BOROUGH AFFAIRS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 5 October 1927, Page 3

BOROUGH AFFAIRS.

MEETING OF LEVIN COUNCIL.

The Levin' Borough Council met last "evening in the Municipal Chambers, there being present: His Worship the Mayor (Mr T. Hobson) and Crs. Mortensen, Roe, Hutchings, Harvey, Falloon, Parker, Bishop, Goldsmith, and Keedwell, Mr H. L. Jenkins .(Town Clerk) and Mr H. Channings (Overseer). A letter was received from the Palmerston North Borough Council advising that the boundaries of No. 7 Omnibus District had been amended to include, inter alia, the Levin Borough. The Methodist Church Trustees wrote asking that part Lot 3, Cambridge St., be exempt from rates, as it is only used as a children's school and for no other purpose.—The request was acceded to.

Mr A. E. Standen wrote asking to be allowed to erect a post verandah in front of premises in Oxford Street occupied by Mr Todd. He pointed out that no provision had been made in the building of brickwork for swing veranda, the erection of which now would add considerably to the. expense. —Permission was granted for the required veranda during the pleasure of the Council.

Mr L. G. McDonald wrote asking for an outside-of-boroough water supply to 25 acres of market garden on Kawiu road. —Referred to the Waterwork.3 Committee for a report. PURCHASE OF MOTOR TRUCK.

The Streets Committee reported as follows on the question of the purchase of a. motor truck, a matter that was referred back to them by the last meeting of the Council: —

"The Committee after further careful consideration, again recommend that a Ford motor truck be purchased, as this vehicle will meet all the committee's requirements. A truck of sufficiently greater capacity to warrant the extra expenditure would cost at least £550, and would entail other expense in the way of accomodation, etc. When the committee recommended the raising of the 10 per cent, on the streets loan, they had in mind that five years had passed since the 'schedule of works was framed, and, the progress of the town not having followed the exact course anticipated, there is now an opportunity for expending a few hundred pounds to great advantage where time has made the necessity apparent. With the above in mind the committee cannot recommend a greater expenditure on a motor truck than that which will meet the present and apparent future requirements. " The report was considered in committee, as a result of which an amendment was carried that a Morris chassis be purchased. The necessary steps for having the body provided were authorised to be taken by the Streets Committee. OVERSEER'S REPORT. The Borough Overseer presented the following report on work done during September, and it was received: — i General. —I put a light coat of metal on Trafalgar Street, as it was too bad for patching. A fair amount of patching has been done in other streets. Races are requiring quite a lot of attention jusf»at present, as the growth is very rapid. Loan. —Kerbing has been done in Winchester Street, from Bath Street to Queen Street. There is still a little filling to be done, but I am doing this as we get the turf from Durham Street. We have tarred and sanded about 74 chains of new path. Cost is as follows: — Labour 25 10 - Carting 12 15 3 / Screening IS 5 - Sand 15 17 9 Tar 86 5 - Total £l5B 13 - This amount together with the cost of kerb and formation,, makes a total of £563 19s 6d Cost per chain to date £7 12s 6d. The one coat we have done this year, will be more than equal to two coats of previous years. Wc put fine screenings on the paths before tarring and the chips take the tar instead of the greater portion of it going into the ground. This should also make a good wearing surface. We shall finish tarring the balance Of the paths made this year, when tar and time arc available. We shall also do over some of the old tarred paths as soon as possible. We have fixed up a tra-spraying pump on the old tar boiler and can now get over the ground in good time. BUILDING INSPECTOR'S REPORT. Building permits issued for the quarter ended September 30th, wore as under: — Value Fees S Houses £ISOO £4: 1 addition to house 200 1: 3 Motor sheds 115 1: 1 Glass verandah 50 5: 1 Glass house 130 1: 8 £1995 £7:5: "This is the poorest return since I have been appointed Building Inspector," wrote Mr. M. R. Varnham, "but Levin like most other Boroughs is suffering a slump. Although the return is small, we are ahead of a great many boroughs, some of which are larger than Levin. I anticipate that the building trade will be in full swing again shortly. " The report was received.