LOCAL and GENERAL.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 7 April 1914, Page 2

LOCAL and GENERAL.

%*Good Friday and Easter Monday are printers' holidays; consequently there will be no publication of The Chronicle on those days. Notification of the annual levies on local bodies made by Wellington Hospital Board was received at Levin Borough Council's meeting last night. The total levies amount to £20,848. Levin Borough is scheduled for £li) 0 -is 4d ; llorowhenua County for £2243 17s Bd. The borough's levy is a little loss than that" of last year, but the council's shows an increase of several hundreds of pounds. Some comment upon this was made by the maj'or of Levin last night. He said that in consequence of the increased values of iiorowlienua County an extra expenditure ot £400 per annum had been placed upon the county; and the probability was that, wlien other ridings of the county were revalued a further increase in the levy would be made. The present system worked unfairly; penalising the country for benefit of the wealthy city. This year, Wellington City was getting off with less expenditure (and so was Levin, in a small way) while the county was being levied upon for all this extra money. He thought a system of nationalisation of the hospitals would result in more equable charges.

A dispute exists between the Hoys' Training Farm, Levin, and the Levin Borough. Council as to charges for water supplied to the farm. The subject is to be referred to arbitration and the Council has appointed Mr F. VV. Venn, of Shannon, as its arbitrator. At last night's meeting of the Levin Borough Council the Mayor and Councillor Blenkhorn were appointed to make the necessary arrangements with the Bank of Australasia for the Borough overdraft for the financial year 11)14-15. Last year 21 outside patients were treated in Wellington hospitals, and on each of them an average of £40 each above receipts was paid by the board. This information was given by a member of the board (Mr B. R. Gardener) to Levin Borough Council last night. Commenting upon these statements, Councillor R. Prouse said it would be well if some endowments from the public lands were made for the benefits of hospital maintenance. He thought, also, that the council and the people owed a debt of gratitude to the mayor for his persistent watch over their interests in respect to hospital matters. Comment upon the increasing amount of hospital charges was made at Lovin Borough Council's meeting last night, by Mr B. R. Gardener, mayor of Levin. In the last ten years, he said, the cost of Wellington's institution had increased from 5s lDd per head to 9s per head—an increase of : is Bld per head ! A dispute exists between Mr F. C. Remington and the Levin Borough Council as to the amount of rent payable under a lease of a municipal section in Oxford street. Levin. Last night the council resolved to notify Mr Remington that unless he surrenders within fourteen days his present lease to allow of a new made out to rectify the existing error the council would take legal proceedings in the matter.

No license to keep benzine has been granted to anyone in Levin Borough. This information was given to the Borough Council last night; also the information that the quantities of explosives used had been so small some years ago that the council had not thought it advisable to incur the trouble of charging. # In the course of last night's discussion fhe council was unanimously of opinion that conditions had changed (especially in regard to benzine). It was resolved that a report on the subject be procured forthwith, and presented to next meeting of the council.

"Good old lirebellj liere again !" commented Councillor Francis when ..a request lor a new firebejj (mado by the Levin l ive Brigadu) came before the. Borough Council last night. The council carried the following motion: That the request of the Fire .Brigade management committee for a uew firebell lie referred In the Borough Council finance committee, to ascertain the cost of the new l' o ''- tower, a ringing apparatus and t he erection of same with a view towards placing the cost of same on this year's estimates if the couth 11 finally approves. Wage war or. the flies and use (he Protector sticky fly-catcher, which you can hang up out of the way. Fresh stocks of these are obtainable from C. 8. Keedwell's Pharmacy. Price 2d each or 7 for one tihillins. —Advt.

At a meeting of the Levin Park Domain Board an account of £1 10s lid was passed for payment to Mr E. Whitaker, for repairs to notice boards and alterations to the gate. A special general meeting of Manawatu Elaxinill Employees Association, held at Palmerston last Saturday, decided unanimously to adhere to the J* oderai of labour.—Standard. ... A letter received at last meeting of the Levin • *.. Council, from Mr H. E , County Clerk, notified 1 llorowhenua County %'-.'ncil would contribute £ ; ~> t" providing a stipply of >.<\"atcr ■it the lake. INIr U. I'. Harris. ! ';;; ;tparaumu, lias notified flu- :.ev;n Borough Council that he is prepare*? to act as a member of the Assessment Court should necessity arise. Mr Harris already has been appointed io this office by the council . Mrs Walter Bull, on leaving Manakau last week, to reside in Levin, was entertained by her many friends of Manakau and district. She was presented with a purse of sovereigns. The presentation was made at a gathering in the Church meeting room, and •i most enjoyable time was passed in music and harmony. An organ recital will be giv;-' in Levin Presbyterian Church On Friday evening by Mr Jesso White. A new organ has been installed in the church, and its tones arc of excellent quality. Vocal items of a sacred nature also will be sung during the evening. The question of acquiring l an additional area of about six acres adjoining the Waiopehu Domain scenic Reserve (Queen street East, Levin) is still under consideration of the Government. The information foregoing was conveyed to Levin Borough Council in a letter from the ruder-Secretary of the Lands Department., dated 20th ultimo, and convoying the further information that the original area of 10£ acres has been taken by Proclamation as a scenic reserve. On the recommendation of the Sanitary Inspector, the Levin Borough Council, at. last night's meeting, directed that the premises owned by Messrs Windclev Bros. (Oxford street) be altered within thirty days, as follows:—The yard be lowered, graded, and drained; also provision made for the free cirouhrtion of air below floor level; the waste pipe to be tapped and made to discharge over the existing gully trap.

Before the ordinary business o< Levin Borough Council was gono hi with last night, the Mayor 011 B. R. Gardener) expressed to councillors' his very great appreciation of the kindly resolution passed by the council during his illness. He appreciated, and 1

ussural the Mrs Gardener did 100, the many expressions of sympathy that had reached them from all quarters. Councillors Lancaster, Prouse, McKenzie, Mathcson and Dempscy spoke appreciatively in reply to the mayor's remarks, and Councillor Blenkhorn (who was unavoidably absent from tlic meet in."') sen I in a letter expressive of his satisfaction that the mayor again was hack in his seat.