FITZROY AFFAIRS.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 October 1921, Page 6

FITZROY AFFAIRS.

MEETING OF RATEPAYERS. THE PUBLIC HALL. A meeting of the Fitzroy Ratepayers’ Association was held on Saturday night to discuss a number of matters in connection with suburban affairs. Th-rc was an attendance of about a dozen membor<>, Mr. R. L. Parkin (president) occupying the chair. In response to a letter from the association. the New Plymouth Borough Council wrote intimating that the demand for housing had not sufficiently abated to enable the council to. discontinue using the hall for housing purposes. The chairman explained that upon hearing that some of the tenants were leaving the hall the executive decided to ascertain if possession could be regained. The opinion was expressed by Mr. C. Foote that some further effort should be made. If the position was allowed to stand the tenants would be quite satisfied to remain in occupation without making any efforts to secure other places. The hall was needed for public gatherings, and the council could go to court and get possession the same as other people had to do.

The chairman said the association could hardly advocate turning the tenants out.

A member stated that while one tenent had gone out there were oi four people enquiring after the vacancy. Enquiry was made by Mr. Foote as to whether the council had been paid back the money spent in alterations in fitting up the hall as apartments. It was stated that the' outlay had been about £2OO in return for which the council received a total of about £3 per week in rents. As yet they would therefore not have received back the whole of the money.

Referring to a statement that th? charge of 15s per week included electric light, the secretary (Mr. 0. Johnson; said it might be an instance of cheap housing, in which case the tenants would not seek for other accommodation.

A member informed the meeting that the people in the hall were endeavoring as far as possible to find other accommodation. The ehairman said in view of this the association might let the matter stand over, which was agreed to. GENERAL. It was reported that owing to the price of the necessary wooden guards being prohibitive the executive had not been able to carry out its proposed plans in regard to the further planting of trees in the streets.

A letter was received from the New Plymouth Ratepayers’ Association intimating that the Fitzroy Association’s share of expenses in connection with the last municipal election was £2, and it was decided that this account be paid. Touching on the erection of the shelter-shed at Strandon, which is now nearing completion, the chairman stated that the work had only been made possible through the taking up of a debenture by one of their members (who d-id not wish his name published). This had enabled the Borough Council to provide the finances and a tender foe £125 had been let. The contractor (Mr. Tong) had agreed to put Marseilles tiles on the roof and this would add to the appearance of the shelter. Members were of opinion that the structure was a very satisfactory one. The chairman reported that the proposal that ratepayers should take up debentures in the borough streets loan in order to enable the council to carry out certain of the works on the schedule had not been carried any further, as sufficient support from residents was not forthcoming. He also stated that nothing further had been dqne in regard to the proposed acquisition of part of the Harbor Board leases at Fitzroy for a recreation grounds. The deputation which had been appointed to meet the board had not done so, on account of the absence of the chairman of that body, but it was their intention to attend at the next meeting of the board. The question of arranging an official opening of the new bathing shed was left in the hands of the executive.

It was decided to draw the attention of the Borough Council to the fact that decayed fish deposited at the dump is insufficiently covered, thus causing an offensive smell.