BOROUGH COUNCIL

Horowhenua Chronicle, 1 May 1919, Page 4

BOROUGH COUNCIL

A special meeting of the Borough Council was lipid on Monday evenin«;, the Mayor (Mr Bletikliorn) presiding. There were also present: Crs .1). AV. JUntheson, W. Bull. 15. S. Lancaster, .!{. Bryson. F. E. Parker. W. Ryder, D. fci. Mackenzie. Ore Broome and Aitken were granted leave of absence. The Minister for Public Health wrote suggesting a special clean-up week should be arranged for and that inhabitants should he urged to clean up their premises in view of the possibility of a recrudescence of the influenza epidemic. The 'Minister also expressed the thanks of the Government to t'he Mayor and people of the district for the assistance rendered during the rccent epidemic. —Received.

The Palmers ton Chamber of Commerce forwarded a motion urging the Government to take control of arterial 'highways.

Cr Parker said it had been proposed recently that an arterial road, should be constructed from the Bluff to the North Cape to celebrate victory in the war and he thought tlie idea sliould be ■combined with such motions as itliat now before the Council. He was against the memorials raised at the time of the Boer war and arterial highways sliould be constructed as memorial highways. This could not be taken in hand by local bodies b~ut was a national work. Tlie local bodies could, however, undertake t'he planting of itheir lengths of sueli roads with trees. Tt was decided to support the Chamber's resolution. i tnr: brigade 'Report. Mr G. Davison, secretary of the Fire Brigade, reported as follows: At last committee meeting it was decided re cleaning out of fire plugs: (1) That the Hrigade adheres to its former decision declining the responsibility; (2) Re slotting and indication of plugs, that after insepcting many plugs the Brigade found that all plugs above road level were fairly satisfactory, those only level or beneath read level were filled with silit, due apparently more to their being below road level than to the slotting and we are of opinion that if the plugs were raised about one inch above the road level it would largely overcome the difficulty of silting. Further, wo are of opinion that all plugs should be tarred around to a space of one foot; (3) Re plug indicators: Tlie Brigade point out tliat the indicators want immediate attention as it was found that many wore missing. .Some give wrong indications and many are unreadable. Re Fire Board : T am instructed to inform yon that the Brigade recommend as nominees for same: Messrs F. Parker, A. Dempspy and J. C. Millies as suitable members for town representatives on the Fire Board. The Town Clerk said the election of a Fire Board would be a roinid-the-table one at the firsit meeting of the new Council..

The report was received and th<> Cou IH-il decided tlint the matters referred to should have attention.

for the opportunity to do so in Levin. It had been suggested that itliere should be one Labour man in the Council and he believed he should be that Labour man (Laughter and applause). He thought too much money was spent round the Square. He was acquainted with the outskirts of tho town .and believed some attention could be given them. "We like to make our homes as beautiful anil tasteful as we can" continued Mr McAllister," and just in the same degree we should strive to make our towns as beautiful as passible and every citizen should bo able to say that ho had shared in making it so." He therefore favoured beautification. Mr Parker believed they should not make any progress in sanitation, but health came first. If it is necessary to raise the rates to get a proper sanitary system, "I sav increase the rates." He was .strongly against parting with any of the town reserves and admired the men who 1 fought against a proposal in the Council for an exchange of part of the Lake reserve. "In the near future we of the "Labour movement are going to be the big majority and majorities are populalso you should all come along with 'lis, ' added the speaker, who concluded by supporting the work being done by the W.E.A. "THE INTELLIGENCE OF LEVIN." Mr Goldsmith said he was pleased to meet the intelligence of Levin, "but if those are the intelligent people in the oommunity, I am afraid the proportion :is not very large," he added, an allusion to the attendance that caused much: amusement. In municipal matters it was one of the dangers that people did not take enough interest in affairs. He believed candidates were sought in 'the highways and by-ways and one man appeared to have the candidates in his pocket judging bv (the amount of nominating he did (Laughter). Still this had been a progressive borough 111 the past and he did not sec why it should not still go forward. There were certain things to be done in the interests of progress. They had a. splendid heritage in the gravel reserve. Three years ago they were receiving £700 in rent but now 'the rent was down to about £(530. They still had very valuable land in Oxford street doing" nothing and it was up to the Council to see if they could not do bettor with it. Sooner or later they might consider the building mf a Town Hall, with offices and some shops. He did not think they could expect any private individual to do justice to the town and to himself in this connection. It was not wise for new candidates to criticise old Councillors, but he had a doubt whether progress with permanent works ■had not been too slow. He mentioned specimens of tarred) -macadam lie liad seen in New Plymouth and Hastings. In the former place nothing had been spent in for seven years and in the latter a mile and a half of road had only cost £0 in two years. More might be done Tor the reserves but he pointed out that the recreation oval was an expensive ground to keep in order and sheep were put on to reduce the cost of cutting the grass. "YOUNG BLOOD." Mr Hobson said lie was not there by "H'obson's choice" (Laughter), but it seemed to be the wish of some residents that he should come forward. He felt, ithat he had a little time to spare and was prepared to give it for the good of the town. "I Oome before you as a two-year-old—a rising two-year-old— that' being the extent of my residence in Levin—and I think it would not. be a bad idea to have a little young blood an the Council. If you think young lilood should have a chance, then 'Vote for Hobson' and Wednesday (Laughter and applause). MR. F. W. JONES. Mr F. W. Jones said, he came forward at the request of some business men. If elected he hoped to be able to give a good account of himself at the end of two years as he had the welfare of the town thoroughly at heart (Applause). MR. W. THOMSON. Mr Thomson endorsed Mr Matheson's views on beautifying. They should got an expert opinion which was needed badly enough. As one whose duty is was'to make the children keep to the footpath in Oxford, street, lie intended, if elected, to see that the path was a good one. This was a very important and urgent work. No wonder the baths had not paid for no attempt was made to popularise them. A small body of citizens organised sports two years ago and had held five of these gatherings, making a profit of £10 each. It would not be long before every child at the school would; be a swimmer and more accommodation would lie needed. If £100 was spent on dressing sheds, four or five 'tournaments every year would meet the cost handsomely. If he was returned Or M.ithe.son could look for his earnest assistance in all matters for the good of the Borough. "ROPED IN."

"I am one of those who were ropedin and I hope you will tie the rope to-morrow" said Mr J. E. Dean. He had, not got a great deal of time, but if elected would do bis duty. He thionght with Mr McAllister that it was quite time there was a drainage system. The cost would not fall altogether on th > ratepayers but also' ran those absentee ratepayers who only came near the town when they wanted to raise tlie rents. He believed the centre of the town should have precedence in expenditure because people passing through got the impression that it was a place to keep away from if it was neglected in appearance and untidy. He eamo here 28 years ago and, he could speak of the improvement in the roads for which past Councils were responsible. MR H. E. KEYS. Mr lvevs recalled itlie time 12 years ago wlien Mr Gardener was the Mayor elect. The speaker then stood as a candidate for the Council. The citizens sliould be congratulated on the work done since then bv the various Councils. One of the matters mentioned 12* years ago was a municipal hall and he believed it would be an advantageous enterprise. If private enterprise could erect a hall and make it a payable proposition why would it not be a payable proposition for the Borough. (Applause). He advocated the construction .of a proper footpath down Mako Mako road to the cemetery and suggested that in future more time be given to the intention to observe such holidays as Anzac Day in order that such a notable anniversary could be celebrated with proper pride, honour and gravity. A monument should also be erected, in the Square to the memory of our soldier heroes. He asked whether the Borough Council could not adopt more stringent measures to control motor traffic in the interests of public safety. (Applause). Who knew whose turn it would be next to fall a victim to the flying danger. He was out for tlie general progress of the Borough and liad been asked '.to stand to make a contest, which accounted for his candidature. NO BURDEN FOR THE RATE-

.PAYERS. 'Mr J. Harvey spoke of the future of Levin. He had always believed in it and more so as time went on. It was a fine little town—one of the finest lie had seen in New Zealand. Many schemes would be good if there was the population liere to heal" the expense, but lie would not be one ito nsk the ratepavers to bear a heavy burden. The expense of a drainage scheme would need to be carefully considered. If the Borough was concentrated it would be a different thing, but about one-third of the .people had septic tanks working succosslu'ly and it be a gieat hardship to ask tjiraso people to discard their sv.stein. He favoured beautification and street improvement and hoped to see many people came here to spend their leisure. (Applause). Cr Aitken, one of the retiring Councillors, thanked Cr Parker for his references to the four Councillors wlioi were not standing and the meeting for the appreciative manner in which they •had received Cr Parker's remarks. The meeting closed with n vote of thanks to the Mayor for presiding.