NEW COUNTY OFFICES.

Otaki Mail, 13 June 1923, Page 3

NEW COUNTY OFFICES.

COUNCIL ADOPTS BOROUGH PROPOSAL. BUT WANTS A LONGER TERM. At Saturday's meeting of the Horowhenua Countv Council a deputation consisting of the Mayor (Mr T. Hob son), and Crs. Keedvvell and Harvey, waited upon the Council in regard to the question c-f the County taking offices in .the proposed Municipal buildings.

The Mayor explained the proposal, when it was decided to erect the buildings, was to include offices for the County Council, Power Board and Borough Council. He explained the convenience of the plans submitted, paying that the County Council had f. iven them an idea of t-heir requirements and these plans had been pre-

parrel with an idea, of meeting thorn. The rental' asked Was £2. 10s per week of £l3O per annum, and besides provision for the different offices of the County Council, they .would have an up-to-date strong-room and would share a board-room, for which, no charge would be made, with the other two bodies, who would have offices in the building. The councillors had seen the plans and he. hoped the Council would give the proposal favourable consideration. Cr. Keedwell said ii was hardly necessary for him to mention the important position occupied by the County council, and they had thought it was only right, to ask them to occupy offices in keening with <nc '\- portanee of their posmon it must he apparent to everyone that new office' were needed. The staff was cramped for room and the object of the present scheme was to provide up-to-daie accommodation whore work could be done to the best advantage. Thev would have here also a fireproof strong-room, which was necessary to a body which had a lot of valuable records to preserve. The rent was low considering the spaet offered and further there would be no rate* nor insurance to provide. . further advantage would fce thai the three local governing bodies would be in the same building which would ho an advantage both to these bodies and to the public, as providing the maximum of convenience and Efficiency at Hie minimum cost. Cr. Harvey said the Mayor and Cr. Keedwell had covered the ground fairly well, but there was one point thai lie might bring up. If the Cou.nty ha si to build offices for themselves they could not do it so cheaply and further they would have the three bodies together, which would b'e very convenieTnf frn- hodie 4 having : -o much to i|o with each other as these would. Cr. P.yder asked what assurance the Council had that the rent would not be increases.

The Mayor explained that Ills Council was preparorl to give a leiaise of seven years.

Cr. Horkness: Will the Mayor explain how this rent is arrived at. rs if based on the interest on cost? The Mayor said that this was so. The question of the cost of the whole buiiding;t>ad been gone into and the rent, based' on this.

Cr. Catley said he would like to a«!v if Die Levin Boron eh Council woul'i build in accordance with the dans submitted if the County Council di ' writ fake these offices. The Mayor explained that that would he a matter for the Borough Council to consider. If the Courit-v turned down the proposal made he would like to know if a counter proposal could be made.

Cr. Ryder asked if the Borough would be prepared to consider the idea of a. longer lease. The Mayor said that he thought this micrht be. done. Tf the County Council had any recommendations io make he would be pleased to consider them. The Power Board had taken their offices on a seven years' lease and he rnerelv mentioned this term as a basis.'

"t'r Monk, chairman of the CounbGomicn, safd that the County Council would consider th* proposals made and the deputation thanked the Council tor their attention and withdrew

Spe.aking to the Council subsequently, Mr Monk said, as far as he understood the situation an agreement had been come to about 1013 between the County Council and the Levin Borough that if the council effected som: 1 repairs to the present building ihev should have the use of them rent free ior a number of years after which a small rental should be paid. They had recognised for some time that further room -was necessary and when the matter of these new municipal buildings came up two years ago, had recognised that here ' was a good chance of getting up-to-date offices. One thing to consider was that thev had a large collection of plans and documents which were extremely valuable and which might in the present wooden buildinsr be burnt at any moment They had now an opportunity 'of getting into a fireproof building. and it was. an important point. Further, the Engineer had been workinc under very unfavourable~conditions for some time—conditions under which ii Was' not fair to ask him to continue and he was certain that the Council would see the necessity of providing accommodation: for him at once, in fact, his nrespnt office was only occupied by him by favcyir of trie Borough Council and it was not a satisfactory state of affairs. He asrreed with Cr. Ryder that if a longer lease could be pot it would be a good thin or. He was heartily in favour of the scheme : as the deputation had r>ointed out fhe business of the County was continually growing and provision had to be made for this increase.

Or. HaTkne.s? said that fh'e chairman had pointed out the position pretty clearly. The engineer was labouring under verv unfavourable conditions and could, not. he expected to do his best work under such conditions. He was stroncrlv of the scheme. The offices v*ere stood position and be would s'licrcest f'.i'at. fhev be taken, but that a 21 years' lea=e h« asked for. He world like to point opt that no local hodv Ttnd seenritv of tenure of ofnee and although ibe prespnf bodies worked well together there was no sec.irrity that it would alwavs be so So that it was necessary to bavp securffv Of tenure. He moved that the. Council accent the offer made by the Boron's* Council provided that a leSse of 5.T years could be arranged. Cr. Rvdei" seconded. Cr. Broadbelt snnpOrted Ihe motion j The business of the Council was 100 congested at present and Wo staff could not be expected to do Iheir hest under such circumstances. Other councillors a]s"o spoke in ravonr of the rrihiion, which wat carried nnniiimouslv. On Hie- sus'sestion of 'Cr. B'roadhelt a commitfei* consisting "of tbP chairman, pnoinc""" Hi" rr -" [ m\clsrk. Or. Harkno's JirH ihimfolf appointed to ?o into the matter i ' , \ tfip Borpuprh Council. 'A herd of 900 cow ha= iiis't he.-.v, Tvroncrbt from TaranMH fn \forrincxriUffl riiftrict fsavs the "Star"), the ionrnev from Stratford to To Kuiti heinc t.-- rofirl a"' 1 oeounyIrjff a fortnight P-T-rrv to -nruiti they ww rsiled to Morrinsyllle. \Vaihon r'nVt niJebVoWlnfc pfationg. "Of the' 500, tmlv one con- did pot Rtirvivft, and two completed the. 'tonrrray T«nfc.