ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXI, Issue 8002, 8 March 1910, Page 4

ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

KOHTNKUITLY MEKTING Tho fortniglitly mooting of the Asliburton Borough Cou.ncil was hold last evening. Present :, Tho Mayok" (Mr 11. Duvis) m tho chair ; and Councillors W. G. Hillier, M. J. Burgess, C. W. Nicoll, P. Stewart, D. Wood, T. F. Gibson, J. Davison. An apology was received and accepted for tho absence of Cr Clark. FINANCE. The Mayor reported a credit balance at tho bank of £875 Os lid, nnd v rovoiuie since last meeting of £55 6s 6d. The chief items of revenue were : £18 11s 9d from rents of reserves, from ro■fund for bridges and culverts £7 Us, Domain account £6 ss, pavilion ncconnt £5, fees under by-laws £8 10s, earth sold £3 10s. HOSPITAL MAINTENANCE. Tho sum of £10 was passed ,for payment, being the borough's share towards the maintenance of the County Hospital. ELECTRIC LIGHTING. A letter was road from the County] Council m regard to the application of Messrs Craddock and Co. to take two insulated wires for electric lighting purposes across tlio Ashburton traffic bridge •The request of Messrs Craddock and Co was granted at the last mooting of tho County Council on condition that tlio Borough Council approved. It iirns moved and seconded that the application bo approved. Cr Gibson thought tho wires should bo put out of tho reach of children and others ; coming m tioitthct with them ; otherwise, they would ho dangerous. •Tlio chairman Said that the wires would bo erected under tho Electric Lines Act. The motion was carried. FEES, FINES AND PENALTIES. A letter was rcceivod from tho Treasury Department advising tho payment to tho Council of £1 15s, heiiig foes, fines and penalties collected at tho Ashburton Magistrate's Court for tho quarter ended December 31 by means of stamps. — Received. TRANSFER. Application was made by Mr G. IT Buchanan, on behalf of n client, frr tho transfer of the loose of borough reserve No. 858.— Grnntcd. SALARIES. Applications were rcceivod from two Council employees for an increase m salary.— Referred to the Works and Finance Committee to take into consideration when the estimates for next year are being prepared. RESERVES COMMITTEE. The Reserves Committee reported as follows : Reserve T.S. 631 : Your committee has considered the matter oi the disposal of the buildings on this reserve, and having received an ofFer to let tho premises at 6s per week would recommend that tho buildings be allowed to remain on the reserve m tho meantime, and tho offer bo accepted for a monthly tenancy, the rent to be payable monthly, m advance. T.S. 1172, applied for by Mr F. W. McPherson on Glasgow lease : Your committee recommend that tho upset rentals for the 21 years' Glasgow leaso of this reserve be fixed as follows: 'First 7 years, £5 per annum ; second 7 years, £6 per annum; and third 7 years, £7 per annum. Your committee, m advertising this lease, has stated that the Council is willing to offer any borough reserve on Glasgow leaso that is now held on a yearly tenure. Tenders for lease of T.S. 1172 will be laid before you on tho 4th of April. Cr Davison, as chairman of the committee, moved tho adoption of the report. Tho Mayor said ho had spoken to a ratepayer that day, who had advocated that notice boards should be erected on all unoccupied borough reserves, sotting forth that they were to lease on the Glasgow tenure. The suggestion was added to the report, which' was adopted. WORKS COMMITTEE. Tlio works committee reported that it has considered Mr Kilgour's application for 10 chains of concrete channelling m Aitken street, and would recommend that this work receive consideration with tho other works of channelling to be undertaken by the Council m the f next financial year. OFFICERS' REPORTS. The Town Clerk reported that there had not been any cases of infectious disease m the borough since last meeting; and permits for the erection of buildings to tho value of £1200 had been granted for the outer area.

The Sanitary Inspector's report was read and deemed satisfactory, aa also was that received from tho foreman of works.

The Fire Inspector reported the fire m Havelock street on February 16, when an unoccupied house, owned by Mrs Hyland, had been destroyed. The brigade had turned out promptly, but the fire had gained too strong a hold to allow of much being done to save the property. EMPIRE DAY. Cr Davison asked if Empire Day was a public holiday; and the Clerk stated that the day was not set apart as a statutory holiday. The Mayor said that last year it was decided to bring the matter before the Council at least two months before May 24. He understood that there was going to bo a public function on May 24th, and it was 'just as well that the burgesses should be made conversant with the fact. DOMAIN MATTERS. Cr Stewart asked if the whole of the Domain would be closed on Thursday next, and if the Bowling and Tennis Clubs would be asked to pay admission to -the^grounds? Cr Nicoll explfinerl i)-.-< iTio Oval only would be clu-ud ajia.i..,i i1..: public.

This was deemed satisfactory. LYTTELTON HARBOUR BOARD. The Mayor reported that Mr Hugo Friedlander had been unable to be present that evening to give an account of his representation on the Lyttelton Harbour J'oard. Mr Friedlander had been re-elected chairman, which showed that he had tho confidence of the Board. Mr Friedlander had sent each councillor a statement of the business transacted : during tho year. It was decided to thank Mr Friedlander for the balance sheets sent by him. CR. ORR'S RESIGNATION. The Mayor mentioned the resignation of Cr Orr, which had been received at the last special meeting, and referred to his connection with the Council for theVpast five years as a councillor. , ■ " • - It was 1 unanimously decided that Cr Orrs resignation be accepted with regret. LICENSES. _ Petroleum licenses were granted to Mr , V ri ?• S^l* < Nc * r Zealand Motor and Cycle Works). PAYMENTS. Accounts amounting to £180 18s 8d were passed for payment. The Council thon sat as a DOMAIN JiO.ARJD. . The curator (Mr J. Readhead) reported on the work carried out by himself and staff, and tha^ the now sports ground had been sown down. — Received.

The chairman reported that he had received £10 from tho Besses o' th' Barn Band for the use of ilio Domain on Wednesday last, and m addition to this the manager of the Band had paid all expenses for advertising, etc. Had a close day been observed tho Band won d have paid 5 per cent on the total takings, which would have amounted to close on £20.