PAEROA BOROUGH.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5040, 15 October 1926, Page 2

PAEROA BOROUGH.

MONTHLY COUNCIL MEETING. ROUTINE BUSINESS. The monthly meeting of the Paeroa Borough Council was held last night, His. Worship the. Mayor (Mr W. Marshall) presiding over the following : Crs. P. E. Brenan, A. E. Porritt, H. J. Hare, G. P. de Castro, F. E. Flatt, E. Edwards, J. Pinder, and the town clerk CMr W. C. Alexander). APPLICATION FOR SEWERAGE. Mr E. J. Bassett applied 'for a sewerage connection to his section in Miller Avenue.

The Mayor said that the sewerage was laid to the centre of Mr Kenny’s property adjoining. It was desirable to extend the present line rather than make a special connection. Cr. Edwards said that another application for a connection would probably be made in the near future.

The Mayor said that a four-inch house connection should not be very costly.

Cr. Flatt thought that the council should pursue its policy and carry out the original scheme, and he moved to that effect.

Cr. Porritt seconded, and the resolution was carried.

A PLUMBER’S COMPLAINT.

R. S. Kallu, Paeroa, wrote objecting to the unsatisfactory conditions under which the tenderers for the council’s house sewerage connections were expected to> carry out the work. He considered that the plans should be drawn up by a disinterested person, and pointed out that in many instances the work coud not be carried out to plan, and alleged that .the depths of the Buchan traps were not shown, and no indication of the correct fall. It was desolved that the letter be received and the writer informed that the council was satisfied with its existing arrangements. HEAVY SEWERAGE CHARGES. The estate of A. Cassrejs, Paeroa, wrote stating that no plans and. specifications for the sewerage work in connection with the estate had been submitted to the •executors for approval. Having inspected the plans at the borough office it was found that there was work in excess of what was anticipated when financial assistance was applied for. If the work had to be done according to the plan the estate had sufficient material on hand to accomplish the work,.and effect a saving of from £BO to* £9O. A request was made that the council should withdraw tenders for the work, and also the application for financial assistance, as the work would be put in hand forthwith at the expense of the estate In answer to Cr. Fla.tt the Mayor said that there would be a charge of two and a half per cent, for preparing the plans and specifications. H® thought that a little more effort might have beep made by the applicants before the plans had been prepared. If Mr Cassrels was prepared to do the work immediately toi the satisfaction of the Health Inspector and the council he thought it would be all right to rescind the application. The estate would have to bear any expense the council had be.en put to in connection with the preparation of plans, etc. This was agreed to, the Mayor remarking that the council had no desire other than to see ratepayers get value for their money and have th? work do’ne as cheaply as possible. INSANITARY DRAINAGE. The Health Inspector (Mr H. H. Martindale) wrote drawing attention to the existence of an insanitary soakhole .and defective draipage at a house in Station Road occupied by Mr C.’ Oates and owned by Mr J. Bertelsen.. He recommended that the owner should be called upon to abate the nuisance within seven days, and for that purpose to fill up the soak-hole with clean, dry earth and conect up with the borough sewerage system, the work to be completed within 14 days’ time, otherwise the, premises would be liable to closure under section 40 (I.B.) pf the Public Health Act, 1920.

In reply to the request Mr Bertelse.n wrote advising that he was unable to afford to have the work done at the present

On the motion of Cr. Edwards it was resolved to receive the letters, and that a copy of the report from th? inspector be forwarded to Mr Bertelsen with a request that the work be undertaken as early as possible. Cr. Brenan suggested that the teims and conditions pertaining to advances made by the council for sewerage connections should be placed before Mr Bertelsen. MOTOR CROSSINGS. R. S. Kallu applied for permission to construct a traffic crossing to his

residence in Andrew Street. —Granted subject to the usu,al conditions-. C. W. Malcolm, Hill Street, wrote as follows: —

“The crossing in question was made after a lapse of six days after application was, made, in order that I might be’Able to drive the car out from it garage. The fact that by-laws have been overlooked is a matter for regret to me, as- I am the last person to think of defying or ignoring the bylaws purposely. It simply amounted to this, that I could not take the car across! the strip of clay, in spite of a.u arrangement of planks, and as. we have for so many years been compelled to make and maintain dur own foot-crossing it seemed a matter of no comment that we should construct the crossing. The act was considered as one .that should aid and not hinder the progress of our bordugh. T trust that this explanation will prove satisfactory apologise frankly to the council for unintentionally infringing its by-laws.” Cr. Edwards suggested that in view of the explanation and apology no further action be taken. It was not desirable .that ratepayers should do as they liked without reference to the council.

Cr. Flatt seconded, and said that publicity Of the offence would show ratepayers that the council controlled the town.

TOWN PLANNING ACT. The Minister of Internal Affairs forwarded a copy of the Town Planning Act, which comes into force on January 1, 1927. In a covering letter the Minister advised that section 13 required all boroughs and town districts to prepare a town-planning scheme on or before January 1, 1930, Immediate steps were being taken to prepare regulations and draft model clauses in connection with town-plan-ning schemes. It was hoped to have the regulations ready to issue shortly after coming into operation of the Act. An Auckland firm pf engineers wrote offering to confer with the. council in formulating a town-plan-ning scheme for Paero’a. RAILWAY SEWERAGE. The district engineer, N.Z. Railways, wrote forwarding a plan of the proposed connection of the railway drainage to the borough sewerage system, and advising that all necessary man-holes, flushing man-holes, and vent shafts would be provided by the department. On the motion of the Mayor it wa*s resolved to receive the plan and letter, and that the matter be referred to the works committee with power to act. PAYMENT FOR SERVICES. Francis Battson, Thames, wrote with reference to the deferred payment sewerage jobs. He asked that as the prices were cut very fine he.., be paid 2% per cent, on all jobs fo r which he prepared the plans instead he was the successful tenderer.— of 2% per cent, on the jobs for which Agreed to. DANGEROUS CROSSING. Cr. Brenan said tha,t about 12 years , ago a local butcher had been permitted to* put down a crossing in William Street. The woodwork had now become worn and loose, and was a PQsitive danger to pedestrians. It was resolved that the owners be requested to effect satisfactory repairs within 24 hours or the crossing would be taken up. REPAIRS TO FOOTPATH. Cr. Pinder drew attention to the bad state of the footpath in Normahby Road from Thorp Street td beyond Russell Street. In pointing out that the footpath was subjected to a con-: siderable amount of traffic, he asked that the worst parts be metalled as early as possible. The matter was referred to the works committee. PAEROA HOSPITAL. Cr. Brenan reported the position * with regard to the attitude of the Thames Hospital Board towards the erection of the Paeroa hospital. Cr. Flatt said that it was a matter for regret that the board had hot seen fit to go ahead with .the building. Cr. Hare said that when he was a member of the Hauraki Plains. County Council he had fought strenuously for the hospital. The Mayor remarked that up to the present the council had done very little towards- helping the project along. He thought that it was desirable to make a move in the matter at that stage. A sub-committee was set up td urge through the proper channels the early erection of the building. TAYLOR’S AVENUE DRAIN. On the motion of Cr. Flatt it was resolved to take steps to have the drain, in Taylor’s Avenue cleaned out as sOon as possible.