KAPONGA TOWN BOARD

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 19 September 1934, Page 11

KAPONGA TOWN BOARD

FINAL MEETING OF THE YEAR

COMMISSIONERS RE-ELECTED FINANCES VERY SATISFACTORY. The Kaponga Town Board held its monthly meeting on Tuesday evening, when there were present Commissioners A. R. Bates (chairman), E. L. Abbott, W. G. Cran, J. P. Gibson, W. Mart, and H. J. Mills. The meeting was the last one to be neld by the present board. The clerk reported that as only the required number of nominations for the new board have been received no election would be necessary. The chairman remarked that this was satisfactory from a financial viewpoint, but fie would like to see more public interest displayed. All the present board members have been re-elect-ed vrafl tne exception of Commissioner il. j. Mills, who did not seex re-elec-, tion. Xfie new member on the board is Mr J. H. Tyaok. Accounts amounting to £726 were passed for payment. Of this figure the electricity department absorbed £lB3 Which included material in connection with, the change over, interest and sinking funds totalled £354, and salaries and wages £166, of which sum jj'M had been refunded by the Unemployment Board for wages paid to relief workers.

An offer of £3 per annum for an extraordinary water supply at the Maire branch factory was made by the Mangatoki Dairy Company and accepted by the board. The secretary of the Disabled Soldiers’ Civil Ele-establishment Committee, Dtmedm, wrote regarding the disposal of goods manufactured by disabled soldiers’ at co-operative works employing disabled returned soldiers who were unemployed prior to the establishment of the factory two years ago. The letter referred to a line of dog collars manufactured and asked the board to give the men an oppor, tunity of tendering when the next supply of dog . collars was being arranged for. The letter was received, it being mentioned that the board’s supply of collars had already been arranged for. A copy of the minutes was received of the meeting convened by the Mayor of Temuka and held in Wellington on August 22 in connection, with the unemployment position in New Zealand.

The Eltham County Council wrote regarding th© provisions of the agreement between the council and the board m connection with the striking of -orates in the town district. Attention was drawn to the proviso which imposes upon the board the necessity of notifying the council of rates struck. It was pointed out that permission, had been previously given for the board to transfer the county rate foir a period of two years to the electricity department. The council asked that the board submit a return covering the last two years, showing the amount levied, amount collected and purpose for which used. The figure which had since been submitted showed that £278 was levied and £225 collected in 1933, and £275 levied and £241 collected in 193-4. A further letter from the county council agreed to the board s proposal to again transfer the funds from this particular rate to the electricity account. . , The Main Highways .Board forwarded a circular memorandum asking that in order that approved work may be put in hand during the good weather, estimates for the year 1984-35 be forwarded as soon as possible. The clerk stated that the board’s estimates went forward som© time ago and had since been approved. The amounts authorised were oit the basis of £3 for £1 and were: Eltham-Opunake highway £7B, and Manaia-Mount Egmont £75.

The secretary of the Taranaki circular road race wrote asking for permission to run the annual road race through the board’s area on October 2Q and appealing for assistance of the local traffic officer. Approval was given for the riders to proceed along the Eltham and Manaia roads and to give assistance with traffic control if an officer was available. The Taranaki Local Bodies’ Association forwarded a copy of the minutes of the last quarterly meeting held at Eltham. The secretary of the Kaponga Volunteer Fire Brigade wrote forwarding an outstanding account of £7 4s 6d owing to the U.F.B.A. for medals, bars and subscriptions, and asking the board bo meet same, or grant the brigade a subsidy. The letter pointed out that a number of medals and bars were now due to brigadesmen. The board discussed the operations of the brigade, members being very favourably disposed towards the brigade. It was decided to grant a subsidy of £lO 10s. Only one tender, that of Mrs M. Siddells, was received for the rights of the town hall cafe. Mrs Siddell s tender of £7, which was the same as last year, was accepted.

ENGINEER,’B REPORT. Mr A. W. Anderson, electrical engineer, reported as follows for August: Power plants and bulk supply.—Roth plants ran without fault during the month and the headworks satisfactorily handled surplus water during several periods when the river was in heavy flood. A total of 46,010 units was generated in No. 2 power house as compared with 42,860 last year, and a bulk power purchase of 970 units plus 12 k.w. was made at a cost of £6 0s 7d, as compared with £7 6s lOd last year . A minor leak developed in No. 2 pipe line and was satisfactorily repaired. Reticulation.—Despite periods of boisterous weather troubles on the lines were very few and of a minor nature. Trees were cut back from the lines in the Riverlea area and poles replaced on the lower Manaia Road. One milking service line and one water pumping service lin© were constructed and new installations connected to the system thereby. Work was commenced on the system change-over in the eastern portion of the town area, and preparations made to put the balance of this year’s change-over programme in hand. Most of the material for the change-over was now to hand.

told the reporter that he was approached in May last by an executive officer FOREMAN’S REPORT. Tile foreman (Mr A. Melville) reported that the gravelling of the old cemetery road had been continued during the month, and was well advanced. The work of channeling on the upper Manaia Road was now being carried out. The cemetery was in good order. Arising out of the foreman’s report, the chairman of the Works Committee (Commissioner El. L. Abbott) was asked to prepare an estimate of additional channelling work on the Manaia Road. A summary of the financial statement for the five months of the current financial year showed that l’eceipts totalled £2019 as against £2288 for 1933, and expenditure £2679 as against £2835. The figures for the three main accounts were (1933 figures in parentheses) : General account, receipts, £384 ('£72o); expenditure £121)0 (£1583). Electricity account, £1563 (£1500); expenditure £1276 (£1007). Town hall, receipts, £7IJ (£67); expenditure £ll2 (£4l).