HAMILTON BOROUGH COUNCIL

Waikato Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5422, 2 October 1913, Page 2

HAMILTON BOROUGH COUNCIL

An adjourned meeting of the Borough Council of Hamilton was held last night. The Mayor, Mr A. E. Manning, was in the chair, and all the other members were present. Railway Footpath. The District Engineer wrote that the matter of the use of the railway footway by cyclists had been referred to the Engineef-in-Chief.—Received. East Coast Railway Connection. The United Bay of Plenty League sent their circular letter asking cooperation for the advancement of its object in getting a connection via Rotorua.—Cr Bond proprosed that the request be agreed to. If this ro.ute was adopted the Waikato would be got into connection with the East Coast much sooner. He said the attitude of the Auckland merchants could be easily understood. They wanted tc get all the railways to run directly, as it were, to Auckland, and not to be intercepted by large towns in the interior. We should retain the advantage we now possess, and give the league the most hearty support.—Cr Hammond seconded the motion, which was agreed to. Epidemic “Cleared Out.”

Dr. Frengley, Deputy Chief Health Officer wrote:—“l have the honour by direction of the Hon. the Minister of Public Health, to acknowledge receipt of your letter, of the 6th inst., drawing his attention to the lax methods employed by this Department in regard to the prevention of Mwis leaving smallpox-infected areas. In reply, lam directed by the Minister to ask you to be good enough to state to what particular areas you refer in the final part of your letter, as he is informed there are at present no cases of smallpox in the Waikato district, in the neighbourhood of your town.”—The Mayor, in moving that the letter be received, said the epidemic was practically cleared out as far as the Waikato was concerned, and it was not necessary for the council to take any further action. Agreed to. Hospital Roadway—A Refusal.

The clerk of the Waipa County Concil wrote with reference to the widening of tire main road near the hospital that his council took the view that the same road just beyond the hospital from Hamilton (to say nothing of what it was further out) was in a very much worse condition than the part referred to.in the borough council’s letter asking the county council to contribute to the cost of widening. Owing to the shortness df funds the county council was unable to elfect the necessary repairs, and therefore was not willing to share the proposed expenditure. With regard to the gas lamp, as there was a probability of the hospital board establishing "electric light, the county council did not feel disposed to .entertain the proposal.—Cr Tristram asked if they could not force the hand of the Waipa County Council for assistance in this matter. This would be a new work.—Cr Bond said they should only claim for construction of the roadway, not for footpaths. It might be worth while to consider the practicability of that area being - brought within the borough. They could get a certain amount of additional revenue.—The matter was remitted to the legal and finance committee for a report.

The Band Subsidy. Mr J. T. Browne, president of the 16th (Waikato) Regimental Band, wrote thanking the council for the subsidy, and pointing out that there was some misapprehension with regard to the nature of the recent change. The committee of management consisted of fne .of Hamilton’s business men and three bandsmen, the Mayor and president being appointed trustees ex officio. The subidy, together with all moneys earned by the band, through engagements went into a general band fund. As the result of the late carnival a set of new instruments was on the way to New Zealand, and if they could depend on the contipued support of the public ere long the Band would become a worthy institution which every Hamiltonian would be proud to lay claim to.- -The Mayor moved that the letter be received, and that the band be informed that the council would continue the subsidy of £25 so long as the band will give the number of open-air concerts hitherto given. To

a certain extent, said His Worship, the band was still inunicip! band, and they hail appointed the Mayor and the president of the band as trustees, under their rules. Although it would become a regimental band the borough should assist in this way. They had always been willing to assist at public functions.—Cr McKinnon seconded.—Cr Tristram said he had always been in favour of the bund, being himself one of the oldest bandsmen in Hamilton. In his day they did their best for the public, but the present band did not. It seemed to him that they were out for the dollars every time. He could assure the council that the band hardly every played in Hamilton East, unless it was an,engagement for which they were paid. He considered that Hamilton East was part and parcel of the borough of Hamilton, and that if there were any open-air concerts they should certainly go and play on the east side. The band did not do that. Certain members of the band had wished to play, and a number of the bandsmen over there had absolutely refused. He would not support this.—The Mayor; We can include Hamilton East.—Cr Tristram asked to whom the instruments, recently purchased belonged—the band or the borough council? When the carnival was got up the band was the Hamilton Municipal Band. They were now certainly not a municipal hand, although they were going to play for them. The band was under regimental orders, and he would like the question of the ownership of the instruments settled. —The Mayor said he could not answer that question off hand, 4 but lie thought the instruments belonged to the band. —Cr Tristram: Privately! The Mayor: As a band, the Mayor, being a cotrustee, gives you a hold on the band. —Cr Tristram thought they should get the solicitor’s advice as to whom the instruments belonged. If the baud were broken up in any way they might be able to take the instruments away. They never knew What might happen. Several members were leaving the band now. There seemed to be some dissatisfaction. —The Mayor: We will make enquiries.—Or Bond supported the motion, which was agreed to.

Whitiwa Culvert. On the motion of the Mayor, who mentioned that Mr Young was keeping the matter before the Minister, a letter from the Minister of Public Works, re contribution to the Whitiora culvert, was received. Claudelands Crossing. Mr Young. M.P., forwarded, for the information of the council, the following letter from Mr Merries, Minister for Railways;— “With reference to your letter of 3rd July last, and your representations in support of the request made by the Hamilton Borough Council that the Department should construct an overhead railway bridge so as to do away with the present level crossing near Kirikiriroa, 1 have the honour to inform you that it is un derstood that the council arc now agreeable to the provision of a bridge with two 33-feet girder spans with a concrete pier in the middle of the road. The cost of such a bridge with 14-feet headway and gradients no steeper than 1 in 25 is estimated at £3600, including the capitalised cost of maintenance It is considered that the lowering of the road would increase the value of the sections alongside and that the council should approach the landowners with a view to obtaining contributions towards the cost of the work before it is undertaken. At the present time there is not a heavy traffic, nor is there any immediate prospect of any great development. The crossing cannot he regarded as a dangerous one, the view beirg fairly good and considerably better than many other crossings at present inexistence. If the council decide that the work is necessary, the Department is prepared to

make a contribution of onefourth of the cost but the balance will require to be borne by the council, or by the land owners.”—The Mayor moved that the letter be received. He said he did not think the council could do anything in the matter. It meant that they had practically to find £3OOO, which he did not think the council would think of doing. The point that the crossing could not be considered dangerous might be ques-

tioned.—Cr Hammond seconded the motion, which was agreed to. “Claudelands” Railway Station.

The District Traffic Manager asked to be informed whether there was a general desire on the part of the residents to change the name of Kirikiriroa Railway Station to Claudelands, before placing the matter before the head office.—On the motion of

the Mayor, seconded by Cr Speight, who said the name Kirikiriroa was very inconvenient, being unfamiliar to the newer residents, it was agreed to ask the Railway Department to change the name.

Workers’ Homes. Mr J. Lomas, Superintendent of Workers’ Dwellings, of the Department of Labour, sent a letter to the

■JMayor enclosing a copy of the Workers’ Dwellings Act, in the course of-which bo said—‘‘l think I

made it clear to you that we charge 7 per cent.',- of which 2 per cent, is principal and 5 per cent, interest. The principal and interest are ad- ! justed every six months, so that the interest is diminishing every six months and the principal is accumulating proportionately. You will note that under the Act we have power to build for leasing under the first schedule, and for purchasing under the second schedule. We have not erected any houses under the former since (he Act of 1910 came into force. All the dwellings erected under the Workers’' Dwellings Act, 1908, and the Lands for Settlements Administration Act, 1909, were leased, and our experience goes to prove that this was a very risky and unsatisfactory arrangement, A tenant, although under a legal obligation to comply with the terms of his lease, could walk out of the house when it suited his purpose to do so, and sometimes left portion of his rent unpaid. As he had nothing that we could seize except his person, we were often placed in a very unsatis-

factory position. Frequently the houses wore left in such a condition

that we had to spend a considerable sum before they were fit for another tenant. Our present system tends to make better citizens by causing them to take a more intelligent interest in these homes, which they are making their own, and they become far more frugal because of the stake they have in the country.” —The Mayor moved that the letter be referred to the committee on workers’ dwellings. At the present moment, he said, there was a Bill before the House, the Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill, and when it came up for the second reading Mr Young was to move the insertion of a clause giving them power to deal with their leases, which the Government had accepted. Directly the Bill was passed, probably within the next week or two. they would be able to go into the question and come to some definite arrangement.—Cr Hammond seconded, and the motion was agreed to.

Land Grant Refused. The borough solicitors, Messrs Swarbrick and Swurbrick, forwarded a letter from the Under-Secretary for the Department of Lands, etc., informing them that the Government could not accede to the request to vest a small triangular piece of land at the junction of Pembroke street with Kuakiwi street in the borough council, as the borough had already received favourable treatment in the matter of endowments for the municipality and in the matter of land granted for public domains, which was much greater than usually granted. The Mayor said they should make further representations that the land was useless to the Government and would only be used practically for making a road. He moved that the matter be left in the hands of the legal and finance committee. —Agreed to. Bandstand. Lieut.-Colonel Gumming, Commanding the 16th (Waikato) Regiment, wrote asking the council to provide a bandstand, and suggesting a site on the recently-formed reserve between the Town Hail and the traffic bridge.—On the motion of the Mayor, seconded by Cr Hammond, it was resolved to reply * hat the council did not see their way to erect a bandstand, but had no objection to a subscription list being circulated.—On the suggestion of Cr McKinnon it was added that the site would be granted if the scheme succeeded.

Billiard Room License. John Bougen, Hamilton, was granted a license to conduct a billiard room in an unoccupied part of Howden’s Buildings, subject to a police report. Baths Appointment. The baths committee reported that they had resolved to meet the swimming dub to confer on the matter of increased seating accommodation; and that the. position of bath caretaker be offered to E. W. Hayes, as a position combined with that of town hall caretaker, the bathing season to be from October to April, at a wage of 60s per week, plus use of cottage. The matter of the appointment was, on the motion of the Mayor, referred back to the committee, on account of negotiations pending about the letting of the Town Hall, which would entail new arrangements. The first part of the report was adopted. The date of opening the swimming baths was left to the committee, Cr Hayter and the engineer to report on (lushing and outlet. The committee further reported that after conferring with representatives (Messrs Varney, Russell and Price) of the swimming club, they recommended that the present wall on the northern side of the baths be carried back for a distance of nine feet, and provision made for seats in that space fortthe full length of the bath, half the distance to be also roofed over.—Adopted. Rowing Club Pavilion.

The reserves committee reported that they- had decided to allow the rowing club to erect the new boat pavilion on the site of the present she'd and towards the river, but that it is to front at right angles to the fiver.-—On the suggestion of Cr Howdcn it was agreed to make no objection to Hie shed being built parallel to the river, should the rowing club so desire. Re-naming of Streets. The works committee recommended that the naming of streets in the borough be amended as follows— Maori street in future bo Graham street, Chocqueel street be Princes street, street from River road to section 41BE be Dawson street, street to west of town belt be Domain road, street ■from section 712E towards town boundary be Knighton road, street from Cook street to east of sections 671 and 387 towards Government Farm be Vowless street, street from MeFarlane street south-east of section 481 be Cassidy street, street between sections 8 and !•, west lie Gwynne street, street from Lower Mount street towards section 480 bE be Oxford street, Lower Mount street in future be Edgecumbe street, street on section 455 W. be Vialou street.— This matter was held over till next meeting. >

Macadamised Streets. The works committee recommended that the waterbcund macadam streets be done in the following order:— Riyer road from .bridge to old boundary of borough, involving construction of, a concrete culvert across Gibbon’s Gully creek, and Grey street from- Bridge street to Dawson street; Victoria street, from London strbet to Whitiora culvert, Clarence street as far as Pembroke street, and Bridge street west; Cook street from Grey street to Galloway street; Victoria street, from Bridge street to Radnor street, and part of Radnor street. All permanently constructed streets 'to be kerbcd and channelled, and footways on one or

! both sides, as determined by the 1 borough engineer, tarred and sanded. —Approved. Beautifying Society. The reserves committee recommended that the matter of maintenance of work already done be left in the hands of the society; also that the draining of the No. 1 lagoon be a charge against the lands improvement loan. Approved. Crs McKinnon and Hay ter and the engineer

agreed in expressing the opinion that the overflow from Messrs Innes’ artesian well would be useless, owing

to the porous nature of the soil, for the purpose of filling up the lily pond.

Mains to be Joined

The works committee recommended that the mains in London and Bryce streets be joined up, via Hinemoa street, on Messrs Ellis and Burnand agreeing to pay the cost of the necessary pipes.—Adopted.

Gasworks Report,

Mr L. Blackman, manager of the borough gasworks, reported that the increase of gas made was still satisfactory, although not as large as during the first six months of this year. He'had dismantled the small holder (it was in very good condition) and roofed over the tank for use as a tar tank. Everything in the works had gone on as usual and satisfactorily. There had been no main laying to do. He had gained twenty consumers in August.—Adopted. »

Street Laying,

Cr Bond said, in connection with ,the street work in Victoria street from the*railway line down he understood that portion was to be put down in tar macadam. He had heard the . work there characterised as a waste of money.—The Mayor said the council had agreed to put that street | down in tar macadum, third or fourth on the list. The amount of money spent was very small, and the engineer considered (rightly he thought) that the operations would benefit the street greatly, and he thought the residents of that locality, especially those who drove vehicles or motor cars or rode b ; cycles, would bless them for it. He considered London street was the best in the borough at present, and it cost very little. He could go further and say it would likely be found that tarring and sanding the part of Victoria street mentioned and London street would be quite sufficient, instead of putting down tar macadam. That would save a lot of money. He was almost certain that the engineer, on his return from Palmerston North, would be of the opinion that spraying and sanding would be quite sufficient. Kirikiriroa Crossing.

On the motion of Cr Tidd it was agreed to call the attention of the Railway Department to the dangerous condition of the crossing near Kiri-1 kiriroa Station owing to the view be- j ing Obscured by trees.