The Scheme for Purchase To the Bditor of the "'Norri-Citxa Daryy News."
Sim,—On April 15th, 1081 at the Annual Meeting of Ratepayers the following Yesolution was. submitted but not carried:
"That, the Majestic Hotel Property purchased for the. community taed as a pubile garden and civic entre provided ie earn be secured at price, which. the Council considers Feavonsblo and. provided that the Mia time provision cam be made for hecetsary" open. spaces in more cot Singe that date when passing this magnificent site for the Settlement's civic centre, I frequently reflect {his lost opportunity which had much to commend ity A great many years ago, according to information Elven me by the late Dr. Robert J Sloan whose reminiscences of Shani hai went aok to the early eighth of the last century, an opportunity fas "once. given. to. the Counc through the efforts of some publ spirited residents to acquire pructiealy all of the area bounded by Med-hut at, Hart, 'Bubbling' Well -and Avenie Roads as a public park. I think the east was to' have been less than. 'F100,000, "This opportunity was neglected as were subsequent opportunities for "Settlement. ex-Ynsion, voad widenings and needed
In this category of lost opportunities timendients io Land Topulations. That of the failure to acquire. the hire of the Majestic Hotel appeared {o be ievevocably included, Owing to. purely. fortuitous, circumstances" arising. from the. local conomie situation that opportunity He-ati open: The time for further consideration which has elapsed since fe'was frst presented han consider. bly enhanced in my-opinion, and have reason to believe in the opinion of many others, the wisdom of the Durehase of all or part of this evea for civic purposes.
"Those who have long Neon resi dents of Shanghai and who have an Intimate knowledge of its history fand development and are able from Knowledge of its past to visualize its future requirements "in their Tight perspective will need no detalfed exposition in support of this proposal of such momentous importance the community. "For the benefit of others some of the reasons why this is 20 ave. given, Tin the last opportunity for jerable aren. tre, 'TE isan ideal site for a civie con-
"The present administration bu ing is obsolete and generally so suffable that the question of rebuild Ing cannot be mush longer deterred resent. site ig many tims more valuable than that of the, Bubbling Well site and as the latter is on the whole just as suitable, it would be economically sound to Hub: Mituto it for the former.
Tt will take some two or more years to erect a new building and Where to house the staff of the administration during this period would accommodation, The purchase of the Bubbling portunity of moving from the pres-minimum of inconvenience and a There appears to be no-necessity aig Ser ti ama The public library ix at present other site has never been satisfac-has no city hall large enough even to accommodate a meeting of its for the holding the winter concerts eros i ace the opportunity of having the International Nursing Conference held here, Internati ferences of this great advertising Been proposed that. the Fifth P fic Conference of Rotary Tater tional should be held fu, Shang bringing together several thousand delegates from all over. the world, but the question of accommodation thas, yet to be settled. I believe to ba a conservative estimate that City Hall with adequate accom modation for largely attended meet-Ings, conferences and public entertainments would, including what now spent by the Council for Ing aecommedstion of this king, yields revenue of over Tls. 50,000 annum or 5 per cent, on a capifal investment of Tis, 1,000,000.
We have on the present site a large drill hall which is occupied For the purposes for which it. was erected leas than an average of two oer aly. Te hak no uta srace for drilling purposes "when weather ig favourable. Te occupies lan the case the Administration Builaing worth Several times note than that on Bubbling Well Road which, weighing up the pros fend cons, would serve the purpose equally well if mot better.
On purely utilitarian and econo-rie grounds the argument Is all favour of, the acquirement. of an dea sufficient in any event to pro-Vide an alternative site for Administration yea cluding Drill Hall, City Hall and Public Library, T feel sure that public support the view that, opportunity most congested ci "even if situated in what temporarit gested districts—should not be irre vocably lost.
Tam not dealing in detail with the question of finance which, however, should present no great difficulty. "Tt is obvious that if the aren purchased is no greater, and need be no greater, than' that which now serves, most inadequately, the purposes specifically referved to the purchase would be an fact of sound economies. There never was a time in the history the Settlement" when funds " for! capital expenditure were more! readily available or at so little expense. A bond issue for the amount Fequited would be immediately subseribed for at 5 per cent. net oF less. In this connection it is again only by fortuitous. circumstances that} tates and bond issues for a long term of years can be placed at much: lower rates than when normal economic condi There are other important considerations favouring the purchase! of all or part of the site of the late Majestic Hotel but I have enumerated the most cogent in the ho that public laterest. will be suff Siently aroused to. support 'a probe. submitted "at meeting of vated avers to the effect that the Coun-_ cil be authorised to purchase the whole or such part of the area available, the extent of which to be eft'to the discretion of the Coun-2 but to be not lee, than sufi provide, Building and for drilling and for the erection of City Hall provided the land can. ha secured at a price which the Counci considers reasonable.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.