HAWERA BOROUGH COUNCIL

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 20 June 1933, Page 2

HAWERA BOROUGH COUNCIL

[MONTHLY MEETING HELD

DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS

The monthly meeting of the Vaiwera Borough Council was held last, evening, those present being the Mayor J. 15. Campbell), Cos A. K- North, W. • Wulldev E. K. Cameron, W. Lx. Strange,’ W. J. Bright, W. R. Butler, 8.. M. Rickard, L. H. Olapliam and A. The foreman (Mr J. Howe) reported that the footpaths were mainly-in good order excepting, for cracks and ridg • Nearly, all had cracked to a greater or lesser degree. The worst were Uaiiedonia, Erin, Grey and Wellington Streets. He proposed treating these when the weather was suitable and dad not consider it would be necessary to re-lay any. Maintenance work had principally been the operations for to month. A bad corner on Tawhiti Hoad and Campbell' Street had been piped and made up, giving a. good and sate footway. Nine chains of Albion Street had been topdressed with bitumen. Nine chains of Caledonia Street footpath had been topdressed. . ... Mr- J. Sturrock, engineer, reporting on the question of footpath repaars, said the borough had laid its paths m 1914 in the days of tar. Had he known then that bitumen would prove so splendid there would have .been no cracks. Tarred surfaces perished away while bitumen did not, lasting at least five times as long. The amount allowed in the estimates for repairing the cracks wais. really, for filling the uorst cracks. .

IMPROVEMENTS AT CEMETERY

The Mayor, in company with the members of the cemetery committee, visited the cemetery a fortnight ago and while the place generally was in very fair ordea-, there were several tilings which it was felt could be done to still further and materially improve its appearance, reported Or. Rickard. instructions were issued to proceed to clear up the edges of tlie street where debris had been left, and also to dig around the trees. It was suggested to metal the broken-a.way portion ot the road at the to the gateway immediately and in toe summer, to bitumen or aisphalt it, which would give a wider sweep at the gateway for cars turning'. Inside the cemetery there were many of the old graves in a very bad state regarding grass, weeds and in some instances overgrown shrubs which, detracted from the appearance of the better kept graves. Instructions were issued to the caretaker to supply the names of these graves in an endeavour t-o trace the relations and' write to them asking whether for a nominal fee (say os) they would allow the council to have the graves tidied up. If the council was not successful it was felt that this work-could be proceeded with. Unemployed had) also been put to the work of cleaning the sides of a,ll pathways by cutting the long grass where it straggled up the side crevices of the graves. This- had already made a much more pleasing and tidied appearance to l the Cemetery. It would now allow the mower to cut the pathways clean. Instructions were issued to the caretaker to have a few odd and ugly trees taken out, and also to clean up' the dirty corner leading into the cemetery from the park behyid the curetaker’s house.

LIBRARY RECEIPTS

The librarian (Miss H. Carson) reported that receipts for May totalled £3O 17s sd. There were 488 adult subscribers, 190 juvenile rand .23 intermediate. Issues for the month totalled 5933 to adults and 636 to juveniles. Tli ore were 21 new members during the month, while 16 resigned, making a total of 488. In the children’s section 19 joined' while seven resigned, making a total of 190. Of the 124 new books 87 were fiction, 19 juvenile and the remainder on general subjects. During the mouth 43 boobs withdrawn in April were sent to the library for the unemployed, while those withdrawn in May were sold at reduced rates to subscribers. BOOK WEEK SUCCESS Though the full effects of “Book Week” could not yet be estimated, the results go far were encouraging. During the week a total of 50 new members registered, including 19 adults, 10 intermediate and. 21 juvenile. Thy© concession of one quarter's free subscription wais. given to three subscribers who each enrolled a new annual member. Without tire generous help of many people “Book Week” would not have been such a success. Thanks •were due bo the “Hlawera Stair” for nightly columns about book week• to Mr A. Morris for the loan of his shop window and his assistance with poster displays; Mr Sunderland for material for poster displays ; the Wellington Public Library for the loan of posters; Toe H. for the use of their club room; the Opera House management for allowing nightly book talks; the speakers at the Opera House; Mrs Houston and her team of helpers at the “story hours”; the Hawera Post Office for special arrangements for posting circulars; and 2YA for broadcasting a description of book week. The entries for the school essay and poster competitions were of a- high standard and showed that the pupils had original ideas. The enthusiastic co-operation of teachers and pupils was a big factor in the success of the effort. The “story hours” were all well attended and tih)a children made most appreciative audiences. The town clerk reported that 777 head of stock had been killed at the abattoirs during May. A sum of £7 Is 4d had been received a's rent, and fees totalised £lOl 14s 6d, being £l3 14s 5d more than in the same month last year. The total fees for the current year wfere £lO 19s 3d more than those, for the corresponding period last year. Ten building permits for work estimated to cost £231 10s had been issued during May, reported the inspector (Mr L. Hunt). To date 377 drivers’ licenses had been .issued. The Mayor and O. North were appointed to bring down a report on the conversion of two upstairs room s into a room for council meetings, also on the cost of furnishing the room. It was decided to obtain an enlarged photograph of the late Councillor E. Morrissey to he placed in the council room. The borough architects were instructed to cad tenders for repairs and painting of the borough chambers, the office occupied by Mr M. I?,. Jones, th,e libl'ary, the band room and the taxi telephone. _ The question of painting the baths is to be considered on receipt of a report from the baths committee. Ais requested by the Women’s National [Reserve, a concrete path is to be laid from the tower grounds entrance to the rest room, the estimated cost being £8 10s 6d. A grant of £7 IQs was made towards the cost of illuminating the main streets of the town during Winter Show week.