HELENSVILLE TOWN BOARD

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 18 November 1920, Page 3

HELENSVILLE TOWN BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING

The usual monthly meeting was held on Thursday evening last there being present :—Commissioners J. Stewart (chairman), W. Coutts, W. Downer, A. Forrester, J. Lambert, jnr., R. Screaton, C. West, and the clerk (Mr W. F. F. Raisher). MINUTES Minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. CATCHMENT AREA FENCE. A.n account for work done and material used in fencing his property adjoining the Board's catchment area for which the Board was to pay half, was submitted by Mr F. Tucker. After some discussion it was decided (Crs. Stewart —Coutts) that 'the account be held over pending the measurement of the fence, and the furnishing of general particulars to the Board by one of the Board's workmen. ELECTRIC LIGHT LOAN. The Board's solicitor wrote stating that the Public Trustee would not at present entertain the lending of money for this purpose. The letter further stated that another application in January might be more successful.—Letter received, BUILDING PERMITS. A long discussion ensued on the question of granting building permits. The chairman complained that various irregularities in this connection existed. Permits were applied for, often at the last moment, and before the Board had time to consider such a start was made with the work. The plans submitted were often lacking in detail, and the whole system, in his opinion, was haphazard. There were properties in the the town on which new buildings had been erected, but owing to the Board having no record of such, the properties in question were still rated at the old valuation, and the Board was losing in some cases from £10 to £20 per year in rates. It was about time a proper system of granting permits was instituted, and a record kept of every building or other work that was gone on with.

As a result of more discussion, the Drainage Committee, which had been acting as a building comrnitte, was, on the moiion of Or. Lambert, seconded by Cr. West, properly constituted a Building Committee.

It was decided to meet on Monday. November 15th, to go fully into the question of permits, and consider the half dozen or so before the Board.

GENERAL. It was decided to put workmen on to repair bad portions of Mill road. It was decided that it be a recommendation from the Board that the Memorial Committee meet on Wednesday evening 17th. Plans for the new storage dam were received from the Board's engineer. The general opinion was that this work should be proceeded with as* soon as possible. It was decided that a special meeting of the Board be held in this connection as soon as members had fully perused the plans, A number of accounts were passed for payment.