TIMARU AND SOUTH CANTERBURY NEWS.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19786, 26 November 1929, Page 8

TIMARU AND SOUTH CANTERBURY NEWS.

TIMARU

j PERSONAL. j ' M •*•..'.! >••'.": ■". h*- ' ■ ' Punedtn , J ~ -ta;.:n« at the ilvdro l-rand Hotel. j Mr".J. «.let..linii'.g a'.medni, is a I if.'-'*. 3*. fl'C Oro-v.-ll'T Hotel. i M- K. T. Put hie , Weiiiiigtori ■is a | -. ~-.t,,r in Ttmaru. I I>:. .V T>. W ill Ji.-iHHi'TK' is among j •- ~ g.;.■<■» at 'fir drr.v.prr.r Huf!. j Building Permits. ! l'.'irp n-.'" pas', fortnight 13 huii-hng j ;,n:.:*-. f" a t0!,.,.! \ al>J«? of £10,403, j ;:,■. i...-n i.— u" ! iii thi' Borough of ' T;n.ar.:. They ir-hide 5' '-on dwelling", I ..;.,. ho:'». jiddit'd', or.*; shop, three ' >::o;, ;,Mi'i.,]'.<. and n:i- garage. 1 ! Magistrate's Court. ! V- C Magistral* I '* Court yesterday. j ... ; ,,rr Messrs P. M-'l.'-niKin ami K. F. i Hollands .I.l'.'s It i** hard Thomson, I \lfr.r) Hoi'i'-. and Frederick Joseph I p. ar.«-. who pleaded guilty to a charge. ! ■•:' fighting in IVrth street rarlr on Suni .;,■ :i-.,rru*-g. w• re end, filH'd 4°s and j Public Library. i fr, :hr f„ur:-r of a report to the Jiof-nugh Council last night, the librarian (Mis? M. E. E. Culverwell) stated that • luring the mouth of October the estimated total attendance in the newsroom was "-419 persons, or a daily average of 174. Book issues in the adult <=*•••- lion totalled 10."**2fi volumes, and in the .•iiiveruie rlepartment ISBS, a tots! of 'l 2.71 J. Fines, ."ale.", and subscriptions • iu-ing the month amounted to £l7 15« •_■•:. Thirty-four -new borrowers, 21 iuv.-nib* borrower*", four student borrowers, six yearly, and seven monthly subscribers had been added to the roll. F.ighty-six volumes had been added to the "shelves. Stock-taking had been completed, and the librarian regretted having to report that many book,-* were missing. This was a bad record, and of tat* 1" books missing in the adult section seven of them were from the literature section, and four of the others were taken from the section immediately behind the assistants' desk. The librarian had had a mirror placed over the desk, which might be useful as a means of supervision, as it reflected the books in the literature, useful arts, sociology, and part of the biography sections. fr. G. Benstead remarked that it was very easy for people to take out books and overlook them. Probably some of the missing books would be found at the back of shelves in borrowers' homes. Cr. W. 11. Hunt: Who is going to pay the lines on the overdue books? Cr. Benstead: The Library Committee would probably forgo the fines if they recovered the books. The report was adopted. lii Bankruptcy. A meeting of creditors in the bankrupt estate of John William Blaeklcr, formerly a fanner of Trentham, Fairlie, but now of Timaru, was held in the Courthouse yesterday afternoon, the Official Assignee (Mr W. Harte) presiding. Bankrupt was represented by Mr L. J. Cameron. Mr A. T). Mcßae appeared for Messrs McLaughlin Bros. (Fairlie), and Dick and Allen (Fairlie), while Mr G. F. Lyons represented the C.F.C.A.. Ltd. Fairlie). The financial statemeol showed that there was a deficiency of £.318 3s 3d owing to unsecured creditors, but there ■were no assets. The only secured creditor was the State Advances Department for £3014 13s lid. The principal unsecured creditors were:—Dick and Allen £."42 Is 3d, McLaughlin Bros.. chaffeuHers, £44 10 8 sd; J. E. Miles, blacksmith. £9 lis 6d: C.F.C.A., merchants, £110; Canterbury Prozen Meat Co., £2l 18s 9d; Annand and Co., £2l «s 9d; R. H. Joyce and Co., •£l7 8s Id: Timaru Herald Co., £ 8 2s 6d: and W. Clarke, £4O. In his sworn statement bankrupt said that he commenced business as a farmer at Trentbam, Fairlie, in June, IP-19. He purchased a farm of about 231 acres from Mr C. W. Fott, at about £7 5s per acre, the property at that time being subject to a first mortgage to the Public Trustee. He borrowed £IOOO from the late Mr Alexander Scott (which amount was guaranteed by bankrupt's father), and with this money paid the balance of the purchase money. The National Mortgage and Agency Co., Ltd., financed him for stock, implements, etc. Later on he borrowed money from the State Advances Office on the security of a first mortgage of the land, and an instrument by way of security over the chattels, and this monev'wßs sufficient to pay off the mortgage to Mr Scott and the amount due to the National Mortgage and Agency Co., Ltd. He carried on business on the farm for about nine years, but although he worked hard it was not successful, and in some years he lost money. He sold out to Mr G. W. Rogers in October, 1928, for £950 over and above the mortgage, and so far as he could now remember Mr Rogers paid £290 on account of the purchase money, and this amount, less the commission on the sale, was paid over to the State Advances Office. His stock and chattels had been sold by Dalgety and Co. and the net proceeds were paid oyer to the State Advances Office. Mr Rogers gave him a second mortgage for tne balance of the purchase money, £so*> 17s. but after hj« had been in possession for about eighteen months he was not able to meet his payments of interest, so bankrupt resumed possession. He was not in a position to stock the farm and tried to resell it at a price that would pay off the mortgage and leave sufficient to pay all his other creditors. The State Advances then practically entered into possession and tried to sell the property, and he understood eventually did sell "to Mrs Ropers for the -.mount owing under the mortgage or thereabouts. As a consequence of this sale by the first mortgagee bankrupt's second mortgage j became worthless as a security upon j the land, and at present the amount was t an unsecured debt due to his estate, j From October, 1928, til! about February | or March of this year he had been out jof work. He then took a position as salesman, but was unable to make a living. He was at present working for the Public Works Department at Kurow. His onlv asset was the debt due to him by Mr Rogers. He had no other assets and had no prospects, and was not in a position to make any offer. In reply to the Official Assignee, bankrupt «aid hi« position was really <>ne to'the fact that the deal with Mr Rogers had fallen through. He had I not taken legal action against Mr I Rogers as he thought he would gain j nothing by it, as the State Advance- IV- | partment would take everything. H-.w evr. he thought that something might j -• ' 1 ■ re operable f'om M* lb g- -s. j -.-> M- Mcßae- He h.»d left the 'arm \* :•' .-e.ilis- d th.v he na- no* making i ■»--, "-. idwar. ]fp had ' r n nut of i •' '■-'-,< 'mm Octc.l.. r to M:i- a la** r>. t, -.~ r r.e T'lV< f-e r, r *-, -Ring j T - •. '* iirde—•■-•Pd. *■■>.--<'-. -. rti could j - c -.' -\ diiM* g t'r" p.* v; —-he I ' •.«. «* of * v "' ;-ear? j V. nk'-ir'- I t-:«*d e-,.-*", «*r-e, h u * j I :■ t f*-d work of a*v."k.rd I ~ve Vss'jrneo: Your have I r .*>'. "had a very good run since you left I j the farm. 1 M" M-Rae said that the creditors !w. re gore about the mat!--. He had | Keen instructed in oppose bankrupt's. • application for discharg*.

Bnukr.U'f tha' Mr Rogers hud kept putting him off in rigard to meeting the rayment'. The Assignee said thai it looked as if bankrupt had sat back for six months and waited for Mr Ib'gers to make pay-ni--n'. He suggested thnt when bankrupt secured a better position he would be able to muke an offer to his creditors. The in. cling was adjourned sine die. Borougli Council. The fortnightly meeting of the Timaru Borough Conncii was held last night. The Mayor (Mr W. Anglandi said he had received advice that their Excellencies. Mr Chas. Ferguson and Lady Alice Fergusson would pay an pfli-ial farewell visit to Timaru on Wednesday. December l£th. The Vice-Regal pa'r'v would arrive from Oamrsru at ].4t>'p.ni.. and leave at 4.34 p.m. next tjav for Lyttelton. Appropriate arrangement * *er"e being made for extending a nttiujf welcome to their Excellencies, the details of which would be made publi' later. C r . G. Benstead pointed out that December I**.th was the date on which the priniarv schools closed for the Christmas holidays, and he suggested that the. cooperation of the headmasters should be sought with a view to the schools participating in the welcome. The \lavor: A very good suggestion, Cr. Benstead. On the suggestion of the Omnibus Committee, the Traffic .Inspector was instructed to report on the possibility of providing a parking place in the vicinity of the Technical College. [t was decided that on«-way traffic be instituted in Craigie avenue, when portion of the road was metalled. An application from the secretary of the drand Hotel, that the parking place in Soft on street be abolished on account vf the disturbance to guests from the starting of ears at very late hours, was declined, as the parking of cars had been recently prohibited iu Stafford street north. Erection of Gasometer. A keen discussion took place at the Borough Council meeting last night in connexion with the Timaru Gas Company's application to erect a gasometer on their property in Tbeodoeja street. The Mayor (Mr W. Angland) was about to read a letter from the Borough Solicitors in the matter, when the De-puty-Mayor (Cr. T. W. Satterthwaite) said that, in fairness to the directors and manager of the Gas Company, and to the Council, the letter should not be read at that juncture. He suggested that the Mayor, to use a slang term, was "trying to beat the band." The Mayor: Excuse me one second. It is stated in the letter that the Gai Company has power, under the Town Planning Act, to appeal against the Council's refusal to grant permission to erect a gasometer, and if the Council's decision was incorrect, then the company could secure the necessary permission to proceed witli the work. The Council had better have the letter read. Cr. Cr. Benstead: May 1 ask— Cr. Satterthwaite: Wait a minute. I've got the floor. I can't understand the Mayor consulting the Borough' Solicitors before the matter had been before the Council. Cr. Benstead: That's what I wanted to ask. Cr. Satterthwaite: I think on this occasion the Mayor has not been quite right in his procodn'-e in wanting to read the solicitors' letter before that of the Gas Company. " The Mayor: It *4a*t .in omission on my part. I intended both letters to be read. When I am in doubt, and in order to protect the Council and the ratepayers, I will always consult the solicitors to ascertain if I am right in my opinion. I have nothing against the Gas Company. We are here to administer and keep within the letter of the law. That is the reason why I consulted the solicitors. The Town Clerk then read the letters. The chairman of directors of the Timaru Gas Company wrote drawing the attention of the Council to the extremely difficult position hLs company was placed in owing to the shortage of gas storage room. His directors had asked him to write explaining clearly that unless the erection of an additional holder was commenced without delay the supply of gas to consumers next winter would be iu danger of having to be curtailed. If it would make any difference to the Council's final consideration of the granting of a permit for the immediate erection of a gasholder on its site in Theodocia street, the directors would be quite prepared to erect the gasometer in such a manner that it would in no way create a nuisance in the locality, nor would it be unsightly. If the holder were erected as low down as possible and nearer tit* centre of the site than was originally intended there would not be any overshadowing of the surrounding properties, as complained of by the objectors to the erection of the structure. The borough solicitors wrote advising that under the provisions of the Town Planning Act, 1926, if the G.-is Company considered it was injuriously affected by the determination of the Council it had the right to appeal from the Council's decision to the Town Planning Board, whose ruling would be binding on the Council. Cr. Satterthwaite pointed out that the Gas Company's letter was an entirely different application from that made by them some months ago. It should receive every consideration. It seemed to him that the Mayor was trying to sidetrack the matter. The Mayor: Take your chair, Cr. Satterthwaite. I want to make a personal explanation. I am here to do my duty. I've not come, here to sidetrack anybody. Please withdraw that remark. Cr. Satterthwaite. Cr. Satterthwaite: I'll do that, and substitute "put off" instead of the words objected to. However. I am of the opinion that the Council should have discussed the matter and then obtained the solicitors' opinion, if necessary. I suggest that the matter should be held over till the Council has inspected the locality to see if the proposals of the Gas Company will improve the neighbourhood. The Mayor: I'm here to see the business of the Council carried out to the best of my ability. After further discussion. Cr. W. H. Hunt remarked that, if given effect to, the proposal of the Gas Company would improve the locality. I Cr. Satterthwaite then moved, and Cr. Benstead seconded, that the Council inspect the site on Saturday afternoon to see if the proposed alteration in the Gas Company's application would improve the locality. The motion was carried unanimously.