NEED FOR CONCERT HALL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16570, 1 November 1921, Page 6

NEED FOR CONCERT HALL.

URGED BY MUSICAL SOCIETIES.

A request that a concert hall should he erected on the Manchester Street block was placed before the City Council last evening by a deputation representing the Royal Christchurch Musical Society, Male Voice Choir. Liedertqfel, Amateur Operatic Society, Competitions Society, Professional Musicians, Braes Bands Association, and the Orchestral Society. Professor Shelley said that the artistic life of Christchurch was backward in one sense, because of the want of some means of co-ordination and organisation- Tho want would be filled if the council provided a suitable concert hall It was a positive duty on the part of any council to provide facilities for tho expression of a positive emotion, the time was ripe for the provision of the means of inspiring artistic effort. Mr W. Reece oaid that from a business standpoint a concert hall should be built. It war, twenty-one years ago to-morrow since the Canterbury Hall was erected, an*d its main use was to provide room for concerts. It would be a grave mistake if the walls and foundations of the old (building were not used as the commit efi suggested. The Proposed concert h&ll would measure < (fft bv 120 ft, and ft would accommodate from 1600 to 1800 people. It was estimated roughly that the cost would be between £15,000 and £20,000, complete. The next question was, How was the interest to be paid? The societies could occupy the hall for 100 nights, at, say, £lO 10s a night. That would give revenue of £IOOO, roughly. For other functions the hall would probably be required for 200 nights, and the total income would therefore be about £3OOO. If that were approximately correct, it should be sufficient inducement for the council to go ahead. One of the best evidences of the value of such a building was that a firm of public entertainers had had plans drawn which showed that they were prepared to erect a theatre for 3000 persons on the Canterbury Hall site, as well a s a smaller hall alongside. But for a hitch in tho negotiations sjuch a theatre and hall would have been built. A better site could not be obtained, and the deputation appealed to the council on the grounds that there was no hall -where the societies concerned could hold their gatherings. “ Have the deputation any scheme for providing the money?” asked Councillor Brunt. Mr Reece said that the societies had not gone into the matter, but they thought there might be a sufficient surplus after the municipal offices wore built. He believed that such a proposal would be heartily endorsed by the ratepayers. Councillor F. R. Cooke said that it was rather a reflection on the societies that the poll in favour of the proposal had resulted in such a small vote. Replying to Councillor Sullivan, Mr Reece said that if the council took up the proposal, the societies would give their whole-hearted support- “ If the council takes the matter up,” said Councillor Herbert, “ will the deputation undertake to square the editor of the 1 Lyttelton Times ’ not to condemn it?” Mr Reece, amid laughter, said ho would engage to do as suggested. The Deputy-Mayor (Councillor J. A. Flesher) said that the ratepayers had turned down the revenue-producing proposals, why he did not know. However, the Special Committee of the council had been considering the question of a modified plan, to go before the public, for the utilisation of the property. “We are hopeful,” he added, “ that the effect of the recommendations passed by the Municipal Conference will have the effect, if adopted, of getting over the financial difficulty without going to the ratepayers for a poll. Probably the time is not far distant when the council will be able to go on with some such scheme as is proposed. We all recognise that a hall is as necessary as bread and butter day by day.” On Mr R. C. Bishop’s motion, the deputation carried a vote of thanks to the council for its courtesy. “ This i s quite unique.” said the Denuty-Mayor. “We don’t often receive votes of thanks.”

_ The matter was referred to the Special Committee on the subject.