PETONE BOROUGH

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 195, 13 May 1919, Page 6

PETONE BOROUGH

FIRST MEETING;OF NEW COUNCIL. The first meeting'' of the newly-elected council was held last evening. There were present His AVorship the Mayor (Mr. J. W. M'Bwan), and Councillors Brocklebank, W. Cox, J. Churchouse, -J. Kyle, W. Hay,' A. Anderson, D. Bedingfield, G.C'ook, and J. E. Tovey. 1 A deputation from the Petone Municipal Band waited on the council and asked if it could see its way clear to treat the band in the same way as the Christehnrch City Council treated its band,! namely, allow it to forgo the counoil engagements and to pay it the full subsidy agreed upon. The deputation also asked that the council should take over the hand and run.it with a subcommittee from the council, leaving the. bandsmen free to put in their practices and other performances. It'was decided to pay the band the subsidy due for last year—^£2s—and to allow it to forgo the' four concerts due from last year. It was also decided that a subcommittee, consisting of Councillors Tovey, Churchouse, and Bedingficld, meet the bandsmen and discuss matters and report to the council. A'deputation from tho Petone Rugby League waited on the council and asked if the League could be allowed to have a turnstile at the Recreation Ground 'in order that its supporters might have a chance of helping tho club along. The Leaguo was paying the council £5 for the use of the ground, and if a turnstile were granted it it would be prepared to give the council 75 per cent, of the takings. The Mayor said thtit the council had already entered into an agreement with the Rugby Union to let it have the use of the grounds on the basis of CO per cent, of the takings going to the council. This agreement would debar the council from'agteeing to the league's request. Councillor Anderson moved that the matter be placed before the Rugby Union, and that the union be asked if it was prepaied'to allow the league to have one of the. turnstiles. Speaking to the motion, Councillor Anderson said that he had a sufficiently good opinion of the Rugby Union to know that it would play the game. Councillor Hay seconded the motion, which was carried. The borough inspector wrote, asking permission to attend the Town-Planning Conference in Wellington from May 19 to 24. It was resolved that tho inspector be granted permission to attend the conference on one day, and tho borough engineer be asked to attend.the conference. i', ; The Acting-Prime Minister, wrote, stating.thatthe council's representations' that thd Government should take steps to secure a State-owned mercantile fleet would be given serious consideration. A letter from the. Minister of Internal Affairs was received, stating that the Peace celebrations, would be held oh tho Sunday, Monday, and- Tuesday after the signing of the preliminary Peace Treaty. A letter signed by twenty-one residents complained of the number of horses being driven loosely through the borough's.trocts. It was. resolved that the borough inspector j bo instructed to take action against offenders.

The Acting-Minister of Labour wrote, ill reply to representations made by tho Mayor and Mr. H. Findlay regarding the erection of.workers' dwellings at Petonc, stating that it was hoped that 6ome definite information wouid be available in a few weeks. In the meantime any if the league could be allowed to have workers' dwellings erected should mako early application to the officer in charge of the Wellington braneh of tho Labour Department. The inspector's report staled that fourteen additional premises had been connected' with the borough sewerage system.