PATEA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 8 October 1924, Page 9

PATEA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Patea Borough Copncil was held on Monday evening last, his Worship the Mayor (Mr S. Finlayson) presiding. Leave of absence was granted to Or Watson. An application for a drainage permit was granted to Mr Hemingway. A quotation from Kings, Ltd., New Plymouth, for the supply of chips was held over until samofes of metal arrived. A deputation from the Patea Fire Brigade waited on the council, and asked to be allowed some of the timi 1 houses that had been concjemned, for the purpose of making additions to the living quarters at the ongade station. Captain L. Adams stated that the brigade had now secured the services of a married man as custodian, and the conveniences at the station were inadequate. Hearing that the council intended pulling down the shops on the adjoining section, it was thought that sufficient • good timber and iion could he obtained from this source to make the necessary additions at the station. An estimate of the cost of new material for the job was about £SO; . but bv getting the timber rroni the buildings in question the cost would, not be more than £2O, which included the erection of a chimney. The labour the brigade would supply themselves by moans of “working bees.” In leply to Gr Jones, Captain Adams said that so far as he could say the caretaker was likelv to remain here permanently. He \vas a thoroughly good man, and understood brigade work and could drive the motor. The deputation thanked the council for receiving and listening to them, and then withdrew. Cr Honeyfield said the first point to be decided was: “Has the council decided to pull down the buildings?” It was true the buildings had been condemiied, hut as yet no consideration had been given to the question of demolition. He strongly objected to anyone being allowed to go and take a few hoards out . here and there; if they started taking them down piecemeal they w ould have some people applying to have a hoard or two out of hereand another application for a board or two out of there, and so on. To put the matter in order Cr Ramsbottom said he would move: ‘That the request of the brigade be granted, and that a committee consisting of his Worship the Mayor and Cr Rook he appointed to act with the brigade so as to see that things are carried out in proper manner.” In speaking to his motion, Cr Ramsbottpm said that there was no doubt about the necessity for imnroving the living accommodation at the brigade station. Sooner or later these old buildings had to come down, and this was an opportunity of having some of the new 7 timber quite recently put in them, and for winch no return had been received, put to good purpose. Ihe council w 7 as not losing anything over the deal—it was simply a matter of transferring the material from one of their sections to another. He w 7 as not in favour of\ knocking the buildings dowm just yet; but would allow tlie brigade to take material from the inside of the buildings and also to reiiiove th<? shed at the back. - He hoped that before long someone would come along and put up decent buildings on the sections. • ,

Cr Peacock seconded the motion. Cr Jones thought the resolution was putting the cart before the horse. The council had not yet decided whether it \vas going to pull the buildings down. I here wan one thing certain, that as soon as they began taking bits of them down the. rest would fall down. He would move as an amendment: “That the council call tenders for the immediate demolition of the buildings lately I 1! occupation of Mrs Harkin and Mr Murrell respectively.” It appeared, said Mr Jones, from the remarks of some of the councillors that evening that they had a great fondness for old rookeries.” Some of them will piobably remember that about two years ago he strongly advocated selling the reserves in the centre of the town, so. as to encourage the 'erection of decent buddings. People with money won t build on leaseholds, and people without money can’t build on lease-' holds because mo one will lend them the money on leasehold security. The Mayor seconded the amendment ,pio foima, but stated that he was not in sympathy with it. He quite agreed thau the old buildings were unsightly, but now wa s not the most opportune tune to sell old timber/ about Easter was the best time. After further discussion the amendment was put and declared lost, and riec! reso utlorv was then !>»t and carIt was resolved to take necessarv steps to re-enter on the uremises leased to the late E. Bayley. Ihe question of purchasing tip-up seats for the Town Hall was held over tor the present., to enable the General ssKa. twßm, ** w tn The following reports were adopted: General Purposes Committee.—That the application for three months’ leave or absence from Councillors Kernsk and Wliiteford he granted • that no action he taken by the council in !eg ai d to Mr. .1. P. Rgan's letter stating that certain drainage and water supply fittings had been unlawfully removed from lot 8, part section block--40, Egmont Street, leased bv him rom the council, and that Mr. Fo-an be informed that he. as lessee of this piopertv, will he held responsible for the replacement of such fittings • That the letter from the Eltliam Countv Council quoting metal screenings at 9’= 6d per £iibic yard f.n.r. Eltham be received ; that the borough solicitor’s letter concerning the granting of a 'ease to Mr. H.“ Boagey be held over for consideration at the next ordinary meeting of the council; that the Mayor and Town Clerk be authorised to attend the annual municipal conference at Auckland on October' 23, 1924, as representatives of the Pntea. borough, and that his "Wbrslup the .Mayor he empowered to vote on behalf of the said borough upon the various quesbefore the conference; that Mr. E. Witton Booth be thanked for his offer to lecture upon the road problem, and that he he informed that this council is unable to assist him j VI the matter; that the fire brigade station he reconnected with the telephone exchange, and that the Mayor interviev the postmaster with a view to bavins this nh’"m classed and charged under the heading of private telephones.— The Mover ex plained that the postmaster had slated that lie could not Cass the telephone at the brigade station as desired by the council.

r.le'tiic Light- r-nd Water and Drainage Commit,tee. —That the K ad; a r a me a Dairy Co.. Ltd., bo charged the ordinary rate of 5d per unit for power consumed by their 15/18 h.p. motor, less

the following discountUp to 50 units Id per unit, in excess of 50 units 2d per unit. Electrical Engineer’s Report.—The water supply has been maintained continuously throughout the month the Plimping hours being ‘as follows : 40 -p. pump 14 hours. i 7 h.p. pump 167 hours pumpmg 1,170,000 gallons' with an electrical consumption of 2750 units. No leaks occurred in the water mams. Two blocks in the M?wers have be_en cleared. The hydro Piaut has run 737 hours out of 744 and generating 15,982 electrical units. Llieie has been a plentiful .supply’ of water in the dam during the whole month. The whole of the clay wear has been planted with raara.ni grass. Tins should prevent, the sand drifts ana make a more solid surface on the wear. The end of the wear next the spillway had to be fenced off owing to Hie stock breaking the bank away. Tlie steel pipe from the top of the cliff to the power 'house requires paintThe material that was over »rom the painting of the water-tower snoulcl be suitable and the assistants could do rile work. The high tension liijcs have been inspected and several ii the dry joints soldered. During the coining month it will he necessary to make alterations to the low tension lilies owing to the electric wires being erected on the P. and T. side of the street. Forty-si v lighting points have be.en installed. The Kakaramea D-airv Co. s electric motor has been connected up and they are now using it for poyer at tlie factory. Owing to not hemg able to give the factory a continuous supply of current,. T would suggest that a meter be installed and a qliarge made per unit for the current consumed. Several alterations and repair jobs have also been canted out.