NEW HALL

Waikato Times, Volume 103, Issue 17308, 21 January 1928, Page 10

NEW HALL

THIRD IN DISTRICT. AT TOKANUI CROSSROADS. For some considerable ttme the districts of Ngahapet, Tokanui, Korakonui, Te Kawa and To Mawhal have felt tbe need for a community meeting place for social purposes, but each district was hardly populous enough |f- to warrant the expense of providing 41 and maintaining a publlo hall of a size sufficient to cater for dancers. In X some of the districts named, efforts along these lines made some progress',: ; v ’ but .were shelved .or dropped chiefly for reasons of finance. However, a ■ • happy thought was to build one hall that wouid serve all the districts named. With this objective public . meetings were held, and generally the ■; idea found favour, except that Te ;; Mawhal district elected to have no tiling to do with a community scheme,

and Te Kawa had so far advanced its own scheme that it could not directly participate. Undaunted, the progressive element in the Tokanui, Ngahape

and Korakonui districts resolved to go

ahead with the project,, especially as fortuitous circumstances had made a very centrally-situated building available for tho purposes of a public hall

at relatively small cost as compared with an undertaking entaiing the orection of a brand-new building. The New Zealand Dairy Co.’s casein factory occupied probably the most commanding and convenient site in the -,r neighbourhood, and the company having decided to discontinue its use as a factory the building was about to be demolished or sold. The settlers lost no time in putting their position before the company and soon the pro- < jeot was in much .more favourable shape. The company made it pos- '• sible for the settlers to acquire the 1 site and the building at a very reasonable price, and with this fillip to their enterprise it .was not long before » funds in hand warranted accepting a tender for the work of conversion. X The successful contractors were Messrs JBroadhead and Co., of Ilamilt ton, and under the direction of the 1 honorary architect, Mr F. C. Daniell, the plans were soon in process of /• carrying out. The large main room of the factory was converted to the main hall, with a floor space of 50ft - by 30ft., and other rooms were transformed into cloakrooms, supper room and social room. The dance floor was specially constructed under the guidance of Mr W. Old, of Ngahape, who had had considerable experience

in Taranaki. His idea resulted in the provision of what is known as a spring floor, which has a resiliency that in distinctly pleasing to the dancers. The exterior of the building was not much altered, the committee in charge of the arrangements preferring to concentrate on the interior scheme, so as to have the hall available for use at the earliest moment. Presentation to Secretary. ! With all confidence, therefore, the formal opening of the hall was announced, and that 'the confidence was fully justified was abundantly evident, for the building was filled, practically every home within a radius of four or live miles, and many at a much greater distance, being represented. Proceedings were opened with dancing, and the floor proved to be exceptionally good, while the music was delightful. The hall had been appropriately decorated with ferns, streamers, arid many touches of artistry that combined to give a very pleasing effect.

£■ After dancing had been in progress about an hour, Mr A. S. Wylie, who 3P had been chairman of the committee - responsible for the arrangements, inX troduced Mr D. Stewart Reid, M.P., % gave a brief history of the Z scheme for providing a community hall, thanked the architect and all others concerned in tho project, announced that Mr Reid would formally v open the building, and called upon X that gentleman to first hand to their '■>' worthy secretary, Mr A. W. Gallagher, .£ a tangible evidence of the appreciation of his fellow-workers. X The latter intimation was received ■j“jj with applause for Mr Gallagher besides being very popular and highly esteemcd, has been a keen and enthusiastic »•/•< worker for the hall. Mr Reid said that the lead set by Mr Gallagher had, "X he believed, been largely responsible ■s! for the provision of such a splendid r: meeting place, and the silver cigarette X case which had been subscribed for X by uis fellows was a fitting reminder X at all times of their appreciation, and % of the esteem and respect in which ■iftf fie is held In the community. (ApX plause). ~ . « Wylie referred to the scattered nature of the sattlements that the hall % would serve, referring briefly to the X cause —a large block of Government X, land right in the centre of it. He IS and many others, had hopes that at feast* some of that block would be made available for closer settlement, : for which it was admirably adapted.

Value of a Hall. Mr Reid, who was warmly greeted, said he felt that such a building •%. would increase the social amenities. The settlers had boldly faced the problem, just as real pioneers faced problems of all degrees, and he commended them for it. Good farmers $ had made a splendid district, that they had reason to be proud of. '• Referring to Mr Wylie’s remarts anent the Prison Department’3 property, Mr Reid said he also had tried to get a portion of it made available for closer settlement, but had failed T, so far. He was confident that subdivision must come in a few years. The original plans of concentrating prisoners at Walkeria In large num- * bers had been revised, and doubtless they will again be revised, but he was of opinion tho main buildings will be permanently occupied. The Department may not, in a few years, need such an area of country at Walkeria, for the policy now is to utilise prison labour for breaking In new country, and he predicted that most of the internees would he so engaged in the Taupo country- There will be many more settlers round about the Tokanui Crossroads hall then. Tho district has a great future, for there is no better land for dairying and mixed forming than that in the neighbourhood. He counselled the settlers to continue their progressive methods, use as much fertiliser as they can afford, and work unitedly for the benefit of the community. sle concluded by congratulating the settlers, not forgetting the ladies, on their enterprise in getting such a fine hall at such moderate expense. It was a credit to : all concerned. Dancing was then continued, with t an adjournment for supper (the lat- ■ ter had to be served in relays, for the attendance far exceeded the capacity f of the supper room).