MANAIA CIVIC AFFAIRS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 7 May 1926, Page 5

MANAIA CIVIC AFFAIRS.

ADMINISTRATIVE WORK. TOWN BOARD MEETING. The monthly meeting of the ManaiaTown Board was held last evening. There were present: Commissioners L. ,G. Nielson (chairman), V. H. Hobday, H. Mead, J. Hickey, J. A. G. Cosgrove, S. H. Greaves, and N. C. Innes. WORK OF THE MONTH. The foreman (Mr J. L. Lett) reported as follows-: — Street lights.—Five burnt-out bulbs have been replaced. , Roads. The County Council has finished the street tarring, for which 46 tons of bitumen and 250 yards of shingle were used. Mr Murray intends delivering the balance of his contract this week. Twenty-four yards of meta] are yet required, 26 having been delivered. General. —A culvert which was badly blocked was cleared. Large stones have been raked off portions of the tarred road. In this matter I ask -the board’s permission to barricade the centre of the road in the main street in the daytime so as to put the traffic on the sides. The smaller stones will thereby be ground into the road surface. The boxtho-rn fence fronting the board’s section in the main street has been cut; also the fence round the ladies’ rest room. I have also grubbed the gorse in front of the board’s section in Reimensehneider Street. During the wet weather water channels and culverts have- been attended to.-

The report was adopted, but permission for the suggested barricade was withhe’d. Cr. Mead called attention to the necessity for repair work at the entrance to the Sutherland Road, and the works committee was requested to investigate and take action accordingly. •■Cr. Cosgrove mentioned a bad dip in the road at the corner of Riemen--,Schneider and Tahuri Streets. This was also referred to the works committee. The practice of cyclists riding in the town after dark without lights was referred to by Cr. Hobday, and during a discussion of the subject it was intimated that action would be taken against offenders so detected. W.E.A. DEPUTATION. Messrs J. Dakers and W. Snowdon, representing the Manaia branch of the W.E.A., waited on the board with a request for assistance in furthering the activities of the association. Messrs Dakers and Snowdon explained that in many other centres the local authorities were subsidising the respective branches. In most instances the sum of £2 2s was voted, and in Auckland £IOO had been granted. They stressed the benefits afforded by the work of the association, and asked that the board would give any possible consideration in arranging favourable terms for the use once a week of a meeting room. The deputation also extended an .invitation to the members of the board to attend the lectures. After the withdrawal of the deputation a round-table discussion ensued. It was pointed out that a previous resolution had been passed fixing the nightly rental for the Town Board meeting room at os when used by the association. . Notice of motion to rescind the resolution was given by Cr. Greaves. an unsupported motion.

In accordance with notice, Cr Mead moved: • , , . ~ “That in future all holidays for the staff he civen bv the board and not bv the chairman.” ■ During the discussion the chairman retired, and the deputy-chairman (Cr. Hickey), took the chair. Speaking to th e motion, Cr. Mead said that while he did not wish to cast any persona l , reflection on the chairman he’thought, the measure wag advisable in the interests both of the chairman and the board as a whole. The action of the chairman in .such matters might prejudice the board. He thought this had been done when the chairman had recently granted an extension of leave of absence' to a member of the staff. Cr. Hickey said he had every confidence in the chairman, and thought

the matter could well be left to himi. By adopting the motion the board would be showing a lack of confidence in the chairman. A . Cr. Innes said that perhaps "the chairman had made a mistake in granting certain leave of absence recently to a member of the staff, but the speaker thought that it- was the' province of the chairman to deal with .such emergency cases, and he could,not. support the motion. The motion was riot seconded, and lapsed. “I have to apologise to you, Mr chairman, though .it was pot niy intention that the matter should be taken as a personal one. The board has expressed its confidence in you 'and intimated that the question of leave of absence niav be teft to your discretion,” said Cr. Mead when 'Cr. Nielson resumed the chair-.-A'«u.*u . The chairman intimated’ - that the apologv would be accepted. FINANCE, A statement was tabled showing the total revenue for the month as £9l 19s 6d, made up as follows:—Rates, 192526, general £25 13s 2d, Water and sewerage £22 19s 4d, total £4S -12 s 6d; cow registered. £3 15s; hall rent, £27 10s; drivers’ licenses, £6; clerical expenses, £4 10s; sanitary charges, 12s; sundries, £l. • ' Accounts totalling £99 11s were passed for payment. WATER AND DRAINAGE. It was decided to make. application: to the State Advances Department for a further instalment of £SOOO of the water and drainage loan.