MUNICIPAL THEATRE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16421, 23 April 1919, Page 3

MUNICIPAL THEATRE.

OBTAINING A SITE. There has been some comment of late concerning tho wisdom ol the action of the Borough Council in exchanging lands with the Harbour Board for a site for a municipal theatre. The town clerk, iu ids annual report in dealing with the exchange, says: When blot yews report wars being written negotiations were in progress for the exciuuige of certain uoroOgh land in King Street for land owned by the Harbour Bond near Lie railway station tor the purpose of a site lor a municipal theatre. Eventually an agreement was arrived at whereby the borough gave section 2336, subdivisions i, 2, and 3 of section 2335, and section 2337, containing 1 rood, 12.59 perches iu exchange for sections 4 to 8 and 26 to 30 Mt. Eliot Harbour Reserve, containing 3 roods, 10.7 perches. The values upou_ which the exchange was based was £7210 in each instance. The exchange arranged has since been authorised by a local Bill which was passed during the last session of Parliament.

Owing to the fact that the borough sections wore leased whilst the harbour sections were unlot, the council will lose a little over £3OO per annum in rent and rates for tho time being. Tho council, however ,considered that the advantages gained by the exchange more than compensate for this loss of revenue. If tho exchange had not been effected it would have been impossible except at -u- prohibitive price to acquire a. sufficient area of laud in a central position suitable for a municipal theatre. The now site is an admirable one for this purpose, being quite central, having streets’ frontages on three sides, and being served by both tho trams and tho railway.. In addition, the land, having been acquired for a special purpose will prevent small fruit shops and other unsightly buildings being erected right in tho entrance to the town. It is not intended to erect a municipal theatre on tho site, at present, tho idea being to secure a suitable site before all tho available land was built upon. At the same time consideration of the question cannot bo long delayed, as tho town is very much handicapped owing to there being no theatre, tho old Theatre Royal having been destroyed by fire some years ago. In the meantime, steps should be taken to obtain at least ground plans of a suitable building in order that the land may bo laid out and planted in readiness for tho building. If this were done as soon as possible tho land could bo used as a small park, the actual site of tho building being laid down in grass. This would give a good appearance to what is now a barren waste, and which may easily become an eyesore. Sinco the above was written bis Worship the Mayor, with his customary generosity has offered his honorarium for tho past year, amounting to £l3O, for improving this reserve. The offer was accepted with thanks, it being decided that tho plan of the proposed improvements should be first approved by the Mayoress and by the •■hairma.n of tho Reserves Committee.