EASTBOURNE BOROUGH COUNCIL

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 120, 13 February 1925, Page 10

EASTBOURNE BOROUGH COUNCIL

The monthly meeting of the Eastbourne Borough Council was held last night. There were present: The Mayor (Air. H. AV. Shortt), and Councillors E. A. Dawson, A. Walker, 11. M. Jones, and — Levy. Rates outstanding as at January 31, 1925, were stated to be £1945 18s. sd. The receipts for January from ths tennis courts at Eastbourne were £B2 Bs. The traffic return showed that 95,847 passengers were carried by the ferry service during January, 1925, as against 127,985 for the corresponding month of 1924; 52,541 passengers were carried by the Muritai, 14,266 by the Duchess, and 29,010 by the Cobar. Attention being drawn to the fallingoff in the number of passengers carried, the general manager, pointed out that 55 children were carried on January 22, Anniversary Day, as again 1100 for the same day last year. In the last 10 days six picnics booked and arranged for, had been cancelled.

The superintendent engineer reported on the cost of the proposed alterations to the main deck of the Duchess. The suggested alteration was for a closed-in cabin on the main deck in the after part of the ship on the same lines as the cabin on the Cobar, and providing for glass windows on port starboard, the erection of two partitions at the forward end (port and starboard), with sliding doors 3 feet wide and all furnishings. Twelve back-to-back seats on the same pattern as those on the main deck of the Cob.'ir would be provided. The timber used in the construction of the cabin would he seasoned and clear Oregon nine, except the seats. The Mayor remarked in connection with this report that previous estimates given for the work had varied considerably. One estimate was as high as .£l5OO, and another £6OO. The estimate before the meeting, supplied by a responsible officer of the ferry service, showed the whole work could lie done at an outside cost of £250. This cost would include seating accommodation for 150 people extra. He Oil not intend that the present council should decide to proceed with the work now. There was not that hurrv for it, but it was a matter that could very well be considered by the incoming council.