LAST SHOTS

Northern Advocate, 2 May 1933, Page 3

LAST SHOTS

MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS

BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETS.

A LIGHT AGENDA

The sitting Borough Council held its I final meeting last night, the Mayor, Mr. W. Jones, presiding over a full attendance of councillors. Little business of a debatable nature came before the council, and the agenda beinglight, the meeting went into committee at 8.40 p.m. Band Concerts. The Whangarei Municipal Band wrote asking the council to assist by again permitting the use of the Town Hall on Sunday evenings at a reduced rate. “We very much appreciate the council’s action in the past,” the letter continued, “and If the same privilege is granted for the coming season, we anticipate putting on a series of concerts with a definite educational and entertainment value to the public of Whangarei.” On the motion of Or. Finch, seconded by Cr. Jounneanx, the application was granted. Surfacing Streets.

The borough engineer estimated the cost of sealing Dent Street in bitumen, from Norfolk Street to the present sealed position, at £BO. From Norfolk Street to Bank Street, scaling in Distar would cost £3O, ami in bitumen £4O.

The engineer estimated the eost of sealing Norfolk Street with Distar under similar conditions to the Pa run Bay Road to be £lO per chain. The estimated eost for carrying out the same Avork in Skram concrete would be about £3B 2/ per chain. This estimate Avas based upon the present estimate for the Avork being done in Walton Street (plus eost of cement). As the present estimate Avas for a first job, it had been someAvhat inflated over probable normal costs, which might come doAA T n noticeably; but the AAdiole matter Avas at present in the nature of an experiment, consequently a more accurate estimate could not be given until the completion of the Walton Street Avork.

The information \\ T as held 0A T cr until the estimates are framed by the ucaa 7 council. New Rifle Range. Captain H. M. Foster AA 7 rote Avith reference to the desire of the Defence Department to form a uoav rifle range on the CroAvn land at Whareora vested in the council as a tree-planting reserA 7 e.. The proposed situation is eastward of Parahaki.

The writer continued: “As .you arc aware, the present rifle range has had to bo closed, owing to land development schemes in the danger area to rearwards, and a search has been made for another range reasonably close to town, resulting in the selection of the new site now suggested. A sketch survey has been in tide, which proves the site as ‘safe,’ and I have forwarded my recommendations to my headquarters for approval of the site as suitable for a rifle range.

“I hope that the hill feature between sections S 9 and 90 may bo found sufficiently high to enable the full danger area, as shown in attached sketch plan, to be reduced; in any case, the chaucos of any bullets falling in this area are remote. 'lt would be necessary, while shooting Was being carried out, to prevent people climbing Parahald from following along the ridge beyond the park boundary, and this could be done by means of a notice. I shall be pleased to -wait on you or your council to give any further information you may require, and, pending receipt of approval of the site from my headquarters, shall be -.glad if this letter may be considered as advising you of my department’s intention to make formal application for your council’s approval, in due course. Should the scheme be finally approved, it is i thought that the work in connection with the formation of the range will give opportunity for the use of unemployed labour. ” The matter was held over until definite word is received from the Defence Department. Staff Matters.

The Loyal ami Finance Committee reported having yone tlirouyli the wayes list ami haviny considered each man separately. It recommended that wayes ami conditions remain, as at present, with the following exceptions: —.1. .Johnson (custodian), Sunday ■ rate be reduced from double time to time and a half; It. Wood, I. Brown and H. Forsyth be yiven a fortnight's holiday per annum on pay; consideration of the wayes of Brown, Flewcllyn and Carmichael be held in abeyance for one month; I). Sketchier be raised to £2 I<>/- per week; A. .1. Doe I be raised to 2/- per hour. Mayoral Honorarium. Another recommendation from the Loyal and Finance Committee, which was ay reed to without discussion, was that the Mayoral honorarium be reduced to £l7O per annum. Picture Breakdown. Owiny to the main amplifier blowiny out, it was not possible td screen a (programme at the Town Hall on a recent Thursday niyht, and the manager of Amalgamated Theatres asked the council to waive the rent for that

night. The manager wrote that over £l2 was refunded to patrons, and other expenses were incurred. He stated that for some considerable time the operating box had been in a very leaky condition, and this may have caused the trouble, as dampness was one of the worst things that could happen to the plant.

Cr. Pickmcre moved, and it w r .as duly seconded, that the remission bo declined. There was insufficient evidence, ho thought, to connect the trouble to the plant with the leakage, wdiich had occurred previously. The box had since been repaired.

Cr. Finch asked that the engineer report on the matter. If the had been caused by a fault in the council’s building, he thought that refusal to meet the Picture Enterprises in some w r ay would be unduly harsh. The engineer said that the leakage had boon remedied some weeks before the breakdown, and on this assurance Cr, Finch withdrew 7 his opposition. The motion w 7 as then carried. Hospital Estimates. The Whangarei Hospital Board furnished a statement of the local bodies’ proportion of the proposed levy for the coming- year as follows: —

'Whangarei County Council.—Capital value, £4,737,-121; maintenance contribution. £3070 8/2; capital contribution, £llo' 3/10; total contribution, £3785 12/.

Whangarei Borough Council. —£2,355,921, £1827 .15/7, £54 15/10, £IBB2 11/5. Hikurangi Town 80ard.—£102,656, £126 3/11, £3 15/7, £129 19/6.

Kamo Town 80ard. —£123,705, £OS 10/7, £2 17/7, £OB 17/2. The Mayor said that the estimate was an increase of about £l4O on that of last year. As a member of the board, he assured the council that the budgeting was at bedrock. Winter Sports. Several applications from sporting organisations for the use of Kensington Park during the winter were received. Or. .lounneaux thought that the grounds should be balloted fhr.

Or. Donaldson, chairman of the Parks Committee, said that the sporting bodies were satisfied with the respective grounds allotted. The Northland Rugby League was granted the use of No. 1. ground, and the Whangarei Rugby Union the use of No. 2 ground (nearest Kensington

Avenue). An application from the Hockey Association for the use of a third ground was referred to the Parks Committee. General. The Works Committee recommended that the borough engineer report on all streets Avith mains of loss than 4in., and that the council consider the matter when framing estimates. This AA 7 as approved.

The footpath in front of the Kia Ora Company’s premises, -lames Street, will be concreted, provided the company finds half the cost..

On tho recommendation of the Works Committee, it was decided that the rubbish collection area be enlarged in accordance with tho borough engineer ’s report, with the following deletions: — Cairnfield Road (from King Street northward), Punga Grove Road, Dundas Road and Morningside Road (from Leitli Street eastward).

The question of the Town Hall lease was taken in committee at tlnj close of the meeting. The Mayor strongly advised a recommendation going forward to the new council that committees be appointed at the first statutory meeting on May 10, and that committees be appointed to expedite the framing of estimates. This was agreed to. The electrical engineer was given permission to purchase up to 50 poles. At Or. Donaldson’s request, further information was received from Mr. Dawson with reference to the provision of two lights in Anzac Road. The estimated cost of extending the service, according to the major scheme (£GB), was regarded as out of the council’s reach. CT. Brainsby considered that the provision of lights in this dark area was a matter which should be recommended to the incoming council, but his motion to this effect was negatived.