TAHAKOPA PUBLIC HALL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3309, 15 August 1917, Page 14

TAHAKOPA PUBLIC HALL.

A correspondent writes: On Wednesday evening last the opening- of the Tahakopa Memorial Hall took place. The building is 50ft by 26ft, with stage 17ft 6in by Bft, and it does credit to the designer and builder (Mr Ballance), who is an employee of Mr W. M'Lauchlan, and was lent to the committee for the purpose of supervising the work. All those who could spare a day or a few hours volunteered their services for the work. The hall is close to the railway station, on a piece of Mr D. M. Fea’s freehold property, generously donated for this purpose. Mr A. Stoddart also offered the people a quarter-acre section of his freehold property for the same purpose, but a public meeting preferred the site offered by Mr Fca. This building vyas erected by public cash subscription and timber donated by the Lauriston Timber Company, and Mr Wm. M'Lauchlan and Messrs Wright, Watson, and Harrington, leaving the Building Committee a comparatively small quantity to buy. The total cost of the building to date is £llß 17s 6d, towards which public subscriptions totalled £44 7s 6d, and the balance (£74 10s) was lent to the comni'ttoo by the secretary (Mr W. M'Lauchlan). The building was well lit up and tastefully decorated with flag? and streamers on the opening night. Mr J. F-oster presided over one of the best and

most varied concerts ever given in the district, encores being numerous and enthusiastic. i'no performers were: Piano soloist, Mr Miller; songs— Mesdames A aids and Fulton, Miss M‘Donald, Messrs A. Wallace, MTntosh, Jinks, Griffin, Houston, and Griffin, jun.; violin solo, Mr Rae; recitations —Messrs Stewart, W. Fea, and Wallace ; step-danoing, Mr D. Murphy. At the close of the concert a dance was held, over 50 couples taking part, to music supplied by Mr S. Roller (violin) and Mr '.olds (piccolo), assisted by Messrs Fulton, Rae, and Dryden. Dancing was indulged in until an early hour. The supper was all that could bo desired. The total proceeds from the concert and dance will be about £2O, less the cost of catering. A few more such entertainments would soon pay off the present liability. We now only want the terminus of the railway to be here and this would bo the busiest town on the Gatlins lino.