ONEHUNGA COUNCIL

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1048, 12 August 1930, Page 11

ONEHUNGA COUNCIL

BOROUGH’S OMISSION FROM WATER BOARD UNCERTAIN POSITION Notwithstanding the omission of Onehunga from the list of towns and boroughs included in the proposed Auckland Water Board district, a feeling of insecurity was evinced by members of the Onehunga Borough Council at its usual fortnightly meeting last evening. Cr. J. Filkington introduced the subject by saying that although the Mayor and town clerk had been assured by the town clerk of Mount Eden that Onehunga had not been included in the proposed district, he thought that when copies of the Bill now before Parliament came to hand its provisions should be carefully scrutinised and that if it contained any proposal, direct or implied, involving the Onehunga water supply, the Mayor should be empowered to wire a protest to the Prime Minister and Mr. W. J. Jordan, the member for Manukau.

As the result of the discussion the Mayor, Mr. E. Morton, undertook to see that the interests of the borough’s water supply were fully safeguarded when the Bill came up for the second reading.

The finance committee reported having gone into a sick insurance scheme for the council’s employees, whereby each man. by contributing 10s a year, would receive sick pay at the rate of £1 10s a week for certain specified disorders. The committee recommended that the council subsidise the premiums with an equal amount, so that by the payment of £1 a year employees would receive £3 a week during sickness. It was decided to place the scheme before the staff and to reconsider the proposal at a future meeting. The Auckland City Council forwarded a cheque for £499 17s lid, being the council’s share of heavytraffic licence fees for the quarter ended June 30 last.

The Onehunga Citizens’ Band was given permission to play in the borough on Friday evenings. PUBLIC RESERVES ACT

The Commissioner of Crown Lands notified that steps were being taken to bring Fergusson Domain under the provisions of the Public Reserves. Domains and National Parks Act. 1928. The Mayor, Mr. E. Morton, was appointed the council’s delegate to attend a conference of local bodies at Newmarket on August 21 to discuss the probable introduction during the present session of Parliament of a proposal to amend the Auckland Transport Act to provide for the election of members of the Transport Board to be taken over the whole district.

An offer by the Railway Department to lease a portion of its reserve at Te Papapa as a site for a shelter shed for £5 a year was declined and the foreman was instructed to submit plans of a shelter to be erected on the footpath at the bus terminus. It was decided to request Mr. W. J. Jordan, M.P.., strongly to oppose the abolition or reduction of lieavy-trafiic licences and the previous resolution by which the council had decided to take no action was rescinded.