ONEHUNGA AFFAIRS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 90, 17 April 1925, Page 10

ONEHUNGA AFFAIRS.

THE MAYOR'S REVIEW, %- Tlie Foresters''- Theatre, Onehunga, was crowded last evening when Mr. J. E. Cowell, Mayor of the borough, reviewed the municipal events of his term of oflice. Mr. Cowell was accompanied on the platform by the members of tlie Council. The outstanding events of his term of oflice, he said, had been street improvements, drainage, and water extension, throughout the borough. The severe winter of 1923 and the steadily increasing heavy traffic had lefr the principal side streets in a very bad condition, which was accentuated by an equally bad winter last year. "While the estimates were under consideration, the present council found that they could not possibly repair the damage to these roads out of ordinary revenue, and when they frankly told the ratepayers so. the latter authorised them to raise a loan of £70,000 to remake all the side' streets. The council was also authorised by the ratepayers to raise a loan of £34.700 for the drainage of Beresford ! Park, Te Papapa, and Clark Road, and | £0000 for water reticulation. So far ' the council had spent £4S,!)DS of the roads loan, including plant, and bitumen in stock, £4640 and surveys supervision £1100. The drainage work was proceeding satisfactorily at Beresford Park and Tc Papapa. It is finished in ChirkRoad. The water reticulation was well under way, 280 out of 480 chains having been completed. All-pipes and fittings required are in stock and paid for. The council had saved a considerable amount by importing direct from the manufacturers in England and the reticulation should be done under the estimate. On the 31st of March last the general fund was in credit £2560. The income from cemeteries had exceeded the estimated expenditure by £1180. The waterworks receipts for the two years the council had been in oflice amounted to £12.521, and the expenditure to £10«23, including £1000 for a new pump. Two years ago the council supplied 5,000.000 gallons of water n. fortnight, now it was close on 13.000.000 for the same period, and the monthly report hy the Government analyst showed the purity of the water was" of a high standard. The new electric pump lifted 20.000 gallons of water per hour at a cost of 3/4 per hour. This one pump should meet all demands in the winter wifh a consequent reduction in the stall - at 'the pumping station. With regard to the engineer's estimate of £17,000 for providing swimming baths At Geddis Basin, the council was not prepared to submit a propositi to the ratepayers at present, for the baths, but they would ask the property owners on April 20 to sanction a. proposal to establish a fire board at Onehunga.

Mr. Cowell received an attentive hearing and was repeatedly applauded for his able defence of the council's administration of tlie affairs of the borough. i j i Short speeches were also made by Messrs. W. N. Mcintosh, deputy-mayor, and V. 11. Dodd. After the Mayor had answered'a number of questions, Mr. T R. Gilbert explained tlie council's proposal to establish a..fire board at Onehunga. A hearty .vote of thanks to the Mayor terminated the proceedings.