BOROUGH COUNCILS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19160, 17 November 1927, Page 15

BOROUGH COUNCILS.

RANGIORA. The fortnightly meeting of the Kangiora Borough Council was held last, evening. Present, the Mayor (Mr W. A. Kowse), and Crs. C. I. Jennings, C. S. Avers, C. W. Tyler, A. E. Evans, J. J. Matthews, and J. F. Sutherland. The Canterbury Progress League wrote enclosing reports on electric power supply. A circular letter was received from the Eketahuna Chamber of Commerce asking the Council to write to the Minister for Public Works to have petrol tax fees apportioned on a basis of mileage instead of population.

It was decided to support the request. In his monthly report, the Town Clerk stated that several Bills and regulations affecting boroughs had been brought up by the Government during the past fortnight, and some of them were of interest to the borough. Section 50 of the Washing-up Bill dealt with tha transfer back to the borough of a portion of the Ashley river-bed reserve. There was also a proposed addition to the Abattoirs Bill giving local bodies authority to make extensive additions and renewals without taking a poll. In connexion with highways matters, the clerk reported that he had been instructed to try to secure a greater subsidy than that based on the amount spent by the county, and a clause in the Highways Amending Bill gave the Board power to increase the subsidy where it was considered insufficient to meet requirements. A further clause gave authority to raise money for bridges for main highways, without going through the procedure necessitated by the Local Bodies Loans Act. The imposition of the petrol tax would not affect the borough in any way unless it received an increased subsidy In the new motor regulations one clause was of particular interest to the borough. That was the clause dealing with the noise made by careless motor-cycle riders. This dealt with the matter in a most efficient manner, and if the section of the regulations became law, then the disturbance caused by exhausts would soon be a thing of the past. The clerk's report also referred to a suggested alteration in the whole system of local government as proposed by Sir Robert Stout, providing for the reinstatement of provincial councils. The report was received.

It was decided that until other arrangements were made with the Swimming Club, the hours for the use of the swimming baths be the same as last year. The following recommendations of the Finonce Committee were approved: That a grant of £3 be made to .the Salvation Army for assisting a destitute child to bo sent to Dunedin, and that the matter of the purchase of electric poles be left to Or. Ayors, the Town Clerk, and the Engineer. In accordance with notice given, Cr. Jennings moved that the Council meet once a month during the months of December, January, and February, The motion was seconded by Cr. Sutherland and carried.

An application froin Owen Alford. cycle dealer, for a second-hand dealer's license, was granted.