PETONE BOROUGH

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 249, 9 July 1918, Page 9

PETONE BOROUGH

]vrEETLNG OP THE COUNCIL.

Tho Mayor (Mr. J. AV. M'Ewan presided over the meeting of the Petone Borough Council hold last evening. There were present: Councillors O. P. Brod-lebank, W. Cox, .1. Churehousc, .1. Foster, B. H. Jones, D. M'Kcuzie, b. Newland, and J.''M'Dougall. It was resolved .to serve notice on two property-owners to effect repairs to their premises within fourteen days, otherwise action would be taken. Councillor Brocklebank remarked that it was unwise to compel persons to renew spouting on buildings, as owing, to tho high prices it pressed unduly upon the householder. It was pointed out that the Health Department had made the recommendations, and the inspector was only carrying out tho provisions of ]th» Act. Where repairs were recommended it was in houses whero an infectious disease had been discovered. ' Advice was received from tho secretary of the Hospital Board that the board has informed tho Minister of Public Health that it deems it inadvisable to reduce its estimates for the year. '»..,, The Mayor reported that an eflort had been mado to have the hospital estimates ■ reduced, and a saving would be effected, but not during the present year. Tho anomaly of subsidising hospitals in NewZealand on a capital valuation should bo done tiway. with, and £ for £ subsidy paid, which would givo a certain amount of relief. •' . Councillor Cox stated that lie was of the opinion that a considerable saving could be made in tho purchaso of stores. Ho was surprised to discover that in 1915 the cost of the supply of meat to the institution was .£llOs, while the estimated cost for the present year was Bet down at .-63000. This in itself showed that, the supplies were not procured in a business manner. ' Since 1915 meat had edvanoed 18 per cent., while tho price- paid was something like 180 per cent., and the board would, he thought, save money bv procuring the supplies from a butcher's shop instead of calling for tenders. He thought pressure should bo brought to bear iipon tho Government to buy hospital supplies in bulk, and resell to the institutions at a reasonable price. • Councillor Churcbottse said that tho facts disclosed at the conference fully justified the protest made against the hospital levy by the Pctono Council. He thought that the bodies which contributed towards the upkeep of the hospital should elect the ontire board.' Tho Lower Hutt Borough Council wrote, stating that it approved of tho council's action in connection with the lighting of

tho Pipe Bridge. ' The Wellington City Council wrote with respect to the lightiug of tho Hutt Pipe Bridge, expressing the opinion that the arrangement suggested as to the mainteilance of tho bridge aitd approaches should be carried out. It was decided o request the City Council to convene a 1 conference of delegates of local bodies inI forested in the matter, to discuss and decido the whole question. A letter was received from tho Tetone Fire Board advising that tho levy on the ctmncil for the current year would be \£m. The Minister of Juatico wrote, intimating that Mr. S. 13. M'Carthy, S.M., was not being transferred from Wellington, but had been'granted a months leave. Mr. M'Cnrthy's permanent headquarters wore at Napier, but owing to his services being required in connection with military ballots at Wellington it was found more com enient for him to remain here for tho time being to carry out tho duties of the Magistrate who is on a military board. No question of transfer could therefore arise in the matter.