SITE FOR CHAMBERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22489, 5 August 1936, Page 18

SITE FOR CHAMBERS

DISPUTE AT TE AROHA OPPOSITION TO COUNCIL [by TELEGRAPH —OWN correspondent] TE AROHA, Tuesday By 28 votes to 2, tho Te Aroha Chamber of Commerce decided at a special meeting last night to object to the Loans Board concerning the application to that body by the Te Aroha Borough Council for authority to raise a loan of £5500 for new municipal chambers. • Mr. L. Hopkins said the chamber should strongly protest at the council's attitude in proceeding with the project in direct opposition to the expressed opinion of a large body of residents. The chamber was not so much opposed to the new building itself, as to its being erected on the site of the old chambers, as was suggested. Almost everyone agreed that the corner section now occupied by the old police station was the ideal siteMr. E. C. Old said the council had not kept faith with the residents over the police station site. Further, residents had all along expected the new buildings to include a town hall. It was ridiculous to spend over £SOOO merely to provide offices and a board room.

It was decided to object to the Loans Board, and to advise the Borough Council that the chamber would oppose the municipal building scheme until such time as the council included provision for a town hall, and reopened the question of securing the police station site.