PETONE BOROUGH COUNCIL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 148, 18 March 1919, Page 7

PETONE BOROUGH COUNCIL

WORKERS' DWELLINGS,

Tho fortnightly meeting of the l'ctoiio Borough Council was held last evening. There wero present His. Worship the Mayor (Mr. J.-W. M'Ewan), and Councillors Brockelbank, Cox, MMtenzic, Churchoiise, Kyle, M'Dougall, New-land; and Tovey. . The cleric of the Hutt River Beard, in reply to .the council's protest, stated that the "boaird considered that before condemning its' action it would- have be-sn better if the council had taken the trouble to ascertain the board's intentions. It would then: have been seen that ample provision was made for the protection, of interests of ratepayers in the river district. ,„.,',' Tho Devonport Borough Council forwairded a copy of a resolution passed by them expressing the advisability of repatriating all alien prisoners of war, both military and civil, at present interned in the Dominion. It whs resolved on the, motion of Councillor Cox that the Devonport Borough: Council's resolution bo supported. . The District Health Officer forwarded certificates requiring improvements to bo made to a number of premises. It was resolved that the owners be given 2S day.-j' notice- in which to havo repairs effected. ■ , Condemnation certificates wero received from the District Health Officer .111 respect to a dwelling in Union Street mid a portion of a dwelling in. Victoria Street. It was decided to..serve, notice on tho owners to have tho .buildings pulled-down. , The District Health- Officer, also. recommended that tho sewer be extended to allow of .properties in Priests. Ayenuo to be connected with tho sewage. drainage.- It was resolved that the Borough Engineer look into the. matter, and report to.the council. The honorary director of the. Townplanning Conference advised that the date of the conl'erenco had been altered from, May s:to May 19. Mr. i. H. Sherwin, organist, St. Augustine's Church, wrote drawing attention to :tho water pressure, oil Sunday, morning. He complained that tho nressurewas allowed, lo get down to 201b. at 10 a.m.. on Sunday, thereby making it impossible-to use the church's big organ,' and. causing confusion in the service. Mr. Sherwin expressed- the hope that thn Council .would take tho complaint: up a nd let ■ tho people of Petone seo that it took some- little, interest in Petpne's religious affairs. 'It was. resolved that, the' engineer ■ make inquiries and report to tho-council at next; meeting, ■ «Tho Mayor .reported that ho had waited ou - the Minister of. Labour yesterday and had submitted tho council's-re-quest; for-the erection of workers' dwellings to- him. Tho.facts submitted had ken sufficiently sound to warrant action on the'part of the Minister. Ex-Coun-cillor Pindlay; who also attended- on tho deputation,-tackled, tho question from tho' point, of view- of cost of erection, and-.stated that .it was possible to erect 1 a comfortable worker's homo of the bungalow type. with, four rooms, .sewage, drainage,- etc.,, for ASOO, add lo that the cost of tho land, and allowing 7 per cent, on the total -.cost it would mean that, a rental of '£i'i a year would be required'to-bo paid for-251 years beforo. the house, became the property of tho applicant.. The statement of ex-Council-lor Fiudlay seemed to impress the Minister, who.quite realised the seriousness of the and saw the force of tho argument ithnt it was of little use 10, wait until the prices of material went down..-.He expressed sympathy, ..with.-tun i Wiliest and stated that ho would do bib' best''to assist.in the matter, and would see. the officer of the Labour .Depart-I nieiit with a view of finding out whether the. suggestion made by ex-Council-lor. J'indlay could.-be adopted in resp°et to future "buildings erected by the-.De-partment. . ■ • ' 'The Borough Engineer (Mr. Cowie) drew.'attention to the,poor qualitv of metal available. There' was a quarry from which, a belter quality., of metal could be. got, but it abutted immediately on thclliitt Road, thereby.making quarrying dangerous..' •' The maximum pressure of water during the month was 851b., and the minimum 301b. The average weekly consumption was 2,742,000 gallons. During the month permits wero issued l for.'-two buildings of a value of .£95.-Tho value .of buildings erected in tho borough during, the ■ year was %£3203 125., and the.amount for fees .€l2.' . The Borough ..Inspector (Mr. W. B. Gough) imported inspecting all the dwellings situated .iir-ATlividale, Te Puni, Victoria, Fitzlierbcrt, and Union Streets. Out of 85 houses in this block 21 had no baths, 13 had tubs, and one had a sink only. Several houses- were found to lie out of repair and if not repaired on receipt of a'notice from the council he purposed asking the District Health Officer to make an inspection.