LOCAL TOPICS.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 301, 15 August 1929, Page 4

LOCAL TOPICS.

(By “ Verax.”) * An Unclean Street. A visitor to ’ Putaruru accosted “ Verax ” in a shop on Monday and without any warning fired this question: “Are you a member of the local Town Board?” On denying having the honour to belofig>'to that august body, the gentleman, who claimed to haveorjiaot 28' years’ experience in municipal! life (including the dignity of Mayor in his home town), then made several pointed remarks v the attitude of the Town (Board ip t allowing Princes street to ,be used as a rubbish dump. “ Even if they have not much money, surely they can frame and enforce a by-law preventing the dumping of tins, etc., right outside the railway station entrance, and thus give visitors who arrive by train an impression that takes some shaking off. The town on the whole seems a pleasant little place, but why the nuisance above mentioned should be allowed to continue is hard to understand, for no other town or township, having a local body controlling it, allows such a thing to be done.” “ Verax ” had to confess that there was a good deal in what the visitor said, and a closer inspection revealed the fact that viewed ‘from the station gates, the railway side of the street certainly presented a "dilapidated appearance, not at all conducive! to a first impression likely to be favourable. The by-laws provide for the prohibition of such a practice I ,and it is high time that the T<Wh 'Board' put the by-law into active operation . The Beautifying Sbcietjr'are 'doing T.eir share in iriating The ‘town attractive, and it ‘'Behoved the ’Town Board to fall into lirfe. ’ 1

It may seei# r,v strahge, ' but “ Verax ” had no '"sooner left thfe indignant visitor quoted above than he ran into a business man* of Prihces. street who voiced "a against the practice of so'ine firms on that street of _ sweeping rubbish into the newly-formed channel. A look showed that was not a sightly one| and empnasisedi the visitor’s strictures. Perhaps the Town Board will make some provi-. sion for receptacles for. the depositing of rubbish and thus do away with any excuse that might exist. Perhaps a “ clean-up week ” could be inaugurated, for the writer is of the opinion that once the town was cleaned up it would be kept so. .Tb£ public want educating up to the need foit' for I have' heard several School teachers complain of the same thing in the local school grounds. . Word to the Wise.

The Beautifying Society have completed the first portion of their scheme for the planting .of trees along various streets,.'' ancl judging by one act committed, it is heedful for a warning to be given against the careless destruction .pf the trees. A member of the stated the other day that a cap owner, had torn off some of the ’tranches of a tree planted near a crossing. A word to the wise everyoiife knows tne rest. Need for Conveniences. :u v l The Town Board ,« have ■ -several in. hand that they contend, and rightly so, are: intended make for the advancement, qf : the and “ Verax ” L ,no .apology zCZ a free and enlightened citizen for advancing another. There is a real need in the town for a public convenience, and the lack of such must be apparent to all. The hotel premises are out of bounds after hours, and strictly speaking the conveniences provided by the Railway Department are for of railway patrons. The writer knows that the town Board has no money to provide for such at the moment, but now that attention has been drawn to it, the Town Board may, like governments, keep the matter steadily in view.