EXIT KARORI BOROUGH

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 153, 24 March 1920, Page 8

EXIT KARORI BOROUGH

FINAL MEETING OF COUNCIL

VALEDICTORY SPEECHES

On April 1 Karori borough as a borough will cense to exist anil flill' become part of Greater Wellington, ami the final meeting of the council was held Inst evening. The Mayor (Air. B. G. JJ. Bum) presided. There were present Councillors J. W. Henderson, T. A. Jl'unt; E. Harrison, J. C. Fulton, L. G. Porter, l' 1 I''. l.aurenson, and J.' Hums. A letter was received from the Towu Clerk, 'Wellington, requestinß the Mayor and councillors, the Towu Clerk, and Borough Engineer to forward cabinet photographs of themselves ior inclusion in a group with the AVellington City Council, as is customary when an amalgamation of an outside borough with the city takes place l . The council decided to comply with'the request of the city authorities. The use of Karovi Park was granted w the Kelburn State School ior March 2G, to the Presbyterian (St. Andrew's) Sunday School on March 27, anil St. Thomas's Sunday School on April 10. Altogether the v*rk v hns been requisitioned for school and other picnics on 3G oecrt' sums since the beginning of the year. In his annual and final report the Borough Engineer (Mr. G. W. Brißham) stated that the building permits to date for the current year totalled 48, of which 22 were for dwellings, 6 for Rarages, 7 lor siiwls, i for stables, and 10 for additions, and there was one permit for removal of a building. The total'cost was .estimated at ,£21,537, and the fees amounted to .£9O ss.

Resolutions dealing with the transfer of accounts, funds, and securities to the City Council were duly passed. A resolution recording council's appreciation of the scrvjeos rendered by the Town Clerk (Air. W. P. England) and the Engineer (Mr. G. W.' Brijham), and the other members of the staff, was passed. ' ,

- VALEDICTORY SUPPER, After tho close of the council meeting the Mayor and councillors adjourned to the Librarv. where an excellent .supper •was set. "Tho. Mayor (Mr. B, <3. r 11. Biirn) was in thechair, and on his right was Mr. G. Frost (Acting-Mayor of the city), and there we're also present three ex-Mayors of the .borough (Messrs. C. Dasen't, W. T. Hildrcth, and C. Cathie). After thu loyal toast was honoured tho Mayor, in proposing the' toast of "Greater Wellington" said that they had gathered together not to. bury Hie borough,' but to celebrate thij amalgamation of the borough with the city. 'Hie Karon Borough was constituted on October 1, 1891, so that tho borough was nearly 29 years old. The first, Mayor was Mr. S.. Lancaster and of. tlie. Mayor and .council of that day only Mr.T.W. Lower was alive to-day. Tho eapitnl value of tho borouAli in 1891' was ,£9o,fi(!O, nntl the valuatioiPto-day was .£492,239. The Town Clerk fair. W. F. England), stated tlie speaker, was appointed, to i-is position in May, 189-i, and was l , therefore, nearly '2G years in ths service of the borough, and in Mr. England they were handing over to the city a valuable servant. Another old servant wi\e Mr. George Eagle, caretaker of the Park, who had also been in the service of tho borough for 2G years. Mr. 11. Brndnock, tho borough roadman, was tlie oldest servant of the borough, for he had been 28 years in service. Mr. G, W. Brighani, the borough' engineer, had been in the service of the borough for about 13 years, and he (tho Mayor) was sure the'city authorities would find him ft capable and thoroughly useful officer. Altogether tho borough was asking the city to take over twelve employees of the borough. Continuing,' Mr. Burn said that they were not coming into tho city ' emptyhanded. They would he handing over the tramway, which was almost paying, and which would pay niitler city management and control. They were handing over to the city :v beautiful park, also a. very excellent quarry,, which would meet the demands of Karori, Northland, and'Kelburn. There were also 24 miles of main streets, an accrued sinking fund of ,£17,850, and a. depreciation fund of .£4788.

.Councillor J. W. Henderson, the De-puty-Mayor, gnve some interesting details of borough history.. In the nrst your the rates were ,£293, while .for the pa«t year the rates totalled '£2955. In 1895 they had assets valued at £85, and'in their last, balance-sheet the assets were valued at .£63,000. Ho referred to tho lags to the borough balance-sheet* of tho'J past. One tag was to the effect that the borough had paid for land for which the borough had no title. The land was the section on which the borough chambers now stood. Another tag had reference to a sum of .£IBO that had been. 6tolen from the safe, and. the tag-.said,, "for which there was no\authority in law."; Mr. Henderson sa'd there had -been 12 ! Mayors in the borough. He thought tho city was. getting a good bargain with, Karori.

Mr. C. Dasent said it was about- thirty years ago that he. was commissioned by tho then Government to ..organise the borough and hold the first election. Ho joined the council in the following, year, and the first debate he took part in was as to the expenditure of the huge fiiim ff ,£4O in the erection of a pound. It wis the first public work in the borough, and lie thought it w.is the most unpopular one also, for'tho stock of many of Iho councillors went into the pound. He looked 'back with some'pride that lie had.taken a part in'developing Ihe borouirh.

Mr. C. Catlro and Mr. T. W. Hildreth nho spoke of borough affairs in tho past.; Councillor Burns thought that a great deal of credit was due to.the Mayors and councillors of the past, and lie thought Hie'progress of Kni-ori in the future would be verv "lnrkod.

Mr. Frost, in responding to the toast, said he much regretted that, Mr. Luke, the Mayor of tho city, was unable to bo present. He would not refer to the past of the borough, but Kfc knew that it had boon looked upon as a model borough. Referring to,the borough clerk, Mr. Frost was certain that the city would welcome him as it would the borough engineer, who might some day bo the city engineer, for he was ouite capable of filling the position. The city would treat the old servants of tho 'borough with every consideration. He was very glad that the park was to com* into tho city. The members of tho *'Reserves* Committee would visit the park shortly, and he was certain that.-, tho park would be well eared for by the city. Mr.. Frost complimented .the. Mayor, of the borough in respect to his services during the war. The city.„could not do much during tho war, but presently proposals of a progressive character would be. brought forward. The water scheme of the City Engineer, on which the/ would have an opportunity of votinj very shortly, would provide Karori with water, and drainage would necessarily follow. They had their tramway, and tho other two essentials of water and drainngo would soon be before them for consideration. With resnect to amalgamation he was certain tho people of Karori would realise tkat they had done the correct thing in joining the city, and ho nssnred them that tho city was not parochial hut would give Karori fair treatment in nil matters. He believed that tho people of Pelono were looking forward to joining tho city, and ho thought it would be to the advantage of Fetone to do w. Mr. Frost proposed the health of tho retiring Mayor and councillors.