TOWN CLERK’S BIENNIAL REPORT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3626, 14 April 1927, Page 1

TOWN CLERK’S BIENNIAL REPORT.

COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF COUNCIL’S WORK. (Continued from page 3.) i'ul if a renewal loan will be raised under G per cent, with 2 per cent, sinking fund. The works have as a whole been maintained in a competent and efficient manner by the manager who has undoubtedly obtained the best results possible for the council. RESERVES.

The Borough is not well endowed with reserves, the total revenue amounfing to about £2OO, and when rates, £9O, are paid, the sum remaining is little enough to maiutain what reserves there are. The row of trees along the northern boundary of Victoria Park has been sold producing £25 as royalty, and the fence moved further northwards thus adding over an acre to the area of the Park. This new boundary has been planted with maerooarpas.

Easton Park, soon to be the home of the swimming baths, is used mainly as a Recreation Ground, the Association Football Club and Girls’ Hockey Club both having playing areas thereon. The Target Reserve, leased to Evans Bros, and A. King and Co. Ltd., furnishes most of the revenue for the Reserves Account, £172. Ihakara Gardens, once an eyesore, now a beauty spot, under the care of the Beautifying Society, has been well looked after, the sum of £45 having been granted to the society to subsidise the caretaker’s salary. Section 44 in Avenue Road, is leased to the Bowling Club, and section 488 to W. Aldridge, the former at £2 per annum, the latter ot £5 pgr annum. CEMETERY.

The Council are trustees for this reserve. Receipts and expenditure practically balance, sites sold, £46 10s Od, and sexton’s fees £l3 5s Od, provide the income, which has all been spent on maintenance. During the year 29 Burial Warants have been issued and 31 sites sold. The rent from the reserve £36 remains intact. This,revenue will be required in a few years time to pay for the work of surveying into plots, and opening up the reserve and it would be a wise policy to earmark it accordingly. TOWN HALL.

The unfortunate destruction of the old Town Hall in March 1926 entailed a considerable economic loss, but the efforts of the Council to erect a suitable edifice in its stead have now been brought to fruition; less than 8 months after the fire the new hall was opened. The insurance money from the old hall £4,000, supplemented by a loan of £6,000, represents the capital outlay on the new hall. This is briefly as follows: —Building £B,000, furnishings, £995; plant, £307; curtains, scenery, etc., £204; architect and clerk of works, £3b7, tablets, £25; extras and additions, £126; fans, £l4; total £10,038. This total is offset by £2l 1/s Od, interest on fixed deposit and sale of materials 25/-, so that to all intents and purposes the work was carried out for the money available. The picture account which after a run of eight months losses in the temporary hall shows a credit balance of £l9" which has been transferred to the’ hall account. The picture account balance on lfi wrong side at the 80th November last (when the temporary ball was vacated) was £125, which means that since the Ist December until the 31st March the balance was actually at the latter date for 4 months £322, or say £BOO for the year allowing for winter months. Canj ing on the business in the temporal hall has to a great extent enabled this satisfactory result to be achieved as existing contracts were fulfilled, better and more advantageous contracts were secured and the prestige of the show maintained. The figures above are reflected m the fact that during the 8 months in the temporary hall 13,958 admission tickets were sold while during the four months in the new hall 19,376 tickets were sold. Doortakings for the 12 months total £I3BO 19s of which £B2B 11s 9d belongs to the new hall. The additions to the old band room were paid for by the town hall account, and will no doubt be of use later on for something. The new hall is undoubtedly a building to be proud of and one of which "the citizens need not be ashamed. I can only say further that by constant attention to business, screening only the best procurable pictures at reasonable prices, public support will natural.y follow and even better results secured in the future. Steps are now being taken to re-instate the caretaker’s cottage, on the council s section in Hall Street, plans oi k which are ready.

(Continued next issue).