TAIHAPE BOROUGH COUNCIL

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 22 September 1917, Page 4

TAIHAPE BOROUGH COUNCIL

The ordinary monthly meeting \a the Taihape Borough Council wa held last night. Present: Hi s Wor ship the Mayor (A. L. Arrowsmith Esq-), Crs. Wrightson, Healey, Turn bull ? Reid, Champion, Joblijj£ an<! Dashwood. A communication was received from the State Fire Insurance De partment asking '“for an insurance policy over the Council’s property and pointing out the advantages of insuring with the State Office—Letter receives. A letter was received froln ffiekitorney Tor Sergt-Major Hedges, asking for some concession in the matter of rates on his‘property in the borough, as he was on active service. The Mayor considered they should! show some appreciation of the act of a Second Division man enlisting and going with the First Division, not waiting to be called up. He moved that a rebate of one-third be granted to mark this appreciation. Cr Reid said the applicant was a wealthy man, who derived revenue from his rents. Had lie made any concession to his tenants? Cr Wrightson said Sergt-lfiajor Hedges was a man of means. If the.; property wa s his own home he would be in favour of remitting the whole. Cr Joblin supported the motion from patriotic motives. As the applicant had volunteered to fight for his, country. Cr Healey moved as an amendment that no concession whatever should: be made in any ease. If this sort of thing was to go on where would vrerlianas Cr Wrightson seconded the amendand opposed the concession on.. 1 business principles. His Worship explained that Sergt-r Major Hedges was not a rich man. Probably his attorney was making, the request without his knowledge. He had been receiving a salary as eu secretary, and had foregone that and. gone to the front. Granting a concession would not constitute a precedent to bind the Council in granting every request. The amendment was carried. A circular was read from Mr T. P.. Martin on behalf of the Municipal Corporation, dealing with posters, itinerant traders, proportional representation, Anzac Day and municipal etc. The only portion, that brought forth discussion was itiiat. dealing with itinerant, iradesmemor. auctioneers, who, the Mayor considered, bought a lot of goods allegedly bought at a discount, as bankrupt, stock, or from a fire—cheap,, shoddystock picked up which they tried to sell in various towns without paying any licehse.

1 Ci Wrightson was in favour of. stopping them altogether. Cr Joblin presumed the goods wereon display, and people could judge of their quality. Eventually the letter was received. Permission was granted to Mr CaPHI to construct a crossing, subject' to the approval of the borough foreman. A letter was received from MrSwedlund, lessee of the Town Hall,, asking the Council to vary the lease!' The Town Clerk was directed* to make investigations and report at next meeting.

A request was received from the--Old Girls’ Hockey Club asking for a rebate in the charges for the use of the Town Hall on the occasion of’ their social and dance. The Council decided that after deducting the cost, of the lighting the balance be refunded. A request front Mrs Boyd half of the Nurses’ Memorial was dealt with similarly. Permission was refused to E. Hunter to use the Three Star s Theatre? on a Sunday evening for a lecture on Research in Social Science.”

The report of the works committee as follows, wa§ adopted:— That the tender of Messrs Saxton and Anderson for the erection of stables be accepted. That in view of Mr P. Kearins vacating the Oval Do* main as requested by the Council on the 20th September next, he be granted the use of it for grazing purposes from the time the CotTncil has harested the hay crop to be grown thereon this season until 20th September, 1918, at a rental for the said period of £lO 15s. The rent of the present broken period to be paid forthwith. That Mr S. C. Snow, of Wanganui, asphalt contractor, be in-' formed that the Council has allowed him plenty of time to fulfil his promise to complete sertain asphalting works in front of Mr Ellis Robinson’s premises in Main Street to the satisfaction of the borough foreman, and Such work being still incomplete he' be notified to that effect and requested to attend to the matter at once. Electric Light arid Waterworks Committee Report—That the CSfcj&il offer to supply the current free for a light on Mataroa Road at the first bend beyond the Pound, if, the resl- | dents in the vicinity win bear the cost of the erection thereof (approx!-

partment be notified, through the Area Officer at Marton, that the Council will grant permission for a lamp to be erected 'at side of road overiooking school grounds subject to the work being- carri£u out under the diLrection of the Council’s electrical enand the Department undertaking to pay all costs in connection with the proposed work, and for such current as Is used from time to time. Having authorised toe electrical engineer to employ a returned soldier as an extra wireman in the electrical department. Your Committee recommends: That the Railway Department be informed that the offer of the Taihape Borough Council to supply electric current at at flat rate of 4d per unit for station buildings at Taihape will only remain open until tff§ 13th prox.—Adopted. That the report of the Town Clerk and Treasurer "Be received and the recommendation therein contained adopted, and that the office be open to the Public dn~week-days from 9.30 a.m. to 4 p.m., excepting S.aturdaySj on which defy the Office to be open from 9.30 a.m. to noon. That application be made "under Section 124 of ‘‘The Public Revenues Act 1910” for to print the annual Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for 1916 in pamphlet form only. The report ot~the borough foreman on work done during the month was read, reference being made to a portion of a pipe culvert being washed away on Rum Road, causing a hole in the road. This portion had been taken up and replaced with wood. A suggestion was made that the remaining pipes be taken up and the wooden culvert completed. Attention was drawn to the grass dh the channelled side of footpaths in the sidestreets of the borough, which prevented the water running into the channels, and recommending that the grass be clipped and carted away. • The Town Clerk’s report was submitted, which stated j among other matters, that, excluding current accounts for water supply and electric light, there is owing to the Council by sundry debtors from Ist April, 1915, to 31st March ? 1917, for rates, £373 3 S 3d; rents, £307 Os 9S; electrical current, sundries, and* general, £541 4s 6d; theatre and rents, £27 5s 6d. .Total, £1248 14s. I would therefore respectfully suggest that I be given authority to employ Mir Duncan to endeaveour to collect and inquire into iWffiose outstanding. When in conver—eation with Mr Burgis he informed me that he had no proper authority to act as Inspector of Buildings j and as he is a practical man and is willing to undertake the duties, I would suggest that he be officially appointed Inspector of Buildings under the Borough By-12Ws. An informal discussion took place on the question of considering the sanitary bylaws, but it was pointed out by the Mayor that it was too late to do so at this meeting. It would take several hour s to do this effectively. It was decided to defer the matter to enable councillors to get acquainted with the draft of the bylaws before the meeting Cr Wrightson brought up the question of extending the drainage from Mr Aldridge’s residence to that of T« Bradley. The extension would probably cost £lB, and he understood Mr Bradley was willing to pay rates accordingly. Though outside the drainage area he said the extension was : vital necessity. Ub moved that the work be done, and that Mr Bradle pay rates in accordance with the cost. This was agreed to. The Council then adjourned till October 19th.