TE AWAMUTU BOROUGH.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17169, 3 August 1927, Page 9

TE AWAMUTU BOROUGH.

MEETING OF COUNCIL. GENERAL BUSINESS, At the monthly meeting of the Te Awamutu Borough Council there wcio present:—The Mayor (Mr h. 0. Armstrong), and CrS, 0. Bpinley, 0. Gifford, W. Bwaynrf, G. Bygrave, AA, .1. North, G. A. Reilly, if, Marshall. Leave of absence was granted tlio town clerk (Mr D, Rockett), who has heeil called Id Palmerston North, where his brother, Mr Ernest BockoLt, ia precariously ill, . Tjio Works Committee recommended that the Council choose suitable names for new streets, Or, Marshall' reported having attended tho meeting of the Municipal Band Committee, and ho gave a rtv sumo of tho business dealt with, dlio baud is looking forward to a very successful year, At Cr. Spinloy's suggestion it was decided to offer by auction a quantity of damaged drain pipes in small lots. Cr, Marshall called attention to a matter that Is giving residents of AVliclu Street a good deal of concern. Ho referred to tho waste oil and dirty water from a garage that is allowed to run down tho drain alongside) tho footpath, Tho opinion was expressed that somo people impose on the toloranco of tho Council, and when the Council takes action all offenders are required to conform to Hie by-laws, thus some peoplo are penalised , through the fault of others. Loan matters. Tho Council briefly considered tho position relating to tho borrowing of tho additional 10 per cent on tho £40,000 streets Improvement loan, and revised tho steps already taken. Certain action was decided upon, in view of tho fact, that tho Loans Board has rcocnlly rejected un application by another local body. Concerning a complaint voiced by Cr. Marshall, Cr. Spinley said tho largo stones laid beside the bitumen at bends in lvihikihl Road were placed there to prevent motorists speeding, and tho (very fact that complaints were made indicated that the stones were doing their work effectively. Cr. Marshall directed attention to the number of pot-holes in various streets, particularly in the business area. lie thought repairs should be effected until the Councils ready to make a complete job of reconditioning them.

The engineer said that business people, when approached, had repudiated liability, contending that the onus was ou the Council to provide suitable footpaths, especially in the business parts of the town. The Mayor said legally the Council was not responsible for accidents sustained by wayfarers through the footpaths not being kept in good order. Reference was made to the action recently taken in dismissing several employees until the weather and other conditions warranted proceeding with street work. Rates were slow in coming in, and the money was therefore not available to pay wages. AVliile the Council manifestly desired to retain some of the best men, there seemed to be no alternative to putting them off for some weeks. Teasdale Street. A deputation comprising Messrs S. S. Preston, G. Dalton and J. Cocker waited on the Council to state Ike desires of residents on the Victoria Park side of Teasdale Street. Mr Preston said the deputation was representative of the live residents on Die left-hand side of Teasdale Street. They asked that the ten or twelve chains of the street on that side he kerbed and channelled. They understood there was a surplus of about £7O to £BO between the contract price for Die kerbing on the far side and the amount allocated. There was also, he understood, about £2O available. That £IOO would just about provide kerbing for the east side of Die street, giving access to the park and to the swimming baths. He pointed out that the storm water often comes down the street in a sheet six feet wide, making it diffcult of access.

Messrs Dalton and Cocker concurred.

The Mayor said the work already in hand would not absorb all the money in hand, hut the Council had not decided what shall he done in the street. The kerbing was let at per chain, and maybe the work asked for by the deputation would be placed in hand while the contractor is in that street. &

Cr. Spinley said they could rest assured the money available for Teasdalc Street would be spent in that street.

The Council proceeded to discuss the amount of money available and the work needed. Some of the money scheduled had been used in preparing for the kerbing. A suggestion was made that a path could be made to provide access to the five residences referred to, without kerbing.