Pahiatua Borough Affairs

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 64, 17 March 1937, Page 2

Pahiatua Borough Affairs

The monthly meeting of the Pahiatua Bprough Council took place on Monday evening, there being present Mr. J. D. Wilson, Mayor, Crs. W. A. Carthow, S. J. Judd, J. E. Murphy, D. Moriarty, T. W. Watts, J. Sturton, W. T. Brown and S. K. Siddells. Cr. G. H. Hodd was granted leave of absence. Correspondence was received as under:—

From the Minister of Labour, notify ing by Gazette that Saturday becomes the statutory half-holiday for Pahiatua as from March 8, 1937.—Received. From the Valuation Department, stating that the 12J per cent, subsidy on rates levied on urban farm lands is not to be paid this year.—Received. From Mr. H. F. Toogood forwarding copy of letter from the Minister of Public Works in which the Minister advises that the pumping .scheme should bo adopted by the council.—Received.

From the Minister of Public Works regarding proposed aerodrome, stating that the Government subsidy applies to engineering survey, preparing plans and specifications and construction proposals, and carrying out the levelling of the field.—Received.

A letter was received from the Minister of Housing stating that the Director is prepared to recommend approval of a plan showing only those sections with dwellings thoreon which the council considers are below tho standards of fitness and/or overcrowding. From the Clerk of Awards forwarding a copy of the drivers’ award. The clerk stated that the borough driver now gets £4 11s. From the Pahiatua Fire Board giving an understanding to be responsiblb for half the cost of the sewer connection to the fire station building.—Received. Mr. L. Beavis wrote thanking the council for allowing him to play the guitar whilst in Pahiatua in the main street.

From the Pahiatua R.3.A. requesting the council to provide houses under the Government housing scheme for returned soldiers. In answer to Cr. Sturton the clerk quoted several specific cases where R.S.A. members were desirous of securing houses.

The Mayor suggested referring the matter to the works committee for investigation and a report. The housing question was taken a step further when it was mentioned by the Mayor that the council was obliged to take a housing survey of the borough in accordance with the Government’s new regulations. The Mayor and Cr. Sturton then moved that the town clerk be appointed supervisor and investigator to carry out a survey as required under tho provisions of tho Government’s housing regulations at a feo of £2O. The Mayer explained that he had approached the clerk on the question at the conference when he had found out that several other local bodies were using their clerks for t'he same purpose. At first Mr. Lovelock had not been favourable towards the proposal but he was now agreeable to carry it out if the council appointed him. The clerk mentioned that while making the inspection he would be able to compile other valuable data for the council’s records.

Cr. Watts considered that the town clerk was best fitted for the position- as he would give the council a bettor job when it came to recording the information.

It was subsequently agreed to emplov the clerk on the lines suggested, it being understood that the finance committee would see that the office assistant received recompense for the extra duties she would be called on to assume. The Mangamutu Public Hall Company applied to hand an advertising sign for a 20-day period across Main street. Cr. Judd pointed out that the hall was run by a company and they should put thoir advertising througti the usual channels. The Mayor thought likewise, saying they might stretch a point for a charity purpose. It was finally decided that the council could not entertain the request. General. The finance committee’s report recommending tho writing oil of a sum of £2B 9s 5d owing to tho council in rates by eight property owners was adopted. Concerning the suggestion to obtain reference books for the library, to be loaned by arrangement with the Hew Zealand Libraries’ Association, Cr. Sturton said there would be no cost to the council. The proposal was aimed to catch children leaving school and give them an idea on v arious points pertaining to industrial, commercial, professional and political subjects. A motion was passed embodying the acceptance of the library committee's report.

Several quotations were received for luminous clocks and the clerk was instructed to seek further information concerning same. Reference was made to the clerk’s leport on the recent municipal conference, and the Mayor said he had been

surprised to see that the town clerk had prepared a report in time for the meeting. He suggested that it could be perused by councillors in their spare timo and any matter they wanted explained could be brought up at the next meeting. Apart from what was in the town clerk’s report, the Mayor said it was the largest and best conference that had been held. The Minister of Internal Affairs had been present and the speaker thought that it was quite possible t. .'j tho Government would give effect to some of tho remits that had been passed at the conference from time to time. Cr. Sturton drew attention to the condition of Hall’s road, pointing out that there would soon bo a considerable stream of traffic over same to the golf links. Cr. Carthew agreed that it should bo attended to as there was only the bare stones left in places owing to the action of rain. Tho Mayor said the position was that the County Council paid half tho cost of the upkeep of the road which was carried out by the council. Cr. Watts asked why the council had not gone on with the test poll for the three water schemes for Pahiatua. In reply, the Mayor said that all councillors had not as yet appreciated the value of the Balfour well which Was supplying 80,000 gallons of water every night—more water than the borough was using. After much discussion the Mayor gave an assurance that a test poll would be taken within a month. Mr. L. D. Lovelock, town clerk, reported that some 50 property transfers had been effected during the year which, he said, was an extraordinary number.