MUNICIPAL THEATRE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14362, 7 February 1911, Page 6

MUNICIPAL THEATRE.

QUESTION OF SITE. FCTUHER DISCI'SSED BY COUNCIL. Uv fiiß-S OF SITES TO BE INVITED A meeting of tho Borough Ceuuc! V.TJS hcd in the Council Uuiiauers I;--s= fo - th * PurP 0 * 5 ot iunLcr <l;scu~uig the question as t, v.-aaiUer a suiuiDic site should bo acquired «n which to erect, a municipal theatre. There, were present —Hie Ju\-or and Councillors Hawkey, Sealev" Oborn, Anuland, Raymond, Harri\. Porter, Watson, Beck, Pearson, an"; Uiiciirio:. •Aa apology for ab-s-.-r.-.e was received from Councillor fc\!rterilm-aite who is in Christchurch.Tin- Mayer thanked the Press for tin? fall :u\d fair reports given of the d-tcussiou on thi> qestiou when it was lust before the Council, and said that bring digested those reports lie t! ought the Council should pusli ou a-; quickly a* possible with the work preliminary to taking a vote of the ratepayers. The present Council would be going out of office in April next acd he thought they should hurry things on and snbmit the matte.- to the ratepayers before that'time. A promise had been made to the residents of the new- area that the question, c£ obtaining a loan for street in provements, underground drainage, etc., for them would be submitted to a vote of tho ratepayers; the borough engineer had the plans for these works ir. a forward state, and he (the Mayor) though: they should take a poll on these proposals and the municipal theatre question 3t the same time. li.i:iiii:_' r":.-.t there was no time to kse lie had called a special meeting for that night so that if they decided to call for offers of sites tbey could have those offers before them at their r.c-.-t ordinary meeting. Councillor Anglar.d said there wag n- hurry; the new Council "would be •well able to deal with the matter.

Tin- Mayor: "I an rpeaking for myself, and I think the majority of Councillors."

Councillor H.imey: Hear hear. In reply to Councillor Watson the To.in Clerk said the meeting hadhcen pcf/p.-rly railed on :i requisition signed p> the Mayor and everything was in or<7?r. The Mavnr added that it was cnit? true Cmim-iTlnr Watson had .">!:«! that a ?pcci.il meeting be called, nfi.cr t'if» architects had been heard, Tut ho (the Mayor) h.-.d not thought th-n that it would be necessary. On thinking it over afterwards however, h thought it best to lo*e no time. MOTION" AXD AMENDMENT.

Councillor Angland proposed and Councilor Pearson second: That a theatre and muuk-iual offices he erect*h! on the Council's section next to the library facing George street, Mr Cuthbert's section to be purchased if required.

Councillors Oborn and Sealey proposed the following amendment:

•'That offers be invited for a site for a municipal theatre, such offers to be ir. bv the next ordinarv meeting of the Council on February 13th.

Speaking to his motion. Councillor said that none of the architects were very definite about the George -street site nnd none of them siued v.vli one another exactly. Tiie JlH.vor: -'I thought they were very flc-inite." Continuing. Councillor Anidand said Jlr Panton was under the impression tint the Council was hound to erect municipal buifdinrrs according to the F'ans. which h-e drew two years ago, lie traiited to see those- buildings erected. The flavor checked Councillor Annland to s.-iy that he must not impute natives to anyone. ?.fr Panton had given his evidence very clearly, definrtelv. rind straightforwardly. Councillor An;land said Mr Panton tv-s permitted to talk on the assumption that municipal building were_ to he erected on the site under discussion, and it was on this tmdeTstandina: that he said tliere was no room for a theatre

there. He had been labouring delusion, and did not quite «»^« nd f the position. He was not very sure ot the ground he was arguing on. Councillor Anglaud went on to dean detail with the evidence given b>. -Ur Panto., with a view to showing inconsistencies in it, and to ridicule bus .suggestion that a theatre erected there would be a death trap Mr 1 ««!*>«" was good enough to admit that he had not gone into the matter, and said that he was not going to go into detaiU in. view of the fact that he nugtobe entering for the competition. I herefore his evidence was not worth rmicli.. nor was that given by Mr Mullion*. who was verv indefinite in what lie , sa'd Mr Hall, on the other hand, had'produced a plotted plan, and hart clearlv proved that a theatre could be er*-ted there. What ™b«"«* «Kg thev place on the evidence of men like Mi«r» Panton and Mullicns, when they condemned the municipal section as a =ito for a theatre, on account of™ 6 miu.ll exits which they said would ho available, and then reports favourablv on a private application to b..ld a hall which would not be so well served bv fire escapes. AN OBJECTION.

At this stage Councillor Watson rose and objected to Councillor Angland attacking Messrs Mulhons and Panton in thek- absence; and Councilor K«>>™»s complained that Councillor -V»F»"f was misquoting the size of the ngnt-oi-wavs to serve the new hall. Councillor Angland went on to suggest that the Council should purchase Sir Cuthbert's section adjoining thenown, and said that there could then be no question about room- , -... Councillor Watson: Will Mr CuthCounci'llor Angland said lie didnot know, but if not, the Council could take the section under The Public AYorks Act. ~ , ~ jj. Councillor Pearson said he thouglit the Council's sect-ion the handiest one in Timaru for a municipal theatre, and said it would be better and cheaper to P ",t it there with the other municipal b 'cSiior Beck thought the motion a verr sensible one, and he was go ng to vote for it. He expressed the opinion that the architects had not met them with tinbiassedmnds. aw Panton wanted Iris municipal buildings £t on that section, and Sot want a theatre there. Mr TurntoU showed a bias all too pair.lv and his remarks concerning a theatre not paymgin Timaru were quite uncalled f °The Aravor: "You remember I cheeked nim when he made the digresSl Councillor Beck: "Yes, I believe you Councillor Beck said Mr M^Yadiiotgven^-chin-latter expression of opinion. Cuoncillor Baymond said that three ct the architects condemned the site straight cut, while the *£<*?*£ was not an ideal site. If they were eohV* to spend some thousands of on they should have &v ideal site. , Councillor Watson: Hear hear Continuing, Councillor Raymond said that under Mi; Hall's plan the stairs would come down into a IUH. and that would surely l>" a very bad arrancement. Mr ionton made it quite clear that if the librarv -were to be extended and municipal' buildings erected, there would b- no room for a theatre; and lie and tr= other architects gave their evidence in a perfectly genuine way. It was nite plain that the section was not lar<*e enough for a theatre. The ratepavers should have an opportunity 6f voting for a theatre, but the first thin" the Council should do wts to End out where they could, got a suitable site. Enquiries should be made m to whether Mr Cnthbert would seil his section, and if so they should get ■particulars as to the size of it. If '.hey were to have a municipal theatre rt would he nrlvisable to have all the ircmiripM buildings in one Wock.

THE MAYOR'S FTATEMENT. The flavor said that it they bought Jlr Cuthbert's section it would add

40i't. to the frontage oil Latter street, anil alter tho library was extruded, there would b<- UOit. left fur a theatre provided it were built bard up against the library. It would go back I'Joft. but would haw in. right-of-wny on to Latter struct, hr-causi' there would lie no space, left for ono there. The cartway for scenery, etc., would have to rw off George street. II it were built, facing George street tho position would not hv improved lit the purchase of Mr Cuthbert".s section. ft would give no increased frontage and tlio position in regard to right-of-ways would bo unchanged. In order to cot a good site facing Latter street they would require to buy two of Mr Cutlibort's EcctiriTia. ft iui/1 l>ren said that the theatre should bo with the other municipal buildings, hut with this ho did not agree us the insurance premium on the theatre would 1» 3{ per cent., and if the municipal buildings were attached to tho theatre 3} per cent, would also he charged on t.hem. If they were going to have a. tboatr-e they should have a Rood one . o\ a coed site—-one that the people o: Tironru would he proud cf. In reply to Councillor Raymond the Mayor said the library additions could not be put on the Georpe street site without spoiling the arrangements of the librnrv. 'OTHER VIEWS. Councillor Beck said they could put the inunicipul buildings ui> Latter I street. The Mayor said he failed to see why they should put them away in a side street. There was plenty of land i;raiiable for a good theatre site. Councillor Watson said lie was dead ac.ainst a municipid theatre auvwhere in Timaru. But if they were, going to build one let them put no one that tbey would be proud of—not ono stuck away liko a hen roost There were many reasons why a theatre should not be built by tho Council, one or the principal being that there were many more important works which required to be done. The section under discussion was not an ideal one by any means, and all the architects had made that plain. They had given their evidence in an unbiassed way, and deserved tho thanks ot thf ooimminity. Councillor Watson related the way in which modern theatres are built, and said ho had it on good authority that the best ulan on which to build a theatre was to have one floor below the level of the street. Councillor Angland seemed to think that Mr Cntlibert would give his section to tlve Council for a long way undcr.iis value, but he (the speaker) would be surprised if lie parted with it for anything less than £2OOO. That section, anyway, was not a suitable site for a theatre. It should be put in a more central site, say in tho vicinity of Gray Road. Timaru was going to grow, and due regard should be paid to the future. Care should be taken too, to see that those who wanted a new theatre would be made to foot the bill. Theatrical Companies wanted a larger theatre so that they could get all the people in one night, and get away with their money next day without having themselves spent anything in the town. They had been ploying that game with Timaru long enough. Councillor Sealey said he too was opposed to a municipal theatre, and he endorsed largely what' Councilor Watson had said. But while he was op. posed to a municipal theatre he was not opposed to giving the ratepayers an opportunity to vote on the proposal. He was quite satisfied as to what the result would be.

Councillor Porter spoke against the building of _ a theatre on tho site under discussion, and warmly defended the architects from the attack which had bson made on them. ALTERNATIVE SITES.

Councillor Hawkey said lie thought Messrs Turnbull and Panton were a little biassed in their evidence, but he had not detected any bias in the evidence of Messrs Mullions and Hall. He (the speaker) thought they would look a long time for an ideal site, but he could not see his way to vote for a municipal theatre on "the site opposite the Post Office. The Council had two very good sites for a municipal theatre on Alexandra Square; there was also one on the triangle in front of the Old Men's Home, uud there was ano-.her site opposite the Drill Hall at the back of the monument. The first three of these sites would not cost a penny, and the fourth could be procured at the cost of buying out the lease,' it being a municipal section" 1 . A theatre on any of these sites would pay from, the start. Councillor Oborn spoke in support of his amendment, pointing out that for the few shillings it would cost it would be good business to get all the sites possible under offer. If nono of these were suitable they could fall back on the George Street site, and in the meantime he would ask Councillor Angland to withdraw his motion.

Councillor Angland replied to the several contentions advanced _ against his proposal. He added some information about theatres in Christehurch and Auckland, and finally suggested that the Council should buy Mr Cuthliert's section, and then hiiild the theatre facing George Street. They would

have plmitv of room then, and a right, of-wav ritfht round tho building. Councillor Watson deniod the possibility lit' getting a rightofway right round tho building. Tho Mayor also said it wan utiTho matter, wna Mien Voted upon, the amendment being put first The votmg for this nas as follows: —For— Th» Mavor and. Councillors Hawkey, fVnlw. 'Oborn. lUyrnond, Porter and Watson. Against—Councillors Angland, Gilchrist, Beck and Pearson. . The amendment was therefore earned, and th:s being so the original motion was not. put. . On the suggestion of Councillor Hanker it was derided that legall adviio should l>t< obtained as to whether the Council has power to tako land under Tho Public "Works Act for the purpose of erecting a theatre. Tt was decided that the otters of sites should remain open for four mouths. -,i tt Tho Mayor said that Councillor Haw. k«T had suggested some Rood sites, and tlit-so could lie eons-.dered with the offers to bo roeeived. The meeting closed at 10.10 p.m., the Mayor remarking that it had been •i pleasant one. and that the business had been discussed in a good natured v;ay, as i* should be.