Town Board

Northland Age, Volume 3, Issue 12, 15 December 1933, Page 5

Town Board

Monthly Meeting The usual monthly meeting of the Kaitaia Town Board was held in the Council Chambers on Monday evening when there were present Cmrs. J. T. B. Taaffe (Chairman), L. Peace, W. J. E. May hill, P. Archibald Senr,, and D. Rutledge. Financial The Clerk, Mr. W. H. Atkins, reported that the Board’s bank account was overdrawn to the extent of £sll and that there were committments totalling between £3OO and £350 in connection with the water supply that would have to be met shortly. Du£ Nuisance Cmr. Archibald wanted to know what were the Board’s intentions regarding the abatement of the dust nuisance this summer. Business firms were suffering through the dust spoiling stock and the Board should take some action to abate the nuisance. The Chairman said that he would be the first to agree to anything that would deal with the dust but he did not see what could be done except that the road be permanently surfaced and the Board’s finance would not permit of this work being undertaken. It might be as well to see what could be done regarding watering the streets. Cmrs. Peace and Rutledge considered that the high speed of some motor vehicles using Commence Street, contributed to the nuisance by raising a large cloud of dust. The position is to he looked into to see what could be done to abate the nuisance. Centenary Affairs Cmr. Rutledge, Chairman of the Kaitaia Centenary Celebration Committee, asked that the Board purchase the pair of gates under offer to the Committee, and that the Committee would reimburse the Board when they had funds in hand. A photograph of the gates was exhibited for Commissioners’ inspection. These gates are at Wellington, the cost being £7 10/- plus frieght and packing charges. Some Commissioners considered that as the freight from Wellington to Kaitaia would be high and the risk of breakage great, that it might be wiser not to purchase these gates but eventually the course, as suggested by Mr. Rutledge was decided on. Electric Light Scheme A letter was received from Messrs Mandeno Lee and Brown, consultingElecirical Engineers of Auckland stating that in reply to the Board’s request, they 1 would be prepared to submit plans and 1 estimates of an electric light scheme for Kaitaia at a cost of £2l and prepare i papers for submission to the Local Bod- '■

ics Loan Board at an extra charge of £IG 10/-. Both charges plus disbursements. Plans and specifications for the calling of tenders for the work could be carried out at a charge of of the 3 contract price. The Board decided to 5 request the firm concerned to prepare 1 plans and estimates of the scheme and ■ if satisfactory then the Loans Board ■ could be approached. Tenders

For Hie removal of the spoil from Dominion Road for the widening of the Herekino Road, the following tenders were received: — G. Bonnett 1/3 per cub. yard. A. G. Barrett 1/6 per cub. yard, The tender of G. Bonnett was accepted, For the supply of shingle to the Board for the period of twelve months:— A. J. Barrett 7/L. Lunjevich 7/H. Kenning 6/9 The tender of 11. Kenning was accepted.

Roadworks It was decided that owing to the finance of the Board, the repairs to Bell’s Bridge at the foot of Empire Street, could not be undertaken at the present but the question would be reconsidered when funds permitted of the work being undertaken. The Board’s foreman is to form the road up to the Trigg Hill as soon as possible, so that materials for the water reservoir for the hospital can he taken to the sits. As soon as is convenient the filling at Grigg's Corner is to be brought up to the required level and metalled. Before commencing the business of the meeting, the members visited the section of Church .Road from the bridge to the school gates, to see on the ground, what could be done in the way of improvements. When the question was discussed at the meeting it was decided to proceed with the work early in the new' year. The Board’s intention is to cut down the grade by the school gates and widen the approach to the bridge over the cut, to allow of a footpath being formed. It was estimated that the Board’s foreman, Mr. W. Whitefield could with the grader do the earthwork in about a week while from £SO to £6O would be required for metal. General Business firms are to be notified that all illegal obstructions and advertisements defacing the footpaths must be removed at once. It was decided to house the band instruments belonging to the Board in the : old Library building. Cmr. W. J. E. Mayhill, the Board’s rep- J resentative on the Library Committee, | said that the Reading Room that had 4

been established in Kaitaia bad proved a great boou to visitors to the town and he would ask the Board on behalf of the Committee in control that the Board provide a sign for the Reading Room. Also Cmr. Mayhill stated that an Art Club was in process of formation in Kaitaia and it was desired to hang prints of famous pictures in the old library building. The Board decided to leave this matter in the hands of the Library committee but no action was taken regarding the sign for the Reading Room. The question of the erection of a men’s convenience in Kaitaia, was brought up for discussion by the Chairman, who stated that he had been approached by a number of residents regarding the need for such a convenience. It was decided to leave the matter in the hands of the Clerk to see if arrangements could he made with a business firm for the Board to erect a convenience on the firm’s property.