TE AWAMUTU BOROUGH.

Waikato Times, Volume 105, Issue 17610, 15 January 1929, Page 2

TE AWAMUTU BOROUGH.

MEETING OF COUNCIL. MAYOR TO RETIRE. HIS WORK EULOGISED. The fortnightly meeting of the Te Awamutu Borough Council was held last evening, when the Mayor (Mr L. G. Armstrong) presided, and there were also present Crs. C. A. Reilly, C. Bygrave, J. C. Monteflore, J. Marshall and G. Spinley. Leave of absence was granted Crs. W. J. North, G. Gifford, and W. Swain. The town clerk (Mr D. Bockett) and the engineer (Mr W. D.' R. McCurdie) were also present. The P. and T. Department notified that it proposed to erect a call office cabaret in Alexandra Street, in the position shown on a plan, and asked for the council’s approval.—lt was approved, subject to the engineer’s approval. The District Electrical Engineer, writing regarding the water pipe to the power substation at the corner of Mangapiko Street, advised that his Department is prepared to pay equal to cost for a 2Jin. main 10 chains long in Tawhaiao Street, provided the council would lay a 4in. main in Mangapiko Street to the substation. He estimated the amount,. of the subsidy would be £75 10s. This aroused some discussion. The council had originally asked for £l3l towards the estimated cost of £262. However, it was left to the engineer to deal with, provided the Department increased its subsidy to £IOO. Auctioneers’ Licenses. The three auctioneering firms dealing in the Te Awamutu saleyards asked for an extension of their licenses for three months, in accordance .with ' recent legislation.—The council agreed to the extension for three months.

The council approved a subdivision of.Mr D. Bockett’s property in College Street, and the seal of the council is to be affixed to the plan.

The council decided to collect the usual dog lax for the current year. The rate will be:—Sheep and cattle dogs 2s 6d each, other dogs I.os each. Mr R. S. Clegg was appointed dog registrar, and the town clerk was authorised to procure the necessary dog collars.

The Mayor said he had been approached by the chairman of the Jersey Breeders’ Club to call a meeting of those interested with regard to getting further improvements to the shed recently erected. This meeting had been called for next Thursday at the saleyards. lie raised the point as to whether the council should be represented. He thoughL it wouud be as well, so that the meeting would be quite clear that the council would not consider further expense or assistance. Cr. Spinley was appointed the council’s representative at that meeting. Dangerous Corners. Cr. Monteflore suggested that the corner of Sloane Street and Kihikihi Road be rounded off with bitumen to the full width of the road. He added that it was a very dangerous corner, and the work should be done. The corner of Pakura Street and Frontier Road was also mentioned, and these two corners were authorised to be done. Cr. Spinley moved that the Works Committee draw up a policy for spending up to £1250 on the various footpaths in the borough.—This was agreed to.

The Mayor drew attention to the fact that Mr A. A. Chittenden had recently retired from the posiLion of Postmaster at Te Awamutu. That gentleman had always worked well on behalf of any object that was for the benefit of the town. He would move that a letter wishing him well in the future be sent by the council.—This was agreed to. The Mayor also mentioned the recent bathing fatality at Kawhia, where a Te Awamutu boy, Mr C. Hunter, had lost his life while saving others. He thought some recognition by the council should be put forward. A memorial of some sort should be erected. He thought if the council showed it would support some scheme it would be doing the right thing.—This was agreed to. Mayor Not Seeking Re-election. Before concluding the business, the Mayor briefly intimated to the council that it was not his intention to seek re-election to the council at the forthcoming election, owing to the increasing work in connection' with his business, coupled with the fact that the town had now reached a stage at which the work would not be so onerous. He wished to make it quite clear he w’as not available for re-election. Cr. Spinley said he was sorry to hear the intimation. He well knew the calls that had been made on the Mayor. He felt that Te Awamutu would lose a very valuable official when the Mayor retired. He wished to congratulate the Mayor on the excellent work he had done during his long term of office. His place would be very hard to fill. The Mayor replied that later he would put in a report on the progress that had been made by the council during his term of office. Domain 'Board. Sitting as the Domain Board, the question of improving the entrance to Victoria Park from Teasdale Street was brought up by the. Mayor. It was a question as to what was best to be done; the entrance badly required alterations. The -engineer was asked to report on the matter. Cr. Monteflore thought that something should be done towards improving the facilities at the old Mission motor camping site, even if it was only a recommendation to the incoming council. He suggested a committee should be asked to report, .in conjunction with the local Beautifying Society The original committee is to be convened, when the Mayor will report to them, and later a report will come before the council.