WAIROA BOROUGH

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18763, 20 July 1935, Page 8

WAIROA BOROUGH

MEETING OP COUNCIL (Herald Correspondent.) At the Wttiroa Borough Council meeting this week t lie re were present the Mayor, Mr 11. J.. Barker, and Crs. F. Berry, M. J. Oeinmeli, L. E. Galbraith, \V. 11. Flint, W. J. Clark, \Y. 11.. Brady and \ r . E. Winter. The special order, of 'which notice had been given, fixing the parking areas, and several other matters in connection with traffic questions, was continued, with a slight amendment in regard to First street, North Clyde. The Mayor reported cm the recent conference in regard to the Power Board taking over the borough lighting system, that the council’s basis would be that fhe Power Board pays the. full net capital expenditure of the undertaking, in addition to paying in cash a sum that would bring into the borough what it was now making out of the undertaking; further, that the price* of power was not to increase, but to decrease, as was being done elsewhere. Several questions raised by Cr. (ialbraith wore dealt with in committee, and on the business done being reported in open board the objectors, Crs. Winter and (ialbraith, expressed their satisfaction in the matter.

The Hospital Board reported that the levy on tlie council would be £5(111, against £595 hist year, a reduction of £3l.

It was reported that the drainage in Mahia avenue, which was not saiisfac.ory, would be improved at an early date if a bettor fall could be secured.

The council decided to spend £SO on tile’purchase of palm trees for the river banks in order to keep pace with the beautifying .scheme, the Mayor commenting- on the I'aVdrable -opinions expressed by visitors to the town. A notice of motion by the Mayor to reduce the domestic rates, the amount to be saved to the consumer being estimated at .€SOO to £6GO, was considered. This, the Mayor said, would make electricity popular, if the people got down' on to the J,d rate sooner than at present expected. Ho did not anticipate that the total revenue would be any less, Tim motion was carried unanimously. A debate ensued on Cr. Galbraith's notice of motion to make the consolidated rate Is in the €. with separate water and sanitation rates. It was held against this that the estimates should first be framed and then the amount decided upon. The Mayor said a good deal depended on the tar-sealing poll, for if carried the saving in maintenance would make rate reduction possible, and every councillor on being asked separately agreed to the making of the rate before the estimates came down, except Cr. Berrv.

The works committee recommended an extension of Mitchell road, to join the main highway so as lo save people in that area a long round to get to the highway. The estimated expenditure was ,£2OO. and an additional benefit was that the road would take stock off the tar-sealed areas in the borough. After some discussion a vote was taken, the numbers being equal, and flic Mayor gave his casting vote to go on with the work, stating it would not affect the rate reduction.