GENERAL MEETING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5333, 10 August 1895, Page 7

GENERAL MEETING.

A general meeting of members of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association was hold in the Caledonian Society's rooms yesterday afternoon to receive the report of the committee on the plans for the, proposed, grand stand and luncheon-rooms. About forty members were present. The President, Mr E. G. Staveley, occupied the chair, and said that for the lasb two months or .more the committee had had a busy time over what might be termed the " battle of the atande," but at last met the members with a well-matured plan, which, he thought, would meet the approval of members ab large. The report of the committtee was aa follows :— " The committee of the Agricultural and Paotoral Association beg to report on the proposal t$ erect a grand stand and luncheon booth on the Show Grounds :— ln accordance with the resolution passed at the general meeting of members held on May 28, the committee again considered the matter, and called for competitive designs for separate and combined buildings, the cost not to exceed £1250. It was also resolved to appoint Mr Edward Dobson, M.1.C.E., as consulting architect. Seven plans, with estimates, were received, and after much deliberation by the sub-committee Bet up for the purpose, the most; suitable in their opinion were referred to that gentleman for hia report. For various reasons, he condemned the whole of them with the exception of the one marked ' Practical/ which, after some modifications, was adopced by the committee. The modified form, however, failed to gain Mr Dobson'a approval. The committee thus found themselvea in the position they

v/era fib the commencement Today a uiooiber of thu Association t\>h. mitted to the c^ni-Jiittje what appsais to them in every way a plan suited to their requirements, and within the proposed estimate. Thiß plan ia now laid upon the table, and haß been referred to Mr Dobson to report upon. There has, of course, not yet been time to obtain Sir Dobaon'a report. With repaid to finance, the member who submitted this design (Mr R. M. Macdonald) is prepared, if the Association consents, to erect the building at his own expense and risk, paying ground rent therefor and making such charge for admission bs the committee thinks fit, the Association to have the right to repurchase the building from him at a coat to be fixed and not exceeding £1250." The President moved— "That the report of the committee be adopted." Mr J. Anderson, jun., thought that the committee had gone outside ita power by not adhering to one of the plans which, had been referred to it. The President paid that he did nit think that the committee had gone outside its powers. If it had, it now asked the members to sanction such departure. Mr Grigg, in seconding the motion, said that the committee had been allowed a very wide discretion, and had not, he thought, exceeded its power. Mr Anderson explained that he did not wish to take exception to the merits of Mr Macdon aid's plan, but he thought they would not be acting quite rightly in departing from the plans submitted to the sub-committee. Mr C. Lewis pointed out that the sub* committee had referred the matter to the General Committee, to which it was responsible. It was not responsible to the present meeting, though, the General Committee was. The motion for the adoption of the report was then carried on the voices, with three dissentients. Mr E. M. Macdonald briefly explained the plan adopted. The building, he stated, would be 204f fc long and 40fc wide. The grand stand portion would seat 2300 people, and in the centre of it would be a private box. At the back of the top row of seats there would ba a promenade similar to that at the Canterbury Jockey Club's grand stand, with a tea and refreshment buffet in the centre. Beneath would be a committee luncheon-room 89ft by 30ft, with accommodation for 265 persons. Adjoining would be a kitchen 23ft by 21ft, with every convenience, and off that two Btorerooms together, 23ft in length and 10ft wide. There would be a public luncheon-room to seat 250 people, 100 more than the committee thought sufficient, and running around two sides of it the public bar, the length of which would be 125 ft. The bar would be closed with shutters, which could be opened so as to cover a verandah 7fb wide. Attached to the committee-room would be a cloakroom and lavatory, and a private bar, on the other side of which would be a bar, opening to the lawn, for the patrons of fhe grand stand. At the other end of the building would be a ladies' cloak-room and lavatory. The construction of the stand would be very strong. It was to be constructed of wood, on concrete foundations, and with an iron roof supported by three - inch iron columns, A stand which would seat over 2000 people mast seußibly increase the takings at the gate. He had got a tender to erect the building for the money named, and if the committee decided to build it themselves, well and good. If they had any doubt as to its strength and suitability, he was quite prepared to take the risk, to build the stand and run it himself for two years, and to pay as rent th 9 sum which it would be reasonable for the committee to charge the caterer for the use of the conveniences, say, from JB7O to JJIOO a year. He would take the risks of maintenance of the building, and would hand it over to the Association at the end of the time for the price agreed upon. The President said that, whatever they might think of the plan, there could be no doubt that they owed Mr Macdonald a vote of thanks for the trouble he cad gone to. It was for the Association to decide now whether to proceed with the erection of the stand on its own account, or whether it should allow Mr Macdonald to do so on the terms he had mentioned. No doubt the money required could be easily raised if the Association decided to put up the building itself. In fact, half of the" sum was promised already. Mr Grigg ; moved — "That Mr Macdonald's offer be accepted, and that the erection of the building be proceeded with forthwith." Mr Gray seconded the motion, and suggested that Mr Macdonald should state what it was proposed to oharge for admission to the stand. Mr' Macdonald said thai he was prepared to have any reasonable charge, provided ib waa nothing less than Is. After some discussion the motion was altered, so as to read — " That Mr Macdonald's offer be accepted, provided that the plans be adopted by the committee, and that the erection ot the building be proceeded with forthwith.^ It was then carried with one dissentient. The meeting then closed.