CREDIT OF £1652

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23944, 11 May 1943, Page 3

CREDIT OF £1652

FINANCES OF ASHBURTON BOROUGH A credit balance of £1652 had been shown in the council’s balance-sheet for the year ended March 31, said the Mayor (Dr. J. Connor), in a report of the year's activities at the Ashburton Borough Council meeting last evening. He added that the collection of rates equalled 99 per cent, of the amount levied. The sum of £560 had been, aavanced to assist ratepayers of Hampstead and Netherby to connect with the underground drainage and £391 had been paid back. The policy of assisting ratepayers in this way should be continued. A recommendation that the contractor at the Municipal Abattoir (Mr G. T. Huxtable) be released from his contract when a suitable successor could be secured, was made by the abattoir committee. which said that after its meeting with Mr Huxtable he still desired the council to accept his resignation or to guarantee him a wage of £9 a week. This was agreed to. On the recommendation of the finance committee, it was decided to give £IOO to the Ashburton Borough Patriotic Funds. The committee said it had no report to make about the employment of women taxi-drivers after the hours of darkness, it being of the opinion that any restriction should be by amendment to the Transport Licensing Act. 1931, and the Taxi-cab Regulations, 1939. The Minister of Railways (the Hon. R. Semple) wrote that he was having an investigation made about installing visual and automatic warning signs at the railway crossings at Ashburton, and would communicate with the council at a later date. It was decided to confer with the Ashburton County Council and Ashburton Returned Services’ Association about some public recognition of members of the armed forces who have returned from overseas service. Acts of vandalism in Memorial square, where electric standard lamps were broken, was referred to the police for action. The Ashburton Rugby Union was granted the use of the Ashburton domain oval as additional grounds for this season. The question of additional rental was referred to the domain committee. There were 71 dangerous intersections in the borough because of overgrown or high fences, which obscured the view of traffic, according to a report made by the traffic inspector (Mr W Letham), who said that the majority of motor accidents at intersections were due to this cause, and he recommended that the council take step r to have the corners improved. The report was referred to the by-laws committee.

DAILY MEMORANDA—Tuesday, May 11. AUCTIONS Ford and Hadficld. Ltd., at their Rooms, at 2 p m.—Property. Drewery's Auction Rooms, Ltd., Sydenham, at 1.30 p.m.—Furniture Auction Sale.