ELTHAM.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 29 September 1924, Page 2

ELTHAM.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

BOROUGH COUNCIL. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Eltham Borough Council was held on Friday night, the Mayor (Mr. G. W. Tayler) presiding. The councillors present were: Messrs Taylor, Thomas, Nairn, Campbell. Apologies were' received from Crs. Clements and King. Messrs R. Lewis and O. Taplen, the newly-elected members to the council, took the formal declaration and were welcomed to the council table; by the Mayor. Crs. Taplin and Lewis both replied, thanking the Mayor for his words of welcome. , The Mayor then moved that the'council forward a letter of condolence with the widow and relatives of the late Fii'eman Hart. He referred to the tragic death, and also* to the great feeling of comradeship between the members of the various fire brigades of the district.—The vote was passed, councillors standing in silence. The Eltham Fire Board wrote re the condition of the water plugs in the borough, and asked that the suggestion of Inspector Hugo be given effect to, , namely, that the plugs be circled around with concrete so as to make them more easily distinguishable at night.—The matter was referred to the Works Committee for attention. A further letter from the Fire Board stated that the estimates had been approved, and that the council’s share of the liability was £350, which was payable in quarterly instalments. The Forestry League wrote and asked the council’s support to the matter of preventing a continuance of the damage to national reserves by wild cattle and goats.—The Mayor moved that the letter be forwarded to the borough’s representative on the Egmont Park Board. —Cr. Bridger said the motion was not' strong enough. It was a very serious matter that the Egmont reserve was being slowly destroyed by the wild cattle and goats, which were being allowed to increase in the reserve. He suggested that the following should be added to the Mayor’s motion: “That this council is in favour of strong action being taken to remedy the damage to the national park by wild cattle and goats.” The secretary of the Dominion Municipal Conference wrote suggesting that the council should be represented at the conference to be held in Auckland next month. Cr. Bridger said there was one matter which he wished to see discussed at the conference. For a considerable number of years small towns had found great difficulty in providing sufficient salary to secure a suitable nightwatcliamn for the business area. Chambers of Commerce, retailers’ committees and other bodies had been caused a lot of trouble in collecting the ordinary voluntary subscriptions and paying the night-watchman a salary in keeping with the work and responsibility entailed. He thought that if the Rating Act was amended to enable the local authority to create an inner or business area and strike a rate on such area for the purpose of providing sufficient salary for a night-watchman the position would be more satisfactory in every way. He then moved the following motion: “That the local bodies’- annual conference be asked to support a remit requesting the Government to provide power for borough councils to create an inner or business area and to collect therefrom by way of special rate sufficient revenue to provide the salary of a night-watchamn for such area.” Cr. Nairn seconded, and in doing so said that he heartily agreed with the suggestion to create an inner area for the purpose mentioned.

Cr. Taplin said he was of file opinion ' that an extra policeman should be asked for. The motion was carried and the ' Mayor was appointed to represent the council at the conference. The council agreed to the subdivision of several sections in the borough, including an application from the post office authorities for a right-of-way into High Street from the rear •>r the post office. Reports were approved as follows: Works Committee.—That application be made to the New Zealand Highways Board for a contribution towards the maintenance of the Mountain Road. Reserves and Cemetery Committee.— That the application of the Eltham Cricket Club for tlie use of the playing area of the Taumata Park he granted subject to a payment of £2 2s towards the funds of the Domain, and that the matter of attending, to the grounds he left in the hands of the chairman, with power to act. The ranger and poundkeeper reported that during the month of August there were twenty head of cattle impounded in the Eltham public pound, nine head by the county Tanger and eleven head by the borough ranger. The amount handed in to the treasurer was £4 4s. The abattoir manager reported: that 293 head of stock had been slaughtered and three cows were condemned. Accounts amounting to £2650 10s lid were passed for payment. FAREWELL TO DISTRICT SCOUTMASTER HEYES. -A large crowd of boys and girls belonging to the Bov Scouts and Girl Guides of the Eltham troop, and also a .number fi’om Stratford, assembled in the Oddfellows’ Hall on Friday night to bid farewell to Mr. W. P. Heyes, district scoutmaster. Games and other amusements were indulged in until about 9 o’clock, when supper was served, after which Mr. Ira J. Bridger, chairman of the Scout Committee, •on behalf of the movement in Eltham, presented. Mr. Heyes with a solid leather suit case. In doing so he referred to the four years of energetic and faithful service rendered by Mr. Heyes in the interests of the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, not only in Eltham, hut in other parts of the district. He said that the very satisfactory condition of both the Eltham troops must bring pleasure to Mr. Heyes. They now had excellent officers fox* both troops —-Mrs. R. Foord for the girls, and Mr. Douglas Clement for the* hoys. He wished the departing scoutmaster every: success, and then called upon a little member of the Guides to make the presentation to Mr, Heyes. Mr. T. B. Crump said it gave him exceedingly great pleasure to be present and See so many happy faces and healthy children. He greatly valued the movement, and was glad to be present and express his appreciation of the work of Mr. Heyes. He often wondered whether Mr. Heyes had ever “grown up”; he seemed to have a wonderful faculty to enjoy life and the association of the children. The movement would, no doubt, feel the loss of Mr. Heyes, but he had great confidence in the, officials- and sincerely hoped that it would continue to progress.. Scoutmaster Stratford, of the Stratford troop, also' spoke, saying that the work of. Mr. Heyes as district scoutmaster was appreciated outside of Eltham equally with the Eltham people. Mr. Heyes briefly thanked the various speakers and tb© boys and girls for the very valuable present. Mr. T. B. Crump then presented the girls’ hockey team with the prizes won in their recent competition.. SEND-OFF TO MR. W. C. STYLES. The Rev. Mr. Avery presided over a farewell social given by the members of the Methodist Church to Mr. W. 0. Styles on Friday night. A short musical programme was given and brief farewell addresses were delivered. Mr. J. Turner, on behalf of the church members, referred to the high esteem in which Mr. Styles was held by his fellow church members. He appreciatively mentioned the voluntary work done for the church, the keen interest lie had always taken in the church’s welfare, and his devotion to the principles he professed. He then presented Mr. Styles with a handsome clock on behalf of the church members. Rev. Mr. Avery endorsed tbe remarks of Mr. Turner, and said he regretted very much the loss of Mr. Styles from his workers. He was a sincere and practical church member. He wished him great success and the best of health.