OPUNAKE

Taranaki Daily News, 11 December 1916, Page 3

OPUNAKE

TOWN BOARD. ' (From Our Own Correspondent). The monthly meeting was held on Monday, 4th inst., the members present being: Messrs Dudley (chairman), J. P. Burton, E. Thorpe, 6. A. Million. Mr. Hooker, manager of the South Taranakl Amusements Company, waited on tine Board and asked for a reduction in the hall charges. He pointed out that when showing one night per week the charge was 25.3 (id, but that since they have been showing twice a week the charge has increased to 30s per night. The chairman pointed out that it was raised on account of the 100 per cent, increase on carbide and increase of wages. The manager was of opinion that this hardly excused the increase. The World's Pictures, lie estimated, had made a loss of £3 per week in Opunake. The members thought there was something radically wrong. us there was always a good attendance present. The Board decided to make a rebate of os on Monday nights whilst showing two nights (per week. The company were granted permission to show pictures on Christmas night. Mr. Johnson asked the Board to provide a footpath in Diffonbach street— Tiie foreman was authorised to have the work done. The clerk was given an increase of salary by fc per week, and the fore-, man an increase of a shilling per day. The price of acctvlone gas was raised Is per lfiOft. The ranger was finally notiSc;! that unless unregistered stock were kept off the township the Board would determine his engagement. Messrs Burton and Thorpe were appointed a sub-committee to report on the requirements needed at the hall. The foreman reported that a new, tank was needed urgently, but no action was taken. The foreman estimated that the cost o; providing a footpath from Mr. linker's gate to Havclock street was £lO. —Work authorised. The fees for dog registration were fixed at 2s Cd for cattle dogs and 10s for sporting dogs, the latter being reduced to 7s fid if paid promptly. The foreman submitted alternate recommendations for a culvert on Whitcombe road crossing.—lt was agreed that pipes be put in at a cost of £l3. The Board's representative on the National Park Board (Mr. Kitchingman) worte explaining his criticism of the Board's balance-sheets. He asked the Board and Council to support his proposal to procure a £oo grant from the Park Board for the west track (Ra--liotu way).—The Board decided to support this request. MAGISTRATE'S COURT. At the Magistrate's Court, before Mr. McCarthy, S.M., on Thursday, an interesting case, E. B. Stohr v. Egmont County Council, was decided. Plaintiff claimed £2O 7s for car hire, engagements made by the late county engineer (Mr. Opie). The evidence of'Opie was taken at Havelock (Marlborough). Mr. Marshall appeared for plaintiff, and Mr. Bennett for defendants. The case for the plaintiff was that Opie, while engaged as the servant of" the Council, hired the car for doing Council work. Counsel for the defence ,-aised a nonsuit point that Opie had no authority from the Council to engage the cars, and relied principally on section 141 of the Counties Act. 100 S. wherein it expressly defines that a servant of a Council cannot bind the Council without its expressed authority. The Magistrate said the claim was a reasonable one, and plaintiff's statement was quite feasible, but as there was no authority, expressed or implied, from the Council, Opie had no legal right to engage the ear without that authority. Plaintiff was non-suited, with costs iifi Gs. HARBOR BOARD. A meeting of the Harbor Board was held on Thursday afternoon. Present: Messrs T. 'P. Hughson (.chairman), A. H. Moore, R. Malcolm, R. Lanibie, C. H. Hurst and ,C. A. Woolford. Three tenants of the Board were given notice to grub the gor.se on their section. It was decided to take a poll of ratepayers as soon as possible on the proposal to raise £30,000 by debentures of J ! /» per cent. EGMONT NURSING ASSOCIATION. The animal meeting of the County of Egmont Nursing Association was held on Thursday afternoon, the Rev. O. M. Stent presiding. The secretary (Mr. Macßeynolds) read the balance-sheet,

which showed the Association had a i small credit balance in the bank, kit had a strong financial position under assets. The nurse's report showed that the number of cases attended by her was on the increase, and that £33 had been collected for fees. The members expressed much satisfaction as to the good work done by the Association, and the nurse and secretary were especially complimented. Rev. R. B. Gosnell was appointed chairman for the ensuing year, and Mr. Maeßeynolds was re-appointed secretary.