LYTTELTON NEWS

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22747, 27 June 1939, Page 15

LYTTELTON NEWS

BOROUGH COUNCIL

The Lyttelton Borough Council met last evening. There were present the Mayor (Mr F. E. Sutton) and Crs. J. N. Neville. W. T. Lindsay, G. Halliday, J. D. Sargentina, R. Cairns, and W. T. Foster. A letter was received from the Christchurch City Council asking the council to be represented at a conference to be held on a proposal to raise funds for the Canterbury Museum by means of striking a special rate. Cr. Cairns said he was not in favour of the council spending any money towards the cost of renovating the present. museum. A new museum building was required. The Mayor said the council should not reject the proposal. The museum was there for education purposes. Others built the museum and stocked it and the council should not be lacking in support of the museum. Cr. Sargentina asked if no other method could be found of maintaining the museum than placing it all on local bodies. Could not a small charge be made for admission. On the motion of Cr. Lindsay, seconded by Cr. Foster, the Mayor was appointed to represent the council at the conference. A request that the council should reconsider the question of flood lighting the cenotaph was received from the Lyttelton Returned Soldiers’ Association. Cr. Sargentina said the writer-of the letter should acquaint himself of the facts. The council had never refused to flood light the cenotaph, but had deferred it on the score of finance. Cr. Cairns said the electrical engineer had worked out a scheme for lighting the cenotaph at a cost of from £25 to £3O.

On the motion of the Mayor it was decided to reply to the association, explaining the position. A special report on the water supply was presented by Cr. Foster, chairman of the waterworks committee. The report stated that the total storage capacity of the various reservoirs was 446,000 gallons, about two days’ supply. An additional top level reservoir, at a cost of £6lO, was urgently needed. Additional mains were needed, including an eight-inch rising main at Heathcote. The District Health Officer had recommended that the tanks at Heathcote should be covered. This would cost £670. During a recent shortage of water, with a heavy demand by shipping, pumping direct from Heathcote into the mains, cutting out the Heathcote reservoir, had been resorted to with success. The cost of the various proposals would be:—Reservoir, upper level, £610; four-inch main, Somes road to Bridle Path, £980; covering tanks at Heathcote, £670; new reservoir, Exeter street, including cost of land, £5000; renewing eight-inch main at Heathcote, £830; eight-inch mains for Hills road, £784; total £8874. Cr. Foster said the time was opportune for an extended water supply in Lyttelton. Many new houses were being connected. The present supply was inadequate, and did not provide for a dry summer or a big fire. Cr. Sargentina said he agreed with Cr. Foster on the urgency of the position, but disagreed as to the course to be taken. He favoured the installation of a booster pump near the tunnel portal at Lyttelton, as had already been provided for. Cr. Cairns said the scheme was too elaborate. It would not be necessary to cover the tank at Heathcote. Cr. Foster had put much time and work into the preparation of the re-

port, the Mayor said, but he could hot support the proposals. Cr. Foster’s motion that the report be adopted failed to find a seconder. . Cr. Foster Resigns Chairmanship Later in the meeting, the Mayor announced that Cr. Foster had tendered his resignation as chairman of the water supply committee. He hoped that Cr. Foster would reconsider the position. As chairman of the committee he had done splendid work, and it was only the financial position of the borough that prevented the council from proceeding with the scheme. He moved that Cr. Foster be asked to re-‘ consider his decision. The motion was seconded by Cr. Neville. Cr. Sargentina said they all appreciated Cr. Foster’s work. He was sure that Cr. Foster would carry on. Cr. Foster said he had prepared and presented the report, and not one councillor would second its adoption. He declined to reconsider his decision. The motion was then dropped. Rates Increased The council last night considered the estimates for the current year in committee, and on resuming, it was reported that the general rate of 2s 6d iri. the £ on the annual rental value should remain the same as for last year but that the hospital rate of 6d in the £ should be added. This brings the rate up to 3s in the £, plus the water rate of 2 per cent, on the annual rental value. Personal After many years of service with the Lyttelton Harbour Board, two members of the staff were met at the board’s Lyttelton office yesterday afternoon by their fellow members on the eve of their retirement. The two retiring members were Mr Harry Fletcher, works foreman, and Mr Peter Scott, of the dredge Te Whaka. and they were presented with an easy chair and a case of pipes respectively. Mr C. H. Clibborn. secretary of the board, who made the presentations, said that Mr Fletcher had joined the staff on June 10, 1899. as a carpenter. Later he was appointed a gang foreman, and in 1923 works foreman. Until his recent illness, Mr Fletcher had lost only a few days in all his 40 years of service. On behalf of those present, he wished him renewed health and many happy years of active retirement. Mr Scott had served first in the dredge Manchester, and in September, 1903, was appointed a signalman, at Adderley Head. In 1911 he was transferred to the Te Whaka, of which, in 1925, he was appointed mate. Mr Scott would be leaving shortly on a visit to England and Scotland, and all would wish him a pleasant holiday and a safe return. Others who spoke were Mr P. W. Fryer, engineer to the board, and Messrs Harvey Cook, A. Stanley, P. Beaumont, A. Austin, G. Meikle, J. Partridge, and Captain J. Plowman, harbourmaster. Messrs Fletcher and Scott returned thanks.