PAEROA BOROUGH.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5413, 19 April 1929, Page 2

PAEROA BOROUGH.

TERM OF OFFICE ENDS. LAST MONTHLY MEETING. The last monthly meeting of the present Borough Council took place last evening, when Mr W. Marshall, the Mayor, presided over the following : Crs. P. E. Brenan, E. Edwards, F. E. Flatt, H. J. Hare, E. A. Porritt, J. W. Silcock, W. Turner, and W. C. Alexander (town clerk). Request for Reclassification. Mr G. S. Whitside, Whakatane, owner of a block of land in the borough, wrote requesting that it be assessed as farm land. He stated that the land was not likely to be required within a reasonable time for subdivision for building purposes, and that it was used solely for farming, on it being one cow, 21 poultry, a few vegetables, and some black fruit. The soil was mostly damp, and covered with swamp grass. The council decided to decline the application on the grounds that the land was used for other purposes as well as farming. Criterion Bridge Loan. The Audit Office, Wellington, intimated that there was no objection on that office’s part to legalisation being sought for the purpose of validating the raising of the Criterion Bridge loan for an amount in excess of that stated in the Governor-General’s Warrant. Upon the Mayor’s suggestion the matter was left in the hands of the town clerk, the present juncture not being an opportune one. Heavy Traffic Fees. A circular letter was received from the secretary of the Municipal Association of N.Z., together with reprints of two newspaper articles, dealing with the constitution of the Advisory Council and its effect upon the important question of heavy traffic fees. The association was pressing for the appointment of a second representative on the said council, in order to adequately guard ratepayers’ interests. It recommended each local body to get in touch with its member of Parliament, . with a view to opposing any reduction in motor taxation, especially heavy traffic fees: It was decided to write to the Prime Minister through the local Parliamentary representative requesting that no reduction in heavy traffic fees be made, the council being of opinion that not only would any such move be unfair to ratepayers and owners of land, but it? would be contrary to the economic well-being of the country. Subdivisions within Boroughs. A circular communication from the Minister of Internal Affairs gave the information that Mr Mawson, the new Director of Town-planning, had been giving attention to the matter of subdivisions for building purposes in borough . and town districts. In submitting a copy of a statement by Mr Mawson on the subject, the Min’ster intimated that the director would be pleased to assist bodies with his expert advise. Received for the town-planning file. Additional Tankage. An oil company wrote requesting permission to instal an additional underground tank at Paeroa. Permission was granted, provided the necessary regulations were complied with. Sewage Disposal Works. The assistant engineer of the Public Works Department, Paeroa, in referring, to the council’s letter, stated that the matter had been referred to his head office, which had forwarded the following reply :— “No information is supplied as to what stage of the river it/may be found necessary to operate rhe flood pump at, but it is quite likely that local flooding may require the use.of this pump with no flood in the river, so that there would then be. no water cushion on the river side. The concrete culvert should be carried Sufficiently far from the stop-bank to prevent any#tendency for the stop-bank to be undermined, or for the 6-inch earthenware pipe to be scoured out or undermined. “Subject to a suitable amendment in the foregoing respect, the proposal as far as the stop-bank works are concerned appear suitable, and may be approved, work to be done subject to this department’s supervision. “Apart from their bearing upon the stop-bank works, the details of the pumping plant and sewage disposal works are, of course, wholly the borough’s responsibility. “Before the works arc undertaken a suitable agreement must be prepared by the borough and submitted for the aproval and signature of the Minister. Please, therefore, arrange for this to be prepared by the borough solicitor, and a draft submitted in due course. The agreement should be prepared by consultation between the borough’s solicitor and yourself, so that any clauses that you may consider necessary may be embodied therein.” The assistant engineer asked for the necessary agreement to be made. Mr Marshall informed the meeting that all was in order, and a satisfactory agreement had been arranged with the assistant engineer. The council unanimously approved of the Mayor’s action in the matter, dwal- ralso.be ot -asemfw emfem Sports on the Domain. The Paeroa Rugby Union wrote requesting the use of the domain grounds as a playing area for the ensuing season at the usual rental. The application was approved, the rental being fixed at £l5, reducible to £l2 10s provided it was paid before September 30. A similar application from the Ladies’ Hockey Club was approved, rental to be £5, reducible to £4 if paid before September 30. The request of the club to have apportioned, if possible, the same ground as last season, was agreed to. Balance-sheet and Accounts. The balance-sheet and accounts were passed subject to audit.

Mr Flatt congratulated the town clerk on getting out his balance-sheet in time for the meeting. It was a great assistance for counicllors to know the exact state of affairs before leaving office. Mr Marshall, in supporting Mr Flatt, said that when he first took a seat on the council ten years ago that day they had to wait for the balancesheet until October. Retiring Councillors. Before the meeting closed His Worship paid tribute to the council as a whole, and hoped to have all those who had accepted renomination associated with him again. To the retiring councillors he expressed appreciation and thanks for the services they had rendered the council and the public. He wished them every happiness for the future, and hoped for their return to public life. Or. Porritt, in thanking the Mayor, said he was not retiring by his own wish ; he was forced to by pressure of business. As members were aware, his father was in failing health, with the result than on him fell the whole onus of conducting the office. The duties of a councillor did not end with attending meetings, he had to work for the borough interests in between. At Present the speaker said he did not feel that he could spare the time to do that. He thought it was the duty of those who could devote time thus to come forward.

The other retiring member, Cr. W. Turner, said he felt he could not do justice to the position at present. The able men with time should come for?ward.