PATRIOTIC HUT

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 77, Issue 6566, 15 September 1948, Page 6

PATRIOTIC HUT

ARRANGEMENTS FOR PURCHASE CONCLUDED

RECREATIONAL AREA BEING ARRANGED

At a meeting last week arrangements were concluded for the purchase of the Patriotic Hut at the Te Awamutu Air Force Station. The building, with a floor space of over 3000 ft was purchased by the trustees of the Te Awamutu Young Men’s Institute last May. Immediate finance by the issue of debentures was raised and a subsequent public meeting decided to vest the building in the Te Awamutu Borough Council so as to assure the widest possible degree of public use. In the interval, a report indicated, there had been considerable correspondence with the Patriotic Funds Board. It had been pointed out to the Board that a local committee is carrying on the use purpose of the building as intended when the Board’s funds were raised firstly by providing for the servicemen remaining on the Air Station and also by extending recreational facilities for the public. It was therefore asked that the Board bring to charge not a figure ruling at open sale under abnormal conditions, but the book value plus selling charges—in effect taking nothing from the fund by way of grant or subsidy, but adding nothing by way of excess in realisation value. On this there had been considerable correspondence in which it was held that Te Awamutu contributions to the fund had greatly exceeded the allocation at the time the funds were raised and it was contrary to general belief that the Board, when its discarding buildings passed for public use, would trade for profit. The Board replied in the first instance by saying it is required to obtain the best price on the sale of its assets. In a subsequent letter it explained a policy, as trustee of a fund, to dispose of assets by public auction or tender and any variation now would entitle other similar organisations as purchasers, to have the price reconsidered. In a final letter the Board merely said its decision could not be varied. In view of the decision thus disclosed it was decided to conclude the purchase at the sale price of £1350. The report to the meeting indicated that the Minister of Internal Affairs had been most helpful throughout the negotiations. A departmental grant was now in negotiation. The tenure of the land was also referred to in the report. The owner of the property, Mr L. Hodgson, had been most helpful and similarly the Air Department as occupiers had shown every consideration, but’ the condition of tenure were unusual. Steps now being taken would enable entry to be given not only to the building but also to the tennis and basketball courts adjoining. It is intended to finalise the arrangements and to conclude the arrangements as quickly as possible, after which a public appeal will be launched with probably a carnival at an early date. The vesting of the building in the Borough Council will be arranged immediately the purchase has been concluded and the finance arranged. COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE ON COMMITTEE At Monday night’s meeting of the Borough Council the. Mayor, Mr G. Spinley, Crs G. D. Shepherd and E. Hopping were appointed as the council’s representatives on the committee that will be controlling authority of the Hut. The Mayor said that the committee would eventually function along similar lines to that of the Library Committee. He took it that a representative of the council would be elected chairman of the committee.