THE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 52, 23 June 1914, Page 2

THE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

SPECIAL MEEJINC. At the meeting of the Borough Council last night, there were present—The Mayor (Mr W. V- Kirkwood), and CVs. R. McK. Morison, J. B. Richards, J. -Masters, N. J. King, ,). H. Thompson and T. Reader. The meeting was called to deal with motions to rescind two resolution's passed at the June meeting. A STABLE FLOOR, Mr W. G. Malone wrote on behalf of Mr Mark and Messrs Curtis Bros, objecting to the erection of the stable at the Club Hotel without brick walls. On behalf of .Messrs Curtis an offer was made to build any necessary party walls. The Mayor said that since last ordinary meeting he had seen Mr J. D. Healy, architect for the work, and it had been decided to erect brick walls. •He (the Mayor) would give notice that in future no exemption to the brick-wall by-law be made. Cr. Masters then moved to rescind the resolution passed calling for a concrete floor in the stables. He had seconded the motion, but had found since that if there were concrete floors nobody would stable their horses there. " _' •,. , Cr. Richards seconded* He said be did so-with pleasure, as the rescinding of the resolution would also abrogate the permit to erect without brick walls. He had been opposed to the permission being given. Cr King supported the motion. It was true that in the feast the Council had been a bit lax, and it was a step in the right direction to enforce the by-law rigidly; The motion was carried.

THE MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE. Cr. Morison moved the rescission of the resolution appointing Mr J. B. Hine to represent the Council at the Municipal Conference. He said that as regards numbers they were much in the same position as at the ordinary meeting—he thought the matter was one which should be decided by a majority"of the whole Council. Mr Hine had" said he would be pleased to represent the Council, but thought i it would he impossible for him to do so. The Mayor seconded. He said he had Mr Hine, who expressed himself as willing to do all he could for the Council, but said that as he might be called away at any time to vote in an important division in the House of Representatives, he might therefore not be on hand to move and support tlio Council's remits. Personally ho thought it advisable that there should be a representative of the Council present, who would benefit greatly by rubbing shoulders with municipal officers from other towns. When he was at ,the last Conferencejhe had been cnabledTCiTsee much'of the working of the Wellington City Council. Further, the Government were looking for a lead from the conference. Cr! King said Che Council had only one remit going down and. that ,\vas of very little importance. The Council had sent delegates for the past ten or twelve years and none of their remits had ever been passed. As to rubbing shoulders with-other municipal people, he did not think there would be much benefit. Cr. Masters said Mr Hine would not he able properly to represent the Council, being out of touch with the Council's affairs and municipal affairs generally. He would vote for the motion! Cr. Eiehards said he had seconded the original motion, but; he was prepared to take a lead from men with more experience at the Council table. His idea in seconding the motion was that the expense should be saved and he doubted if anuch good jvould result from sending a delegate, down. Cr. Morison said what remits the Council sent down might be of little importance but the remits sent by otlier bodies might be of importance. The motion was carried, and Cr. Morison then moved that the Mayor represent the Council. This was carried by four to two, the noes being Crs. King and Thompson.

PLANS OF SUBDIVISIONS.

The Mayor moved that the following be forwarded as a remit ta the Municipal Conference: / That, provision be made in an amendment to the Municipal Corporations Act for compelling owners, subdivid-

ing their properties where it is nob intended io forip streets, to deposit a plan of the proposed subdivision for tho Council's approval, such plan, alter approval, to lie the property of the Council. The idea was that where subdivisions were made, plans of the streets should ho / provided. Cr. Morison: It i s so now. The Mayor said it was so only in cases where it was intended to proceed with the making of streets. Cr. King seconded. In the past,,, subdivisions bad been made with small frontages. He himself ' bad cut up land into eighths of an acre, but he found that it was too small; He thought a frontage of about 60ft. should be demanded. Cr. Richards said he did not approve, of the Council having power to say how a man should cut up his land, but be thought the Council should have power to demand a sufficient frontage. ' - The Mayor said the Council would not use the power arbitrarily, but he thought the Council should haV-e 'power to stop any subdivision which was not in the best interests of the town. If the remit was asking for too much power, the Conference would not,pass it. Cr. Richards moved as an amendment that the provision for ■the'' approval of the Council of the plans be deleted. Cr. Thompson seconded.

O. King said the motion was evidently framed to deal with "slum" areas, and: lie thought it should only apply to residential areas and, not [to business ureas.

Cr. Masters i said at present,, a : .plan could bo put in and subdivision could proceed. The land might change hands, and then, when building was started the Council had power ;toi step in and prevent building owing to lack of frontage. <■■■ .

The Mayor said it would he difficult to distinguish in a by-law between business and residential areas ; but if the Council had the power asked for they would deal with discretion with each application, and if the Council recognised that, certain land was in a business area it would not he dealt with as if it were in a residential area.

Cr. Morison thought the Council should go to New Plymouth to hear tthe coining lecture on town-planning. The amendment was lost and the motion was carried.

A LESSEE'S ' IMPROVEMENTS. Mr J. 1). Healy waited on the Council on behalf of, Mr Pivac, ' who sired to carry.,out certain permanent improvements on his premises, leased from the Council- the lease: running out in eight years; Mr Pivac. asked that the Council pay about £3O of the cost. " After some discussion as to what work should he paid for, and whether it should be paid at once or at the end of the lease, ijb was decided to at once pay the cost of the brick wall (not'exceeding'"£22).

A GRAZING LEASE. Mr H. W. Kerr-tvas granted'a lease of portion of Juliet Street South. TOWN-PLANNING; Cr. Morison moved that he and the Mayor be a committee to arrange for a lecture or' lectures on townplanning to be given in Stratford by the lecturers now touring New Zealand. Such a .lecture-would be both interesting and entertaining. As the 'borough was a young one, it would be a good idea for the Council to hear of the latest ideas in municipal work. Cr. Thompson seconded. The lecture would be interesting not only 'to members of the Borough Council but also to citizens generally. Cr. Richards said he would support the motion if the lecturers brought a bag of gold with which to improve the town. The motion was carried.