Town Board Meeting

Northland Age, Volume 8, Issue 2, 12 October 1938, Page 6

Town Board Meeting

There was a full Board present at the meeting on Monday night of the Kaitaia Town Board, Cmr. J. T. B. Taaffe occupying the chair.

A letter was received from the Department of Lands and Survey stating that they were not yet in a position to arrange for the gazetting of Sunray Park as a public domain owing to the fact that the transfer from Mr. L. H. Bell had not been finalised, but that the matter was under consideration. Correspondence between the Board and the Crown Lands Department regarding transfer of Lot 144, on which to buiid a library and restroom, was read, and it was decided to continue to press the matter. The Minister of Lands wrote offering £750 towards construction of Bells’ bridge. Mr. Bell is to be approached asking if he is prepared to subsidise this sum. A letter from the Mangonui County Council asking for 15/- weekly rental from the Board for office accomodation raised a storm of protest. The chairman considered that as the Hospital Board was also being asked for a weekly rental of 15/- for the same office, making a total of 30/-, and another larger office in the building was bringing in only £l, the charge seemed exorbitant. This view was shared by Cmrs. Peace and Mclntosh, though Cmrs. McKinnon and Houston thought 15/- (which, they contended, was the only figure with which the Town Board was concerned) a reasonable rental. It was eventually decided to approach the Council on the matter, Cmr. Peace being appointed the Board’s negotiator. Mr. G. Bonnett waited on the Board asking for dedication of the road leading to his property, formation and metalling to conform to second-class road standards. This was agreed to by the Board providing work is done to the satisfaction of the engineer and Mr. Bonnett maintains the metal for twelve months. A donation of £3 6/6 was received from the P. and T. ball committee towards the erection of a ladies’ restroom in Kaitaia. Cmr. Peace presented a report on his meeting, as Board’s representative with Mr. Mitchell of the Government’s Country Library Service. To inaugurate the scheme would cost the Board a small sum, said Cmr. Peace, but the ultimate result should be a much more efficient library. He suggested closing the library for a time, calling in all books, and starting work on the Government scheme. Mr. Whitefield is to make a report on the gorse nuisance in the town, so that owners may be given a not-too-gentle reminder to clear their gorse-covered sections. The Farmers’ Co-op. is to be notified to have the watertables near their petrol pumps cleaned out and left in reasonable repair. More stringent proceedings are to be taken against cyclists riding on the footpaths in the town. The traffic inspector is to interview Messrs. Wilson Moore Motors regaining the parking of vehicles round their service station. The condition of by-roads, footpaths and grass on the roadsides was raised, and it was resolved to authorise the clerk to engage extra workmen as required. Accounts totalling £263 11/2 were passed for payment.