PAPANUI HALL.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 903, 26 October 1933, Page 15

PAPANUI HALL.

Waimairi Council Agrees to Pay Rates. The Waimairi County Council has decided to pay the rates required of it on the Papanui Memorial Ilall. This decision was reached in committee at. a meeting of the. council last night, and later, in open meeting, some members strongly criticised the action of the council in changing its attitude. Mr W. G. Chapman's motion that the decision reached in committee should not be approved was lost on a division. Last night's discussion terminates a dispute that has waged for several years. The Waimairi County Council, ostensibly liable to pay two-fifths of the hall rates, -with the City Council paying the remainder, refused to pay its share, contending that it was not liable. This action caused a certain amount of friction, but the council continued to pay the rates under protest up till this year, when it did not pay the hall rates. Jt was suggested that legal action should be taken to clarify the position. Waimairi s share of the rates is £23 annually, borne by three j ridings. This payment will have to i be made annually for the next twenty- i six years. Legal Position Defined. Mr J. D. Hutchison, solicitor to the J

1 county, last night appeared before the | council and defined the legal posi- > tion. The discussion, which lasted an j [ hour and a half, was taken in com- j ! mittce. j During the discussion in open meet- { ing Mr Chapman declared that he would resign from the Hall Committee after its next meeting, and asked that it should be recorded on the minutes that he objected to paying any rates from his riding.