BOROUGH AFFAIRS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 38, 16 October 1946, Page 5

BOROUGH AFFAIRS

OCTOBER MEETING HELD SWIMMING BATH SITE His Worship the Mayor (Mr B. S. Barry) presided at the October meeting of the Whakatane Borough Council last Monday evening. Present Crs R. Morpeth, C. S. Armstrong, W. Sullivan, L. R. Spring, S. S. Shapley, A. J. Canning, H. G. Warren and C. W. Good. The Town Clerk and the ForemanEngineer were also in attendance.

A letter trom the Secretary of the Whakatane Harbour Board, with regard to the proposed site for the new swimming bath adjoining the Strand, was received in which it was stated that until the location of the proposed new highway had been definitely defined the whole matter had been held over. The Council was assured, however that the site, which adjoined the children’s playground and the County Depot would not be leased until the matter of a permanent bath had been disposed of.

Commenting on the above the Mayor said that the suggestion could not be fairer and that the Board’s attitude would be suitable to the Council. Under the same heading the Swimming Club wrote thanking the Council for its practical interest and advising that the club favoured the construction of a temporary swimming pool at Landing Road Beach. Soldiers Cemetery Plot

The Internal Affairs Department notified that the maintenance of the Soldiers Cemetery Plot on Hillcrest would be undertaken by the P.W.D. until March 31, 1947, and that after that date it would entirely be in the hands of the R.S.A.

. The Mayor added that the P.W.D. had already made a start on this work and through a misunderstanding considerable damage had been done. Surveyed plots had been thrown out of alignment and pegs removed. The whole area would need re-surveying and the Department had undertaken to make proper repairs. The work had been commenced without consultation with the Foreman-Engineer or any authoi’ity from the Council. Cr Morpeth drew attention to the number of infringements in this direction and suggested that a notice board be erected warning against any unauthorised work being done. The Mayor considered that such action was scarcely necessary as the present work when levelled and completed would finish the P.W.D. undertaking. Writing the Council T. G. T. Simcox expressed his appreciation of the reduced connection fee for electric power but sought further consideration of the connection fee of £2l which was asked for extending the water service to his new house on Valley Road. The Council agreed to permit the extension and connection of the mains at the usual fees, plus £5 to be paid by the writer and his neighour Mr S. Evans on the erection of his house next door.

Mr J. B. Warner requested the Council to vary its Building Bylaws which insisted on 8’ 6” studding 'in all new housing construction within the Borough. He pointed out that in London it was recognised that 8’ studding was all that was required for health. The Council decided to reply in the negative, pointing out that it could see no reason to alter its bylaws.

The District Engineer P.W.D. advised in response to the Council’s request for recognition of a subsidy on the work of widening the Wairere Stream culvert across the Strand, that he could not admit of any flood damage likely to damage the bridge or the main highway and that if necessary the water-way under the existing bridge could be increased at no great cost. The Council decided to reply to the effect that, in its opinion the size of the bridge* should be increased and suggested a consultation between the Engineer and the Works Committee at an early date. The suggestion that Messrs. Boon Sullivan and Luke be given permission to dump sawdust on the reclamation and rubbish tip, was negatived, it being the Council’s opinion that the sawdust was unsuitable.