BOROUGH COUNCIL

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVIII, Issue 4607, 9 October 1934, Page 5

BOROUGH COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING.

The monthly meeting of the Te Kuiti Borough Council was held in the Council Chambers last evening, there being present the Mayor, Mr. W. J. Broadfoot, M.P., and Crs. G. Hitchcock, J. Thompson, J. C. Mullins, T. M. O'Connell, F. Sparks, H Douglas, and W. L. Lincoln, the Clerk, Mr. Strange, and the Engineer, Mr. Drake. Displaying Goods on Footpath.

Messrs. K. and J. Blackman wrote requesting to be allowed to display seedling plants in the front of their agent's shop—there was 18 feet of footpath and only a small population.

The engineer said that the fruiterers in the town were trying to beat each other to see how far they could encroach across the footpath. He had to put a stop to them, and thus in fairness to others, these including the writers of the letter.

A general discussion on the matter followed, the difficulty of drawling the line being stressed. Several drapers exhibited goods on the footpath, but this hardly constituted a nuisance, yet how was the distinction to be made.

Cr. Hitchcock said the trouble lay in the too keen competition between the Hindu and the Chinese fruiterers. The engineer suggested that hanging shelves be allowed projecting 6 or 8 inches out, with a certain amount of discrimination to be allowed. On Cr. O'Connell's motion it was decided that the matter be left in the engineer's hands with discretionary powers. Fire Alarm Switch.

The Postmaster wrote approving of the installation of a fire alarm switch subject to certain conditions. The Clerk reported that tenders for the installation had been called, there being only one response. The price was £2l 15s, while the motor would cost £l7. The tender was accepted. The Clerk reported that in reply to a letter the Unemployment Board had said relief labour could only be employed on the Te Kuiti Tennis Club's courts full time, instead of for 2i days as last year. This had not proved acceptable to the club. The Main Highways Board wrote notifying that the subsidy on the Awakino Road sealing would be £3 for £l. The maximum cost allowed would be £1550, the engineer stating that from the progress of the work the monetary expenses were panning out very well. A discussion on the question as to whether the Borough should take over a section on the Tawa-Matai Streets junction for non-payment of rates ensued, it being asked whether it would be an asset or a liability to the Borough. On Cr. Mullins's motion it was decided that a claim be made against the mortgagor for the past two and the current year's rates—other rates in arrears could not be obtained from this source as judgment had been obtained against the owner.

J. Swan was granted a secondhand dealer's license on the usual terms.

Brick Area Too Large

When an application from W. McRae to build a wooden washhouse at the rear of Mr. Sparks's residence in Rora Street, which was in the brick area, was received, Cr. Hitchcock said the brick area was wrongly classified. All along the back street by the blacksmith's, etc., _ should never have been included in the brick area. One man, wishing to buy a section there, had not enquired further after being told he would have to build in brick.

The Mayor agreed that it would be many years before that portion of the town could aspire to the dignity of a brjck area. The matter was left to the Works Committee to report. No Further Grants to R.S.A.

The R.S.A. asked for a reconsideration of the decision of the Council not to assist the R.S.A. relief workers further this year in their stand-down week. The Association had performed good work in the town —the stock route from Te Kumi Road to Carroll Street, the lawn from Ward Street to the school, the entrance to the Domain and the roadway to the camp site and the path following the riverbank from King Street to the bowling green swing bridge were mentioned. These works had been carried out, at a cost of over £2OO, of which only £4O had been granted by the Borough. The Mayor said the Council must look to its estimates and not be overspending. The Council decided that it could give no further grant this year. It, was decided that the Borough be not represented at the Municipal Conference which this year will be held at Christchurch. Works Committee Report.

Considerable discussion on the clause of the Works Committee's report that the upper houses in Ailsa Street be served with a 1-inch w&ter main subject to Gilbert and Mason's, the subdividers of the area, bond to provide adequate water supply being non-operative. It was decided to go into the matter before the work was proceeded with to ascertain the position.

Clauses in the Works Committee's report were that the Hospital Board be written to regarding an unsanitary rubbish dump, that drainlayers be licensed as recommended by the Engineer, that the Engineer be instructed to build a bridge across the stream by the school for horses to cross, the school authorities to be notified that the Domain entrance be not used after a certain date, that tenders for the painting of the Queen Street house be called, and that the Engineer proceed with the construction of a shower room at the camping ground, subject to the room being in brick, the total cost to be about £l2. The report was adouted. It was decided that a third of the rates be remitted to sporting bodies as in previous years. Traffic Group Scheme. The Town Clerk reported that the Borough had been approached by the County to join in to make a traffic group to enable them to get a subsidy of £2 for £1 from the Gov-ei-nment. The proposal w&s to buy

a car and loadmeters and to employ an inspector full-time on traffic inspection. They asked the Borough only to find the nominal fee of £s— would be out of pocket £l5O, which would be offset by fees collected. When the loadmeters Avere in the district the lorries would have to license to their weight, and it was expected that another £3O or £4O would be collected. The Borough's portion of fines, etc., would be unaltered. On Cr. O'Connell's motion it was decided to offer £2 2s as annual contribution from the Borough. It was decided that the Council purchase an English-made mower for dealing with the Domain, the cost being £35. Cr. Lincoln said the demonstration had been very satisfactory. Cr. Lincoln offered to donate a new* lawn mower for use at the cemetery. His offer was accepted with thanks from the Council.