WAITARA.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 August 1921, Page 5

WAITARA.

BOROUGH COUNCIL. (From Our Own Correspondent.) August 24. A special meeting of the Waitara Borough Council was held on Monday evening. Present: The Mayor, Crs. Johns, Johnston, Blair, Jones and Ogle. The council first sat as a Domain Board to consider tenders for the right to cut and remove a lj>elt of 27 macrocarpa trees from the group reserve. Mr. Len Old was the only tenderer at the price of £lO, and his tender was accepted. It is the intention to plant a Lawsoniana hedge in place of these trees.

The secretary of the Taranaki Rugby Uhion wrote protesting at the increase of 20 per cent, on gate takings at football matches, and remarked that other places only charged 10 per cent. If the council insisted on the 20 per cent, they would have to secure another gropnd. Councillors thought that the charges were reasonable, seeing that every penny received was spent on the ground. Cr. Johns moved that the union be informed that the domain had not been paying for itself under ' the previous charge, and that in any case all the money received was spent on the ground. Cr. Ogle asked why should the Rugby Union dominate the ground. The motion was carried.

The council resumed to council business and dealt with a letter received from the Bank of New Zealand asking for fresh arrangement? to be made relative to the council's indebtness of £6300 due on account of electric light debentures. The bank’s letter was as follows: “Re electric light loan, etc.— This advance was sanctioned as far back as February, 1917, and as we see no prospect of clearance being effected by sale of the remaining debenture? unless the rate of interest is increased to that now current, we desire that the council obtain authority from the Government to pay 7 per cent., at which figure, plus 1 per cent, commission, we believe we could place the debentures in SydneyWe may say that the Government has, in a number of cases, authorised a 7 per cent, rate on the understanding that the debentures should be sold outside of New Zealand. The demands of termers and traders on ue for accommodation are very heavy, and it is so important they should bo met that we do not feel justified in continuing to lock up our funds in dead loans ” On the motion of Cr. Ogle action was postponed pending information from the Government.

The Works Committee reported that 630 yards of metal was required to do tbe road from the cemetery to the pound corner, and 375 yards would be needed to do Manokoriki Hill. It was decided to undertake to do the firstnamed portion providing the county roller is obtainable.

In connection with the proposal to plant trees on Broadway by the Memorial Committee, the Mayor said it would be necessary for owner’ of properties to remove the fence which encroaches on the road In regard to the levelling of the street, the committee could not undertake to do this dn account of funds. Owners of properties concerned are to be requested to move the fences. It was decided to ask Mr. Dowsett (the engineer) to take levels of Broadway.

GENERAL NEWS. During the epidemic Mrs. Dr. Campbell kindly gave her time to whoever .cared to learn home nursing, and some 15 or 16 members tern. _d a class and made the most of this opportunity. On Tuesday afternoon the members entertained Mre. Campbell in the Blanket rooms. After tea had been partaken or Mrs. Birdling presented Mrs. Campbell tyith a handsome Doulton jug. Mrs. Campbell, in replying, said she had only been too pleased to have helped in any way. She had been very happy in Waitara, and would not like to think she was saying good-bye to her Waitara friends, and hoped she would often sec them in New Plymouth, where they are taking up their residence until some future time.

The Rev. Mr. Gavin, who has been far from well lately, became suddenly ill whilst preaching in the Anglican Church on Sunday last, and was unable to proceed. It is with regret that we hear of the death of Mr. C. Harper, who was until lately manager for Messrs. T. Borthwick’s works. Men of Mr. Harper’s calibre are hard to lose. He was a thorough gentleman in all his dealings, and was most respected by the employees of the Waitara works.

Mr. H. Brabant, the secretary of the local branch of the Returned Soldiers’ Association, has been trying to arrange an exhibit of the Government war trophies at Waitara, but word has been received that it cannot be done. The Soldiers’ Memorial Committee held a meeting on Friday last, when a small number of subscribers attended, the Mayor presiding. The Mayor referred to the scheme brought forward by Mr. Ogle for establishing an entrance to the camp reserve by way of Broadway, and said the proposal of this committee to establish an avenue of trees along Broadway as a memorial was relative to the completion of a road to be established to the camp. The idea was to have each tree bearing the name of each deceased soldier. Mr. Marlowe moved that an avenue of trees bo established bearing the names of tallest geldiers on a Atone ot* slab />•«

be determined by the committee set up to carry the project through. Mr. Huse moved as an amendment that the memorial take the form of a stone monument. On being put to the meeting Mr. Marlowe's motion for an avenue of trees was carried. The following committee was appointed to purchase trees and arrange for the planting forthwith: The Mayor, Rev. Gavin, Messrs. Nosworth u and Marlowe. The committee are ho »p ful that the planting will be done by voluntary labor.