MANAIA TOWN BOARD.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 3 December 1926, Page 6

MANAIA TOWN BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Manaia Town Board was hold last evening. Present: Commissioners N. C. Innes (chairman), V. H. Hobday, H. Mead, E. J. Massey, J. Hickey. An apology wa® received from Or. J. A. G. Cosgrove, who was granted leave of absence. The foreman, Mr J. D. Borrie, reported that work done during the month included cleaning of watertabes and drains, patching of holes in footpath and on roads, and spreading shingle on part of tarred roads. The board would be well advised to obtain a few yards of shingle to spread on the highway, as the tar was starting to ‘‘bleed.” ' Noxious weeds on town reserves have been grubbed. The footpaths have commenced to crack, and needed attention.—Adopted. HEAVY TRAFFIC FEES. The system of allocation of heavy traffic fees came up for discussion, upon receipt of a letter from the secretary of the Taranaki Local Bodies’ Association requesting an expression of the board’s opinion with regard to the two schemes now under consideration. The chairman said he was prepared to .suport the Skoglund scheme on the grounds that it would not materially affect the amount due to the hoard, and that the Wannate West County Council was more convenient to deal with than the whole of the local bodies in Taranaki. He moved that the hoard express its preference to the Skoglund scheme. Cr. Hickey seconded, and the motion was carried. SUBSIDIES. Audited copies of the balance-sheets of the vVaimate Plains Library and. tiie Manaia, Municipal Brass Band, together with appi cat ions for subsidies, were received. The Library balance-sheet showed that the year had been commenced with the funds’ in credit to the extent of £7 Ss 4d, and by the end of the year tills had risen to £32 17s 2d. The band balance-sheet showed, a credit balance of £l2 4s 7d, the year having been commenced with £2 18s od in hand. Or. Hobday pointed out that the library appeared to be in a good position at present, and scarcely required a subsidy. The chairman was of the opinion that as the library iseemed to be self-sup-porting a subsidy was not necessary, but he con'd not agree, to any subsidy being reduced while another was increased. Still he was prepared to grant the subsidies as previously, but considered that the whole question should come up for review next year. He moved to this effect. Cr. Hickey drew attention to the feet that the library building required painting, and the hoard should use the subsidy for this purpose. Or. Massey supported this. The chairman suggested that in view of this the library committee be informed that as the board proposed to paint the library building forthwith it could not see its way clear to grant more than £lO.

A motion to this effect, moved by Cr. Massey and seconded by Cr. Hickey, was carried. The band was granted the usual subcidy of £35. DRAINAGE LOMN. The Hon. O. J. Hawken, Minister of Agriculture, forwarded a letter from the. Minister in charge of the Government Insurance Department to the effect that the board’s application for £SOOO loan for competing drainage work would be considered. —A later communication front the secretary of the Department .stated that the. Department could not entertain the application. The Minister, in a covering letter, stated that it appeared that the only course’open for the board to adopt was to endeavour to raise the money privately. The. chairman stated that he had approached Mr Dickie in this matter, and he had agreed to do all possible to obtain the money.

GENERAL

'Tentative plans for the new premises for the Bank of New Zealand were forwarded by the architects, Messrs Duffili and Gibson for approval. A request lor permission to shift the present building was granted. A vote ck appreciation was accorded to Messrs G. Syme and Co. for al/owing a substantial rebate on an account for timber used in effecting repairs to the redoubt in the Domain.

Application for permission to screen tores at the Town, Hall was made by the proprietor of the Empress Pictines.—Granted. It was decided to instruct the clerk to write to the local, schoolmasters with a request that they stress upon their pupils that flowers in the Domain must not be picked. Or. Hickey .suggested that in view of the Domain being in a bad state, and as the board bad no money to .spend to improve the gardens, a working hee should be organised.—Crs. supported the suggestion, and it was decided to call a working bee for "Wednesday afternoon next at 1.30 o’clock. It was hoped that there would be a good re r spouse. The chairman reported that the Works Committee had examined the roads during the month, and found that conditions genera ly were good. It was, however, advisable that application be made to the Countv Council for the loan of its grader.— It was decided that the chairman and Or. Hickey wait upon the council at its next meeting with this obiect in view.

The chairman said lie had been approached hv a number of residents with a request for .support to a proposal to extend the telephone exchange hours from 7 a.in. to 11 p.m. to 6 a.in. to midnight. He suggested that the .board be prepared to support any requisition to this effect that might be brought forwaid. This was agreed to. Cr. Hobday drew attention to the fact that motorists speeded through the streets to the danger of pedestrians. A.so at night motorists frequently passed through without lights.—lt wa,s decided to notify the police and the board’s inspector, and request that action be taken.

The chairman, referring to stock straying oil the streets, said that there wqj-e more animals grazing oil the road than were licensed. Licenses were issued for the benefit of families, but these were being abused. He suggested that a rounding-up day should be held and lots drawn for six prosecutions of owners whose unlicensed animals were found on the roads. If residents persisted in allowing stocks to graze on the road it would be necessary to adopt the system of only allowing one animal to bo licensed for each householder.

Accounts totalling £ll7 12s 9d were passed for payment. It was decided to grant the staff the usual fortnight’s holiday at Christmas. The meeting being the 'hist of the year, the chairman thanked members for the splendid manner in which, they had carried out the business during the year, and extended the usual compliments of the season to members, -the staff, and the Press.