CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 11975, 12 May 1914, Page 6

CORRESPONDENCE.

WTWIe this eolumnis open to all, it it understood that we do not hold ourselves responsible for opinions expressed by our correspondent!. \

THE TOWN HALL

[To tho Editor.]

Si rr __Tho report of the Caledonian Society, in which the policy of the Trust Lands Trustees in leasing the Town Hall to tho Mastorton Picture and Entertainment Company is criticised, having appeared in your journal, I shall be glad if you will give public; ity to tho following facts regarding the letting of tho Town Hall.. In terms of our lease from the trustees, tho Town Hall is available for any person to hire at any time. The only stipulation is that the company may ask for a fortnight's notice, tho object of this boIng to offer the company some security in the event of its having gone to considerable expense in procuring a special picture, arrangements for which could not bo cancelled at short notice. That tho Picture Company is run simply to make dividends for its shareholders is not exactly true, a s tho number of shares held by any one person is not sufficient to allow of his receiving anything like what one could call dividends. The maximum number of shares .allowed under tho Articles of Association to be held by any ono person is fifty, aud as tho company ha s close on 'JOO shareholders, many of whom hold only two, three, and five shares, aud all of whom, by the way, reside in the district, your readers will quite understand that the sole object of the company is not to pay fat dividends. The capital of the company is £2500, in £1 shares, paid lip to 7 S 6d. Let me also point out that tho Picture Company has always done its best to help local societies and other deserving objects, having during the past twelve months given a considerable number of benefit entertainments, and has not, as suggested, taken all it could get. The company is a purely local one, composed of the people themselves, retains its profits, therefore, in the town, and its endeavour is to provide a good class of picture entertainment for the people. The only reason we can ascribe for tho unjustified attacks on the Mastertou Picture Company is that, whereas the complainants were in the habit of accompanying their payments for the use of the hall with requests for rebates, and very often were granted such rebates, they have new to trer-t their liabilities in a more business-like way, though I must, in fairness to the company, say that requests for rebates on occasions similar in object to that of a few evenings ago are rarely refused. It had apparently become a habit with certain societies to rely on securing a rebate of a portion of their rents, and tho receipts from the Town Hall suffered in consequence. As a matter of fact, the Picture Company is not responsible for the schedule of charges which was in existence; when the company took over the business from a failing concern. The company pays nearly £500 a year for the Town Hall, and of this sum S.A2~> represents rent paid monthly to the Town Lauds Trust. It follows that this amount is available for educational purposes, etc., in which the people themselves are directly interested. The Trust Lands Trustees did well in letting the Town Hall as they have done. The Town Hall, which has a capital value of some £9000, belongs to the people of Masterton, and, as owners, the people must recognise that it must bo made revenue producing. Under present arrangements, this has been accomplished, while at the same time it is available for all and sundry at the following rates, which must be regarded as thoroughly reasonable: —Local shows (and this includes the Caledoniaon Society) and outside lectures, £2 L's per night; public meetings on local politics or Parliamentary candidates, when no charge made for admission, £1 ss; Now Year's Night, reserved absolutely for Caledonian Society for £5 (this is "worth £10): matinees. £1 ]0s; Sunday evenings, £1 10s. In conclusion, I would like to say that when the Council builds its proposed hall, if it is not to be a "white elephant," and a continual charge on the ratepayers, tho above rates -will not be considered too high and unmerciful . I would also say that this letter is not a "defence" of our position, for we do not consider that it needs defending, but is simply a refutation of the charges laid against it. I trust you will find space for this, in fairness to :ill.—l am, etc., W. R. KEMP.ALL, Managing Director, Masterton Picture aud Entertainment Co., Ltd. Maslerton, May 11th, 1914.