BOROUGH COUNCIL

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 59, Issue 4220, 6 December 1939, Page 7

BOROUGH COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING HELD. GENERAL BUSINESS. His Worship the Mayor, Mr Geo. Spinley, presided at the monthly meeting on Monday evening of Te Awamutu Borough Council, and also present were Crs W. J. North, C. J. Spiers, J. Sterritt, J. C. Montefiore, L. S. Armstrong, and A. C. Brookes. The town clerk (Mr D. Bockett) and the engineer (Mr R. P. Worley) were in attendance. Leave of absence was granted to Crs A. Rowan and J_ A. Maxwell, who were both indisposed. Cr Montefiore reported that a start had been made with removing the old footpath in Sloane Street and widening the carriage-way. He added that the Public Works Department would be expected to complete the sealing work before Christmas. This was approved, and it was decided to ask the Department to have a small. patch of sealing dong near the bridge in Tawhiao Street before race day. PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGCr Spiers recommended that the pedestrian crossing in Alexandra Street near the High School should be right opposite the school gateway. That was the safest place. There was agreement that a crossing desired near the Tawhiao Street corner was too dangerous. Attention was directed to the practice of some of the school buses unloading children on the street instead of driving right into the grounds. There was too great a danger- of accident.

The opinion was expressed that the bus entrance should have been off Taw-hiao Street, and not in Alexandra Street at all.

It w-as agreed to provide a pedestrian crossing opposite the school gates, and the school authorities will be recommended to control the use of it by school children to prevent children -wandering across in ones or twos. This was a precautionary measure in view of the heavy vehicular traffic in Alexandra Street.

Permission was sought by the District High School Committee to reerect part of the boundary fence in Tawhiao Street two feet on the street line.—Referred to the works committee for a report. The borough engineer (Mr R. P. Worley) wrote that he had taken levels and cross-sections of Alexandra Street, between College and Goodfellow Streets, and as soon as a plan was made he would send three copies to the Public WJorks Department, as desired by the Council. Regarding Sloane Street, he found upon his arrival on Monday, 20th November, that alterations had already been made, but not in accordance with the approved scheme. Writing on 2nd December, Mr Worley said he had supplied details of improvement work proposed in Alexandra Street, below College Street, to the Public Works Department. Mr Worley amplified his letters to show the improvement provided for. The Mayor reported that the works committee had conferred with the District High School Committee chairman re the proposed master drain through the school grounds, which drain could be used for the Council’s storm-water drainage from Alexandra Street.

Cr Montefiore said the works committee had since inspected the locality, and rejected the proposal on the score of expense, the cost being much beyond the resources of the Council, considering the small benefit likely to aegrue. The Steel Pipe Company, Wanganui, wrote that delay in supplying water-supply pipes had occurred owing to urgent orders received from the Defence Department. Every ef--fort would be made to supply the Te Awamutu order at the earliest possible date.

The Mayor commented that it was unlikely that the pipes could be used until after Christmas. FEES OBJECTED TO. Cr Armstrong raised objection to the Council’s new requirement that permit fees be increased for certain sanitary and plumbing work. He had noticed that the fee was 5s for work costing up to £25. The fee of 5s was too high for a job costing, say, £l, and many such jobs cost only about that sum. The ’Mayor said, after discussion, that the matter could be referred to the finance committee. —Agreed to. MORE FREQUENT MEETINGS. The Mayor referred to the need for re-arranging committees- He understood Cr Maxwell was now residing in Auckland, and was unable to attend committee meetings. The library committee, on which Cr Maxwell was a member, asked that if he could not attend someone else be appointed. , Cr Brookes placed in the Mayor s hands his position on the finance committee, pointing out that he would not be able to attend committee meetings for the next two months. > Mention was made of Cr Rowan s continued indisposition, thus making it more difficult to re-distribute the committee duties. It was arranged to hold finance committee meetings on Mondays, a fortnight before Council meetings. At Cr Rowan’s request he was released from duty on the works committee, and when it was proposed to appoint Cr Spiers to the vacancy that gentleman said he had been in-and-out off and on the works committee, and although he did not mind giving his full share to borough affairs he thought he had not been treated fairly. However, if the Council wished it he would accept appointment. Agreed to. Then the Mayor referred to the accumulation of work for committees and the Council, and urged reversion to fortnightly meetings Cr North gave notice to move to that effect. SWIMMING BATHS. The Mayor reported that the fin-

ance committee had investigated matters concerning the municipal baths, and he outlined the aspects considered;.

.Cr Spiers tabled recommendations giving, {he two school committees sore use of the baths during school hours from Ist December to 31st March, on detailed ■ conditions • providing for a charge of £5O for the season, the schools to provide their own caretaker and the Council to provide for cleaning the baths and an adequate supply of fresh water. This was agreed to. Argument ensued as to the use of the baths by the general public, and hours were suggested, but the greatest obstacle was the care-taking. The hours suggested were 6.30 a.m. to 8 a.m., 12.30 p.m, to 6 p.m., and 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Suggested Sunday hours were 10 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and 2,30 p.m to 4.30 p.m. It was decided to invite applications for the position of caretaker. Charges were also agreed upon. GENERAL. The secretary of Te Awamutu Young Farmers’ Club forwarded details of a tree-planting scheme as a national .Centennial memorial, and sought the co-operation of the Council. ■ ' The Mayor remarked that all subsidies for tree-planting as a Centennial memorial had been already applied for. Consideration was further delayed. The borough solicitors wrote re the drainage reserve from Rewi Street to the Mangahoe stream, crossing Alexandra Street, advising that the Lands Department and the Minister of Lands had approved that area being reserved for drainage purposes and being vested in the borough. Steps were now being taken for the land to be reserved by eral’s warrant, and vested 1 in the Council by Order-in-Council. Mr Worley explained the position. The Waipa county clerk advised that his Council would give careful consideration to the suggestion from the medical officer of health that a morgue be established in Te Awamutu, and asked for an estimate of the probable cost.

Cr Brookes suggested that the cost would probably be about £4OO. The Mayor thought the figure more likely to be £5OO. It was decided to inquire from the Hamilton Borough CouncilMr A. Wi. Jamieson, sanitary inspector, advised that hairdressers’ premises in the borough could be brought under the Hairdressers’ (Health) Regulations of 1931. It was decided to apply for the necessary gazetting.