GREYTOWN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 December 1938, Page 9

GREYTOWN

MEETING OF BOROUGH COUNCIL LOCAL CENTENNIAL MEMORIAL. REST ROOM PROJECT. (“Times-Age” Special.) The Mayor, Mr A. W. Horton, presided at the monthly meeting of the Greytown Borough Council, held last night. It was decided to apply to the Health Department for permission to appoint Mr H. A. Truman, district health inspector, to the position of borough building inspector. A resolution was passed giving Mr Truman power to issue certificates of closing orders. It was resolved that at the next estimates meeting a sum be set aside for the purchase of a standardised set of bylaws. The Mayor said that eight or nine years ago the council appointed a committee to go into the question of new by-laws. It was then found, however, that it would cost about £3OO. It would now be possible to obtain a standard set for £25 or £3O. The balance sheet for the year ended March 31 was returned by the Audit Department, certified as correct. There were no tags. The Featherston County Council advised that Councillors Q. Donald and L. J. Thompson had been appointed to co-operate on any committee the council might set up under the Physical Welfare and Recreation Act. In the course of a brief discussion on a local centennial memorial, the Mayor suggested that the council should cooperate with the local branch of the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union in securing an up-to-date ladies’ rest room. It would be a good thing for the town and for the residents. Councillors agreed with the suggestion and it was decided that the Mayor and the Town Clerk interview the executive of the division on the matter and report to the next meeting of the council. It was stated that the .council had no objection to the title of the building being vested in the Women’s Division. “There is only one thing to do with that,” remarked Mr Horton when referring to a letter from the Westport Coal Company stating that owing to increased costs the price of coal would be increased by Is a ton as from December 19. The Town Clerk said that the increased price and the additional 10 per cent in freight charges would mean an increased cost to the council of £7O a year. The Minister of Finance, the Hon W. Nash, wrote stating that he had discussed with the State Advances Corporation the letter of the council relating to the question of advances for the purpose of bringing houses up to a reasonable standard. It was. not possible to lay down any general rules as each case required to be considered on its merits and was a matter for the individual owner to bring up. However, the council .might take it that in every case where the corporation was already concerned as mortgagee and the dwelling was capable of satisfactory renovation at an economic cost, it would be pleased to consider an application for' the necessary further advance. Where, however, the mortgage was privately held the house owner’s first approach should be to his present mortgagee, who no doubt was interested in the maintenance of the security. Alternatively, if the value of the property was sufficient, application might be made to the corporation for a loan to refinance the existing liability and carry out the desired renovations. In considering each such an application, the age and structural condition of the buildings was a material factor. The Public Works Department advised that this year’s reconstruction and sealing programme would include the length from the southern borough boundary to near Hospital Road. It was not anticipated that a start would be made before the New Year.