THE TOWN HALL SITE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 1, Issue 42, 8 November 1912, Page 3

THE TOWN HALL SITE.

And Harrington Avenue.

The question of thv Town Hall site and Harrington Avenue was recently rtfene." lo the solicitors, Messr. Kn/iAn aid Hulloway, for ajvici. It Will be remembered that the cor.rir r, which tho site for the I'ujt*-' hall was vested in the borough only lately become known to the Lout ii. rSy the agreement withlheul.l I(.n Rta'd th 3 Board had to fni :,.', metal a ro2d and fontpatrn through what was private property, tu mablo the same to be cut up for sale, ami to accept dedication of the road. In return, a guartti-acre section was vested in the borough, but the condition was attached that this section must be used as a eite fur a town hail or bor..uzii office?. Members of the Council have expressed themselves very emphatically about the unwisdom of tt.is agreement. With the shifting of the railway station sni the' bniloirg dvvelopmect of the town the Council, js one member put it, "does not want its offices, much less the Town Hall, right away at the wrong end cf the town." Mr Ei dean, who was present at Wednesday night's mseting of the Council, said the document in question W39 very clear on i h e points that t e Council had to accept transfer cf the land, and shall not use it for any other purpose than a site for a Town Hall, chamber.-, oi offics for the D 33 of the Council. The agreement wa3 not a vtrv gotd thing for tht borough. He suggested that the Council should appoint one or two cf its members to intend* Mr Kennelly, tJ ace what arrangements could be made to enable the Council to use the site for whatever purpose it mtebt be r*q»ired. He understood that some work bad yet to be done by the Council.* The Mayor: Ihat is so, but no funds been available. Cr Hamilton: Besides no money, no scoria has been available, and in any case the wet weather would have stopped the work. MrEnd:an suggested that in the event of Mr Kennelly proving difficult to deal with that the matter should be placed in hia firm's hands. Cr Hamilton: Do you consider that we have broken our agreement by putting up these sheds' Mr Er.dean: Well, no. I don't think so. Cr Kennelly: What about the roads. They were to have been completed tefore October 15th. Don't you tnink it is time that was djne? "

Cr Hamilton: What fand is it to be dine out of'.'

Cr Kenelly said his father's '"solicitor had tdvhed bim that Ihe contract had Inen uroke \ It was reckoned that thi cost of the road w«s under £BO so fa'. and something like £55 was rrq-jired to finish it. Bis father had put his m r.ev into it and waded 10 see the work done

Cr Pollock said he had asked ar.d found out that the road had so far cost £7 l J sj; it was estimated in it £55 w.:uld complete it. Cr Kenmlly: Yes; and father refused £240 for the section.

Cr Johns protested that the Council had £135 worth of interest in the section, and yet had no say in it as to how it was to be occupied. Cr Comrie suggested that Mr Kennelly should be a=ked what he would aibw the Council for the work dane en the" road and take the sect hack. Cr Kennelly said ihe s ction was worth £250, so that the matter ought t j te arranged. Cr Johns: Cr rise let us pay the difference and and let us have the aecti.n out.

■ Cr Ker.iielly further explained that j/theu th 3 old Town Board cut clown <he hill they brought the water down from Jackson's corner. "We objected ti> the watfr being brought through our propeity," he said. •'We would not .have allowed the Town Hail site except for thst consideration. Of coarse, I an sp-rak-jng for my father, not for myself."

The Mayor: Of course, you are {•peaking a3 a Councillor now. Finally, the Mayor and Cr Polkek were empowered to interview Mr Kcnneily in connection with the arKC?me t, and see what arrangement c uld be arrived at. It was understood that the discuss'nn was to he a friendly one and without prejudice to thi Council's claims or rights.

ABOUT THE FIRE BELL

rhe location of the fire bell is the

chief matter prising out of the di?

pute over v.hat is known as the •|o*n Hall site. It. is held ty Mr Kcnneily that in the terms of the agreement the lire bell cannot be erected 0 1 the site. CrC'.miit mentioned that the tim-

ice ordered for the tower was coming fto ha'-d, and they shtull decide where the timterini,' was to eo. Cr John;? thought Mr Kculston should he approached to *ee if he would gi'«e ptrmis-i:.:: for the erectioi; of t!i' bell or. th: section rext bis shi-P • Coir.ci "'..' sw-gp-fcd ti'at the hell shjul I »' -f'-'' d rear the three lamp 4. :!n • r Hilk.y favcured putting the tower in the midilh of the load at t. 1 e intcr-ree.ion of High an d Kdinbinisri .trects (Jr ('omrie in'ivcd That the I r t,• ■ r [jo put across the footpath in Edin-burgh-street, ju-t behind the Salva tion Armv barrack?. The if-'-'i '"' !,a!, 'i w,, uld tie u.i cither si.l : f f' ; ' l ,J th ar( ' wuuld ml interfere witi the I'M traffic. Cr Nairn 1 ' n•- ' '• *'' : - fhi - proj.ii. ai did r.ot find favour lr K' n-.elly b< ■ ' that wb re tin: lull was put the fire re I should be. and there waj no place tu put Ibe re. i ~ the suifto sttd feil ?lte in Kdin jLghstrct. After tome further di ß cus?icii it was left 'o b'rs L'nmrif*, Jtdins and Pollack t<; place the timber and select a3 ,u for tne Ull-lowcr.