JOHNSONVILLE AFFAIRS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1648, 15 January 1913, Page 8

JOHNSONVILLE AFFAIRS.

"The' monthly; meeting of the Johnsonvillo Town Board was hold last evening. Present: Messrs, F. T. Moore (chairman), J. A. May, W. L. Thompson, 0. Jerusalem, W. Angel!, and H. Parker. ./■ The contractors for tho board's pumping plant' attended the meeting, and expressed the opinion that the failure of. the pump to throw tho required quantity of water-was due.to tho fact, that the valvo.originallyisent out by the makers of ; the -pump had ■ been replaced,, at • the engineer's request, by, a valve of smaller diameter...': /.;. , ■■'. ". ' After a lon'g'/discussion, it.was agreed that the .original valvo .should bo re-placed,-and thiit if the required .'quantity.: of. water were obtained as a result of the'alteration, tho cost of making it should ,bo borne,, by- the - .board,' otherwise ;that' the xws't'.snould-.bd'' borne by. the contractors." -."■"'.'." ~■"'". board agreed iinanimonsly_ that the timo had arrived when it required the services of a clerk giving his whole time to its'work, and it was fesolved to invito npolications for the. position. .. Tho clerk.was instructed.to notify the sanitary contractors of the termination of their contract as from February 28 ;ne'xt. . V ,-■_ - '.- Some-damage laving been -chine lately, by persons unknown; to fire-indicators owned by the board, the chairman, suggested that /ratepayers generally, should be' appealed to,to form a vigilance committee to protect their property against wanton destruction.

Speaking'as' ft). Labourite; nt Eltham, the Hon.-W. D. Johnson-, Minister for Public Works in West Australia, said ho was pleased to see' that Mr./Massey was going to bring the-Legislative Council into closer touch with tho democracy than it was at present. If Mr. Massey did so, bis policy would bo viewed with very great satisfaction by tho States of ■the Commonwealth. '

' A few days ago the Opotiki Borough Council sought tho assistance of the Minister for Public Works (Hon. W, Frasor) towards raising loan funds to provide for water supply, drainage, and street improvement. Mr. Trasor explained that tho Government did not have the monoy to give them, and they did not seo just now where they wero going to get it. Frankly, ho would toll them that if ho had the money the first applications ho would consider would bo those of county councils for roads and bridges, becauso they were absolutely necessary, and ho looked on them beforo tho requirements of towns, which lived on tho prosperity of-tho country. He hoped this stringency of the money market would cca. c o, and ho would be glad if ho could comply with the requirements of local bodies. ■ At present he could not see, any hopo of giving it. The wholp money market of the world was disturbed, and it did not look at all well from the recent London cablegrams ns regards tho dseire of the people at Home fo lend monoy to the colonies except at high rates, nnd It was not advisable to pay these high rates..