NAPIER AFFAIRS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVIII, Issue 200, 7 August 1928, Page 9

NAPIER AFFAIRS

BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETING GENERAL BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE DEALT WITH. The fortnightly meeting of the Napier Borough Council was held last night. Present: Messrs -R. YV. Goodger (deputy-Mayor), and Councillors J. W. Callaghan, W. G. Martin, A. E. Bedford, C. H. Wilkie, P. Higgins, J. St. J. Hindmarsn, O. D. Cox, F. Rice, and H. J. Harman.

The Nelson Park School Committee wrote expressing thanks for the work done in laying out the grass plots in front of the school in Kenm ay road, adding that everything would be done to educate the pupils of the school to take an interest in the plots. The representative of the Main Highways Board, in forwarding a schedule of main highways through boroughs, informed the council that Napier was affected by a total of 2.80 miles of road.

Tile Hawke’s Bay Rivers Board advised that the council’s contribution to the Hawke’s Bay Rivers Board rate for the current year was £640 and that the amount oi me i«ie on the new area of Napier South extension was £3l 6/3. —Received. The secretary of the Napier Shopping Week Committee wrote stating that his executive was desirous of having the whole of the shops m the ahopp.ng area kept alight until 9.30 p.m. during Shopping Week and would be glad to know if the council would be prepared tn -onsidcr charging for this extra lighting at tile rate of Ijd per unit from 5.30 p.m. onwards.—Referred to the Lighting Committee. LOAN MONEY’S. In connection with the unexpended balance of the reconstruction of Hastings street loan of £5240, the Auditor-General advised that the voting papers and loan proposals defined the portion of the street to be reconstructed and' consequently the Audit- Office was of the opinion that the surplus loan moneys could not bo expended in extending beyond the points authorised by mo ratepayers. If, however, the ratepayers, by poll, authorised the council to raise a loan to reconstruct a further portion of Hastings street tne ae-part-ment would not object to the council transferring the balance of the original with tne consent of the lenders/ to the new work.—Referred to the Finance Committee.

The Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union wrote stating that the tender received for the McLean Park dressing rooms was considered excessive and his committee had called fresh tenders on its own behalf and had let the work to Mr. R. M. Hewitt, builder, of Hastings, at £2OO with a reduction of £l2 if certain work was' not carried out; the latter item to be left to the discretion of the borough engineer.—Received. N. P. Eriksen wrote notifying the appointment of Mr. John Ellis, builder, of Taradale.'as his valuer in connection with his claim for compensation under the lease of the Meeanee Domain

The Lighting Committee reported having instructed the town clerk and the borough electrical engineer to report further on the question of amending and reducing the retail scale of charges of the electricity department. On the recommendation of the YVaterworks Committee, it was decided to make ft rebate of £2l, to Messrs Robert Holt and Sons, being one-half of the amount overpaid for water rates.

LAND BETWEEN SCHOOLS. In connection with the small area of land between the Napier Boys’ High School and the Napier South School, the engineer to the Napier Borough Council (Mr. G. F. Ciapcott) reported to the council last night as follows: —• "This area is vested in the Harbour Board and presumably left for the purposes of a road in the future, when the lands across the river are subdivided. A road, in all probability at a later date, may be found essential more particularly so owing to the High School block preventing another access road being laid out from Hastings street to the lands over the river, a- distance of 30 to 40 chains south. “Provision should be made now with the Harbour Board in the interests of both the council and the board to have this area declared a road reserve and in the meantime the land could be utilised as a small recreation reserve for the benefit of the residents in this locality until such time as a roadway is required, The cost, of grubbing out and burning off the tall fescue which at present covers the area will amount to approximately £l3. The High School Board also wanted a pathway formed and sanded to give access to the side It was decided to write to the Napier Harbour Board in terms of the report, asking for its consideration.