PUTARURU TOWN BOARD.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 237, 17 May 1928, Page 4

PUTARURU TOWN BOARD.

ORDINARY MEETING. The usual bi-monthly meeting of the Putaruru Town Board was attended on Monday by Messrs. G. G. Griffiths (chairman), W. Yandle, C. C. Neal, K. McDermott, H. W. Lindsay, A. E. Barr Brown and J. C. Tomalin. Building Permits. A return tabled showed that building permits to the value of £7521 had been issued during the past year. New permits were approved for Mr. A. Barcroft (2) and Mrs. Aspden. Hospital Levy. The Waikato Hospital Board forwarded notice that the levy on the town district for the coming year would be £132 19s lOd. Mr. Lindsay thought it would pay the Town Board if it were only possible to pay for all cases from Putaruru. They would still be in pocket. Mr. Barr Brown said he had been told that more cases came from Putaruru than any district. Mi-. Yandle : That’s the trouble ; they go there, and give their addresses as Putaruru, when they live at Taupo, Mokai and other districts. I had a list submitted to me, and I knew them all and they were all outsiders. Mr. Lindsay said beds were costing £IOOO, so great was the amount of money spent on buildings. The chairman urged- that any protest be sent to, the Government. Some resolutions passed by local bodies were in reality votes of no confidence in hospital boards, the members of which were quite as conscientious in their duties as those passing the resolutions. It was the system that was wrong, and the anomaly of one body collecting a rate and another spending it should be ended. So long as human nature is what it is efficiency and economy could not be maintained under the existing system. It was decided to forward a letter of protest to the Prime Minister and Mr. F. F. Hockly urging that the hospital rate be a charge on the consolidated fund.

Boardinghouse Licenses. Boardinghouse licenses were issued to Miss Strugnell and Mrs. C. E. Martin. Loan Finance. A letter from Messrs. Melville, Ferner and Brown acknowledged receipt of deed of covenant covering the loan and undertook that interest payments would be adjusted at October next in the most economical manner to both parties and so that interest was only payable from the time the money was actually lifted. The chairman explained that the letter embodied the agreement arranged between Mi-. Melville and himself. When the debentures arrived from Auckland it was found that the solicitors to the lenders had inserted the date of April 17 in all the coupons. As the loan was to be picked up at the rate of £IOOO a month this meant a serious loss. The saving effected in interest as per agreement amounted to £lO9. Permit for Fowls. An application from Mi-. E. A. Gray for a permit to keep fowls was read, and the chairman reported that it would be necessary to pass a bylaw if the board desired to abolish same in the business area. In view of the previous decision of the board it would be necessary to rescind the minute already- on the books before taking further action. It would be unfair to reject one and grant another under similar circumstances. Mr. Barr Brown : That is so. The minute should be rescinded, then we can either grant or reject both. Notice of motion was. accordingly given to this effect, - Smoking in Hall.

The hall caretaker complained in a letter that intoxicated men were admitted to the pictures and that smoking was prevalent. Mr. Barr Brown thought the proprietor should attend and be in charge. Mr. Tomalin -held that the matter was largely due to a grievance by a certain party. Members of the hall committee had smoked in the hall.

It was pointed out that smoking was by custom indulged in in the porch. After a somewhat acrimonious discussion it was decided to notify the proprietor to screen a warning to prohibit smoking in the porch and that the board Would prosecute anyone found infringing.