Open/Close Toolbox
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 New Zealand License
Format: Image
Linked To
CollectionPlaceOrganisation
Map
Copyright
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 New Zealand LicenseThis licence lets you remix, tweak, and build upon our work noncommercially and although your new works must also acknowledge us and be noncommercial, you do not have to license the derivative works on the same terms.
Menu
Building Committee of the First Dunsandel Hall/Library
Description
TitleBuilding Committee of the First Dunsandel Hall/Library
DescriptionThe first group of people involved in the library/hall was a “building committee” which passed control of the building to a “management committee” once the building was completed.
The variously named “management committee” existed throughout the life of the first library/hall building. A large number of people served for varying lengths of time on the committee over the years.
At times the committee was the main fundraiser for library/hall maintenance and improvements and at others it may have relied on the rental paid by groups using the hall for their own fund-raising socials and meetings.
Early stages
According to Mackie (1979) [1] a committee of the Presbyterian Church, that had started meeting in the Selwyn School room in March 1872, was the first group to call a meeting to form a public library.
On 23rd July 1873 an article appeared in The Press marking the start of planning for a new building [2].
“We understand that energetic efforts are being made to erect a lecture hall and reading-room at Dunsandel. At an influential meeting held in the schoolroom on Monday, a committee, consisting of Messrs Westenra, Cecil Fitzroy, Robert Struthers, John Henry, William Walker, Chamberlain, J. Walker, J. Pannett, and Maddison, was appointed to make the necessary arrangements for building on a section given by Mr McBean.
The subscription list shows that £76 10s have been promised, but the meeting decided to raise £100 if possible before closing the list.
Application will be made for a Government grant of £100 for building, and £25 for books and as there is no other public library within about nine miles, it is hoped by the promoters that the new institution will be successful”.
In October of the same year [3], the library committee were
“glad to be able to report that the inhabitants of this district have availed themselves of the offer of a grant from Government for the erection of a suitable building for a public library and reading room.
Thanks to the liberal subscriptions received from the residents in the district, the committee have now sufficient funds in hand to enable them to call for tenders for the building, so that we may shortly hope to see this great boon to a country district fairly established”.
Just two pages on in the same issue of The Press [4] there was an advertisement calling for tenders for the erection of a hall at Dunsandel on or before 1 November 1873.
The tenders were to be sent to John Henry, storekeeper in Dunsandel, and a member of the Building Committee.
Even without the use of power tools to assist the builders, The Press was able to report on 19 January 1874 [5] that,
”The Town Hall at Dunsandel is rapidly approaching completion. When finished, it will be an ornament to this improving township. The district library will be located there, and we believe it will be used as a reading room.”
Thus the building appeared to consist of at least two rooms, one associated with the library and the other, a hall. During the 1897 renovations, there was mention of an anteroom and it is not clear if this was the library room or yet another room.
The building was given various names throughout this early period, perhaps since the government grant was for public libraries the early phrase “public library and reading room” was appropriate for the two rooms until the committee had received the money and then there was no problem in using the term hall, town hall and even public hall at times.
Mike Noonan
Dunsandel Historic Society
Date1873-1874SourcePapers PastLocationDunsandel
DescriptionThe first group of people involved in the library/hall was a “building committee” which passed control of the building to a “management committee” once the building was completed. The variously named “management committee” existed throughout the life of the first library/hall building. A large number of people served for varying lengths of time on the committee over the years.
At times the committee was the main fundraiser for library/hall maintenance and improvements and at others it may have relied on the rental paid by groups using the hall for their own fund-raising socials and meetings.
Early stages
According to Mackie (1979) [1] a committee of the Presbyterian Church, that had started meeting in the Selwyn School room in March 1872, was the first group to call a meeting to form a public library.
On 23rd July 1873 an article appeared in The Press marking the start of planning for a new building [2].
“We understand that energetic efforts are being made to erect a lecture hall and reading-room at Dunsandel. At an influential meeting held in the schoolroom on Monday, a committee, consisting of Messrs Westenra, Cecil Fitzroy, Robert Struthers, John Henry, William Walker, Chamberlain, J. Walker, J. Pannett, and Maddison, was appointed to make the necessary arrangements for building on a section given by Mr McBean.
The subscription list shows that £76 10s have been promised, but the meeting decided to raise £100 if possible before closing the list.
Application will be made for a Government grant of £100 for building, and £25 for books and as there is no other public library within about nine miles, it is hoped by the promoters that the new institution will be successful”.
In October of the same year [3], the library committee were
“glad to be able to report that the inhabitants of this district have availed themselves of the offer of a grant from Government for the erection of a suitable building for a public library and reading room.
Thanks to the liberal subscriptions received from the residents in the district, the committee have now sufficient funds in hand to enable them to call for tenders for the building, so that we may shortly hope to see this great boon to a country district fairly established”.
Just two pages on in the same issue of The Press [4] there was an advertisement calling for tenders for the erection of a hall at Dunsandel on or before 1 November 1873.
The tenders were to be sent to John Henry, storekeeper in Dunsandel, and a member of the Building Committee.
Even without the use of power tools to assist the builders, The Press was able to report on 19 January 1874 [5] that,
”The Town Hall at Dunsandel is rapidly approaching completion. When finished, it will be an ornament to this improving township. The district library will be located there, and we believe it will be used as a reading room.”
Thus the building appeared to consist of at least two rooms, one associated with the library and the other, a hall. During the 1897 renovations, there was mention of an anteroom and it is not clear if this was the library room or yet another room.
The building was given various names throughout this early period, perhaps since the government grant was for public libraries the early phrase “public library and reading room” was appropriate for the two rooms until the committee had received the money and then there was no problem in using the term hall, town hall and even public hall at times.
Mike Noonan
Dunsandel Historic Society
Date1873-1874SourcePapers PastLocationDunsandelConnections
CollectionThe Patrons of the First Dunsandel Hall/LibraryPlaceTe Atatiki a Te Wakaaro DunsandelOrganisationDunsandel Historic SocietyMore Information[1][2][3][4][5]
PlaceTe Atatiki a Te Wakaaro DunsandelOrganisationDunsandel Historic SocietyMore Information[1][2][3][4][5]Attribution
Researched ByMike NoonanWritten ByMike Noonan
Written ByMike NoonanClick on the image to add
a tag or press ESC to cancel
a tag or press ESC to cancel
loading google map....
Building Committee of the First Dunsandel Hall/Library (1873-1874). Selwyn Stories, accessed 29/05/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/5474