A QUESTION OF COURTESY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13049, 14 December 1905, Page 6

A QUESTION OF COURTESY.

CHRISTCHURCH COUNCIL AND CANTERBURY HALL. [BY TELEGRAPH.— press ASSOCIATION.] CHnis'ionuECH, Wednesday. At a meeting of directors of the. Canterbury Hall Company yesterday afternoon resolutions were, adopted expressing surprise tbaib the Christchurch City Council should deem it necessary to act in such a discourteous manner as disclosed by the press reports of the discussion upon the subject of the purchase of the company's property; that the consent to' sell the property to the city, be at once Withdrawn, and the alterations be proceeded with forthwith; that the above resolutions be forwarded to the Mayor, and to the newspapers for publication. • The chairman of the company, in a letter to the Mayor, stated that the present negotiations emanated entirely from the Council, and' it was agreed to sell the property for £25,000 cash, subject to the Council deciding at last meeting to take a poll of the ratepayers at the earliest possible date, the directors agreeing to wait for two months before proceeding with the contemplated alterations. The Council bad deliberately postponed consideration of the matter for six weeks, and it would thc-n take another two months to carry out the legal technicalities. The Mayor, in reply, stated that no discourtesy was intended. In view of the fact that the Council's committee appointed to deal with the matter had not' reported to the Council at last meeting, and the company's offer in writing had not com? to hand, it was decided to defer the question until next meeting of the Council, unless in the meantime a special meeting be called for the purpose. The Mayor added that he personally was opposed to the purchase of the property b> the city.