NEW CROSSING

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 139, 25 March 1941, Page 3

NEW CROSSING

CONCRETE TO REPLACE PAINT.

DISCUSSION BY THE COUNCIL.

MEMBER’S SUGGESTION VETOED

There was a discussion on pedestrian crossings in the business area of the Borough when a report, on the question came before the Ashburton Borough Council last evening. It was decided that a concrete crossing he put down instead of the painted crossing at one point, and a member’s suggestion for more protection for school children crossing West Street was rejected. . The By-Laws and Abattoir Committee recommended as follows: —

“That the suggestion of the Engineer to instal a concrete pedestrian crossing in Burnett ,Street at East Street and Burnett Street intersections be approved, the. estimated cost being £25; the committee has gone into the matter of a pedestrian crossing in Moore Street across West Street and cannot recommend that any further crossings be pul in, owing to there not being sufficient traffic at this point to warrant a crossing, the committee being of the opinion that from the school the children divert in all directions; that the parallel parking lines be eliminated.

“That the abattoir be cut into two community paddocks, one for cattle and oiie for sheep and that the charges he as provided for in the new abattoir by-laws; that should the stock be' required to he fed the butchers to make their own arrangements with the contractor to do this work.”

Fear of Crossings. Mr Thompson said there were many parents who feared the West Street traffic and would not allow their children to go to the Borough School because of the danger of the crossings. He declared that there was a great deal of traffic in West Street and it was a danger to the young children who could not be expected to protect themselves on the crossings. Mr Thompson pointed out that at the meeting of the committee there was only two members present. Representations were being made to the Railway Department because of the danger to cars, yet the Council refused to accept the claims of the small children. He moved that the clause regarding West Street crossings

should he referred back to the committee. This was seconded bv Mi’ McDonald. Mr Buchanan said there were as many children going over the other crossings as at Moore Street, where he did not think there was any need for a crossing. There were not so many children on the crossings at any time. Mr Fenn said the modern child had a good education in crossing through traffic.

Mr Thompson’s motion was lost and the clause was adopted. There were present at the meeting the Mayor (Dr. J. Connor), Messrs E. Buchanan, S. Osborne, J. Shaw, J. Thompson, C. Bathurst, H. W. H. Smallbone, A. H. Fenn, A. A. McDonald, S. Mitchell and W. H. Sherratt. The financial statement showed that receipts for the last fortnight had totalled £1412 2s 7d.

Purchase of Arcade Suggested. A suggestion that the Arcade, running between Burnett and Tancred Streets,' should be acquired by the Borough Council with the object of opening a street or building modern shops on one side fronting on to a garden walk, w'as conveyed to the Council by Mr J. T. Thomas, who- said that the suggestions, which had considerable merit, had been made by several ratepayers since notification had been received that the property was for sale. No action was taken.

A request that the Council should discontinue the rental charge on kerbside petrol pumps containing defence reserve petrol, was made by the Chief Inspector of Explosives (Mr R. Girling Butcher) in a letter setting out conditions under the new Explosives and Dangerous Goods Act. It was stated that half the amount received in rentals was paid out in public risk insurance premiums. Decision was deferred till the Council knows how many pumps are concerned. To meet the interest and other charges on a loan of £5500 raised for river control work, the Ashburton County Council made a special rate or 4-10 d in the £ on the capital value or rateable property in the area classed A, 2-10 d in class B and 1-lOd in class C, stated a letter from the County Clerk (Air G. Kelly). As, however, only £3500 of the loan was raised, the rates to ho collected this year would be l-8d in class B and l-16d in class C. The Borough Council was asked if it would collect these rates in the Allenton area and if so on what terms. The Town Clerk (Air It. C. Major) said that the Borough rated on annual value and this proposal would mean considerable -alteration in the rate work, it being like striking two rates for Allenton. He thought the Council could not collect the river control rates for less than 10 per cent, and the Council could not take responsibility for rates not collected. The Council acceded to the request on these terms.

Report by Town Clerk. The Town Clerk presented a 'report on discussions at the recent Town Clerk’s conference, and stated that he had gained some valuable information. He intended to adopt a new method (referred to at the conference) of issuing voting papers at the next election so that one polling booth official could issue papers on all issues at once instead of having an official for each issue. He suggested the adoption oi the new standard by-laws which had been taken up by a. number of Boroughs. He suggested, also, that a wriggling white lino should he painted on the road surfaces as a ivarning that traffic was approaching jjedestrian crossings, the black ahd white posts against which

were not always easy to pick up when traffic was busy. The questions of the adoption ot the standard by-laws and the painting of the warning lines were referred to the By-Laws Committee. It was reported that Miss E. eiguson had been appointed attendant at the women’s rest. It was decided that the cost ol placing street name signs on every the Borough’should be ascertained. Premission to hold street marches on the afternoon and evening ot Easter Saturday when harmonica bands taking part in the championships would be m Ashburton, was granted to the Ashburton Imperial Harmonica Band. , The Ashburton Returned Soldiers Association was granted permission to hold a sale of poppies on the streets on April 18 and to hold Anzac Day services at the cemetery and on the Domain Oval on April 25. Mr E. F. Smith asked for a rebate of fees paid for a building permit issued to him, the fee having been £ls compared with £6 under the old by-laws, which latter amount he had allowed for in his estimate of the building. H* stated that he was not aware of the increase in the fees. It was stated that the new fees were established last May,

The Council declined to make a refund.

Domain Board

Sitting as a Domain Board, the Council received the report of the Curator (Mr D. H. Leigh) on work carried out by his staff in the last two weeks. Cemetery Board. Sitting as a Cemetery Board the Council received the financial statement, which showed that there was a credit balance of £B2 7s. Receipts since the previous meeting had totalled .£•! 10s.