TOWN HALL SCHEME.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 2030, 17 August 1920, Page 2

TOWN HALL SCHEME.

VICTORIA SQUARE SITE. POLL ON LOAN PROPOSAL TO BE TAKEN. The Town Hall scheme advanced .'mother stage last evening when the Christchurch City Council decided, after a long discussion, to take a poll of the ratepayers on the proposal to raise a loan of £60,000 to purchase the property fronting Victoria, Kilmore and Colombo Streets. This poll will be taken in conjunction with one for a loan in connection with the proposal to build for municipal purposes on the Canterbury Hall site.

Pursuant to notice Cr E. E. Langlev moved: "That the Town Clerk be authorised to take the necessary steps to take a poll of the ratepavers on a proposal to raise a loan of'£6o.ooo for tße purchase of the block of land bounded bv Victoria. Kilmore and Colombo Streets and Cambridge Terrace, as a site for a Town Hall: any surplus money remaining after paying for the land and incidental expenses to be applied towards the cost of the buildings to be erected thereon." Cr Langley said that on March 15, he had had a motion carried for the taking of a poll of ratepayers on the question of the purchase of the property. Later, a molion by Cr J. A. Flesher to rescind this was defeated. However, he had heard nothing further concerning the taking of the poll, although the Finance Committee was supposed -to have the matter in hand. Personally, he thought £50.000 would cover the cost of acquiring, the land. There should be a building symbolic of the greatness of the city. The money could be raised at 5i per cent. Voices: Where?

Cr Langlev: That is the advice T pot from the Town Clerk. He endeavoured to show that, in live years, the city, if it had not then built on the site, would have a property worth £55.803. with a liability of £50.000, less the amount of sinking fund in hand. He had conferred with the Town Clerk, who had prepared estimates concerning the financial position. On a loan of £60.000, there would be an expenditure of £3600 per annum for interest and sinking fund. The loss of half rates now paid bv the landlords would be £54, making the total cost £3654 per annum. Afiainst this, rents would return £2700 ner annum. Taking the actual cost of the property as £50.000, there remained the sum Of £IO,OOO which would' return £3OO per annum in.interest. The annual loss would be £654. but the value of the property, he considered, would advance. On a loan of £50.000 at 6 ner cent, the annual loss •would be £364. Although the council did not propose to build on the property for some time, this would not prevent the compulsory acquisition of the land under the Public Works Act. Tactics of Opposition.

There was a member of the | council, Cr Langley continued, who, hail stronelv opposed the erection of, a Town Hall on the site, although the proposal had been twice confirmed by the council. This member, lie was sure, in his heart wished fo see a Town Hall tin the Canterbury Hall site. The original proposal to acquire Canterbury Hall for a Town Hall was rejected by the ratepayers, and the council, in a recent public statement, had given a guarantee that the -Canterbury Hall site was not to he acquired for the purposes of a Town Hall. If that undertaking were set aside, it would be a distinct breach of faith. Cr J. A. Flesher: What size is the hall von want to build? Cr Langlev: 1 haven't got the plans vet! (Laughter.) He was convinced that the council should buy the site, even though it was impossible to build at once, because property values were going up rapidly. The ratepayers should be given an opportunity of voting on the question, ■which had been kept from them for too long. Cr A. Williams, who seconded the motion, said that the people of Christchurch wanted a Town Hall, and shouftl be given an opportunity l<. say where the site should be. When the Canterbury Hall proposal v-,s before the ratepayers, the public was told that this was not intended to be a substitute for the Town Hall scheme. He thought that authority should be asked to borrow up to £60,000. The motion threw the responsibility on the ratepayers and the people had the right to he consulted. Cr J. 0. Jameson suggested that the question of a Town Hall site should be out to the ratepayers at the same time as the loan proposal in connection with the Canterbury Hall scheme.

The Minor: That is the intention if the motion is carried! Smaller Site Suggested.

Cr A. Mt'Kellar moved as an amendment: "That a committee consisting of the Mayor, and Crs Agar, Armstrong, Flesher, Langley and the mover, be set up to secure an option for the purchase of sections 248 to 251 inclusive, and to submit to the council a Town Hall scheme of building, and financing same, spread ovex :t period of 10 or more years, such scheme, when approved by the council, to be submitted to a poll of the ratepayers." He said that he had carefully considered the site, and he had come to the conclusion that the eastern part of the block would he sufficient for the purpose. To buy the whole block, as suggested, would be wasteful, and, in some instances, the council would be paying more than the properties were worth. ("r .1. A. Flesher, in seconding the amendment, said that the council was now committed lo using the Canterbury Hall site, and the remains of the building still on it. to Ihe besl advantage. Whether Ihe Mavor's recent suggestion thai Ihe old hall portion of Ihe block should be used

;:s a rool store. 01 t'«>r oilier purposes, was reall\ .1 matter lor the ratepayers l<> ilecide. lie went mi i" rriticise Cr l.anglcx's figures, notably as to the value ol Ilie buildings imw standing on the Victoria S(|iiare sile. lie was sure tlial if the proposal went to the ratepayers lhe.\ would answer it emphatically in one \va y. (',:• A. Williams: Then why worry? C.v l.anglcy: They would answer unaniniouslv. "Yes!" C.v I'lesher said thai (he city had Josl two halls in recent years—the Colosseum and the King's Theatre. One of the best uses lor part of the Canterbury Hall site would be the erection of a hall. It was agreed that municipal offices should be put up on the southern portion of the site. In limes of financial stringency, like the present, the council bad no right to go in for such a

luxury as a large Town Hall. It was admitted that the hall could not be built for 10 or 12 years. Cr Langley said the council would save the increase in the unimproved value, but it would certainly have to face a heavy bill for interest in the meantime. The scheme should be held up until the plans for utilising the Canterbury Hall site had been prepared, and the whole matter could be laid before the ratepayers. He supported the amendment because it provided, at any rate, for a site which would be ample for the purDose. The site, as proposed by Cr Langley, would give the hall a southern aspect, which was undesirable, and the council would be buying much* of the block simply for open spaces. Cr Langley: Yes! And the approach to the hall would be by way of all those wooden shops in Vicjtoria Street. I Cr H. T. Armstrong said that, although a Town Hall might be claimed I as a luxury, the people were entitled ito some luxuries. If it was found that the ratepayers were opposed to the proposal, the knowledge would be worth the cost of the poll. The council had already agreed to the site, and no further time should be lost in placing the matter before the ratepayers. Cr fl. F. Herbert considered that now was lhe time to acmiire the property, even if a Town Hall were not built for 10 years. He was not in favour of building any form of hall on the Canterbury Hall site. It was acquired for administrative offices only. Voices: Municipal purposes. Cr Flesher's amendment was defeated by 12 votes to three and the motion was carried. Poll on Two Schemes. Cr Fleshcr .then moved that the r,(,posal should be submitted on the same day as the poll for a loan for the erection" of municipal ollices on the Canterbury Hall site. Cr Langley said that unless a time limit was imposed within which the polls would be taken, he would oppose the motion. The Canterbury Hall matter had already been delayed a long time. Cr Herbert seconded the motion. After further discussion the Mayor gave the assurance that the City Surveyor would receive instructions to Jiave the plans for the buildings on 'the Canterbury Hall site prepared within two months. The motion was carried.