SOUND POSITION

Taranaki Daily News, 17 October 1935, Page 16

SOUND POSITION

KAPONGA TOWN BOARD FINANCE. WATER IN SEWERAGE SYSTEM. A satisfactory financial position was shown at the monthly meeting of the Kaponga Town Board on Tuesday, when the financial statement for the first six months of the financial year, ended September 30, showed a total credit balance of £1583.

Receipts for the six months totalled £3899 and expenditure £4394, the figures for the same period last year being £3035 and £3659 respectively. The figures for the two main accounts, last year’s figures being quoted in parentheses, were: General account receipts £1566 (£700), expenditure £2674 (£1865), electricity account receipts £2255 (£2243), expenditure £1705 (£1679). A comparison of the rate position between the years 1934-35 and 1935-36 gave the following figures: 1934-35, rates collected £789, rebate allowed £42, percentage of rates collected 75.36; 1935-36, £B7l, £45, 69.84. The action of the sub-committee in accepting Messrs. J. W. Boon’s tender for the erection of a garage on the boaad’s section was confirmed. It was decided to call tenders for the work of resurfacing the tennis courts.

Regarding the blocking-up of the sewerage system recently, it was decided to draw the attention of property owners to the breach of the by-laws committed when surface water was drained into the sewerage system, and to issue a warning that the practice must cease. An application was received from the Kaponga Volunteer Fire Brigade for. a subsidy for tire current financial year. In reply to a question the clerk stated that £5 had been granted in 1933 and £lO 10s in 1934. The board decided to grant the brigade £lO 10s. The secretary of the Kaponga Cricket Club wrote asking whether the board would be prepared to supply an electric or power motor mower for use in maintaining the cricket area at Victoria Park. After some discussion the matter was held over.

The electrical engineer, Mr. A. W. Anderson, reported that all head works and generating apparatus operated satisfactorily during the month, but it was found necessary to keep a close watch on the turbine bearing to ensure continuous generation. A total of 56,180 •units was generated as compared with 53,640 by this machine last year, and a bulk power purchase of 11,090 units was made at a cost of £4B 19s 7d as compared with £25 19s 4d last year. Temporary failures of the bulk power supply during the morning milking periods on the 14th and 15th caused several breaches in the continuity of the service, the most serious occurring on the 14th, when the supply to the western part of the area was disconnected for 30 minutes. A fault on tire bulk power transmission line rendered it necessary to disconnect the Upper Manaia Road for a period of ten minutes during the evening of the 30th. The reconstruction of the low-tension line at Makaka was completed and a milking motor connected. One milking service. on Upper Manaia Road was reconstructed and the installation that had been unused for several seasons, was reconnected. Line repairs and improvements were carried out and trees cut back in various parts of the area, and additional lightning arresters were fitted in the portions of the high-tension lines mokt subject to lightning hits. Mr. A. Melville, foreman, reported that the intake and filter tank had been cleaned out as well as the dead ends of the mains. The roads were in good order.

The chairman, Cmmr. A. R. Bates, presided, and there were present Cmmrs. W. G. Cran, J. P. Gibson, R. A. Law, W. Marr and J. H. Tyack.

Work at Airport. Work on the new Hawera airport will in future be carried out on a 41-hours-a--week basis under ordinary Public Works conditions, according to advice received by wire by Mr. W. G. Welkley, secretary of the Hawera Aero Club, from Mr. H. G. Dickie, M.P. Hawera had received official recognition in the matter. In an interview yesterday Mr. Walkley said the Government was to be congratulated upon its new policy in regard to aerodromes, firstly, because men would no longer be on part-time work, and, sec-, ondly, for the reason that commercial aviation was likely to develop so rapidly within the next six months that existing airports would not have been suitable to cope with the traffic. It was certain that if the Hawera Aero Club had not taken the matter in hand when it did Hawera would not have been considered as a stopping place by commercial airlines. The club was glad to know that its action in proceeding without municipal assistance to provide Hawera and district with a first-class airport had also resulted in full-time work for 50 or 60 men for at least nine, and probably 12, months.