Not if I rule you out of order.” Replying to Mr Rutledge the chairman said that any member of the board had the right to give information about what transpired in reference to the library at last meeting to anyone making inquiries. Mr Rutledge: “We gave our assurance to Mr Archibald that his offer would be accepted.” The chairman; “And you can back it up by resolution today.” Mr Peace said the last proceedings were in committee and yet information had got out to several people who had no right to know what was said. He and Mr Rutledge were members of the lodge from which the last offer had come, but they could not divulge, when tendering for the library was under consideration, what had taken place at the Town Board meeting and could not say that no further offer would be accepted. At his suggestion Mr Timbers had rung up the chairman, who had told him that an offer could be put in, but, as far as he (Mr Taaffe) was concerned, it would not be accepted. Tender Put In. Mr Peace suggested that Mr Achibald put in his tender so that the matter could be put in order. Mr Archibald laid on the table an offer in writing of £l7O. signed by himself. The chairman stating it was the first time the offer had been definitely before the board, added that at last meeting Mr Rutledge had suggested to Mr Archibald that he had better make a definite offer and he had replied: “It’s not my offer. I am putting it in for someone else,”

Mr Archibald: “You said you had hawked the library all round without getting a satsfactory price and I did not think it necessary to put my offer in black and white. I thought everything was quite in order.” Mr Taaffe: “I was the only one who voiced an opinion at last meeting.” 'Mr Archibald: “Did you divulge my price?” Mr Taaffe: “I told Mr Timbers definitely that we had closed on £l7O. That information was given in the strictest confidence but it has gone to the public.” Mr Rutledge: “It was stated at a meeting that it was a prominent Kaitaia businessman who had put in a tender.” Mr Peace: “I heard certain particulars in the street, but I do not think they came from a Town Board member, the press representatives or the Town Clerk. There were two tenders before the board and whfen the chairman made his statement about closing with the best offer I acquiesced, but it was the duty of the board to get the best price on behalf of the public and I would like to ask Mr Archibald whether he would withdraw his offer.”

Mr Clark: “After hawking the building for months we should ask Mr Archibald to stand' aside for the new offer. Had not the business to go through certain channels I would have moved at last meeting that Mr Archibald’s offer be accepted,” Mr Peace: “I am asking Mr Archibald to say whether his offer stands at the same figure.” Mr Archibald: “That has been my intention,” adding that he wanted to make it clear that he was making the offer on behalf of someone else. “Within My Rights.” Mr Peace: “As the offer stands we must sell to you.” Mr Archibald: “That will do in the meantime.”

The chairman: “We will transfer to you and you will have to transfer again. You have not, at any stage, revealed the name of your client.” Mr Archibald; “It was not necessary, was it?”

Mr Taaffe: “I disclosed the names of those I was in touch with, but you withheld information from me.”

Mr Archibald; “I was quite within my rights.” Mr Taaffe: “I will decline to act on a committee with you again.” Mr Archibald: “Put down Mr Alt Gray as the purchaser and I can get the offer in writing today.” Mr Clark moved that a special order be made disposing of the building to Mr Gray. The motion was carried. Mr Archibald moved that Mr Peace and himself be a committee to have plans for a new library and ladies’ rest room prepared. Mr Peace: “We should have a round table conference first.” 1 The chairman; “The time during which we can claim the £l6 promised by the county council will soon expire, but the offer will probably remain open now we are moving to have a new building.”

It was decided to hold a special meeting next Wednesday evening to consider the matter. Following the meeting, notice of motion was put in by Mr Taaffe, and was left at the town clerk’s office this morning for the rescision of the resolution.