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Care of the First Dunsandel Hall/Library 1880-1889 Part 2
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TitleCare of the First Dunsandel Hall/Library 1880-1889 Part 2 
DescriptionIt appears that there was no road access to the hall/library for the first 5 years after the building was opened.
On an application from Dunsandel to the Rakaia Road Board in 1879 for the formation of the road to the library, it was decided “that this could not be done until it was conveyed as a public road, but that a culvert should at once be placed across the drain at the commencement of the road” [26].
In April 1881 [27] a letter was received from the lawyers, Messrs Joynt and Perceval, informing the Rakaia Road Board that the conveyance of the land required for road access to the library was now completed, and the surveyor was ordered to have the formation and metalling of this road put in-hand.
Tenders were called in mid-April by the Board [28], and along with two other sections of roads for Dunsandel, Item No. 9— “Dunsandel Library road, forming and metalling about 15 chains” was specified.
Given that the hall was on land now occupied by the fire station, it is interesting to note that Browns Road is 16 chains 5 links long.
Specifications could be seen at the store of Henry and Ching, Dunsandel, and at the (Rakaia) Road Board Office, Hororata.
The 1888 annual meeting was held in the hall in May [29].
The annual report showed that the public appreciated the action of the Committee in opening the library two nights a week.
The balance sheet showed a credit balance of £47 18s 8d.
At a meeting [30] of the library committee in October 1888, it was decided that on and after the 31st October the library should be closed on Tuesday evenings.
The committee also resolved that tenders be called for enlarging the hall and library, and that J. S. Robins be instructed to draw up plans and specifications.
A vote of thanks was passed to Mrs Wright for the use of her piano at the late concert.
In an advertisement [31] calling for tenders for the additions by the 10th November, 1888, at Sam Sherrard’s Store, John Simpson called himself “Chairman” of the “Hall Committee” and not the “Library Committee”.
A meeting of the library committee was held in the reading room in March 1889 [32] where it was decided that a concert and dance should be held on Friday, 12th April, and that the hall should be painted at once.
A further meeting was held in the same venue in May 1889 [33] when the business discussed and agreed upon, was a scale of charges for letting the hall.
Permission was also given to the Draughts Club to have a fire in the library on their practice night on the condition of supplying their own fuel.
Messrs Robins, Wright and Lill were appointed to select books from the Greendale Library.
According to the Dunsandel Correspondent, writing for the Lyttleton Times in August 1889 [34] “The Library this past winter has not been patronised so well as it was last year . It would be well if some arrangements could be made to make it more popular”.
At the September meeting [35] the library committee considered the following motion "That the subscription be half-a-crown yearly for reading and other social amusements."
It is provided, however, that no subscriber shall be eligible to be a member of the Committee unless he has paid a yearly subscription of five shillings.
While no report of the concert and dance that the committee declared should be held on Friday, 12th April 1889, could be found, there was a report of a dance [36] that was held in the hall on Thursday 28 November of the same year.
Dancing was commenced shortly after eight and continued until three o’clock in the morning.
The music was supplied by Messrs Dixon, Burgess and Stapleton, while Messrs Burgess and Hill acted as M.C.'s.
The refreshments were excellent, and everybody enjoyed themselves immensely.
It is unclear who was the sponsor of this dance, but the same three gentlemen had played for a Dunsandel Quadrille Assembly dance the previous July [37] on the same night of the week.
Mike Noonan
Dunsandel Historic Society
Date1880-1889SourcePapers PastLocationDunsandel
DescriptionIt appears that there was no road access to the hall/library for the first 5 years after the building was opened. On an application from Dunsandel to the Rakaia Road Board in 1879 for the formation of the road to the library, it was decided “that this could not be done until it was conveyed as a public road, but that a culvert should at once be placed across the drain at the commencement of the road” [26].
In April 1881 [27] a letter was received from the lawyers, Messrs Joynt and Perceval, informing the Rakaia Road Board that the conveyance of the land required for road access to the library was now completed, and the surveyor was ordered to have the formation and metalling of this road put in-hand.
Tenders were called in mid-April by the Board [28], and along with two other sections of roads for Dunsandel, Item No. 9— “Dunsandel Library road, forming and metalling about 15 chains” was specified.
Given that the hall was on land now occupied by the fire station, it is interesting to note that Browns Road is 16 chains 5 links long.
Specifications could be seen at the store of Henry and Ching, Dunsandel, and at the (Rakaia) Road Board Office, Hororata.
The 1888 annual meeting was held in the hall in May [29].
The annual report showed that the public appreciated the action of the Committee in opening the library two nights a week.
The balance sheet showed a credit balance of £47 18s 8d.
At a meeting [30] of the library committee in October 1888, it was decided that on and after the 31st October the library should be closed on Tuesday evenings.
The committee also resolved that tenders be called for enlarging the hall and library, and that J. S. Robins be instructed to draw up plans and specifications.
A vote of thanks was passed to Mrs Wright for the use of her piano at the late concert.
In an advertisement [31] calling for tenders for the additions by the 10th November, 1888, at Sam Sherrard’s Store, John Simpson called himself “Chairman” of the “Hall Committee” and not the “Library Committee”.
A meeting of the library committee was held in the reading room in March 1889 [32] where it was decided that a concert and dance should be held on Friday, 12th April, and that the hall should be painted at once.
A further meeting was held in the same venue in May 1889 [33] when the business discussed and agreed upon, was a scale of charges for letting the hall.
Permission was also given to the Draughts Club to have a fire in the library on their practice night on the condition of supplying their own fuel.
Messrs Robins, Wright and Lill were appointed to select books from the Greendale Library.
According to the Dunsandel Correspondent, writing for the Lyttleton Times in August 1889 [34] “The Library this past winter has not been patronised so well as it was last year . It would be well if some arrangements could be made to make it more popular”.
At the September meeting [35] the library committee considered the following motion "That the subscription be half-a-crown yearly for reading and other social amusements."
It is provided, however, that no subscriber shall be eligible to be a member of the Committee unless he has paid a yearly subscription of five shillings.
While no report of the concert and dance that the committee declared should be held on Friday, 12th April 1889, could be found, there was a report of a dance [36] that was held in the hall on Thursday 28 November of the same year.
Dancing was commenced shortly after eight and continued until three o’clock in the morning.
The music was supplied by Messrs Dixon, Burgess and Stapleton, while Messrs Burgess and Hill acted as M.C.'s.
The refreshments were excellent, and everybody enjoyed themselves immensely.
It is unclear who was the sponsor of this dance, but the same three gentlemen had played for a Dunsandel Quadrille Assembly dance the previous July [37] on the same night of the week.
Mike Noonan
Dunsandel Historic Society
Date1880-1889SourcePapers PastLocationDunsandelConnections
CollectionThe Patrons of the First Dunsandel Hall/LibraryPlaceTe Atatiki a Te Wakaaro DunsandelOrganisationDunsandel Historic SocietyMore Information[26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37]
PlaceTe Atatiki a Te Wakaaro DunsandelOrganisationDunsandel Historic SocietyMore Information[26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37]Attribution
Researched ByMike NoonanWritten ByMike Noonan
Written ByMike NoonanClick on the image to add
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Care of the First Dunsandel Hall/Library 1880-1889 Part 2 (1880-1889). Selwyn Stories, accessed 06/04/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/5476
