GOOD TEMPLAR HALL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 39, 8 August 1911, Page 7

GOOD TEMPLAR HALL

A LODGE ENTERPRISE. ' For some, years past, at the annual pulblic gatherings of the Egmont Lodge of Good Templars, mention has been made of the desirability of obtaining a lodge-room, the property of the Order. The Good Templars became imbued with the idea that a- more comfortable and suitable lodge-room and furniture would make greatly for the success of the work, and in a modest way they inaugurated a sale of work, which provided the nucleus of a .building fund. From that time they have never looked back. The nest-egg was added to from time to time, and presently a committee was set up to secure a: site for a Good 1 Templar Hall. By this time the simple lodge-room l proposal had .widened, and when at last plans had been drawn up for a building to occupy the commanding site acquired on the corner of Courtenay street and Carrington road, these were for a small theatre and social hall, with a commodious lodge-room and ante-rooms as well. The erection of the building, .which has been supervised by members of the Order, is now nearing completion, and the joiners, fitters, and decorators are now hurrying on with the finishing touches. The opening ceremony is fixed for Thursday, when the Grand Chief Templar will be present, as well as a very large gathering, it is hoped, of'the member of the Independent Order of pood Templars in New Zealand.

The exterior of the building will not lie finished by TlWsday, and the present front deration will be capped and embellished somewhat, .but the lodge has not aimed at architectural elaboration, so muck as strength, comfort, and utility, and the up-to-dateness of all the appointments. At the Carrington road deration the .im-lding is twostoreyed, the walls of the first floor—which comprises the lodge-room and its accessories—being of Ibrick. The foundations are of concrete.

The main entrance is by a pair of large swing-doors at the head of an easy flight of concrete steps, ascendinsr an alcove from Courtenay street at the western comer. At the head of the steps are ticket-boxes and- a large vestiibule, a door leading to the left into the hall., and stairs giving access to the dress circle. The dress circle has seating accommodation for 110 persons, and is to be replete with the modern upholstered tip-up chairs, on iron frames. Tt has an open iron fretwork balustrade along its curved front, and a fire escape leads from it to the grtmnd on the south side of the hall.''' A cloak-room is proposed to lie erected' at the head of the stairs, but this? 1 will come later. From here one is able to A splendid idea of what the complete' liSll "frill look like. The whole of the interior is lined with selected heart oif rimu', oiled. Experts say no finer-girMnid tntfbe'r has .been seen here in buildings" afld the appearance is certainly very fine, the' lining on the walls Ibeing vertical 4M • that of the ceiling diagonal. Thcstagb opening is 20ft. wide by 'l ; sft. -"high," faced with diagonal rimu, and the •pr6scenium is to he faced with anagTy>ptii'; bearing as well the emblematic Order. The main, hall occfipier-fflfc toy 40ft. of the all-over measiirem<*nfcs-'/of'-'7oft. in- Mft. It is to seat 500 peoplc'; ,r ftnd the forms are well designed for- comfort. The stage is 2(!ft. by 10ft-., 'asd ofi either side is a dressing-room'lWt. liv Bft., in one of these being fitteda gasS-fing, etc., for catering at socials should the downstairs rooms not be required. These latter, of course, are for- lodge purposes, and will lx> let to kindred'societies for meetings, .but will probably be reserved on certain nights; so'that promoters of socials may use the' 'grbimd" floor as n suppe.r-room, and utfe fKfc' kitchen there. The electric lighting'is provided on n lavish scale, and ' there are ample fire escapes, one on Cfmrtenny street and one on the south side, leading by a flight of steps to the Oarringtfln ' road. If there is one fault in'the-piartning of the building, it is that, the stud should ha.ve been 'higher, the-dress circle having a (1 war fin? effect. Large frosted windows admit abundant light for driYlight functions. such as 'bazaars, ■ There wpms to be ample provision and every item of equipment Is complete. There is an "opening," to use a e«mmeneial phrase, for a 'ball of .'this kind in New Plymouth, nnd,' provided the tariff pleases, it should 'be -in frequent demand. The lodge-foom, alrtiady been described; and'it 1 is said-|o. be the best lodge-room owned by .the Order in New Zealand. '■ .r :

The -workmanship throughout is without blemish, and' the forgiwr-manager of tlie Sa«h und Door, Company, Mr. E. Snowball, confirmed the fymtractor's assurance that not a piece of 'sap timber found its way into the building, except in one or two of the very Ions; and large beams. Mr. ,Taa. Salt is the builder. Messrs. Xi.xon npd Nixon are carrying out. the electric lighting, plumbing and sanitary work, Messrs Hell ringer Bros, the painting and decorating, and Mr. fieorrre Tiacli executed all the brickwork. The now hall promises to be a distinctly useful requisition to the town, and the Lodge is to be complimented upon the enterprise shown in the undertaking.