ELTHAM.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 22 October 1924, Page 10

ELTHAM.

——-+ t (From Our Own Correspondent.) *■ . 1 BOROUGH COUNCDj. 1 The Borough Council met oil Monday night. The Mayor (Mr G. W. 5 Tayler) presided. The full council was ( present. j Before the commencement of the f business' of the council, Cr Bridger , moved that this council extend to the? , Mayor and Mrs Tayler and relatives sincere sympathy in their recent bereavement. Cr Nairn moved a similar resolution' ; with Mr R. J. Knuckey and family. The resolutions were passed in j silence. • Cr J. Taylor said that lie wished to withdrawcertain remarks made at. a previous meeting of the council with , reference to the Mayor. The; Mayor " accepted, the withdrawal, and the mat- 'i ter dropped. • ; Mr L. Hewitt, a recent purchaser ( of one of the council’s houses, wrote, complaining about the condition of the ■ bath. The Mayor stated that this matter was rather serious, as the houses had only been built thi'ee and a half year*. The stove also was very badly eaten with rust. , . The matter was referred to the Finance Committee, with power to act. Mr T. B. Crump, the council’s representatiye/on. the Egmont National' Reserve, wrote stating that the matter referred to at the last- council meeting, viz., damage caused' to_ the reserve by wild cattle and goats, " had been under consideration fob some considerable time, but the committee had found it impossible to take effective means to x-emedy the matter owing to the funds being very short. The report of Mr Maxwell concerning the settlers near the reserve allowing their stock to waiider in the park, was, he believed, true. He also, asked permission to address the council on tne subject at its next meeting.—The letter was received, and Mr Crump was invited to address the council. The Taranaki Road Race Committee were granted permission to conduct the mouhtain road race through the borough. The Finance Committee recommended that the council increase its contribution 1 towards the salary, of the nightxvatchman from 5s per week to 6s 6d per week. The committee, reports that an application from the Salvation Army for permission to make a street collection on Saturday, 18th .inst., in connection with the annual-self-denial appeal xvas considered at the last meeting, and . was granted. . Cr Nairn moved that, part IX. of the borough by-laws, relating to drainage and sanitation, be properly eri- , forced. ... The following report ..from the inspector was received: On my monthly inspection of ; the borough I .found things in good order, on the. xvhole. A fair amount of rubbish needed vemov- , ing, and txvo giilly. traps, one ball cock and sex'eral leaking, taps wanted , rtepairihg. I advised that two hedges should he ti’ininied back' from the footpatji. I hax*e three 'cases of breaches of the by-laws to come on iiext court day : Riding a push hike xvithout a light, riding- a motor bike. xvithout ap r plying the silepcer, and exceeding the speed limit on a motor bike. ~ The arm- . lets fqr, the; use. of temporary ;assist T ants have been .procured, and, I xjush to thank, the borough councillors for the prompt xx*ay in w'hich they have always granted my requests. The matter of parking cars close to. the Bridge street, corner of the Stanners street, ftirea xvas considered * dani gerous, arid xx'as. refefred to the traffic inspector, for attention, ....'77 Cr Lewis dreiv attention to motors xvithout silencers, and Cr . Campbell ; complained that the silent policeman s was not erected on Sundays and the . xvater in the xvatertahles was riot j turned on. .7 , These matters were referred to the Works Cofnmittee; 1 The Reserves and Cemetery Cofnl mittee recommended that the. council 5 endeavour to dispose of pony lawn, j mower; that the 'council informs Mr 5 F. Reardon that it is unable to agree -to his proposal tliat the rental-for por--3 tion,_of. ..Soldiers’. ..Memorial Park leased fc bv him he reduced to £2 7s 6d per acre 3 per annum, and .failing his'compliance . xvith conditions of tender the' block he 3 resubmitted for lease by public tender, i Cr Bridger suggested that the Re--3 serves Committee might fax-ourably 3 consider the erection of a -fernerv in 3 the Taumata, Park. A very suitable t place could be found in the'bush,. and r would not cost a great deal owing to t natural condition of the ground. He referre’d to the x'<?ry line fernery in 1 Hawera, which he considered xvas a

very great credit to the, town. He then. mo\ T ed that the matter be re-fei-j’ed to the Reserves Committee for' favourable consideration. Cr. Campbell seconded, and the motion xvas carried. TlTie abattoir manager reported that .305 head of. .stock - had been slaughtered during the month of September. One bullock had been condemned. .The .borough . treasurer reported that £‘/65 8s fid had been received - during tlie month, and accounts -amounting to £944 Is 5d had been passed for payment.

Or. J. Taylor moved that the picture advertising. be reduced by £75, and in doing so said that it xvas Jiis firm opinion that the advertsing account xvas far too large. He was not actuated, by any desire to particularise xvith regard to any form of advertisement. He desired to see the pictures put on a payable footing. At present-'the joint statement of-the Town Hall and Pictures account xvas shewing a loss. The xxere not being run on ah eco-no-mical basis. There xvas no .depreciation shown in the Town Hall;

Gr. Bridger, in seconding the. motion .pro forma, said that he could not agree with the mover of the motion regarding the pictures showing a loss. They were providing £125 foT the administration .department, and also a further substantial sum as rent for the Town. Hall revenue account,- and other incidental sums necessary with regard to the management of the Town Hall. \\ hetlier the pictures were run or not there was still a good profit. He was in favour of practising economy where practicable, but he was not convinced that it was judicious to cut the publicity down by so much as stated in the resolution. He complained that the Council had not had an opportunity of discussing the balance-sheet before. The Mayor said that the pressure of council business had prevented the matter being placed on the order paper. Cr. King .moved an amendment— That the matter be referred; to. the Town Hall and Pictures Committee for consideration and report. Cr. Clements seconded. The Mayor said that in his opinion picture advertising was necessary. People look up the advertisement every night, .and if the picture suits them they generally go. The Town Clerk (who. is also manager of the Pictures) said that the accounts were made out strictly in accordance with the auditor’s requirements. The pictures were paying to the Hall account £3 per night, and also> providing for the administration of the borough, and had made a profit on the half-year of £229. The pictures had

also sax'ed the collecting .of the Toxvn H-aIL rate for. the past tour years. It xvas a very handsome paying proposi-. tion. A further saving would he ef- ' fected with the installation, of an electric motor for poxx;er purposes. Cr. Thomas said that the committee had already made a. reduction of £SO 1 per 'an.num-.iri the paper adyertising: Cr. Lewis, thought that, the financial ] statement xvas. t satisfactory xx’ith the '' decrease in advertising, and thought j perhaps a further reduction was posy ] sible. ... 7' . j Cr. Taplin said that; in his opinion < the newspaper Tate xvas .too;. high, and favoured a reduction ,in the space. Cr. Campbell thought that as other toxvns.xvefe xyorking ori a - 2ih. advertise- ‘ ment that Elthani should do xvith less tha-il siii. as at. present. Cr. Taylor briefly replied; stating that' he was still .'dissatisfied. . The amendment was. then put and carried.' ' ■' "* : " . Ci*. Taplin hTought hp the rilatter of r reduction in the price- of gas fqr cooking ' ptlrposesr and ■stiess'ed the necessity for a. progressive policy; He moved that the matter of a reduction -in the price of gas to thOhttMiriers\iWthe-tooking, ! heating and ppxyer purposes be referred to the Finance* Committee; Cr. Nairn seconded he motion, xvhich xvas carried. Cr. Bridger. dealt at. length xvitli the condition of the approach to the cemetery, and also the paths xvithin the enclosure. The condition xvas far -from satisfactory, and he xvas of the opinion that if there xvas not sufficient money iii the department then, the council should make, a special . grant for general iriiprovement. He moved that, the’ Reserves Committee go carefully into the mater. •, .: : ;• Cr. Cainpbell seconded. Or Clements said that- the cost .would be considerable, .and .lie could riot see where the money would come from.. The Mayor said that the condition of the cemetery called for some consideration , and " Ire hoped that . soiriethin g xvoiuld be done. PTiCNtCET SOCIETY. The monthly meeting-of the Plunket Society xvas held in the Plunket Rooms on Tuesday afterrioon. Those, present were: Mesdames ( Haxvken (chair), Wanklyn; Drayton, Campbell, Car son, Wood, Ware, Fountain©, McDonald, Harrison. • and','Weir. TApologies were received from Mesdames Crump,.Walsh,. Bridger, Foord, • Haden, Stewart and - Bri-ry. A letter ■ xvas received from the. Ha--1 -xveira. branch re deputation to Boyough. ' Council ; also a- letter from -Mrs- White-; head re letting of room, and .a letter 1 from Nurseßates To -cupboard xvith ' pigeon holes, . .. , : 1 Accounts xve're passed for payment : totalling £2O 9s lOd. ' ' The secerta-ry repotted : having re- „ cei\ r e'd a • gift of a (picture 'and child’s silk 'kriitted frock from 'Mrs Velviii to ■ be disposed "-of 'iri the interests of the * society, proceeds to go Jo the funds.-R; •It xvas ‘resolved that ' Mrs Nelvin-be - thanked for th© gift, . >. r The secretary- reported that rifter payl- ing all expenses ££ • xyas i;eaiised from • the tea rooms at-.the floxver &hoxv. .. . It. xvas decided after discussion not yt’o’: l- hold the-usual styeet. collection day tliis l year, but to -hold .a- fete-after Ohrist- > mas. • : •- -.. - r -. ; It xvas. also decided,fo .liold tl'ie ipoth- » ©rs’ tea, xvhicli,. is,; given ariri.ually by b the committee ..to ;'Ripnket. nipfiirir's V ori. i November 5, the secretary to- niake'the - necessary aTrarigeriierits.. .. 7. ' . i Mrs Haxykeri, had. just retrirribd - from: the Plunket 7§oeieties v cbufeTeririe . in, Wellirigtori,7 tken7 'the i meeting, giving ail outline of trie busir ness done. "7 7