AUCKLAND HALL OF INDUSTRIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11739, 22 August 1901, Page 3

AUCKLAND HALL OF INDUSTRIES.

'i CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SCHEME. i, e THE EXHIBITION SURPLUS. ' The proposal to erect a Chamber of Com- ',' mere© and Hall of Industries in Auckland came again before the Council of the Auek- , land Chamber of Commerce yesterday. A j letter was read from the secretary to the n ' Harbour Board, in reply to the Chamber's e application to the Board for a site for the i building, asking what were tho Chamber's 8 intentions: (1) In relation to the class of a building to be erected; (2) the terms upon 0 which it was proposed the property should j* be vested; and (3) such other details as 3 might lead the Board to a conclusion on e tho matter. 0 Mr. A. H. Nathan said the Harbour Board ■ wanted to know not so much the architectural 9 design of the building as the purposes of it. fc Was it for a Chamber of Commerce and Ins dustrial Hall solely, or were there any other ■ public objects? The Board had not power s to give away the land; they could not sell ; they could only lease, and that after adver--9 tising for two months. At the Board lie > suggested a peppercorn rent, and a smile " went round the table. Mr. W. Gunson said at the Harbour Board 3 committee the question was raised if the ' Chamber would derive revenue from lotting t parts of tho building as offices. Some mem- • bers thought it was scarcely within the pro--3 vince of the Board to grant a site at a > peppercorn rent to enable the Chamber to ■ derive revenue. , r Sir. S. Vaile said all tho rental tho Chamf ber got would be devoted to commercial purt poses. > Mr. A. B. Roherton said he did not think ' the Chamber could erect a building worthy 3 of the Chamber or of the city unless they could rent some of it. Mr. D. R, Caldwell (president or the t Chamber) said when he was in Wellington 1 Mr. Witheford arranged for him o have t an interview with Sir Joseph Ward on this - question. i Unfortunately .Sir Joseph Ward i was taken ill, and the interview did not come , off, but he* (Mr. Caldwell) put in writ ; ng > what he thought tho Chamber required. He suggested that the Chamber might put up- a - building worth about £5000, that they in- - tended either the first or second floor to be • utilised as a Hall of Industries for all the , products of tho, colony, and that, as the Government had been taking great interest in commercial museums and similar matttrs, ' the Chamber would allocate a certain space ' for their exhibits, and would also, if necessary, set aside a small office for Government use. His proposal was that the Government 1 should grant £1000 to the Chamber. Mr. Witheford had the matter in hand, and would seo Sir Joseph Ward and the other members of the Government on the subject. ?.fr. Caldwell thought the best course meantime would be for a committee to draw up a reply to the Harbour Board's letter. Mr. A. H. Nathan said his opinion was that they should let the Harbour Board alone and get a piece of freehold land, so that they would be able to borrow money on the land and building. Mr. B. Kent agreed with Mr. Nathan, because neither of the Harbour Board" sections would bo very suitable, on account of the heavy cost of the necessary foundations It was then agreed, as suggested by Mr. Caldwell, that a committee should draft a reply to the Harbour Board, giving the information requested. A copy of the judgment of the Supreme Court in the action over the Exhibition surplus was read. The secretary stated that the expenses of the action had not yet been taxed, but were expected to amount to about £150. It was agreed to get the money transferred to the names of the new trustees named by the Court—the president and vicepresident of the Chamber and the Mayo,' of Auckland and chairman of the Harbourßoard —as soon as the amount of the expenses has been ascertained.