Province and Suburb

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 120, 11 August 1927, Page 14

Province and Suburb

(From THE SUN’S Correspondent*.)

HAMILTON UNEMPLOYED RELIEF LOAN SANCTIONED At a special meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council last night the decision to raise a loan not exceeding £1,400 to provide work for relief of unemployed was confirmed and subsequently a resolution was passed to levy a special .rate of l-75d in the £ to cover interest and sinking fund on the loan, and to strike it on the unimproved values. BEAUTIFYING HUNTLY FLOWERS IN STREETS Good work has been done by the committee of the Huntly Beautifying Society at a series of working bees in preparing the flower beds around the Town Hall. It was decided to hold another bee on Saturday to finish the task. Rose trees have been planted around the pergolas in the main street and should look very well when in bloom. It was decided to alter the date of the spring show from September 13 to 16, owing to the former date clashing with Hamilton. FRANKTON POSTMEN Renewed representations are to be made by the Frankton Ratepayers and Citizens’ Association in connection with the decision of the postal authorities to transfer three postmen from the Frankton to the Hamilton Post Office district, and further protests were voiced at a meeting held on Monday night. It was decided to communicate with the Hon. J. A. Young, urging the Frankton attitude toward the proposal, and if necessary to have a deputation sent to Wellington. WELCOMED HOME Parishioners of St. George’s Anglican Church, Papatoetoe, attended a social evening held in the church hall on Tuesday evening, for the purpose of extending a welcome home to the Rev. P. C. Davis and Mrs. Davis. Mr. Ronald Smith, the people’s warden, presented Mr. Davis, on behalf of the parishioners, with a substantial cheque, as a small token of the high esteem in which Mr. Davis is held by the members of the church, and also

as a wedding gift on the occasion of his recent marriage. The occasion was also taken advantage of to bid a welcome home to Mr. and Mrs. Leonard, who have recently returned from a business trip to England. TE AWAMUTU COUNCILLOR WITHDRAWS RESIGNATION Mr. J. C. Montifiore, who tendered his resignation at the last meeting of the Te Awamutu Borough Council, was asked on Wednesday by a number of ratepayers and others to reconsider his decision. Mr. D. Christian, in presenting a largely-signed petition, referred to the past services of Mr. Montifiore as a councillor and chairman of the Works Committee, and trusted that he would overlook any shortcomings that might have occurred and work in the ratepayers’ interest as he had done in the past. After discussion, Mr. Montifiore signified his intention of withdrawing his resignation, a decision which met with applause. HUNTLY TOWN BOARD GIFT OF SPORTS AREA A meeting of the Huntly Town Board was held on Tuesday. The chairman, Mr. W. C. E. George, presided. The Main Highways Board wrote stating that Mr. Woodward’s report on the tar-sealing of the main road could not be considered until the Loans Board had intimated what sinking fund would be required. The Taupiri Mines Company, Ltd., intimated that it had agreed to grant 12 acres of ground, with certain reservations, free of cost as a playing area for Huntly. The board expressed appreciation of the generous gift, and a motion to that effect was recorded and the clerk was instructed to write to the company accordingly. It was decided to employ Mr. E. V. Blake, surveyor, of Auckland, to prepare a plan and estimate of the cost of laying out the ground immediately. The question of a loan to execute the work was deferred. Hr. Mercer, Medical Officer of Health, conferred with the chairman and Dr. R. C. Mac Diarmid on the question of a sanitary dump. The department also stressed the necessity for a water supply for the town. This caused a lengthy discussion, and eventually it was decided to instruct the clerk to write asking the Health Department to take samples of water from Kimihea Lake and the Waikato River. The clerk intimated that the balance sheet was ready, and it was decided to hold the annual ratepayers’ meeting on September 13. Accounts amounting to £731 5s Id were passed for payment.

NEW LYNN’S SEWAGE COUNTY IMPOTENT That the Waitemata County Council is fully alive to New Lynn’s proposal to discharge sewage into the Manukau Harbour, but has no power to prevent such action was the opinion conveyed last evening to the Avondale Borough Council in response to representations from that authority. The Waitemata Council also pointed out that Manukau Harbour is under the jurisdiction of the Auckland Harbour Board. The Avondale Council deferred consideration of the correspondence until next meeting of the board. TE AWAMUTU CROQUET CLUB OFFICERS ELECTED There was a good attendance of members at the annual meeting of the Te Awamutu Croquet Club on Monday afternoon. The president, Mrs. Bray, occupied the chair. The annual report, read by Mrs. Battson, showed the club to be in a very progressive state. During the year the club affiliated with the South Auckland Association. All the local matches attracted good entries, and the visits from adjacent clubs proved most enjoyable. A bridge evening held during the year netted £ 7 10s for the club. The balance sheet showed a roll of 34 members, and six honorary members. There was a credit of £3 7s lOd. The election of officers resulted as follows: —Patron, Mrs. W. Taylor (reelected); president, Mrs. Lacy Peake; vice-presidents, Mesdames Layne, O’Sullivan, and K. C. Rickit; treasurer, Mrs. H. Y. Collins; secretary, Mrs. C. P. Battson; committee, Mesdames Chittenden, Davis, McArthur, Bray, Houston, and Noonan; match committee, Mesdames Layne, Davis and Houston; green superintendent, Mrs. P. B. Bowden; tea superintendent, Mrs. Bluck. The opening will take place the same day as that of the bowling club. It was decided to increase the playing members’ fees to 30s. Trophies were donated by Mesdames Battson, Bluck, Rickit, Davis and Layne.

MOTORING COLLISIONS HAMILTON CASES DISMISSED Two cases arising out of motor collisions were heard in the Magistrate’s Court at Hamilton yesterday, and charges of dangerous and negligent driving were dismissed. Dr. T. C. Fraser was the first defendant, as the sequel to an accident between him car and another driven by Mrs. R. A. Lafferty, who appeared as a witness. When asked if her car was mucch damaged she said she thought so; she had not sen it since. The Senior Sergeant: What sort of a day was it?—Oh, a lovely day. (Laughter.) After hearing the evidence of witness his Worship dismissed the charges against defendant, placing no reliability on her account of the accident. James O’Grady, journalist, was similarly charged as the outcome of an accident with a large lorry driven by Thomas Henry Bond, contractor, of Cambridge. The magistrate dismissed the charges. AVONDALE COUNCIL ADJOURNED MEETING The adjourned meeting of the Avondale Borough Council was held last evening, the Mayor, Mr. H. Tiarks presiding. An effort to secure the district’s support to his Whau Canal scheme' was considered from Mr. David B. Russell. He is to visit Wellington in a few days to place particulars of the proposal before Parliament. The council was guarded in its reply, but decided to inform applicant that it was in sympathy with the project. Payment of the conductor’s salary for the six months ending June 30 was requested by the Avondale Municipal Band. In a covering letter was embodied the conductor’s report. It was decided to pay the account, but to defer consideration of the report until the next meeting of the council. Preparedness to accept amalgamation of Avondale with the city was the spirit of a letter forwarded by the City Council. MAILS AND TRAINS PAPAKURA PROTESTS The meeting of the Papakura Chamber of Commerce, presided over by Mr. Alfred Willis, vice-president, in the unavoidable absence of the president, Mr. Charles Garlick, through illness. The Chief Postmaster advised that he was of the opinion that four mails a day were adequate for the business of the township, but was prepared to substitute a mail for Auckland at 10 a.m. instead of the existing 1 p.m. mail. The chamber resolved to appoint a deputation to wait on the Chief Postmaster, with a view to placing the facts before him. In reply to a request that workers’ tickets be made available on the 7.3

a.me train from Papakura, the department stated that it was not proposed to make any alteration. It was pointed out at the meeting: that if the department started the train a little earlier it would arrive before S a.m., and no concession would be needed. At the present time it was a hardship for many workers to go by the earlier train and have to hang about Auckland till 5.30 a.m. A deputation is to wait on the traffic manager to further press the workers’ claims. The Minister for Justice acknowledged the chamber’s letter asking for a new' courthouse, and stated that there was no prospect at all of a new' building, no funds being available. The chamber decided to send greetings to the new chamber of commerce recently formed at Pokeno. A very vigorous protest was recorded against the proposed sanitary dump near Papakura. HAMILTON BUSES PIONEER’S HARD LUCK Sitting as the licensing authoritv for No. 4 Motor Omnibus District the Hamilton Borough Council last night dealt with applications covering routes to be traversed in Hamilton and all applications were approved, a schedule of fares being arranged. A complaint was received from Buses, Ltd., and Mr. H. Innes Jones alleging pirating by Mr. Hempton, taxi-driver. The opinion was expressed that the licensing authority had no jurisdiction, but steps would be taken to ascertain the legal position. Application was made by George Soanes for the .re-issue of licences previously held by him for Claudelands service, authorities for which had been revoked by the licensing body. It was stated the licences could not be granted until his vehicles complied with the requirements of the traffic inspector. The position is one of considerable difficulty as Soanes had pioneered the Claudelands service and now he is deprived of his reward for the work. Ultimately the question was referred to the Bus Committee for further discussion. BIRKENHEAD BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETS The Birkenhead Borough Council last evening unanimously supported the candidature of the Mayor, Mr. E. C. Skeates, to the vacancy on the Auckland Harbour Board. A message of condolence is to be sent to the widow of the late Mr. J. Henderson. As a mark of respect, the council carried the resolution standing in silence. A recommendation from the council in committee, that a sum of £ 8,000 be raised jointly with the Northcote Borough Council to improve Little Shoal Bay reserve, was deferred to ascertain the Northcote Council’s view's on the subject. Building permits issued had a total value of £4,800. A letter w r as received from the Waitemata Bridge Committee asking the council to use its influence in getting a man who was favourably inclined toward the bridge appointed to the vacancy on the Harbour Board. Northcote Borough asked for support for Mr. A. E. Greenslade and after a good deal of discussion the request was referred to the council in committee. Donations of £1 Is to the Local Body Traffic Inspectors’ Association and £lO 10s to the Waitemata Bridge Committee were made.