Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 14, 12 October 1945, Page 4

Local and General

Hospital Visiting Committee At the meeting of the Whakatane Hospital Board yesterday, Messrs. F. Burt and C. Suckling were appointed visiting committee to the institution for the ensuing month. Statistics (Restrictions Lifted Advice was received from the Director or Publicity } at the last meeting of the. Whakatane Harbour Board that all restrictions regarding the publication of annual reports and statistics have now been lifted. Strandi Extension Meeting At the last meeting of the Whakatane Harbour Board } it was resolved that a special meeting be called to meet the Borough Cojncil ami Chamber of Commerce for the purpose of discussing the question of the Strand Extension to King Street. Wharfages Wharfage credit was £230 10s 6d for August and £297 18s 6d for September. Comparative figures are:— August 1942—£205 lis 9.d; August 1943—£227 15s lid; August' 1914— £222 12s 10d. September 1942--£251 16s Id; September 1943—£244 Id; September 1944 —£258 16s 3d. Revocation Favoured In answer to a communication from the Harbours Association asking if the declaration of essentially concerning Harbour Board employees should be revoked, the Whakatane Harbour Board confirmed the affirmative reply forwarded previously by the secretary. Telegraphic Service Public telegraphic service is now restored with all parts of Malaya (Straits Settlements) except Perlis, Ivelantan and Trengganu and telegrams may be accepted at guide rates. Messages must be in plain English. Business telegrams restrict, ed to those ascertaining facts or seeking information. With reference to telephapliic communication with China, all classes of private telegrams may now be. accepted for Tientsin Tsingtao, Peiping and Hankow but telegrams of a business nature limited to those ascertaining facts and exchanging information. Marine Insurance Owing to what Underwriters consider to be excessively high shipping repair charges at the present time, the Whakatane Harbour Board has not been able to secure quotations to cover the Port Whakatane, on as favourable a basis as had been hoped. The quotation was 60/- per cent, covering all risks including fire and theft in addition to total and partial losses through Marine perils. If total loss, only was insured the rate was quoted at 35/per cent. Intimation was given that withi a firm order, an endeavour would be made to improve upon the rates quoted, but it was thought that those given, represented the best available, on the state of to.

day's market. The Board decided to retain the present fire insurance only.

Travelling Expenses Information was received, from the Controller and Auditor General at the last meeting of the Whakatane. Harbour Board to the effect that the Board's proposal to pay mileage allowance at the rate el" eightpence per mile to those members who used their own cars when attending Board meetings was satisfactory to tbc Audit Office provided, no public conveyance was reasonably available to such members. Members were also entitled to reimbursement in respect of the cost of mid-day meals on Board meeting days, but the amount which might be paid to them was limited to their actual reasonable out of pocket expenses.

Proposed Rebuilding The Whakatane Harbour Board, at its last meeting, received advice from the Building Controller, through Mr W. Sullivan, M.l\, to the effect that the Building Control Committee was still reluctant to approve Whakatane Amusements Ltd., rebuilding application particularly on account of the necessity for the urgent prosecution of the rural housing programme in the Bay of Plenty. It. was also pointed out that halls lor St. John Ambulance and Red which the Harbour Board had men. tioned had been financed or built on a voluntary basis to the and the Building Controller considered that these could be reasonably iustified as public amenities.