BOROUGH COUNCIL

Te Aroha News, Volume XLI, Issue 6410, 3 November 1923, Page 5

BOROUGH COUNCIL

ORDINARY MEETING The Te Aroha Borough Council met on Wednesday evening. The Mayor, Mr R. Coulter, presided, and there were also present —Mrs. A. M. Gordon, G. H. Hedge, J. R. Nicol, J. W. Ritchie, S. Sellars, E. A Bruce, V. G. Hamilton and D. McMahon. PROPOSED SUB-DIVISION Mr J. Loug'hlin forwarded a tracing of a proposed scheme of sub-division of part section GO, block 0, Aroha S.D., for the provisional approval of the Council.—The Works Committee recommended that the proposed subdivision be approved subject to certain conditions which the Council confirmed. BAND AT SHOW The Thames Valley A., P. and H. Association asked the Council if it could be arranged for the Municipal Band to provide a musical programme at the Show on November 14th.— The Mayor reported he had interviewed the members of the band who agreed to the request. BITUMEN SPRAYER R. W. Brickell, manufacturing agent, Dunedin, forwarded invoice for the bitumen sprayer recently ordered by the Council.—The Council agreed to make the necessary financial arrangements. DAMAGE BY LORRIES The manager o fthe Glaxo Manufacturing Co., Palmerston North, advised the Council that on two or three occasions his company’s representatives had met the Mayor and Councillors for the purpose of discussing and assessing the damage alleged to have been done by his company’s lorries to the Borough roads, chiefly that part of Stanley road which is controlled by the Borough. It was arranged, the letter states, that £2O should be paid per annum for the privilege of running five lorries, not including the Ford truck. The letting of the milk carting had enabled the reduction of the lorry service to two heavy trucks, and in view of this their contribution, it was suggested, would be proportionately reduced —as the amount was assessed at £4 per lorry—The Mayor explained that the £2O referred to was arranged for apart from license fees. The Glaxo Company were also not keeping to the arrangements in regard to the roads used—The Council decided to refuse to reduce the fees.

TE AROHA LIBRARY

The manager of the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts advised the Council with reference to the library, Te Aroha, that the library books are to be handed over to the Council, and that the Council can have temporary use of the present library, until premises are procured by the Council. There were 918 books in all in the library but they were not in a very good condition. —It was resolved that the Minister be reminded of the promise made to the Mayor that no change would be made in the present arrangement. On the suggestion of the Mayor it was also agreed that the Minister be asked to visit Te Aroha. HERRIES’ MEMORIAL The town clerk, Morrinsville, advised that the Mayor, Mr George Howie, and the deputy-mayor, Mr J. B. Thomas, were appointed to represent the Council at the suggested conference. The Matamata Town Board wrote stating that the Board is not prepared to take any action in the matter at present. The members of the Board consider, the letter stated, that it would be better for the Te Aroha Borough Council to formulate a scheme of the proposed memorial with an estimate, of the cost and then submit the proposals to the various local bodies within the electorate. The Matamata Council intimated that Crs. Pohlen and Rollett had been appointed as the Council’s delegates to the conference in regard to the Herries’ Memorial. The Piako County Council advised that Crs. Orr and Kennedy had been appointed to represent the Council. The clerk intimated that the Hungahunga and Waitoa Drainage Boards had nominated their chairmen. On the motion of the Mayor and Mayoress it was agreed that the conference of local bodies be held on Thursday, November 22nd, at 2 p.m., in the Te Aroha Borough Chambers.

VALUATION OFFICE

The Matamata County Council wrote as follows :-As your Council is aware the ‘increase during recent years of assessments owing to subdivisions has increased to an enormous extent. Six years ago local bodies could rely upon receiving not-

ices of alterations of assessments soon after the commencement of the year or probably not later than three months after that time. Up till then the matter was sufficiently well handled by the Auckland office. At present the Auckland office is taxed to the utmost. The holding up of the rate book to this time of year was inconvenient. The Matamata Council suggested that a branch office of the Valuation Office should be established in Hamilton in order to obviate this inconvenient delay. The valued aid of the Te Aroha Borough Council was asked to secure this end. —It was agreed to support the request. ABATTOIR SITE The Department of Agriculture (Live Stock Division), pointed out to the Council in reference to the selection of a site for an abattoir that any ' site selected would require the approval of the Department. It was suggested that one of the Department’s Veterinarians should inspect any property under offer before finality was reached as to the purchase by the Council.—lt was agreed to inform the Department that the Council had three sites under consideration. BUILDING CONDEMNED The Assistant Medical Officer suggested the condemnation of a buildingsituated in Rata street, Te Aroha, owing to its dilapidated condition.— It was decided that arrangements be made for the demolition of the building.