TOWN CLERK'S ANNUAL REPORT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3762, 9 April 1907, Page 2

TOWN CLERK'S ANNUAL REPORT.

The following is the text of the Town Clerk’s report presented to the Council at. last night’s meeting: •

I have now the honour to .present to you my annual report. The year commenced with Mr G. A. Simpson as Mayor, and the following councillors ’: Messrs Austin, Baker, Coley, Gray, Frankland, Hickson, Moore, Shadbolt and Stiles. The following month Mr Simpson resigned the position of Mayor, and the Council unanimously decided to ask Mr B. G. Gower, the previous Mayor, to again accept the office', which he did.

Attendance.—The Council have held during the past year 29 meetings, which were attended as follows: The Mayor (Mr B. G. Gower) 24, Cr O, E. Austin 14, Cr S. H. Baker 27, Cr G. C. Coley 18, Cr F. W. Frankland Cr G. A. Gray' 22; Cr S. J. Hickson :6, CrR. Moore 25, Cr A. E. Shadbolt 24, CrG. H. Stiles 22. Concrete-Bridge.—-At the beginning of the year the Council had to meet a breakdown in 1 the old wooden bridge in the Main Street, and' cdtfsideihtion, decidedl to replace it wlth a concrete bridge the full width of the street, with parapet walls on either side, which Was done at S? total cost of "if 3s pd oUt of ordinary revenue' "and ' : Withbut raising a special loan for the purpose. ■ Council Chambers.—On the nth June the Council accepted the tender of Mr. Thomas. .Rimmer at for the erection of new Council Chambers and Public Library, Which were finally completed at a total dost of 15s, including the furnishing of same. Lighting.—The Council, , after debating the' matter at several meetings, decided in August to take a poll. of the ' ratepayers on; a proposal to borrow yjooo to erect Borough Gas Works, and at the same time ask the ratepayers to vote for to add offices to the Council Chambers for revenue purposes, arid.,£2oo to complete building same. The poll was taken on sth October, and resulted in the Gas Works being rejected by 97 to 21, additional offices lost by 69 to 47, and the completion of ■ original buildings was carried by 68 to 49. The Council then invited private firms to inake proposals for the installation of gas in' the Borough, and on the 25th February accepted the offer of Mr T. W, Butcher, which gives the ratepayers the right to, acquire the works at intervals of five, id, 15 dr 20 years, .. Reserves. —Prior to the opening of the last session of Parliametit His' Worship,, the Mayor and the Town Clerk waited upon Mir Stevens, M.HJk., th^district, and asked him to endeavour to get “;T^hb J Fbxfbn Reserve Alt,altered so that any surplus monies deriyedu#onin the; copy. trolled by that Act could be expended on the .Yiqtpm; rPqrk of any other reserve belonging to the Borough. . . During the. session the Council got the desired permission embodied' in “ The Reserves other Lands Disposal arid Public Bodies Empowering Act, 1906,’*. and passed a vote of thanks to Mfr: Stevens for his efforts in the matten , . V "V. ’ ’ 7

New Buildings.r-The increase of new buildings during the yearhas been very marked. The Town; Clerk’s estimate of building: fees at the beginning, of the year was This was based Upon the previous year. The actual amount received to date is .£3B 10s, .this being the fees on the erection of 48new buildings, including the rope works and two grading sheds, besides various alterations to residences arid shops. 1 Rateable Values. —The increase of ' the rateable value of the Borough is very satisfactory. -The Supplementary Valuation which I made in February last, shows an increase of upon the rental values, which will yield an . addi-1 tional income of 6s 6d .upon the same rate as,last year.

Pound Records.—On the 4th March the Council suffered a, serious loss by the destruction of the’, poundkeeper’s book, partly by fire. and partly, by wilful damage. At ■ the request ,of the. T bouricil, the, .... Coroner heM a,ri enquiry into the ( , | fire which occurred in a box in the poulidkeeper’s room, but without any definite result, the jury.addipg,; a rider to the effect that .the ppund--,y keeper’s evidence was unsatisfaC’ tory. . . : .

library and Reading Room. — The new , Public library and Reading Room, are and contrast : most favourably with the old premises, and it should be borne, in mind that there is no tax upon the ratepayers in .respect-of them, as the interest and sinking fund is dethe ', old; buildings front of new buildipsa; recognisingthe larger billing meant increased, labour the Council decided to grant the Librarian and caretaker per annum in addition to .free house,-firing, and lighting. • Office Arrangements—Owing fo ■ the increase of office work consequent on the- progress of the Borough it was found advisable that the office should be. open daily instead of three times a week, and it was decided to increase the salary of the Town Clerk to ,£175 v he on his part giving up his business in town and various; agencies and to employ an assistant at his own cost, the office has now been open daily for the; past tw® months. ,

In condusion-dh venture to say that the past year shows that con-: siderable progress has been made, and it is probable that the coming year will show a stUl better-recorcL than the past, ;