MASTERTON TRUST LANDS TRUSTEES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9089, 14 May 1908, Page 5

MASTERTON TRUST LANDS TRUSTEES.

MONTHLY MEETING

The Masterton Trust Lands Trustees met hst evening. PresentMessrs T. B. Michell (chairman), T. ■ Waggr,'" >C. E. Daniell, E. G. Eton, W, H. Jackson, E. McEwen and R. Krahagen.

The treasurer reported a dr. balance of Os 3d.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Ths Wellington Harbour Board wrote acknowledging receipt of draft debenture form and copies of balance sheet for 1907, and icquiring further information re position of Trust in regard to the £IO,OOO loan.

The Chairman said the information asked had now been supplied.

Messrs Izard and Weston vvote returning draft form of debenture and approving of sama with certain additions. It was decided to ha\e a number of the debentures printed. The Masterton School Committee wrote heartily thanking the Trustees for tne continuous and generous support given by the Trust to the school. Mr C. A. Pownall wrote on behalf of Mr J. Bulpitt asking the Trustees to get the consent of the Borough Council to the right-of-way shown on the plan of Jiis lease to enable him to get same registered.

The chairman was instructed to ascertain the legal position regarding the lease. Mr H. C. L. Robinson wrote asking for the loan of the large map of Trust property, as he intended to use same at a public meeting he was about to call in support of his candidature for a seat on the Trust. — Granted. The Masterton South Brass Band made a written application for a grant to assist them in paying for their instiuments.

It was decided to hold the rapplication over until the annual grants were discussed, which w.Il be shortly.

ACCOUNTS,

Accounts amounting to £73 7s 3d were passed for parent. DEPUTATIONS.

A deputation from the Masterton Fire Board, composed of Messrs 0. Pragnell, J. H. Pauling, J. C. Ewington and R. Brown, wait;d upon the Trustees on matters connected with the Fire Brigade. / Mr Pragnell, the first speaker, said the deputation was not seeking the customary grant, but \yished t« submit some business propositions. The Board wished to know upon what terms the Trustees would grant a surrender of the present lease of the brigade's premises in Church street and grant a renewal for 21 years. Another proposition which the Board wished to make was for the Trustees to erect a building on a suitable site —for instance on the "Age" block, out of the money which the Trust had made arrangements to borrow for building purposes, Mr Pragnell said the Board were not peeking a concession in any way, but wished to obtain a substantial building on as good terms as the Trustees could offer. The speaker asked for a reply in time to be dealt with at a meeting of the Buard to-morrow night. The request of the deputation regarding the erection of a new building was favourably received by the Trustees.

In reply to questions Mr Pragnell said that a brick building would be required, at a cost, roughly, of from £I,OOO to £1,500, as near as he could sav off hand. It was agreed by the Trustees that a surrender of the present leasehold in Church street could be given if a new building were erected by the Trust, and the following resolution was carried unaimously:—-Con-ditionally pn the Fire Board taking up a Trust' lease of a new building a surrender of the present lease be granted on equitable terms. Mr Pauling said the Chapel street frbntage of the "Age" section was preferable to the Lincoln road frontage, as it was really no distance further from town and traffic would be less impediment. A twostorey building would be needed. The position of the present leasehold was then discussed, Mr Pragnell asking that an alternative offer in regard to this be submitted.

Mr Daniell rroved that a surrender be granted, and a new lease offered of the Church street leasehold at a rental of £55 per year, with improvement clause. Seconded by Mr Jackson and carried unanimously.

question of the probable cost to the Board of a new building was then discussed at length, the Board being informed that the Trust's terms were the usual ones of 5 per cent, on tli2 ground valup, and 8 per cent, on the .building value, terms which the Board considered very reasonable. It was decided to fix the area of the proposed site, which will be in Chapel street, at not more than GOft frontage by 80ft depth, and that Messrs Michel!, McEwen, Eton, Daniell and Jackson be appointed to confer with' the Fire Board concerning details. Another deputation composed of Captains McKillop and Brighting and Lieut. Whittaker, of the two Masterton Volunteer Corps, waited upon the Trustees to ask that the rent of the Drill Hall be reduced and that a new floor be put down in the Hall. Captain McKillop,- the first speaker, said that the present floor was very unsuitable now for dancing, and it was only by letting the hall for dancing that the Volunteers were able to pay their rent. Captain Brighting said the floor was just about worn out for dancing purposes, although it was quite suitable for drill purposes. The Volunteers had effected considerable improvements themselves. The feeling among the Trustees was that they were not in a position to reduce the rent, while the renewing of the floor was also a heavy item which the Trustees were diffident. in facing. The matter was eventually- held over until next meeting; in the meantime a report to be prepared showing the rents received from and money expended on the hall during the past five years. The, following report, to be submitted at the annual meeting of the trust Lands Trust voters, on Friday next, was adopted:—Your'Trustees haiVef much pleasure In' submitting a report of 1 the work done' and a statement of accounts for the' year ended March' Sist; l!) 0'&. VVe regret'that

we have been unable to get the balance sheet audited in time for the annual meeting. When the audit inspector has certified to it, the bal-ance-sheet will be printed and circulated through the daily papers. The income for the past year from the leasehold rentals was £1,034 lis 3d, being an increase of £67 7s 3d over last year's leasehold returns. The weekly rentals also show an increase of £22 16s 4d, being £279 17* lOd ad against £257 Is Gd of last year, making an aggregate increase of £990 3s 7d over the pi'evious year's rentals. [ The following grants have been made: —District High School, capitation, £94 7s; St. Patrick's School, capitation, £26 4s; Fernridge School, £25; Te Ore Ore School, £l4 15s; Teehncal school, annual, £100; Seddon Memorial Technical School, special grant for new building, £250; Masterton Public Library, £25; Masterton Municipal Brass Band, £2O; Masterton Municipal Fire Brigade, £10; Masterton Fire Police, £5; sundry grants, £3 lis: total, £573 17s. In furtherance of the establishment of the Technical School Building your Trustees have granted a lease of 21 years of that portion of Town Acre 89, on which the old Salvation Army Barracks stand, as well as giving a special donation of £250 in aid of the Building fund. The Scholarship Endowment Fund now stands with a credit of £164 3s 6d. Out of this fund the sum of £SO was given this year by your Trustees to students prosecuting their studies at the University who had matriculated from the Masterton District High School. The gross receipts of the Town Hall for the year ending March 31st, 1908, were £293- 6s 9d, a slight increase on the previous year's receipts. Having had to expend a considerable amount of money in concreting the basement of the Town Hall, as well as painting the front of the building, and B decoration and chairs for the inside, the credit balance of this account is less than at the end of the previous year. The retiring members at the annual election to be held on Thursday, May 28th, 1908, are Messrs Michell, McEwen and Hessey, who are eligible for.re-election. The sum of £2O has been paid off the Town Hall Loan, thus reducing the indebtedness to £I,OOO. POLLING BOOTHS. The returning officer reported respecting polling booths for the forthcoming election, stating that he could make satisfactory arrangements for booths at Upper Plain and Lansdowne. It was decided to have four booths as usual, one at Lansdowne and Upper Plain and at the Drill Hall and Kuripuni Fire Station. TENDERS FOR PAINTING. Four tenders were opened for the painting of two cottages in South Queen street. That of Mr W. P. Snelgrove, at £24, was accepted.