SHANNON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Shannon News, 18 October 1929, Page 3

SHANNON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

FORTNIGHTLY. MEETING. The 'above meeting was held in the Council Chambers on Tuesday evening. Present: The Mayor (Mr E. Butt), and Crs. R. Downes,‘T. C. Thwaites, R. Hook, Jas. Curran, jun., Jas. Curran, sen., S. Anderson and A. E. Hyde.

LETTER OF THANKS. The Secretary, iS'hannon ' Athletic Club, wrote conveying thanks and appreciation for ike Council’s assistance in the tarring of the cycle track on the Domain. —Receiv ed. SIGNPOSTS TO BE ERECTED. With refeience to sign posts directing .traffic on the Foxton-Shannon main

highway, the secretary of the Man'iwatu Automobile Association wrote stating that authority had been given for the erection of the posts required. —Received. SHANNON CRICKET CLUB 1 . The Shannon Cricket Club wrote asking permission to use the Domain for ■cricket during the season. As next Saturday is the opening day of tlie season and there is a likelihood of a match being placed locally, the cutting of the grass before the 19th would be appreciated.—lt was decided to grant the use of the ground, but to take no action in respect to cutting the glass. MAIN HIGHWAY SUBSIDIES.

Replying to a communication from the Town Clerk, the District Enggineer of the Main Highway Board, wrote stating that no subsidy will be available this,year for any work, maintenance excepted, on the Main Highways through the borough, this remark not applying to Sheehan Street. A subsidy on £1 for £1 basis cannot be exceeded for work and permanent surfacing such as penetration and hot- mix, Ordinary s-aling work-is classified as maintenance and subsidised/ on a £2 for £1 basis. The Mayor: That knocks the bottom out of any idea of permanent surfacing through the borough this year. We cannot go to the ratepayers for a loan unless we can chow that we can get a £2 for £1 subsidy. Cr. Hyde said he would like the Council to come to something definite as to whether they were going to permanent surface the main road, before going to the Highway Board for a subsidy.

Cr. Thwaites said that it was a waste of time for the Council to sit there and pester the Main Highway Board for n £2 for £1 subsidy, -if they were not going to do the work. Cr. Downes said that, before committing himself tc a definite decision, lie would like to see plans and specifications. They had been told the work would cost roughly £10,000; but it might cost £12,000 or even only £BOOO. Further discussion followed, during which a quote for carrying out the survey. plans and specifications was rea l from the engineers of a firm of road constructors, when it was decided to hold the matter over. The Town Clerk being instructed to write and thank the engineers for their offer, pointing out that the Highway Board hardly know where they stand at the present time and ask if they will hold their offer over for a few months. FOREMAN’S REPORT.

The Borough Foreman. (F. Haley) reported that during the past fortnight 39 yards of metal had been carted on the two main highways. Have completed the shoulder on the south side, Sheehan Street to the bridge approach and tiie inside shoulder is being filled with metal. The scarifier and grader have been working on the worst parts of Main Highways No. 60. The fence around the newly constructed plot in Pliinmer Terrace is completed and a privet hedge planted. —Received. LEASING DF UNUSED STREETS. Cr. Downes, on behalf of the committee appointed to bring down a report on the question of leasing unused streets in the borough, reported that they had two proposals to put forward, viz., (1) That it be a recommendation to the Council that the matter be held over to see how the remit on this matter fares at the next Municipal Association’s Conference. (2) That a minimum rental of 12s 6d per acre or part of an acre be charged for first class land and for other lands •7s 6d per acre or part acre. He said (hat with the money involved, roughly £lO, and the -time, it did not warrant the Council taking action. Cr. Hyde: If the Council are only going to got £lO and as it will give the Town Clerk a lot of botliei, besides causing ill-feeling between neighbours, it would be better to leave the matter over till 'after the Municipal Conference. This recommendation was approved

of. A REMIT. The following remit, on the proposal of the Mayor, is to be forwarded to the next Municipal Conference: “That, land agents’ license fees be paid 1o the local body where the license is issued.” The Town Clerk stated that at present the fee is paid to the Internal Affairs Department. The Town Clerk reported that acting on instructions from the Finance Committee he had communicated with the Public Works Department witlr a view’ of reaching finality re the Council’s share of the cost of the new FoxtonShannon Manawntu bridge and road approach. He said that this matter was some two years -old. He had been informed that other local bodies had paid up. He had received no communications from the Public Works Department. The Council ;s s-ha’.e w r as not, to exceed £1350. —The action of the Committee was confirmed. FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

The Town Clerk tabled the statement of the various accounts for the half year ending 30th September, also an estimate of receipts and expenditure for the balance of the year:—

The Mayor reported that the Finance Committee had met and considered the statement. There being no comment by the Council the statement was adopted.