WORK IN THE BOROUGH

Te Aroha News, Volume XLI, Issue 6603, 23 May 1925, Page 4

WORK IN THE BOROUGH

A SLACK TIME A DIFFICULT PROBLEM In the last issue of the News the need for some attention to the trees planted in the streets was mentioned. The Mayor, on being interviewed about the matter, said the intention was to have the grass cleared away in June and July. There were several good reasons for not doing the work earlier. In the first place the Borough employees were fully engaged in bitumising the streets, and no one could be spared from this urgent work. In the second place, owing to the continuous growth right up to June in this part of the country, any cleaning up before that month would only have a very temporary affect and in the early spring conditions would be as bad as ever. Another reason was that the Council found it difficult to employ to full advantage the whole of the married men in its service during the winter months. Some of these men could be discharged during the slack season, but an endeavour was made to so arrange the woi'k that this would only be resorted to in a case of actual necessity. Where possible work was held over till the winter months and thus labour would be absorbed for which the Council had no use in ordinary works. The problem of dealing with the men was more difficult this year than formerly. About a dozen men were employed at the quarry, and just when the Council’s own requirements in metal fell away owing to the cessation of work under the loan the orders for metal from outside practically ceased. The hoppers are now full and it looks as though things will be very slow at the quarry. The Mayor said that he had been in full sympathy with the scheme for beautifying the streets and would like to see more activity shown in this direction. At one time, he said, they had a live Beautifying Society, which worked in conjunction with the Council, but little was heard of it now. He would like to see it actively at work again.