RUNANGA NOTES

Grey River Argus, 7 September 1939, Page 11

RUNANGA NOTES

[Our Own Correspoxident], At the monthly meeting of the Runanga Borough Council there were present the Mayor, Mr R. McTaggaxt, and Crs. F. Oakley, E. Kennedy, Y. Rutherford, S. Morris. G. English, and J. McTigue. The West Coast League Centre wrote regarding comment made about the Centre at the last meeting of tne Council. The letter explainer the attitude of the League towards the Domain Board. It was pointed out that on a request for assistance, £lO had been donated to the Domain Board last season for ground improvements. The returns from gate receipts were quoted and it was stated that it would be seen that a grant of £lO per season was a fair proportion of receipts.

It was decided to reply that the Domain Board would accept £lO per year, and to point out that previous grants had been for specific purposes, one instance being the provision of hot and cold water supply for the convenience of footballers. The Secretary of the Runanga League Club wrote denying that the Club had erected a fence on the Domain without permission, and suggesting that the Mayor had given permission. This statement was denied ov the Mayor, and after discussion it was decided to allow the matter to lapse Mr S. Hewison’s application to purchase 500 ft of iron pipes was granted.

Mr W. Freeman applied for assistance in laying a concrete footpath across the frontage of his shop in McGowan Street. Cr..'Morris moved that the same assistance be given as in the past with the proviso that the whole frontage be done. The assistance is to consist of the carting of all material, provid ing and fixing the boxing, loan of the mixing machine, an f ] assistance. Cr. English moved an amendment that assistance be given to concrete 1 he portion in front of the shop, as requested. Cr. Rutherford said that he had to be consistent. The position was the same as with the supply of concrete drain pipes. He would support the amendment. Crs. English, Rutherford and Oakley voted for the amendment, and the remaining four councillors supported the motion, which was carried. Mr E. G. Cotter wrote complaining of the high increase in the rates on his property during the last year, and informing the Council that the building on his section had been removed by some persons unknown, with the result, that the earning power of the section had been lost. No action wastciken, Mr H. Hansen, tenant of the Domain Board’s pavilion, wrote stating that on two recent occasions the pavilion lock had been broken and entry forced. He named one of the offendcrs The Mayor said that the building had been procured at a good deal of expense and erected on the Domain for the convenience of sports. It was probably the only sports ground on the Coast with facilities for shower baths for footballers, and yet ever since it had been built, it had been abused, and there was constant trouble from people breaking in. The caretaker lived in—the same building and it was a simple matter to ask for the key* It was' decided to write to the person named, demanding the repayment of the damage, and an apology for intrusion, failing which, police action would be taken. The Main Highways Board wrote advising the terms on which they financed machinery for local bodies. It was left to the Mayor to make further enjuiries from the local representative of the Board. Mr W. Armstrong wrote claiming 6/11 damage for a pair of stockings which had been ruined when his daughter had been injured by colliding with a wire barricade erected across the newly-made footpath at the side of the Miners’ Hall. Cr. English said that the position was that the street light on the corner provided ample visibility, and a warning light was not necessary. However. the power supply failed and the whole town was in darkness when the accident happened. It was decided- to i*eply that work was being done on the footpath and the wire was erected as a protection for pedestrians, and no liability could be accepted by the Council. ' One building permit for £5 was approved. „„ , The foreman reported that 208 loads of gravel from the Rapahoe pit and fifteen from the beach had been carted for road maintenance. Four loads of filling had also been carted. A concrete culvert near the doctor’s residence had been compelled. Nine 12inch pipes were laid at the Williamson frontage, and twelve 12-inch pipes at the Garnet frontage. A culvert had fallen in in Herd Street and nine 24inch pipes had been laid. The concrete bottom for a culvert in Ranfurly Street had been made and the work was proceeding. Drains had been cleaned in Mill Street, Pitt Street, and Ranfurlv Street. Some attention had been given t 0 roads where the laying of the water pipes had badly affected the alignment. A fence had been erected at the Kotare Domain. There wer,e 18 lambs at the Domain. Three lambs were lost due to the bad wftv ther Five cows and three calves had been impounded. The concrete mixer and three men had been engaged on the footpath at the side of the Miners Hall. . . x Cr. Morris asked that in future a report be made of the average number of loads of gravel carted per day for the roads. He said it was essentia to know the cost of putting the gravel on the road. Some time was spent carting material to other jobs and the lorry had given mechanical trouble, and this meant that often the three men at the gravel pit were idle, thus adding to the cost. A report on the average number of loads would be a valuable guide when the ti pw machinery was in use. An application from Mrs Murray for assistance in laying concrete drain pipes in front of her property W AcSts totalling £B9 18s lid were nassed for payment. In the Domain account, a total of £l5 16s 2d was passed Thc Mayor said that there was taJK in the town that the money recently raised for the Domain sp * bodies was being used foi the go course and he wished to deny the statement. The Golf Club Paid a rental for the use of the ground and in addition had provided a sack of grass seed. Not one penny of the monev raised had been spent on the golf course, and none would be.