LOCAL BODIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 228, 27 September 1938, Page 5

LOCAL BODIES.

ONEHUNGA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The Onehunga Borough Council met last night, the deputy-Mayor, Mr. J. E D MeGuire, presiding.

lroposed Loan.-1 he local Government 1 Ljoaiw Board advised that the approval of tiie Sstate Advances Corporation was necessary to obtain a loan of £20,000 for the new housing scheme. Plans and specifications must also be approved by the Director of Housing Construction. The niaxi- : nnim period of a loan was 25 years i

Finance.—The treasurer, Mr H \ Yockney reported the financial position to be as follows: Call money held, £10 000 less debit balance in district-fund account £2671 14/8, which gives a credit in the actual bank balance of £7328 5/4. He also repotted that current rates collected amounted to_£l4.7lG 5/4. with rate arrears ot £3036 19/7. Compared with the previous year the per cent of rates collected to rebate date was 43.8. as against 37 9

Condemned Building.—Steps are to be taken to serve closing orders on the owners of three condemned buildings, to be followed by demolition orders if necessary.

Scheme 13.—A total of 214 men are engage.! under the Xo. 13 scheme "special" conditions, of these 116 are on street works, 15 at Mount Smart pit, 63 at Waikaraka Park, and 20 on reserves, domains and school grounds.

tree Service.—A free tap repair service as to oe undertaken by the council, except for cistern and water taps over porcelain basins.

Breach of Traffic Regulations.—The traffic inspectors to work one night a week for a month on the back streets, and at le Pa pa pa, to clean up the breaches of traffic regulations by parked motor cars, without lights all night. I , off( V' Accepted.—The offer of the One' tree liill Borough Council to pay half the cost ot sinking a sump hole at the' boundary of the two boroughs in Tawa , Koad was accepted.

~Urivine Home lo Lunch.—The engineer.' Mr. H. Reynolds Bach, asked for a ruling on tlie question of the truck drivers • driving home to lunch in the council's truck,!. Ihe drivers are to be requested to take their lunches with them, except on special occasions to be arranged by the ' engineer. j Tenders.—The council accepted the lowest tender of JEI4 10/ for the supply j of a grease gun, and £4 4/ for a batterv ! charger. " i Donations.—The council donated the' sum of £5 5/ to the funds of the Workers' Educational Association, and £2 2/ to the crippled children's fund.

Resignation.—The resignation of the engineer, Mr. H. Reynolds Bach, was accepted, he having l>een appointed to a similar position at Lower Hutt. The councillors expressed of Mr. Bachs services, and congratulated mm on his new jppointment.

OTAHUHU BOROUGH COUNCIL. The fortnightly meeting of the Otahuhu Korough Council was held last evening the Mayor, Mr. (J. R. l'etrie, M.l\, presiding. Parking Restrictions.—A business firm expressed Us surprise that the protest ot the Businessmen's Association had been ignored by the council in determining the times tor parking in the main street J he writer was of the opinion that the busy side or the street should have a shorter period of parking, and the "unfortunate" side longer time. The council's action will stdl handicap the eastern side of the main street, stated the letter.

1 rathe Signs.—Until all the traffic signposts have been erected the council has difficulty in enforcing its parking by-laws lhis was stated in a report from the engineer.

Riding On Footpaths.—Mr. Grey complained of the number of people who ride their bicycles on the concrete footpaths at n;ght.. He was informed that a lady pedestrian was passed by 32 cyclists one night, some of whom had no lights. The good concrete paths were evidently regarded as speedways, observed councillors It was decided to give a final warning to offenders.

umber Plate*.—The question of placing suitable number plates on dwellings was introduced by Mr. Grey, who «aid that unless the council enforced something uniform all kinds of designs would be used. Ihe Mayor stated that this was a vexed question, and had been shelved for 16 years, the chief difficulty being the gaps between the sections in some parts of the borough, and which end to start from. The matter will be kept in riew.

St. John Ambulance.—ln reply to a request from the St. John Ambulance Association tor a subscription it was resolved not to make a donation, but to grant the association permission to make a canvass in the borough streets.

Appreciation.—A letter was received thanking resident* of the boiough for the •subscription of £7 12/7 towards the relief tund of Spanish refugee children. NEW LYNN BOROUGH COUNCIL. A meeting of the New Lynn Borough Council was held last evening. Works Programme—The Mayor, Mr A 1. Kennan, reported that he had been round all the works with the borough engineer and had found that good progress was being made with street works in Lynwood Koad, Willerton Avenue, Marfan Avenue, the kerbing of various shop noutages, and work on the New Lynn Domain. The men were contented, with the result that good work was being done, the engineers report on the progress of the various works was received and the council intimated that they were pleased with the co-operation shown by the residents of Northall Koad in sowing their frontages with grass and the offer to maintain the same, and should residents of other streets approach the council in a similar manner the council would be pleased to show them preference in making improvements to their street. A letter of appreciation was received from Mrs. Hogg for the work done in Golf Koad. Donation.—A giant of £1 1/ was made to the St. John Ambulance Association. Unpaid Kates.—A legal opinion was received from the Municipal Association with reference to the council's powers in dealing with sections acquired for nonpayment of rates. The opinion stated that the council has power to spend money on advertising and to pay commission on rales made. Finance.—The finance committee reported that accounts totalling £2989 18/4 had been passed for payment and that after a careful perusal of the list of sections for sale, prices had been fixed ranging from £15 to £65. Traffic Licenses.—The town clerk reported that in the past the council had not issued heavy traffic licenses although entitled to do so under the regulations, and considerable collecting commission I had been lost. The council resolved to commence the issue of heavy traffic licenses' at the end of the present quarter when all vehicles garaged in the borough would be required to take out their licenses with the council. Community Lighting.—ln a report dealing with community lighting, the town clerk advised that the council had no legal authority for the present arrangement with the Waitemata Electric Power Board whereby the council was responsible to the board for community light charges and collecting the amount paid by way of I a refund from the shopkeepers concerned. The council resolved to notify the Power Board that after September 30 the council would no longer be responsible for this payment. Noxious Weeds.—The town clerk reported that the clearing of noxious weeds from council property was practically completed, but that there still remained the problem of noxious weeds on property where the owners could not be traced. The matter of having unoccupied properties cleared was left in the town clerk's hands and it was resolved that owners who failed to clear be prosecuted. The council also decided that to show its appreciation to the people who had assisted bv clearing their properties a circular be sent thanking them for their amnntanrfi, '