PROVISION FOR PETONE

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 53, 31 August 1926, Page 10

PROVISION FOR PETONE

A CONFEEENCE PEOPOSED

A resolution urging that Petone should acquire a modern building for the housing of a public rest-room for women, Plunket rooms, and a dental clinic for school children, was discussed last night by the Petone Borough Council, on the motion of Councillor Scholefield. His proposal, which has already been published in full, on preliminary notice, recommenided that a conference of ' the bodies interested should be held for consideration of the proposal. The mover said that the present facilities in the borough were quite inadequate. A dental clinic had not yet been established, but he had authority for saying that it would be established in April. All the services referred to demanded a modern building. Conveniences were already erected for men, and the council should bear the cost of a women's rest-room. If action was not taken soon no sites would be available. Councillor D. M'Carthy seconded the motion. The Deputy Mayor (Councillor C. P. Brockelbank) said that there seemed to be a misunderstanding in regard to what the council had done. It already supplied free a room and facilities for the Plunket Society, and had provided a rest-room. He quite agreed, howevsr, that a conference on the subject would be valuable. Councillor Cook said that ■ the matter needed serious consideration. Who, for instance, was to own the building? In his opinion, the council should own the property and charge the bodies rent. Speaking as a member of the advisory committee of the Plunket Society, he could not advise the society to pay for the capital cost, and the society was not in a position to pay a big rental. The Lower Hutt Council charged the Hutt Plunket Society £80 per year, but the Petone Society could not afford that amount. Councillor Jacobson suggested that the motion should be altered so that the conference could be agreed upon, but that the council should not commit itself to the absolute necessity of the building at the present time. Several other councillors approved of the proposal, which was carried.