WAITARA BOROUGH COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, 16 January 1931, Page 8

WAITARA BOROUGH COUNCIL

REPORTS ON THE MONTH’S WORK FINANCE OF WOMEN’S REST. ROOM, Finance for the women’s rest room was-affiong the matters discussed at . the ■ monthly : sting of the Waitera Borough Council on, Wednesday night. Those present were the Mayor (Mr. E. A. George) and Messrs. Spurdie, Ewens, Wakely, Reeves and C. T. Wilson. Thursday was fixed as the day for the half holiday for the current year. The engineer, Mr. C. F. Dowsett, reported that the weight of a portable crusher passing over the new bitumen surface of Mcf-ean and Nelson streets : had caused some damage, but a covering of pea gravel arrested the development, and all visible discrepancies . had been resealed. The council was responsible for maintenance, the contractor’s liability having ceased. Mr. Dowsett further reported that the contractors hqd been relieved of liability for the maintenance of Ngatimaru Road work. > The solicitor advised that the council could accept a surrender of the lease to Mr. G-. H. Topless and grant to him. a new lease for the balance of the term. Su6h ne'W lease may contain a right of renewal for a term of 15 years at a rental to. be fixed by valuation. ‘ The Mayor said there was no application from Mr. Topless to be > allowed to surrender, and the proper, thing seemed to be to hold the matter over for a month. It was resolved that on receipt of Mr. Topless’ application to surrender, the council will consider the renewal. Applications received for.licenses for the Theatre, Royal, St. John’s Hall, Clifton Hall and Soldiers’ and Civilians’ Club were granted subject to the fire brigade superintendent’s report being favourable. . The Mayor explained the financing of the women’s rest room. It cost £52 per year. less a small sum for receipts, and the committee had-continually to go to. sympathisers' for money to meet £26 of the yearly rental liability. As a few ratepayers were asked, to find the amount it seemed fair to ask the ratepayers as a whole should pay. Mr. Ewens supported the proposal. He was of opinion that the council should help' the Plunket Society also. The Mayor remarked that the Plunket Society w’as on a far better footing than the rest room committee as fees were received from mothers, and there was a considerable sum in hand received from a.carnivai. It was resolved to contribute 10s per week towards the rest room upkeep. It was suggested that the rest room should be opened on Sunday afternoons and the Mayor agreed to see to such an arrangement. The manager of the State Fire and Accident insurance Office notified that a claim lodged on behalfi of J. P. Williamson w’ho met with an accident was riot entertained, as .at the time the employee was engaged in a contract undertaken by Mr. Foreman, against whom the claim should be made. The matter of adjustment was left iu the hands of the works committee.

A circular from Mr. Francis H. Holz suggested the establishment of a free ambulance service in the Taranaki hospiteTdistrict and set forth the contributions required from local bodies for a period of five years. . The chief inspector of explosives reported that he had visited several places of storage of dangerous goods in Waitara and had found the conditions generally satisfactory. The road foreman reporting on the work for the month stated that owing to Queen Street, being in a bad state he had use.d more metal than originally intended; lie proposed putting on the second coat of tar next week. The worksl committee was of opinion that the road staff'should devote more time to top dressing the main road north of the bridge with pea gravel or coarse sand during suitable hot weather. Instructions had been given to have grass growing on Broadway and other streets cut immediately. No reply had been received from ’ the Clifton County Council about the footpath iu Princess Street, “but judging from newspaper reports it appears the Clifton council is going to let the Borough Council down rather badly, as evidently it does not intend to abide by the agreement made with the borough for the maintenance of the upper portion of Princess Street.” The council discussed the footpath at some length, several councillors expressing the opinion that it was a small matter and there seemed to be something more than the actual cost of the work belrind thv Clifton county’s attitude. It

was decided to. send the Mayor and Mr. Ewens to the next meeting of the Clifton County Council with a view to coming to some understanding. '. The Mayor said the works committee would report at the next meeting on the proposals in respect to improving the footpath in front of the new post office. It was stated that the cost of the work ou Queen Street so far was £456 and there was still the second coat to be giveii. The tram, line of the freezing works needed adjustment to the new surface, and it was decided to bring this under the notice of the management. The ranger reported having impounded during the month 11 cows, one horse and one calf. The 'secretary of the Athletic and Cycling Club applied for permission to hold meetings periodically on the camp reserve. It lyas resolved to reply that the use of the ground on Saturday afternoons had been granted to the cricket club and any use by the cycling club for such a time would have to be by mutuaf arrangement. Mr. Ewens agreed to see the athletic and cricket executives with a view to an equitable arrangement for maintenance of the reserve.