BOROUGH AFFAIRS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 26, 12 November 1935, Page 3

BOROUGH AFFAIRS

RAILWAY LEVEL CROSSINGS. HIGHWAYS BOARD TO MAINTAIN. The Ashburton Borough Council met last evening, when there were present the Deputy-Mayor (Mr E. H. On;),' in the chair, and Messrs James Thompson, F. J. E. Smallbone, E. Buchanan, J. Shaw, S. Mitchell, J. T. Pratley, H. It. C. McElrea, IV. H. Robinson, and It. Kerr. The financial statement showed that .receipts since the previous meeting had totalled £B3O 19s sd, the chief items being current rates £294 14s, arrears of rates £79 3s 3d, extraordinary water supply £125 18s, rents £52 4s lid, abattoir fees £IOO Is 7d, licenses £22 3s 3d, miscellaneous £156 14s sd. The Main Highways Board advised that it had received many complaints regarding the maintenance of level crossings by the Railway Department and had decided to take oyer the work. It would pay local bodies the usual £3 for £1 subsidy on work involved at crossings. “That is all to the good,” said the Deputy-Mayor. The Town Clerk (Mr IV. Patterson) pointed out, however, that the local bodies would have to contribute onefourth of the cost of what was really the Railway Board’s liability. The letter was received. The Local Government Loans Board telegraphed that it understood finality had not yet been reached between the Public Works engineer and the Council regarding the final plans for the Hampstead underground drainage scheme. It had requested the Public Works Department to expedite the matter. The telegram was received. The Chief. Engineer of' the Public Works Department wrote advising that lie could not recommend the Loans Board to approve of the scheme with certain gradients as specified. The matter was left in the hands of the Mayor (Mr IV. H. Woods) to deal with when in Wellington in the near future.

Domain BoaricL Sitting as a Domain Board, the Council -received the report ol the Curator on work carried out in the Domain since the previous meeting. The Ashburton Croquet Club requested that the lawns be cut three times a week during November. The club was prepared to contribute to the additional cost. The request was granted. * The Ashburton Sports Association submitted for the approval of the Board the annual rentals fixed for the various contributing sports organisations who use grounds in the Domain. The total was £ll9 5s and the Board was offered '£llo for the use of flie areas for the year. The assessments were referred to the Reserves Committee for a report, as was also the reference to the IVaireka Croquet Club’s liability in connection with the water supply to its new lawns. Cemetery Board. Sitting as a Cemetery Board the Council received the financial statement, which showed that there was a credit balance of £22 Is fid. Receipts Since the previous meeting had totalled £3O 13s.