BOROUGH AFFAIRS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 657, 9 October 1933, Page 6

BOROUGH AFFAIRS

COUNCIL MEETING SUGGESTED PURCHASE OF SYLVANA AND REMOVAL GENERAL- BUSINESS The regular meeting of the Rotorua Borcugh Council was held oxi Friday night. There were present, the mayor (Mr. T. Jackson), Crs. L. J. Bayfeild, W. H. Wackrow, G. S'teele, 0. Banlcs, L. Woolliams, E. T. Johnson, 0. H. Coleman, F. Goodson and G. H. French. A letter was received from the Commissioner of Unemployment advising that the Unemployment Board had again decided to make labour available to farmers for the eradication of ragwort on similar conditions to those which operated last year. Return of Seats At the previous meeting of the council it was decided to suggest to the Tourist Department that it return some of a number of seats at present in the Govt. Gardens, but which, it was claimed, were the property of the old Rotorua Town Board. In this connection, a letter was received from the district manager of the department advising that he could not agree to the request as seats were already insufficient in the gardens and complaints were often received that there was not sufficient seating accommodation. "It is a question of ownership," commented Cr. Goodson, who moved that a definite request be forwarded to the department asking for the return of three of the seats. Two . applications from property owners for loads of soil for the purpose of topdressing street frontages were referred to the works committee. Stock Route The clerk of the Rotorua County Council forwarded a petition signed by 64 farmers of the district asking that the stock route through the borough be changed back to the former route by way of Malfroy Road and Ti Street. On the recommendation of the general committee, it was decided to decline the request. The County Council also wrote suggesting that the council should nay a fee of 3d a mile for the use of the car owned by the County Council and used by the traffic inspector whcu nn borcugh business. It was decided to reply pointing out that the council already contributed a fair proportion of the benzine used by the inspector and stating that it could not agree to make any further payment. Sylvana Cabaret A lcngthy letter was received from the Rotorua Gymnastie Club pointing out the necessity for a central and non-privately owned structure that could be utilised for gymnastie and otlier community and health purposes and advising that the owner of Sylvana Hall (Mr. C. R. Lloyd) had ofi'ered. to shift the hall to the site offered by the council and to make adhion^ to same to bring it into line with gymnastie and social requirements. The total price for the completed building was £875. The following rsquests were made to the council: — (a) The council to provide the sum of £500. Bank rate of interest to be struek and repayment spread over a reasonable number of years. The club to repay Mr. Lloyd as best vt can after the council's yearly repayment. has been made. In the event of the club defaulting to the council (though a reasonable default clau~e to be mutually agreed upon) the building to become the sole property of the council. (b) The £500 to be raised by bond' or guarantees and in the event of ihe club defaulting to the bond-hol.l-ers or guarantors, the council permit the bond holders or guarantors to run the hall until sueh time as their bonds have been met through rentals, etc. The building then to revert to the council. (c) The £500 to be raised by wr.y of bank overdraft by the club and guaranteed by the council, the lat- r to have for security of its guarante i the whole building. The matter v/as referred to Ihe 1 finance committee for investigat'or and a report. Bus Stand Question A letter was received from six taxi proprietors complaining that the Rotorua Bus Company was still periritted to tout for business in the strcts and advertise their trips on t1' ir vehicles, also to do taxi work f: cm the Hinemoa Street telephone bix. They inquired the reason why the Bus Company had the right to hav: a bus in Hinemoa Street to be i-S'd as an office, and paid no rates for s^me. Messrs. Urquhart and Roe also wrote in the same connection, rta'ing that they were informed that y ovkinr of buses in Hinemoa Street, plastev- 1 with advertisements of scenif tr" • was still going on and that the f' " phone box was still in the sam " pl; . j and asking to be advised of t" 3 present position. They drew the council's attention to the fact tha' iu other class of business was r?r— sion given to proprietors to tout fo" the sale of their wares in the n.hll. streets.

The mayor stated that the m: ttrwas apparently still indefinite as r" reply had been received to'the coun cil's inquiry from the Transp1" T ' * ensing Board as to whether ti * Uir; Company's license had been a "> and whether it was not usual " ' V authority to advise local aut —"'ea concerned of amendments to 1 "*• The clerk also advised that ' - 'he instructions of the general c """'t tee, he had written to the R.M. 'r,—,.nsport Company and K. Motors, ~ ' a'ted, asking whether they desir ' tTi0* there should be a street stam" wai'1able for sightseeing vehicles cnl if so, where they suggested sucli a site should be located. General Committee The general committee reported that it had acceded to the request of the Rotorua Amateur Cycling • Club for permission to commence a road race on Wairoa Road on September 30. Building permits to the value of £2074 10s had been issued for the month. A plan for the erection of a, bowser service station on the corner of Fenton Street and Wairoa Road was apppoved subject to the building. comblying with the by-laws. Ttye committee recommended that

the Waiariki District Maori Land j Board be advised that there was no ' authority under which. the council could refund heavy traffic license fees to the Native Department as requested at a previous meeting. The recommendation was adopted. Finance Committee The finance committee advised that it had received applications from several ratepayers for the remission of rates and that they had" been advised of the financial position and advised to make application at a later date. A petition had been received from a number of residents of Pererika Street and Elizabeth Street in connection with discount upon their" refuse removal rate. The applicants had been advised that no discount could be allowed unless the full rates were paid. It was recommended that a sum of £110 in rates be written off. The maj ority of these rates were on aecount of penalties allowed by the council or rates struck on wrong values which had been adjusted by the Valuation Department. The recommendation was adopted. Two applications for reductions of values had been received and referred to the Valuation Department. The clerk submitted a statement of the collection of rates to date showing that £6648 2s 8d current rates had been collected as at September 30 and £1240 8s 8d in arrears, making a total of £7888 11s 4d, compared with £7224 6s lld as at October 31, 1932. The total amount of current rates and arrears to be collected was £17,461 7s lOd. The committee reported that it had authorised the clerk to send final letters to ratepayers in arrears with their rates calling their attention to the fact that unless the rates were paid or reasonable arrangements made before October 7, the accounts would be handed to the borough solicitor for collection. The band committee reported that it had arranged for the band to commence Saturday evening play-outs on November 4. Library Improvements The library committee reported that it had authorised the purchase of approximately 80 new books for the library. It had been arranged that the newly appointed assistant librarian should commence her duties on October 2 and that the library should be open continuously from 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m. each day of the week except Sunday. A circular setting out the alterations and improvem'ents together with the change in hours had been forwarded to all householders in Rotorua, Mamaku, Reporoa, Guthrie and Kaharoa. On the recommendation of the Works Committee it was decided to refuse a request from Mr. P. R. McGill for the removal of a street tree in front of his property in Arawa Street. The committee reported that it had authorised the engineer to put into order the present rubbish tins at Whakarewarewa, but not to inerease the number. The engineer had also been authorised to repair the f ootpath in Tyron Street as a result of a complaint received from Mrs. L. Mitten. Owners of a property in Eruera Street had been instructed to clear noxious weeds~following a complaint received from Messrs. Heywood and Amson. In consequence of the fact that one of the gum trees in Fenton Street near the aerodrome had been mutilated and that an other had grown through the electric light wires, the committee reported that it had authorised the removal of £he trees. The reserves committee' reported having authorised the mayor and chairman to deal with the question of replanting Pukuatua Street. Engineer's Report Tlie borough engineer reported, inter alia, that the footpath on the north side of Arawa Street from. Tutanekai Street to Ranolf Street had been repaired. The edges of the bitumen had been built up, grass kerbs had been laid and the water channel partly built up where it had been too deep. The construction of a concrete footpath in Arawa Street near the Palace Hotel had been completed and the laying of a concrete kerb in Eruera Street on the north side between Tutanekai Street and Amohia Street had been commenced. The Rangiuru Street and Lake Front reclamation work was progressing satisfactorily. A fair quantity of rock was being obtained and used for constructing the lake wall. In Fenton Street from the Froude Street intersection on the west side. the footpath and cycle track were being cleared up. The road margin between bitumen and water channel was being cleaned and graded off for grassing and the work was now completed as far as Devon Street. Seven men had been employed at tho motor camp, principally removing superfluous pine trees and splitting these up into sleepers and firewood; a sample fireplace had been constructed.