FEATHERSTON

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 August 1938, Page 7

FEATHERSTON

MEETING OF BOROUGH COUNCIL FINANCES AND SUBSIDISED LABOUR (“Times-Age” Special). The Mayor, Mr J. W. Card, presided at the monthly meeting of the Featherston Borough Council, held last night. Others present were:— Councillors M. B. Tait, T. G. Hardie, J. S. Viles, R. F. Watson, B. B. Donald, and C. C. Kenward. Apologies for absence werel received from Councillors C. R. Skippage, W. Johnston and H. Cundy.

It as reported that receipts since the last meeting amounted to £714 14s 4d. Accounts amounting to £336 16s 5d were passed. The various borough accounts were in credit as follow: —District fund, £415 7s 7d; cemetery trust, £l3 2s lid; domain, £2B 17s lid; mayor’s relief, £lll 14s; library, £29 6s 7d; water supply, £2439 16s. An application was received from the Wairarapa Racing Club for the hire of some plant, and the services of one man, for the purpose of carrying out work on the footpath at the racecourse. The application was granted.

A letter was received from the Minister of Labour giving permission for the council to employ subsidised labour on work other than kerbing and channelling, for which the labour was originally subsidised. The State Advances Corporation advised that it was* taking the title to a section opposite the Anzac Club and belonging to the Wairarapa Trading Company. Army Headquarters, New Zealand Military' Forces, wrote asking if the personnel attending the engineers’ course to be held from September 20 to 22 could bivouac in thje Featherston Town Hall on those'nights. It was decided to grant the application at a fee of £2 a day. The Prime Minister, the Rt Hon M. J. Savage, wrote thanking the council for its resolution in connection with the construction of the Rimutaka tunnel, and stating that he and his colleagues joined in thanking the members of the council for their kind message of congratulation. A Wellington firm of solicitors advised that a section at the corner of Ludlow and Renall Streets was reserved as an endowment in aid of the borough funds. .

It was decided to lease the section to the Public Works Department for 21 years at £1 a year.

The Wairarapa and Ruahine Aero Club wrote thanking the council for its donation of £5. A letter was received from Mr H. F. Toogood, engineer, stating that there would be a delay of four weeks in the arrival of the Sin. pipes for the water mains from the reservoir. He also asked the council to consider when it would be desirable to call tenders for the laying of the pipes and constructing the headworks and dam.

It was decided to call tenders for the work about the time the pipes arrived in November.

The Valuation Department advised that a subsidy of £132 7s 6d was being forwarded in respect of rates collected during 1937-38. The Featherston County Council wrote stating that at present it could not spare any crushed metal. The Sanitary Inspector reported that there had been no cases of notifiable infectious disease in the borough during the past three months. It was an excellent record. Measles were not a notifiable disease. Water supply and milk samples taken were found to be satisfactory. The secretary of the Red Cross Society wrote stating that as no notification had been received from headquarters and as they were not functioning at present it was not intended to take any action in connection with the appeal for Spanish Refuge Children.

It was resolved to contribute £2 each to the Spanish and the Chinese War Refugee Children’s fund. “Personally,” remarked the Mayor, “I think these things should be done by the State.” The Mayor stated that the kerbing and channelling work carried out in the borough had cost the council about £lO a chain for materials. The council 'was not responsible for the wages. “I think it is a matter for individuals and not for the council,” observed the Mayor when referring to an appeal for contributions to the Dr. Ada Patterson Memorial Fund. A number of stock firms wrote drawing attention to the deplorable condition of the stock route. In wet weather, it was stated, cattle would not proceed along the route while it was almost impossible to get sheep through. The firms asked that the drains be cleaned out, gorse removed and some sort of a metal track put down.

The Works Committee is to investigate the matter and it was suggested that unemployed labour should be utilised in cleaning out the drains and grubbing the gorse. When that work is completed it is proposed to employ the men on cleaning up footpaths. LADIES’ GOLF COMPETITION An eclectic round was played on the Gum Grove links by the ladies with the following result: —Mrs McCarty, 3 points, 1; Mrs Malyon, 2 points, 2; Mrs Turnbull, 1 point, 3. A medal round is to be played next Wednesday afternoon.