IN THE BOROUGH

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 276, 16 July 1932, Page 6

IN THE BOROUGH

COUNCIL MEETING BUSINESS TRANSACTED AT THURSDAY NIGHT'S MEETING. REPORTS AND CORRESPONDENT The r'egular meeting of the Rotorua Borough Council, : postponed from Wednesday evening, was held on Thursday night. The Mayor, Mr. T. Jackson, presided. Abattoir Manager. The Hon. the Minister of Agriculture wrote advising that his depart.ment was prepared to consider a peroentage reduction in the amount paid in respect of the abattoir manager's salary by the council, equivalent to any general reduction in salaries and wages which the council may have instituted. The xnatter was refrred to the abattoir committee. Malfroy Road Drain. Mr. W. D. Parsons wrote with re- ' gard to his request for the installation of a culvert to give access to his property in Malfroy Road. Mr. Parsons stated, inter alia, that the council had made this drain much larger than it used to be, had conveyed a large volume of water from Malfroy Road west, and had allowed the drain to encroach fully two feet in places on to his property. He considered, in view of the circumstances that the council should erect the culvert at its own expense and make good the encroachments on his property. The works committee will report upon the question. Highway Maintenance. The District Engineer, Public Works Department, Tauranga, advised that the Main Highway Council had provisionally approved ependiture on main highways within the borough. The following schedule shows the amount which the council applied for and which has been approved as th© department' s quota : — Rotorua-Cambridge, applied for ,£200; proposed by dept., £170. Roto-rua-Napier, £336 and £200. RotoruaWhakatane, £224 and £100. Cr. O. H. Coleman thought a-bigger allocation should be asked for on the Rotorua-Whawatane Road. The question was referred to the works committee with' power to act. Insurance Claim. The branch manager of the State Fire and Accident Insurance Office stated in reference to the accident sustained by H. C. Frandi, that the claim had been submitted to the medical referee in Wellington and he had advised the office that on the facts of the case as submitted, liability should not be admitted. Cr. O. H. Coleman thought the council should give further consideration to the case and he moved thu+ the original medical reoort be aske-l for. Cr. W. Galbraith seconde 1 an 1 the motion was carried Rate Reduction. The hon. secretary, Rotorua Ratepayers' Association, wrote pointing out that in view of the fact that proparty owners were compelled by law to reduce rentals by 20 per cent., and that ratepayers were living on greatly reduced incomes, the association respectfully urged that the council seriously consider a corresponding reduction of the rates. The assiciation is to be informed that in view of reduced revenue it is not possible to make any further reduction in rates at present. Working for Farmers. The secretary, unemployment committee, drew attention to various instructions issued by the Unemployment Board with reference to "over the fence" scheme. The particular points to which attention is drawn are : (a- That farmers who are receiving the benefit of unemployed labour are expected to contribute a portion of the wages paid to the men who are drafted to work on their property. (b) that work undertaken by local 'bodies under Scheme 5 in this way on farms should be approved by the certifying officer and the Unemployment Board before the work is undertaken. The Mayor pointed out that farmers were not entitled to receive free labour when they were in a position to contribute. There were, of courr.e, cases where farmers were unable to

.vy. great many farmers, not f • il in this district, were exnlo.ting the scheme. The provisions had no great application to the borough, but where farmers had been in a position to contribute they had been called upon to do so. Transport Inspection. The Commissioner of Transport, Wellington, advised that in view of the council's requirement that the Government undertake to p'ay a proportion of the inspector's salary, it was necessary for him, in view of present conditions, to endeavour to make some other arrangement for the Rotorua district. Cr. L. J. Bayfeild thought it would be better to have control in their own hands. If they had their own inspector they would get the fines; if a Government man was employed they would lose the money. The borough inspector would have time for the work. Cr. E. T. Johnson concurred. He thought the council could reasonably let the present inspector do the work. The Mayor thought it would be found that most of the breaches for which fines would be imposed would be in the county. The increased duti'es would curtail the inspector's usefulness. A long discussion followed, in which the possibility of extending the inspector's sphere was considered. Eventually it wras decided to adopt I Cr. Bayfeild's suggestion and grant j the use of the inspector.