TOKO'S NEW HALL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 127, 21 July 1911, Page 5

TOKO'S NEW HALL.

SUCCESSFUL OPENING. A CREDIT ABLE BAZAAR. Toko was eu lets yesterday afternoon on the occasion of the opening of the now hail. There was a fig crowd, including several StratlorU visitors, in front of the hall at 2 o’clock, when the ceremony of opening the hall was commenced. the proceedings were opened by Mr Were, who started his remarks by reading apologies for absence from the Jlon. i. Mackenzie and Messrs. G. A. Marchant, and A. J. King. Mr. Wore said that the settlors were first called together to consider the question of had accommodation on July 11th, .1.9.10, the promoters being Messrs. C. Griffin, A. T. Lees, G. Downs, and J). Bain. At the first meeting some six-ty-tive settlers were present. Canvassers were appointed, and on July 30th, 1910, they reported that they had collected Li/0. In September, 1910, an endeavour was made to get a Government subsidy on the understanding that the hall might be used for Territorial purposes,, but the effort failed. Towards the end of November, 1910, working bees started to excavate ’ the site, and continued work until the building of the hall was commenced. The hall committee wore greatly helped by settlers, who shifted six hundred yards of earth free of charge. In March of this year there was £217 in hand, and it was decided to proceed with the plans. Then the ladies of the district held a meeting and the result of that meeting was the bazaar being held that day. The contract for the hall was lot on May 3rd to Mr. J. Martin at a cost of £<3oß. Tiio building was lighted throughout by acetylene gas, which had been installed at a specially low rate by Mr. C. Tuck . Ho (Mr. Wore) believed the contractor (Mr. Martin) had done his work very well, and had also done it much below actual cost. Mr. Mealy, the architect of the building, had made a donation of £5 to, the hall funds. Thanks weyc duo to the settlors, who had carted all material in connection with the hall free of charge. Thanks wore also due to Mr J B. Mine, as the committee would not have thought of asking for a Coronation subsidy if they had not been reminded by him. To date the total receipts ln\d been £260 19s 6d, and the committee had incurred liabilities totalling £6OO.

Mr. •>. B. Hiue congratulated the committee on the fine effort they had made. He hoped in a few months to see a healthy debating society in Toko to make use of the hall, and ho supposed lie would have to be a member of the society. He desired particularly to congratulate the ladies. Ho had boon inside the hall, and he thought the bazaar was worthy of a bigger town than Toko. Before he stood down he also desired to express regret at the absence of the Hon. T. Mackenzie, who was a line typo of man, and whom he would have liked to have seen there that day. '

Mr. J. Masters, Mayor of Stratford, offered his congratulations to tire ladies of Toko. He iTad seen tire bazaar and was quite sure that the fine show was not the result of men’s work. The people of Toko were to be congratulated on possessing such a fine hall, and he did not think there was a town of similar sizo in Taranaki which could boast of a hull of the same size. They were in the midst of a dairying district, and there were present that day, no doubt, some of those who had borne the heat and burden of the day in the times when mud was more plentiful than money. To-day they had a fine hall, the full value of which, perhaps, they did not recognise. The hall would Ire of great value to the young people of the town, who, if they had no place whore they might innocently amuse themselves, would amuse themselves in a manner which might not please their parents. In Stratford they had a social organisation with 140 members. Young men recognised the value of the organisation and joined as soon as they could.

Mr. E. Marfell, representing the Stratford County Council, also offered his congratulations, making special mention of the ladies.

Mr. R. Dingle, president of the Stratford A. and P. Association, referred to the effort which had got a tennis court for Toko, and expressed the hope that the hall would soon be free of debt.

Mr. Maxwell, as one of the oldest settlers in the district, made a low remarks to the gathering. Toko, he said, had taken a leading position in tiie province over since settlement began. Something should be said that day regarding the pioneers of tiie district. One of those was Mr. Robert Bruce, who was a kindly, generous, and honest man. It was a source of regret to notice how few of the old settlers were present. Mr. Hine again addressed the gathering, and on behalf of the ladies’ committee, tendered thanks to Mr. Were. Ho then handed a silver key for the opening of tiie hall to Mr. Were, who was given three cheers.

Mr. Hino then formally named the hall “Toko Coronation Hall,” and tho gathering sang a verse of the National Anthem.

The door of the hall was then opened by Mr. Were and the assemblage moved inside, stalls being arranged around the sides of the ball. The body of the bail was at once filled with people, and the stalls did a good trade, a remark which applied equally to the afternoon tea room, which was arranged on the stage. Tiie following were in charge of tho various stalls;—No. 1, Mcsdamcs Were, Kilpatrick, Gornhoofer, and Griffiths; No. 2, Mesdames H. Milne and McPhail; No. 3, Mrs. Pearce and Miss Burghon ; No. 4, Mesdames Kennedy and Butler ; No. 5, Mesdames Kellehor and Allen, and Miss KclleJier; No. b, Mrs. Thorpe and Miss A. Wore; No. 7,-Misses Hine, Kellehor, and Allen; bran tub, Miss Were (Hawora); art gallery, Mrs. Reid ; shooting gallery, Mr. L. Richards. There was also a. place sot aside for the telling of fortunes, but it was ir|posciblo to find out who was in charge. 'The bazaar continued open yesterday afternoon and evening, and will lie open afternoon and evening tomorrow and Saturday.