PATEA TOWN HALL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 124, 29 May 1941, Page 3

PATEA TOWN HALL

USE AS PICTURE THEATRE TENANTS ORDERED TO QUIT (0.C.) Patea, May 27. Much conjecture has been aroused in Palea following the decision of the Patea Borough Council that the present Him exhibitors providing entertainment in the Town Hall must quit the premises in three months. For some years past various questions associated with the lease of the hall for pictures, and its occupancy on a monthly tenancy, have been aired in frequent discussions. It is thought that the council will call tenders for a further lease, and thus obtain an indication of the true letting value, or that the council itself will seek to become licensed film exhibitors. The licence is always held by the exhibitor and not the house of entertainment. Whatever action is taken rests with the newlyelected council which takes office after the swearing-in ceremony tonight. Personally, I am not in favour of the municipality running its own pictures. That is a matter for experts in the film business,” said the Mayor, Mr. F. Ramsbottom, when interviewed. "What the new council thinks on that subject I do not know, but what I am concerned about is that we should ascertain the true rental value of the Town Hall and allow an exhibitor to take possession at a figure that will repay us the costs of improvements. The Government says we cannot have another picture theatre, and the ratepayers have decided that we cannot improve the one we have by raising a loan. We will have to make improvements, out ot revenue, by spreading the cost over a period ot years. So far as t can see, we have never known what the true rental value should be.”

According to a summary of facte, as far as they could be gathered with any degree of clarity, the now expired lease was taken up in 1928 by Patea Pictures Ltd., its advantages, together with a voluntary reduction in rent, and a consequent compulsory reduction ordered by Statute, being enjoyed until expiry of the lease last August. Application was made by the tenants to build their own theatre, but due to the revision of by-laws, which demanded a structure in brick or concrete, tine tenants did not proceed, but continued as tenants in the Town Hall on a monthly tenancy. From the point of view of the exhibitors, it is recalled that in 1935 an offer was made to improve the plant, instal heating, seating and new draperings, at the cost of £l2OO, in return for an extention of the lease for two years. Before the war the licenceholders gave notice of their intention to build in what was then a No. 2 building area, but the council, some days later, created the No. 1 building area, thus prohibiting the erection of any building other than in brick or concrete. In March last year the council was asked for a relaxation of the by-laws to build in composite materials, but this was refused. At the same time the plans were sent to the building controller, whose refusal of a permit, due to war conditions, was received the week before last.

A special meeting of the council, then due to vacate office, was held, and it was decided that three months be given the tenants in which to vacate the Town Hall. The discussion may be reopened at the first ordinary meeting of the new council early in June.