MARINE DRIVE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20526, 9 April 1941, Page 9

MARINE DRIVE

LYTTON ROAD SECTION FUNDS FOR COMPLETION COUNCIL TAKES OVER WINTER SPORTS GROUNDS Among matters of general interest discussed at the fortnightly meeting of the Gisborne Borough Council, held last evening, was the completion of a new section of the Centennial drive along the Waikanae foreshore, for which funds arc now available in the hands of the Centennial Council. The request that the Gisborne Borough Council should take over this work was approved.

There were present the Mayor, Mr. D. W. Coleman, M.P., and Messrs. H. H. DeCosta, F. Tolerton, J. H. Hall, G. D. Muir'head, E. Harris, R. Morse, G. Bradley Smith, H. E. Maude, and Dr. A. L. Singer. The Poverty Bay Hockey Association applied for the use of grounds on the Childers Road Reserve for the forthcoming season under the usual conditions. The association considered that it would need two grounds only for the season, but wished to have a third ground available if sufficient teams became available. The letter expressed appreciation of the splendid manner in which the grounds were maintained during the 1940 season.—The application was approved, on the motion of the Mayor, who. in answer to Mr. Hall, said that the Home Guard need not interfere with the hockey players. The council could not put the players off altogether, and the Home Guard could move further back. 110-me Guard Demonstration Plot

The Royal Humane Society of New Zealand forwarded a request that the council should again assist financially with the cost of the society’s work.— The council approved a donation of £2 2s, as in previous years. A proposal that the council should co-operate in providing a demonstration area where full-scale models of defensive works could be constructed and used for demonstration purposes, was received from the Gisborne Borough Battalion of the Home Guard. The co-operation of the council was sought in securing a suitable area of ground, about one acre in extent.— The matter was referred to the town clerk, Mr. W. M. Jenkins, and the engineer, Mr. E. R. Thomas, with instructions to report. The East Coast Provincial Centennial Council wrote stating that it had funds in hand for the completion of the Waikanae marine drive as far as the abattoirs, and asked for the council’s approval of the project. The centennial body also asked that the council undertake the construction of the roadwork and take the necessary steps to legalise the road, both as to the borough portion and that section lying in the Cook County. The council would receive payment to the amount of £BOO. the money now being available.—The Mayor moved that the Centennial Council’s request be acceded to, and that the Cook County Council’s approval be sought on behalf of the Centennial Council. The motion was carried.

Resignation of Employee The borough engineer placed before the council the resignation of Mr. J. W. Parkin, an employee of the council for the past 14 years. The grounds of the resignation was the calling-up of Mr. •Parkin’s son, and his own obligation to carry on his son’s business during his absence on military service.—The Mayor commented that Mr. Parkin had given faithful service, and he moved that the resignation be accepted with regret, and that a letter of appreciation of his services be given to Mr. Parkin. The council supported the Mayor’s suggestion. A petition was received from Awapuni road residents asking that the council surface the Awapuni road with bitumen. The signatories pointed out that the road was greatly used by wool lorries and general traffic, and that the dust nuisance had been serious for the past year or two.—The Mayor pointed out that it was impossible in wartime to secure supplies of bitumen. He thought Awapuni road was one road which needed surfacing, but that the council should defer it until, new supplies of bitumen were available. Mr. Morse suggested that some lighter form of dust-laying treatment might be applied. The engineer said that he hoped soon to receive supplies of the type of material used by the State Housing Department. That would be satisfactory for Awapuni road, he thought. The Mayor’s suggestion was adopted, with provision for early treatment if suitable material became available.

Safety at Derby Street The engineer, Mr. E. R. Thomas, having reported to the works committee on the practice of children climbing along the outer timbers of the Derby street bridge, from the abutments, the committee recommended to the council that the abutments be blocked off. This suggestion was given preference to the alternative of raising the handrails along the bridge. The engineer reported to the council that the Social Security Department had approved the employment of 40 married men for 13 weeks, distributed over the following works:— Waikanae Centennial Drive extension; Waikanae Centennial Park improvements, borough beautification, levelling section in Awapuni road, formation of footpaths, and improvement work at the Gisborne Central School. The Macrae Bath had been closed for the season as from April 4, the engineer also stated, in view of adverse weather and the consequent falling off in patronage.