CORONATION MEMORIAL.

Patea Mail, Volume XXXIV, 5 June 1911, Page 2

CORONATION MEMORIAL.

Patea’s Proposals, The public meeting held in the Borough Chambers on Saturday forenoon was attended by Messrs J. A. s McKenna (Mayor), F. W. Grainger, B. E. Wells, J P, Egan, J. Kennedy, O. A. Larcombe, E. E. Gilbert, Revs 11. Doano and White, F. Runsbottom, J. G. Beamish, G D. Hamorton, F. Spooner, J. Gibmn, J. Hulbert, and S: Death, The Mayor, in opening the meeting explained that the Government were to grant a £ for £ subsidy , to extent of £250, for the purpose of ; : making a Coronation memorial which; might take the form of a building on 1 tree planting. This would only be) granted, however, when the amount raised to claim the subsidy was not loan money. His Worship then went on to mention the various forms the memorial might take. Patea, he said had been richly endowed by Nature and therefore treoplauting was not the most necessary work, But in public buildings Patea was sadly lacking, and a town hall was urgently required. The present hall had served its purpose for the last 30 years, but it had outlived its time and the time had arrived when it should be improved or replaced. In passing, he would merely suggest the possibility of enlarging the present hall and brings i ing it up-to da f e. To erect a su : table I town hall, would, it had been estimated 'cost £4OOO. The Government subsidy of £250 could be claimed as part of' this, and the hall could bo called a j Coronation memorial. The £250 the| .Government would grant would at' least cover incidental expenses. With regard to tree planting, the speaker mentioned that this had been going on monitor less for the past 25 years. If the streets wore planted the trees would, of course, have to be fenced In connection with celebrating the Coronation, it was not his intention that the Council should take a lead in the matter. This should be left to the volunteers, schools, and churches. The Council were a staid sort of body and did not believe in fireworks and the like. But if the matter was taken up by the bodies he had referred to, be as Mayor, would he pleased to assist Mr Grainger asked if they procured the subsidy of £250 and then the necessary £4OOO loan was not granted, what would happeh.

The Mayor said the intention was to apply for the subsidy and then find out from the ratepayers how it was to be expended. Mr Robbie, who had arrived during the course of the Mayor’s opening remarks, said ho regretted he had not hoard them all, but he had come there with the idea of proposing or supporting a proposal in favour of a swimming bath being cons'ructed as a memorial. Such was badly needed in the town. He explained the difficulties experienced in bathing in the river, and stated that in connection with the swimming classes among the school children, it was fortuhate that no drowning accidents had occurred, Apart from the school a large number of residents were swimmers and they wore always dependant upon the vagaries of the tide. The Mayor : Where will you get the water? Mr Robbie: Artesian.

Continuing, Mr Robbie quoted figures in connection with the Eltham baths, which had cost £330 and which would be ample for Patea. Of course, Eltham got the water from the river and so similar baths in Patea would cost more, but he was quite sure £SOO would more than cover it. He moved that steps be taken to construct swimming baths, the details to be left to the Council.

Mr Larcombe, in seconding said he thought the scheme a very feasible one.

The Mayor ; Impossible at the present.

Mr Larcombe; Why ? Tho Mayor: It would cost over £IOOO. Mr Larcombe said Mr Robbia had stated figures and he presumed they could be relied upon. Continuing, ho said tho difference between £330 and £SOO would more than sink a well and erect a windmill. He referred in a similar strain as Mr Robbie to the dangor'of swimming in the river. As far as tho town hall was concerned, he was much in favour of it, but he thought if Patea could afford £4OOO for the purpose it could also afford £250 for baths.

Mr Gibson said that though ho was in favour of tho town ha!!, ho would certainly net oppose the baths proposal. Rut if such a project was adeped fie would like to son salt water used for them, and if they could be heated they would hauo almost as good a beneficial influence as the Rotorua baths, lie considered that it was not beyond the bounds of possibility to pump salt water from tho sea, and an excellent site would be on tho vacant section near tho police station. Mr Cody, on rising', regretted tho c-vmparativoly small attendance and voni'uroi to state that tho day, being .a holiday, was a bad one for such a meeting, as such a number of tho residents were out of town.

The Mayor interjected that the people might have stayed at homo to attend the meeting. Mr Cody said that he had not a little inconvenienced himself by staying at homo so that ho could be present. Continuing, he said he favoured the swimming baths proposal, but he doubted if the scheme to pump the water from the ocean to the town would bo workable. Ho would suggest constructing the baths at the Heads, and if the roads woro improved and made attractive, Patoa might bocorao a popular seaside resort, Mr 11. W. JXamertoa asked how, if baths woro erected at the Hoads, they were to always get pure wa’er. Whan the tide wont out the polluted water from the meat, works would'get in the baths.

Mr Cody explained hew this cm Id bo avoided.

Mr Gilbert pointed out that baths at tho heads could not be of nearly so much benefit as laths in tho town.

Mr E. W. Hamerton honestly thought that in considering the baths proposal they ,were on the wrong track. The scheme was not feasible. For instance the drainage ox tho town was not good enough, and the suggested artesian water supply was extremely problematical. The idea of using silt water commended itself, but the coal would bo too groat, especially as the

augges ted town hall wouM e., £4OOO. He thought they should b -r n ia a atnairway and ua© the übsidy in tree planting or the like. Mr Spooner said he would like to see part of the subsidy earmarked for a new fire brigade station. Mr Grainger was much in fayour of the swimming baths which were most necessary for the rising generation. Mr Hamorton had estimated the cott at £IOOO. Even if the baths cost thi i ... they would bo worth it. He was against the baths being placed at the Heads. Ho suggested that a committee be set up to recommend, to the Council. Mr Eobbie then altered his resolu ■ tion as follows: “That this meeting strongly recommends the Council to ; favourably consider tne question of I swimming baths—salt water if found ■ practicable. The Mayor said the form of the resolution was right but he considered swimming baths would cost £ISOO. He did not doubt Mr R -bbie’s figures in connection with the Eltham baths, but he reminded them that Eltham had water and drainage, while Patea bad neither. Taking into considertion the fact the Council were endeavouring to devise a scheme for getting water and drainage for Patea —and as Mayor# was his intention to get water drainage for Patea-he thought it would not be wise to consider a swim- . ming baths proposal. He did not want to put a damper on the scheme were dssirable but should not he con=> . sidered until they bad water and : | drainage. As Mayor he would not p favour the baths scheme at the Council I table. The motion was then put to the i meeting and was lost by 6 to 5, a | number not vo’ing, Mr Gilbert then moved that the | Smatter bo left in the hands of the | fCouncil, with a recommendation that » the subsidy be spent on a town hall. • Mr Egan seconded. Mr Gibson asked the Mayor what the Council was in favour of. The Mayor said he did not know. Mr Gibson said he m'ust have an idea in his head and urged the Mayor to take the meeting into his confidence. The Mayor sail the matter had not been discussed by the Council, therefore he could not say what the Council were in favour of. Personally he was in favour of a Town Hall and the Heads road schem'. Mr Gibson congratulated the Mayor on having taken the meeting into his confidence. Ha. (the Mayor) was right when he said that baths for Patea would cost much more than those in Eltham. No doubt the town hall scheme was a good one. If such, were erected, be would like to see accommodation provided in it, where young people could spend * their evenings. The Heads Road scheme was also a good one. Mr Larcorabe said he was in favour of the town hall scheme. He was giad to see the Chairman was in earnest about the matter: But a town hall would cost £4OOO and if Patea could afford £4OOO for this purpose, it could also afford £250. He then moved that the Borough Council increase its grant to the Domain Board by £4O. TheMavor: I can’t take that. This " is not a Council meeting. I do not want this meeting to he split up and Mr Larcombe is trying to do so. Cri"3 of “ No, No! ” Mr Larcombe! If you rule me out of order, then I have nothing more to say. But I think that this meeting was called to recommend the Council as to how they should spend the subsidy. Continuing, Mr Larcombe said his resolution was a recommendation to the Council. The Mayor: We cannot get a subsidy for the Domain Board, Will you sit down ? Mr Larcombe submitted to the ruling of the chair. The resolution was then put and carried. *TEGT Spooner then asked if the Coronation would be cpleb^ted. The Mover stated as before that this ± would he loft to the volunteers, schools | and churches. Rev. H, Deane said all his Church was going to do was to hold a special service Mr Hamorton said that as far as the territorials were concerned they would merely fall in with what the citizens decided. They would not take a lead. . Mr Robbie said the school would not take a load. The Mayor said that under these circumstances the Council might consider the question of celebrating the Coronation at to-night’s meet* ingThe meeting then terminated.