NAPIER BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 201, 9 August 1927, Page 7

NAPIER BOROUGH COUNCIL.

LAST NIGHT’S MEETING ITEMS OF GENERAL INTEREST. The following licenses were issued during the past month: —3l motor vehicle drivers: 8 dog registrations; 4 heavy traffic; 5 dangerous goods; 23 motor taxis; 4 taxi telephones; 8 carriers; 3 borough stage; 2 authorities to establish motor omnibus service; 1. motor omnibus; 9 motor omnibus drivers and 2 hawkers. Mutton is apparentlv the favoured meat by Napier residents as the fol lowing abattoir figures would indicate:—Cows 231, bullocks 147. sheep 1642, lambs 75. pigs 92. calves 48. That the question of a new site for the Supreme Court had not as yet been considered by the Government was the advice received from the Minister of Justice, when the council was asked if it had anv definite proposal to -submit for the purchase of the existing site. If so. the Minister would be pleased to submit same to the Government.--The Mayor explained that he under stood that the Government would give the land as the idea had been to move the court to a less prominent position. On the suggestion of Cr. J. C. Bryant it was decided to have the roads committee prepare a report on the matter.

The council’s desire to have the Crown land remaining between the Beach Domain and the abattoir reserved for recreation purposes and added to the Beach Domain was briefly referred to at the meeting last evening when the Hon. Minister of Lands advised that he was obtaining a report on the matter, and that be would communicate with the council further at a later date.

Recently the council wrote gsking the Minister of Public Works to have exemption provided for vehicles standing on the various parking places for private cars and stands for licensed taxi cars in Napier from carrying and displaying the lights as prescribed bv the Vehicles Act. 1915. —The council received a reply last evening to the effect that it would be looked into. The epistle was merely “received.”

“It is a matter of congratulation to the citizens of Napier that this growing district at the extremity ot Napier South is now within the borough, and the inclusion makes « forward step in the history of Inis delightful town,’’ wrote Mr. W. A. Armour, headmaster of the Napiei Boys’ High School in conveying his appreciation to the council last evening. He trusted that the council would mark the occasion by putting into, order that portion of Hastings Street South, continuing on from Ellison street to the new residences beyond the school.—The roads committee recommended that the borougn engineer be authorised to have the necessary metal placed on the Hastings street extension.

That the Railway Department was inaugurating a scheme to light, by electricity, the station, yards, shed and railway houses in Napier was the information received last evening when the signal and electrical engineer of the Department wrote on the matter. He explained that it was proposed to. floodlight the vard from 80 feet towers; two lamps each rf 1500 watts on one tower and two lamps each of 1000 watts on the other toyver. It was also proposed that the flood-lights should be in continuous use until daylight, and in this connection the Department was pleased to know if council would consider a reduced rate. The writer added that in other places where flood-lights were in continuous use until daylight, the local bodies had met the Department bv charging a special rate.—The matter was referred to the electric light committee. Having been informed that the services of some of the returned soldiers had not been satisfactory the Association desired to give the council a free hand in discharging a/ly men not suitable, was the advice sent bv the Napier Returned Soldiers Association to the council. The association added that it did not wish to interfere in any way.—“ The men should be there or they should not be.” commented the Mayor, who thought tha-t nothin? further should be done. Cr. C. H. Wilkie mentioned that the R.S.A. had decided to grant another £3O towards the Unemployment Fund and on his suggestion it was decided to find a subsidy for the amount.

A proposal that the theatre committee go into the question of the theatre charges with the object of reducing all charges in connection with' the theatre for local shows, was the notice of motion moved by the Mayor (Mr. J Vigor Brown). The matter was referred to the theatre committee for a report. That the Government had agreed to pav a 50 per cent, subsidy on labour up to £1825 for unemployed relief works, based on relief work rates of pay, was the communication received from the Hon. K. S. Williams.

“Wo ought to beautify wherever possible.” commented the Mayor /Mr J. Vigor Brown), when the question of beautifying a certain street was under discussion.

Camps for motorists were briefly mentioned at the meeting last evening, when it was decided to get fn touch with the Hawke’s Bar- Automobile Association on the matter of a site for Napier.