BOROUGH OF OPUNAKE

Taranaki Daily News, 30 September 1940, Page 10

BOROUGH OF OPUNAKE

YALUATIONS INCREASE Gross capital valuation of the Opunake borough for 1940, as determined on the completion of revaluation, which came into effect as from April 1 last, was £25.211 in excess of that for 1939. and rateable valuation showed a corresponding increase, said the town clerk, Mr. C. N. Thayer, in reporting to the Opunake Borough Council on Thursday the receipt of final figures from the Valuation Department. Unimproved value in 1940 aggregated £67.250, as compared with £69,625. a decline of £2375, but the valuation of improvemcnts rose by £27.586 from £170,339 in 1939 to £197.925 in 1940. The aggregate capital valuation was now £265,175, as ■against £239.964 in the preceding year. Gross rateable valuation for the current year was stated to be £229.075, comprising unimproved £56,580 and improvements £172,495, and that figure was £18,282 above that for 1939. While at the report date the bank balance was in credit, payment of accounts and the transfer to harbour fund account would produce in the district fund account a debit of £230 4s 5d, continued Mr. Thayer. The position of the account had been improved by the receipt of the Government subsidy on rates for the year ending March 31, 1940, amounting to £161 7s lld. For the previous year the amount of the subsidy received was £154 10s 5d and for the current. year a sum of £155 had been estimated on that account. Expenditure on Highways. The expenditure of the following amounts on highways maintenance within the borough had been approved: Main highway, £107; Ihaia Road, £30; Beach Road, £52. Owing to the work involved in picking up spoil after the grading of shoulders by the Main Highways Board, it was anticipated that the grant would not be sufficient to cover all proposed work for the current year and. if application for a supplementary grant was declined, some of the programme would have to be left in abeyance. Books withdrawn from the library shelves and various publications given by citizens had been forwarded to the cr.rri" at Waverley to provide reading for soldiers. Mr. Thayer reported. Further consignments would be forwarded as dirCcted by the rural library service. The position of the hall account for ti" e first six months of the year was satisfactory, booking fees of £41 17s 6d comparing with an estimate for the full ' year of £70. Crockery hire charges and | breakage fees also were in line with the estimated figiure. ' The town clerk reported that the issue of building permits for the first half of the current year revealed a decline in building activity as compared with the preceding six months. when, apart from State houses, for which no permits were issued, there was a considerable amount involved in additions to buildings. In all, four permits had been issued for the period to date, representing work valued at £660. and the comparable figure for the SeptemberMarch period was £3794, 13 permits being issued in that time, mainly for additions.

Fuel Cosf Details. Supply of sanitation pans in a heavier material than that previously used had been arranged with the former contractor, the works committee reported, a fairly substantial advance in costs being the result. Inquiries were being made as to the cost of a further supply. With a fuel consumption of approximately six miles to the gallon, the truck had covered 825 miles in the period to date. Average costs, including insurance but not depreciation, were 7.37d a mile. Responsibility for payment in respect of a consignment of sealing material found to be not up to standard had been declined, the committee reported, but a further consignment had been satisfactory and completion of the order had been authorised. 7'mber for the erection of movable staging at the drill hall for use at entertainments had been given by Mr. H. Clement and the building work had been undertaken voluntarily by Crs. W. E. Gunson and H. G. Davey. The council indicated its support of the stand adopted by Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., in opposition to the proposed legislation amending the Shops and Offices Act. The position envisaged by Mr. Wilkinson was of serious concern not only to the farming community but also to the working classes, commented Cr, G. Feaver, Approval of Lease. Legislative approval of the proposed lease in respect of the Egmont County Council's depot had been given in a clause of the Local Legislation Act, the Department of Internal Affairs advised. Further correspondence from the Department of Lands and Survey dealt with the vesting of sections comprising the golf links as a recreation reserve in the council as the domain board. A request by a license-holder for the refund of the grazing fee in respect of a licensed cow which had died was granted.

The Mayor. Mr. A. J. Brennan, and Cr. G. Feaver were appointed as the council's representatives on the locai executive formed in connectior, with the formation of a Home Guard unit. The works committee was instructed to investigate the growth of gorse and lupins on roads and reserves in the borough and to take necessary action. A decline in gate receipts in respect I of Rugby matches played at the domain during the 1940 season was revealed in (he return provided by the Opunake Football Club. Gross takings for 4he season were £62 17s 6d as compared with £77 13s 6d in the preceding year. The council considered the question of further improvements to the football ground, but decided that, apart from some light top-dressing. no major scheme of deveiopment was required. The surface appeared to have settled down and the area was now well grassed, it was reported.