PATEA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Patea Mail, Volume XLV, 29 May 1922, Page 2

PATEA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

TOWN CLERK’S REPORT. The following report was submitted to the Borough Council at its special meet, iug on Monday night last: —

(Continued from last issue.)

£SOOO Loan.— This loan as you know is now expended and the new hydro plant has had its first run. ’ A short summary of the events leading up to this will perhaps be of interest and will, incidentally, show a little of the work the present Council has had to cope with. It will be remembered that after the fatal accident to the first dam the job of rebuilding and erecting a new power house, etc., was given to Mr C. p. Pulley. Here again unforeseen expense was met with. The Council -was given to understand that the whole of the work could be completed for a sufficient sum to allow of the purchase of the new hydro plant, and accordingly, acting on the advice f 4lr Evan Evans Mr E. N. Webb, of Messrs Boving and Co., was called in to inspect and report on the best scheme for the Council to undertake. The scheme adopted included the purchase of a now turbine costing £1650, and new generator cost, ing £BO6, a total of (including several small items) £2500. This plant was duly ordered but as time went on and the dam neared complttion it was seen that it was costing considerably more than was first estimated. The Public Works Department, who watched the progress of the work very was no doubt responsible for a lot of additional work, especially in connection with the spillway and the height of the dam. It was soon seen that sufficient money w r ould not be available to meet all the payments of the completion of the dam, and the cos’- of the new plant and after going carefully into the pos. ition it was decided to apply for a 10 per cent loan on the original £SOOO, and also to sell the Council’s war loan debentures. This was accordingly doneand £SOO was realised for the debentures, but (So far *hc £SOO 10 per cent loan has not come to hand. However all payments to date have been and it now duly remains to pay approxibatoly £7 on the turbine and £BO on the generator, plus £6O for erection, and £lO for railage and freight, etc., paid by the contractors on the plant, making a total of £157. A rebate of £75 on account of a reduction in customs tariff has been allowed the Council by Messrs Boving and Co., which reduced the payments shown above from £232 to the figure quoted £157.

A sum of £SOO lias still to bo met on account of the''dam work, etc., but arrangements have been made to allow this to stand over until provision is made for its discharge.

Tests of the plant’ were carried out by Mr B. H. Bartley, of New Plymouth on the Council's behalf, but final consideration of same has not yet been undertaken. It is hoped that the plant proves everything it is stated to be as the Council depends very largely upon the electric light department to retrieve a little of its heavy losses in the past.

STREETS. The amount spent on streets during the year was £BIO and for the money available a. lot of good work has no doubt been done. The management of the streets .expenditure has, been in the hands of Cr. Williams, who was appointed Streets Supervisor at the beginning of the financial year. With a permanent stuff of one and only some £SOO to spend on materials after wages had been taken into account, it is to Cr Williams' credit that the streets have been* maintained as they have. The main street has been dealt with and tarred where necessary from boundary to boundary and a 'lot of good work has been done elsewhere. A new foot, path has been formed along the Domain to the new Memorial gates and lights have been erected in several • dark Streets. Altogether considering the small sum available for street work there is no doubt that 20/_ worth of ■work has been obtained for every £1 spent, it being quite clear that the money provided would not permit of anything beyond repair and maintenance work being carried out.

MUNICIPAL HOUSES. Two municipal houses were finally completed during the year but unfor tunately not within the amount of the loan provided for same, a sum of approximately £IOO being advanced ny General Account. One house is occupied by Mr McLeod, Electrical Engineer and the other is at present rented by Mr G. Harris. The revenue from these houses will not do much more than pay interest and sinking fund on the loan, and insurance on the houses. However the Council must be satisfied that this amount is being received us the house shortage is not by any means as acute now as when the houses were erected. Building generally has been much more quiet during the last year but several new dwellings have been completed and more are in course of erection. It is to bo hoped that fjuilcling .will keep steadily going on as every new house is of immense value to the Council.

-TOWN HALL. The Town Hall has again paid its way and in-addition the sum of £350 advanced by the lessees at the commencement of the lease has been repaid by the Council. The Hall has been connected to the Borough drainage system and several leaks in the roof have been at. ■tended_to. The lease has also changed hands the Council consenting to a transfer from the South Taranaki Amusement Co., to Mr H. M. Couroy.

GENEEAL. ; During the year the Council decided to take advantage of the provisions of

the Explosives and Dangerous Goods Act, and become a registering authority under the Act. The necessary formalities w r ere taken and the controlling and issuing of licenses to store dangerous ■goods such as benzine, kerosene, etc... has now become the duty of the Goun_ cil. A revenue of approximately £ls will be derived from this source. %

MOTOR SPEEDING PROSECUTIONS

Action was taken against a numb or of offenders under the above head during the year, with a result fines totalling £65 were dnfiictod. The legal and other costs amounted to approxi. mately £3O so that a little profit has been obtained in addition to a chock being put on the offenders. It was found during the hearing of some of the cases that the Council’s by-1 -s were faulty, and an amendment correcting the faults was passed. The whole matter of by-laws generally needs attention, and I would recommend a special committee set up for the purpose to start work before very long. Visit of His Excellency the Governor General. — His Excellency, by Lady Jellicoo visited Patea 27th of October last and were the station by His Worship the Mayor and the Mayoress together with the Council and representatives of other local bodies. Morning tea was provided for Their Excellencies at the Town Hall and an address of welcome was presented. The School Memorial Avenue was opened, and the Robbie Memorial Steps unveiled by Lord Jcllicoe, after which the Viee.Regal party left by motor for Hawcra. His Excellency’s reply to the address of welcome is being framed and will be hung in the Council Cham, bers when completed. In passing it may bo of interest to note, especially in view of the present hard times that the total cost of the above entertainment including the address, was under £lO.

Domain Grounds. — The town has become very materially improved by the splendid work done at i he Domain as a result of a queen carnival conducted during the year. A good sized pavilion has been erected, also a big training shed, etc., and a ring fence built round the sports ground. This, in addition to the Memorial Gateway which was unveiled on Anzac Day ? has made a wonderful improvement to the Domain grounds, and the town is to be congratulated on possessing a live progressive Domain Board.

COUNCIL MEETINGS. Your Council has had another busy year as the following return of meet, iugs and attendances shows. A total of 70 meetings in 49 working weeks wore held, and it must bo particularly gratifying to Your Worship to note the high per centages of attendances on the part of the individual councillirs. Meetings held during the’ year.— Council 23 Committees 47 Total 70 Individual Attendances. Cr. Watson — Summoned to 55; attended 54; percentage of attendance 98.18. His Worship the Mayor— 66, 64, 97. ~ Cr Dunkley— 53, 51, 96.22. Gr Pinlayson — 69, 64, 92.75. . Cr Hore— 67, 58, 86.71. Cr. Godfrey— 57, 49, 85.78. Cr Naismith— 53, i 5, 84.9. Cr Honcyfield — 66, 55, 83.3. Cr ’Williams— 57, 47, 82.45. Cr Grainger- 66, 45, 68.18.

In conclusion I would like to take this opportunity of expressing my ap_ preciation of the continued confidence given mo by the and to thank Councillors personally for the assistance and consideration extended to me during the past year, and I wish also to express my appreciation of the great amount of work done by you, in your petition as j»'ayj*. v 1 ’ch has very aa. tcjually assist-, 1 m?. in the carry’, y out o: my duti s, uu. .1 trust that the Muting year will repay both you and your Council for the extremely arduous work carried out in the interests of the town.