CARTERTON BOROUGH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 April 1939, Page 7

CARTERTON BOROUGH

MONTHLY MEETING OF COUNCIL TWIT’ —■ ’■ ? FREE LIBRARY QUESTION. WORK FOR PAST YEAR. ("Times-Age” Special.) The monthly meeting of the Carterton Borough Council was held in the Borough Chambers last evening. Mr D. L. Taverner (Mayor) presiding. There were also present: Councillors J. Udy, R. A. Copeland, Miss O. W. Wolters, C. J. DeLacey, W. A. Hart, C. Stevens, L. M. Clark, H. Mortensen and the Town Clerk, Mr P. A. Cole. An apology for absence was received from Councillor E. McKenzie.

The treasurer reported that the deposit at Post Office Saving Bank as £l5lB 17s lOd and a credit balance at the Bank of New Zealand of £206 Ils lOd. • A ■Accounts amounting to. £739 12s were passed for payment. The Carterton Volunteer Fire Brigade forwarded an Invitation to Mayor and Councillors to be present at the annual reunion at the Fire Station on May 6. The Wairarapa Electric Power Board wrote regarding mercury vapour street lighting between Belvedere and Pembroke streets. The matter was referred to the Works Committee.

Mrs F. M. Trapp, secretary of the Plunket Society, wrote thanking the council for a grant towards the funds of the Society. A letter was received from the Wairarapa Automobile Association drawing attention to over-hanging trees on the Brooklyn Road and Kent Street railway crossings, which are considered a danger, and asking the council to have the same removed.

Wairarapa Pictures Ltd., Masterton, wrote applying for a licence for the State Theatre for meetings, dances, etc. —The request was granted. The Works Committee’s report and the Gas Committee’s report were read and adopted. It was resolved to purchase a section of land in Brooklyn Road for the purpose of a gravel pit at the price of £5O. It was pointed out that the present pit in Brooklyn Road had just about exhausted its usefulness. The free library question was again before the council, and after discussion it was decided to take no action in the matter. Councillors contended that the rate to be levied was too high for the ratepayers to bear at present. The Clerk was instructed to write to a property owner in Brooklyn Road requesting that trees be cut back from the railway crossing. DEPUTATION TO COUNCIL. A deputation from the Carterton District High School, consisting of the chairman. Mr H. J. McKenzie, and the headmaster, Mr W. E. Fossette, waited upon the council and asked that traffic outside the school be prohibited from using the land that had been given to the school until such time as it was required by the borough. The objection was raised that during dances the property was used by those attending such functions. They would also like the practice of people using it to take short cuts stopped. It was mentioned by the Mayor that it was not within the council’s jurisdiction to prohibit the use of the particular ground referred to as it was a dedicated road and unless an enabling Bill were put through Parliament for the school to acquire the property nothing in the way of preventing people from using.it could be forced by the council. The deputation thanked the Mayor and Councillors for receiving them. After discussion the Clerk was instructed to write to the School Committee to the effect that as the property under discussion was a dedicated road the council could take no action. FINANCE AND CONSTRUCTION WORK. The following report was placed before the council:—ln reporting to the I council on the finances and various constructional works carried out during the year ended March 31, 1939, it is to be noticed that though considerably increased costs accrued both for material and wages the position at the close of the year shows a cash credit in the District Fund Account of £1715 16s Id as against £1614 16s 9d at March 32, 1938. The total outstanding rates amount to £948 12s, the corresponding figure at March 31, 1938, being £997 Bs. The gasworks cash credit at March 31. 1939 stood at £223 3s, the March 31. 1939 credit balance being £447 3s 3d. The depleted balance can be accounted for by the necessary capital expenditure during the year on a new exhauster and engine-room. Arrangements are being made for the withdrawal of the amount expended from the accumulated Depreciation Fund in the hands of the Public Trustee. Various works of a major nature have been undertaken during the year, the completion of the Dixon Street extension and further. reticulation of the waler supply in the borough, occupying the staff for the greater portion of the year. Kerbing and channelling: During the year 95 chains of concrete kerbing and channelling has been completed, i.e.. Rexwood Street, 4 chains; Park Road. 29 chains; Dixon Street, 22 chains; Kent Street, 7 chains; Tyne Street. 22 chains; Howard Street, 11 chains; 10 chains of wooden kerbing and tar-sealed channelling was also installed on southern' side of Belvedere Street, from Taylor Street to Lincoln Road. Water: The water/supply has received considerable attention, some 20 chain of the L.P. line being taken up and relaid, the whole of the 44 mile L.P. line was also cleared of tree roots and other obstacles. A groin has been recently placed in the bed of the Maungatiriri stream adjacent to the Headworks and the consequent raising of the water head has resulted in an increased delivery of supply to the high oressure reservoir. Water reticulation: Sixty chains of the recovered 3-inch east iron pipe has been laid in Rhodes Street and Kent Street and all residences connected up; a commencement also has been made with an extension of the reticulation of Rexwood Street. (Footpaths (formation): Fifty-six : chains of footpaths have been formed ■ i.e.. 4 chains Rexwood Street; 17 chains Belvedere Street: 6 chains Park Road: 22 chains Dixon Street and 7 chains Kent Street. Rubbish collection: A system of quarterly collection of rubbish in the borough was inaugurated early in the financial year and the benefits derive'.' from the innovation has been shown by the progressively decreasing amount ■ of rubbish recovered. ! Septic tank: The work <>l clearing ■ the chambers was carried out in t c ; autumn of last year and the plan Should not require any lurlhei atte path 42 chains of ioadv<ay and. -0

chains of verges have been treated with a tar-bitumen mixture i.e.i roadways (42 chains): Pembroke Street, 21 chains; Holloway Street. 8 chains; Clifton Avenue, 13 chains; were surfaced and 30 chains of verges on Park Road treated with a first coat. Footpaths (38 chains): Tar sealing of footpaths was carried out in Belvedere Street, 28 chains; Park Road, 6 chains; the paths in Memorial Square were also resurfaced. Dixon Street: This road is now completed with all borough services in stalled, footpaths formed and surfaced, roadway permanently sealed anc water-tables kerbed and channelled tc grade. Some 1000 yards of filling, metal, etc., were required to complete this work, the final road sealing being undertaken by the courtesy of the South Wairarapa County Council with then ore-heuter and road plant. The past year has been one of some apprehension as to mounting costs, etc., but the permanent constructional worlcompleted has to be considered as ar offset against the expenditure incurred.