BOROUGH AFFAIRS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 239, 23 July 1935, Page 3

BOROUGH AFFAIRS

RELIEF WAGES SCALE. COUNCIL AGAIN PROTESTS. The Ashburton Borough Council met last evening, when there were present the Mayor (Mr W. H. Woods), Messrs E. H. Orr, It. Kerr, W. H. Robinson, H. It. C. McElrea, J. T. Pratley, S. Mitchell, J. Shaw, E. Buchanan, F. J. E. Smallbone, J. Thompson and Dr. J. Connor. The financial statement showed that receipts since the previous meeting had totalled £ll4B 7s lOd, the chief items being rates £402 15s Bd, abattoir fees £146 Bs, licenses £4B Bs. In reply to the Council’s protest against the differentiation in relief allocations in Ashburton and the cities, the Commissioner of Unemployment (Mr J. C. Hunter) wrote that the question had l been given full consideration, but the Board was convinced that owing to the varied local conditions, it would not be equitable to provide allocations on the same basis to all centres. With reference to the Ashburton allocation, he reiterated that this was in line with the allocations made to other similar centres. It was regretted that any further improvement was not practicable at the present time. The Mayor: The same old tale! Mr Thompson: Are you going to take that as final? The Mayor: No. They carefully avoid any mention of the fact that they have three scales of allowances aifd that Ashburton is on the lowest scale. On the -motion of Mr McElrea and Dr. Connor it was decided .to reply stating that the letter was not satisfactory to the Council and that there had been no reasonable reply as to why there were three scales of allocations Mi’ Thompson: You will be getting yourself disliked. The Mayor: That’s nothing. I got that way long ago. The Postmaster at Ashburton (Mi 1 W. J. Minogue) wrote that the telephone box at the taxi stand had been damaged to such an extent recently that it could not be locked and it was being used by unauthorised persons. The Council was asked to arrange for a strong chain and lock to be attached to the box, as there must be some definite understanding that the telephone would be locked during the absence of all taxi proprietors.

The Mayor said! that this was a question for the taxi proprietors. ‘ Ihe Council puts the box there for their convenience and they should look altoi it. They have shown a lack of appreciation when they have not taken steps to protect the facilities given them. It was decided to communicate with the taxi proprietors and to leave the repair of the box in the hands of the Inspector. In reply to an inquiry by the I own Clerk, the United Fire Brigades’ Association of New Zealand wrote that there was provision by the insurance companies for the insuring of volunteer and auxiliary firemen under the Workers’ Compensation Act. It was decided to take steps to insure the men adequately. The Ashburton County Council forwarded a copy of a letter received fiom the Canterbury Aero Club, in which the Club stated that the aerodrome at Ashburton, controlled by the two Councils, was of little or no use to the Club for training purposes, buf it was prepared to meet representatives of the Council to go into the question ot

the lease of the ground. The letter was referred to the special sub-committee that is dealing with the lease of the ground. The Treasury Department wrote approving the form of voting paper for the Hampstead drainage loan poll on August 7 Domain Board. Sitting as a Domain Board, the Council received the report of the Curator on work done by lus stair in the past two weeks. Cemetery Board. Sitting as a Cemetery Board, the Council received the financial statement, which showed that there was a credit balance of £l3 3s 7d. Receipts since the previous meeting had totalled £'6 los.