PAEROA BOROUGH.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4697, 12 May 1924, Page 2

PAEROA BOROUGH.

MONTHLY COUNCIL MEETING. The regular meeting of the Paeroa Borough Council was held on Thursday evening last. His Worship the Mayor (Mr W. Marshall) presiding over the following: Crs. H. M. Shand. G. f’. Lamb. F. E. Flatt, P. E. Brenan, J. W. Sileock, E. Edwards, W. Bain, C. P. Vuglar. DOMAIN DEBENTURES. Mr E. McNair wrote intimating that he would take up ten domain debenture of £lOO each at £96, which wou’d give a Hat rate return of >5 Per cent, which was similar to that oflering u'l the Auckland market. The Mayor stated that a settlement had been made and the debentures were to be lodged with the Bank of New Zealand on May 26. RETICULATION OF PAEROA. The following information was received from, the Thames Valley Electric Power Board :— "Pai titulars of reticulation of Paeroa Borough : Cost to February 28, 192-1, £B6BO 7s id; transformers, £7OO 11- ; street lights, £3Ol 18s 7d ; total, £9868 10s 3d. Length of lives erected, It miles 58 chains; length of insulat'd wire. It miles 54 chains; length of bare wire, 23 miles 63 chains. Number of poles, 490 ; number of consumers. 235 ; average revenue per month. £146." The board considered that the best interests of the whole area would be const'i ved by the board retaining all such reticulation as being essential factors to the main scheme. Cr. i latt said that the board’s policy was to make no change, and he thought the position should not be permitted, as he considered that one local body should not tell another local > ody that it could not make use of its property. If the power board had been a private concern possibly th<- position would havie been different. Cr. Flatt said that Matamata and Morri nsville were in the same position as Paeroa, while Thames arid Tc Aroha reaped a benefit by Being able to purchase power in bulk from the board and retail it at a profit to the consumers. The Mayor said the position was most unfair. The non-consuniers* rate would be a disastrous matter for Paeroa, and it would be placed in an unfair position by being penalised bv the rate. Or. Flatt said that' so far as electricity was concerned the town -was at the mercy of the power board, which was apparently not true to its own in forests. The Mayor, and Crs. Flatt. 'Brenan. and Edwards were appointed to go fully into the matter and report to the council at a later date. REMOVAL OF FOUNTAIN. The Paeroa Beautifying Society w'rote asking for the promise made in December last to remove the bubble fountain to be carried out. —Referred to the foreman. REMOVAL OF EARTH. The Ohinemuri Jockey Club applied for permission to take earth from the from lie side of the Paeroa-Thames road from the club’s front gate towards Thames, and by so doing overcome a deep and dangerous drain along that portion of the road. The club undertook to remove the earth in a uniform mannqr and to a proper grade to the satisfaction of the borough foreman. The request was granted, the work to be Jone to the satisfaction of the chairman of the Woirks Committee. WATER-CART. The Hauraki Plains Couv’y Council supplied particulars of a 600-gallon fo’ir-w heeled water-cart, the cost of which was quoted at £253 14s 9d. It was decided that the offer could not be entertained at present. BITUMEN SPRAYER. Information was received that the bitumen sprayer had been shipped at London, and was due io arrive in New Zealand in four weeks’ tinie. USE OF CHAMBERS. The Paeroa District High School Comm.ttee made application for the use of the Borough Chambers in which to Hold committee meetings. Cr. Flatt considered that the chambers should not be used as a meeting place for institutions. At the sainttime it had to be recognised that the school committee had done a great deal oi g->'d work in the community, and it should Jeceive help as far as was possible. He moved tiiat the request be granted for twelve months, the cm.ii-.cil to have the rr.Jit to refuse the use of the chambers if required for the council's own use. beconded by Cr. Edwards and carried. DRIVER'S WAGES. Cr. SHcock asked if the council wm paying the full awa|rd wages to the borough driver of horses. The Mayor stated that the matter would be gone into by the Works Committee. ARNEY STREET. Ur. 3d wards referred to the good work done by the Beautifying Society at the Methodist Church corner, ami pointed out that the beauty of th? flower-beds was being magred by the unsightly rubbish and grass in Arney Street fronting the garden plot, and he asked that steps be taken to have it cleared up. flic Mayor said he was awajrc that the work was necessary’, but that portion of the street would be kerbed and channelled as soon as the difficulty of cop ! ng with the storm water hal been cvercome. It would hardly be fail to give this work preference when there were ratepayers in the borough who had practically no fool- - to their homes.