KAITAIA TOWN BOARD.

Northland Age, Volume 2, Issue 25, 24 March 1933, Page 7

KAITAIA TOWN BOARD.

A meeting of the Kaitaia Town Board was held on Monday evening, Cmrs. J. T. B. Taaffe (Chairman), L. Peace, D. Archibald Senr., and D. Rutledge being present. GENERAL A letter was recived from Mr. Reeves, Consulting Engineer, stating that owing to the unsettled state of tlie market for all materials, the estimating of costs for the water and electrical schemes for Kaitaia were taking longer than he anticipated but he woulP be submitting a preliminary report within a few days. In answer to a request from the Board the Franklin County Engineer wrote regarding that County’s experiment of spraying oil on highways for the abatement of the dust nuisance. The experiment had not proved too satisfactory, as at a cost of 4.07 d per square yard, the period of usefulness was only about five weeks on a road carrying a great volume of traffic. The Engineer concluded by stating that by using a heavier grade oil better results may be obtained. The Board decided to impose the 10% penalty on rates unpaid by 31st March. The Town Clerk, Mr. W. H. Atkins, reported that the Board’s Bank account stood at £375 in debit, a position that was considered very satisfactory. The Clerk also stated that the power grader would in all probability pay for itself within two years. It was decided to lay a strip of metal over the filling at Grigg’s Corner to allow motor traffic to use the road during wet weather. The work is to be completed when the filling has consolidated. As soon as the ground in the park area is clear it is to be ploughed, levelled, and prepared for grassing. ANZAC DAY SERVICE Cmr. Rutledge moved his notice of motion “That in future the arrangements for the Anzac Day Commemoration Services be carried out by the Town Board.” In this connection two letters were received, one from Cmr. Mayhill who was unable to be present at the meeting, and wrote supporting Cmr. Rutledge’s resolution. The other was from the Rev. Mr. Martin, acting for the Kaitaia Minister’s Association who stated that he considered that the arrangements for the Anzac Day Services were for the local authority to carry out as w r as done in practically all other centres in New Zealand. The representatives of the churches would be pleased to co-operate with and help the Board in every way

possible. In speaking to his motion Cmr. Rutledge said that the local authority should control the Anzac Day Services and he considered that this was the wish of the greater majority of, not only the townspeople, but the returned soldiers also. This day was a national day set aside, not merely as a holiday but to enable the people of New Zealand to do honour to those who held high the honour of this Country during the Great War.

These views were supported by Cmr. Archibald who stated that the returned soldiers looked on Anzac Day as a day of remembrance to those who made the supreme sacrifice, and so should not be treated as an ordinary holiday. Personally he considered that the sooner the World War was forgotten the better it would be said Cmr. Peace, and unless the ratepayers and returned soldiers of the district expressed a strong wish that the Town Board take control of the Anzac Day Services he could not support Cmr. Rutledge’s motion. He was prepared to support a resolution that the Board co-operate with the Churches,

The Chairman, Cmr. Taaffe, said that his views of the question were well known and had not altered. He considered that in no better way could the people of New Zealand show honour to those who fell in the war and all those who took part than by caring for the returned men who were maimed or in want. He had the greatest sympathy with the relatives or friends of those who did not return hut he did not think that the Anzac Day Service was one that should he controlled by the local body, it should be under in the Church’s juris* diction. Holding these personal views he did not consider it would be right for him to preside at an Anzac Day Service, which he should do if controlled by the Town Board, hut he was prepared to delegate his position to Cmr. Rutledge who, with those members that had supported him, could carry out the arrangements. On being put to the meeting

Cmr. Rutledge’s motion was defeated on the casting vote of the Chairman.