BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Age, 17 December 1924, Page 5

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

THE MONTHLY MEETING.

The last meeting for this year of tho Masterton Borough Council was held last night, the Mayor (Mr O. _N, C. Pragnell) presiding. There also present Crs. F. C. Evans, H. J. O’Leary, F. W. Temple, J. T. Watson, T. Dixon, W. Kemp, W. G. Lamb, It. Russell, F. Petersen, and T. Jordan. An apology was received from Cr. G. L. Thomas.

The Town Clerk reported that he h?i made application to the State Advances Office for £5OOO, being the first instalment of the £25,000 drainage and water loan for the North Ward; also that he had applied to the' Public Trustee for the £2500 balance of the £211,500 drainage extension loan. .Tn connection with the latter sum, the Public Trustee wrote stating that the Department was not entertaining any loan proposals at present.—The matter was left to the Mayor to attend to.

Accounts amounting to £5590" 18s 3d were passed for payment. Taxi drivers ’ licenses were granted to J. Paget, W. R. Lecher and H. Mor-

A petition was received from 50 resident in Cole street and Essdx street praying that tho new' street from Cole to Essex street be opened up, or if the work cannot be proceeded with that the Council place a footbridge over the creek to allow right-of-way through the sections.—Referred to the Works Committee for consideration. Gala Week.

Messrs W. S. L. Dickson and R. H. Hill, representing the Gala Week Committee, waited on the Council and asked that Queen street from Jaekson street to the Post Office bq closed on the night of February 14 from.B p.m. iill 10 p.m. for the purpose of, having a jazz evening and gala events. On the Monday following the street from the Midland to the Post Office would be required for a while to officially open the gala. This would necessitate diverting the traffic along Chapel street. , The request was granted.

The Gala Committee was also granted the use of the Park for 4 days at a charge of £lO. Sports on the Oval.

Messrs T. G. Vangioni and E. J. Helfer, representing the Caledonian Society and the Masterton Amateur Athletic Club, waited on the Council and applied for a reduction in the charge for the hire of the Park oval for sports gatherings. The deputation stated that each year a loss was recorded, and now this year they were deprived of Selling the privileges which now went to the lessee of the Kiosk.

The Mayor favoured reducing the fee seeing that the privileges wore taken away from them.

Cr. Dixon moved that the fee be reduced to £s.—The Mayor seconded.

Cr. Lamb moved as an amendment that the Park be granted to both bodies free of charge.—Cr. Evans seconded.

Cr. Kemp, chairman of the Park ■Committee, favoured the clubs presenting a balance-sheet after the meeting. If they were out of pocket he would move that a rebate be granted. He opposed setting the precedent of giving away tho right to keep the ratepayers out of their own park. He did not know where the matter was going to stop. Cr. Temple said the most consistent way was to charge some amount and for the body concerned to apply for a rebate. Cr. Lamb’s amendment and Cr. Dixon’s motion were both lost.

Cr. Kemp moved a further amendment that the original fee of £lO bo charged, and that the balance-sheet then be submitted to the Council, who would favourably consider granting a rebate. —This was carried. Deferred. Drainage.

When this matter came up for discussion, Cr. Temple vigorously opposed the granting of 5 years to pay off drainage installations. Many years ago a loan had been raised and a proper bungle had been made of the, repayments. He objected to the Council committting itself to further work when it could not see the money available. If the deferred system was adopted he favoured a limit of 24. years being placed on it. Five years was far too long. It allowed people to play with their repayments.