BOROUGH AFFAIRS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 61, 11 December 1946, Page 5

BOROUGH AFFAIRS

DECEMBER MEETING HELD

ACUTE POWER SHORTAGE His Worship the Mayor (Mr B. S. Barry) presided at the December meeting of the Borough Council last Monday evening. Present Crs S. S. Shapley, A. J. Canning, H. G. Warren, C. W. Good, R. Morpeth, C. S. Armstrong, W. Sullivan, L. R. Spring. The Clerk (Mr L. D. Lovelock), Engineer (Mr F. W. Lysaght) and Foreman-Engineer (Mr W. S. Henderson) were also iii attendance.

The drastic shortage of power was emphasised by the . Engineer when two applications were received requesting additional load in order to replace coal ranges with .electric ranges. Mr Lysaght mentioned also thht equipment shortages ..also carrie into' the picture. It was next to impossible to import electrical' equipment. In the/Borough already there were forty-eight old . houses seeking replacements most of which would, have to wait many .months before their applications were granted. It was decided to refuse the applications owing to the power shortage and equipment difficulties. “We regret very much, having to • do this,” observed the Mayor, “but ‘there appears to be no alternative.”

New Sub-station Tenders for the erection of the : new sub-station in King Street were considered by the Council. The contract was finally let to Mr Mahy . for the sum of £BOO. The question of building a permanent residence ' on the site to accommodate an eny ployee of the Electrical Department) was discussed. Crs Shapley and Canning, strongly supported the idea claiming that it was the duty of local bodies these days to find accommodation for the key members of their staffs. ~ The matter was referred to the Works Committee to take the ■ necessary steps for erecting the house and to prepare the necessary estimates. • ! Winding Up Of Patriotic A letter from the Bay of Plenty ‘Provincial Patriotic Council gave

.formal notice of motion of inten- • tion to wind up the Zone executive by. the transfer of its activities and funds to a committee comprising representatives of the R.S.A., 2nd N.Z.E.F., Red Cross and Home Services Associations., Discussing the matter the Mayor -said that he personally favoured the move. Patriotic activities must "drop off and gradually disappear—and as, there was something like £15,000 held in trust for the after care of soldiers from this district, he personally felt that this should be handed over to permanent established organisations which were capable of administering it.

Heads Swimming Pool

Cr Warren introduced this subject mentioning that the Harbour Bqard had discussed it and was willing to spend £IOO in sealing off the gaps in the rock walls which bounded the channel-side of the pool in order to make it safe. The Board was, willing further, if the Borough was agreeable to subsidise £2 to £l, any excavation work in the pool, itself, ■and would dispose of the soil. ,The Mayor said that he gathered the scheme was to make for a threefoot drop in the pool, which he considered highly dangerous for the children.

The Council decided to arrange for the Board to inspect together with the Harbour Board Engineer.

General

The Works Committee was instructed to investigate a complaint by A. A. Newman. ,

The Christian Frontier Movement wrote congratulating the Council on its decision to refuse a permit for the screening of films on Sundays.

The appointment of a new member to the Harbo.ur Board to fill the vacancy caused by the death of the late Mr- George Brabant was held over tmtil next meeting, the Mayor suggesting that the names of .nominees might be handed in to' the Clerk. \ . ■