OTAKI TOWN BOARD.

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 5 September 1919, Page 3

OTAKI TOWN BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Otaki Town Board was held last night. Present: Corns. Byron Brown (chairman), J. Meads, R. M. D'Ath, H. Nicolson, P. Rikihana. Apologies for absence were received from Corns. Olliver and Noble. Correspondence. Correspondence was read and dealt with as under:— From J. W. Hodgson (postmaster), drawing attention to tho fact that tho Department would again be trenching the footpaths for underground cable as soon as the cable arrived. —Received. From General Manager of Railways, in reply to the Board, stating arrangements would be made to have necessary pipes sent from Mastcrton to Otaki. — Received.

From the N.Z. Automobile Association, asking that all bridges be painted white and that where necessary boa-ids painted white be erected on each bridge, also that the removal or lowering of trees, fences, etc., which obstructed views be attended to. —Received, it being pointed out that there were but few small bridges and hedges in the Board's area.

From Department of Public ncalth, dra'wiiig attention to provision made for the supply of nurses and doctors to outer districts. The letter pointed out that the law provides ample means by which efficient nursing and medical services could be provided for settlers in the outer districts, and recommended hospital boards lo work in conjunction with local bodies in encouraging the establishment of medical chilis for the provision of nurses and doctors in the outer districts. —Received. From W. 11. Field,' stating lie was still endeavouring to secure a crane for Otaki railway.—Received. From the Otaki- Fire Brigade, asking that its members be insured by the Board. —Agreed to. Loan for Electric Light.

A letter was read from AV. H. Field. J stating that he noticed in the "Otaki | Mail" that an innocent letter sent by . him to the Board had caused a hub- | bub, and it appeared that ho had quite unintentionally got on the chairman's nerves. The facts were that the Board had for some time endeavoured to secure money for certain public services and had failed, and some weeks ago had asked him to assist in the matter. He assumed tho Board would have exhausted all Government Departments and had been making enquiries concerning private institutions as to the probability of getting the ■ money. He did not care to go further in the matter until supplied with information concerning applications made by the Board, considering it a waste of time to make applications where requests had previously been made. The information he ashed from the Board was necessary, and there had been no dilatoriness. With respect lo the suggestion of "back stairs" influence, this he could not exert, even if he tried. and certainly he was not going to try. With regard to Government Depart- } ments, the Board's difficulty served to I remind him of what he considered a 1 defect in the State Advances Act. viz.. j that the present Board is prohibited from lending money for electric lighting purposes. It was his intention to ask that their loan powers should be extended to cover electric lighting, but it was probably hopeless to expect any; thing during the present short A long discussion took place, and a notice of motion to the effect thfti Mr Field be requested to act no furtrre"r" in tho matter of securing the loan was | put and declared carried, but a point j was raised which altered the opinion of tho meeting, and it was therefore decided to let the matter proceed. The ' Chairman agreed to do his best to secure the loan monoy. Liability for Engineering Fees. A legal opinion was received from the Municipal Solicitor, re electric light agreement with Mr Reardon, stating that the agreement. taking the Board's HaCLmy to pay the engineer dependent upon its raising a loan, and the engineer was therefore entitled to 2J per cent commission if a year had elapsed since the delivery by him to the Board of drawings, plans, specifications, and estimates. A total commission of 5 per cent was provided for on the execution of the works, the 2J per cent being part of the 5 per cent. -Clause 9 deah only with the case of the Board not proceeding with the work within the one year, and did not provide for the case of the Board's, proceeding with the work after the vear.

A long and desultory discussion took j filaee, and while some advocated proceeding tsiti the scheme others -were I anxious to pay Mr Keardon the 2* per I cent due to hid and let the project drop. It was pointed out by letting the matter drop the Board would lose about £275. The old Board was also taken to task for allowing the agreement to be signed. Tenders. One tender, tiat of Thos. Swensson at Ss per chain, was received and accepted for clearing the ilangapouri , creek. | There was only one tender for concreting the footpath.. J. S. Pole tenderfor crossings with 6ft of concrete). It was decided not to accept the tender, but the roadman was instructed to commence on the work as soon a; cement was available. Miscellaneous. It was decided to secure a keron: lamp for use at the Board's office. The sanitary inspector CSV. Charjd | ler) waited on the Board and points i out that at some ■ residences sanitar j arrangements were satisfactory-, whil | at other places improvements could h (carried out. —Decided that a list c thoss recponshja for iayifig uasgti

factory conveniences be supplied to the Board. ' The poundkeepcr (W. Chandler) also ' reported that a horse impounded had j failed to find a purchaser and asked ! what steps to take. —Instructed to offer 'the animal for auction at Saturday's sale. I Corns. Nicolson and Noble were apI pointed to sign the rate-book. • The following accounts were passed : for payment:—B. Webby £l6 ss, H. | Knox £l3, 31. H. Ayrc £ll 14s 4d, G. I Gallagher £1 10s, Frank Penn £3 63 3d, j G. Gordon 15s, Bills and Moore 6s.