ROSLYN BOROUGH.

Evening Star, Issue 14036, 17 April 1909, Page 8

ROSLYN BOROUGH.

THE YEAR’S OPERATIONS. Last night’s meeting of the lloslyn Borough Council was the last for the current municipal year, and the retiring mayor (Mr A. Matheson), before vacating the chair, reviewed the year’s operations. After thanking councillors for the support accorded' him, 1 and remarking that the past year-had been quieter than the previous year, he went on to deal. with the different departments. The chief of these (said Mr Matheson) was the water supply. The extensions of reticulation put in this year had absorbed all but £l9O of the remainder of the water loan of £15,000. The scheme had turned out so well that the Water Committee had been able to reduce the water rate from of per cent, to 5 per cent., thus bringing the borough on to the same footling as the City in this respect. There was a small surplus despite the reduced rate, but against that some people who had not been using the water had been paying half rates. - It bad also to be remembered that the people not having been used to a gravitation supply, had not yet got out of the good habit of conserving water as much as possible. However, the Council wore justified in believing that the scheme would result well. In the past year £1,320 had been spent on metal, as against £530 the previous year. The Council had agreed to accept the Drainage Board’s offer of £42 for the restoration of the roads disturbed by Air A. M'Neill’s drainage contract (No. 192), They had also, agreed .with the City Council for the maintenance of the Town Belt roads. Ihe Council had a large quantity of metal on hand to finish the City road and I ppor High street, which were bally in need of it. Had the Drainage Board not delayed so long over such a small matter as £42, High street would have been metalled long ago. A Councillor: Can’t we compel them? Tne Mayor: No; we can’t. i Councillors: It is a monarchy! _\he ..Bayer, alter mentioning that the karvorai load widening, for .which a: BovcnniieiU subsidy of £IOO had been grant cu, was pretty well completed, went < n to deal with finance. He said Ucu tie l -lighting debentures had been reel c: d 1 rom £I,OOO to £'-100, and that tp ci.il loan - should disappear in two years.—(clear, hear.) 'i he bank overdraw. which on March 1903, steed cc 03,-324, stood mi March 31, 1909, at £ j.i'g.;—an increase of £1,700. Three ot’ms practically accounted for this apparently large increase—a 2d reduction in th“ rates (which lie had imsucoesslujiv opposed), equal to £400; an increese c 4 £439, in the hospital and cimritnl)!.' aid rates; and -£SOU for the j.-icr-'rtEed cost lor meted —me king '• mini ni £l.3:’!). "he Council had not sp- nt money lavishly or foolishly. The metal was absolutely necessary. He oeimved it was money well spent, though it was a pity that they had to pay interest on it. As to the hospital am! charitable aid race, the Council did v. isely in not increasing ihc general ■••ill’ lr ; meet the levy, striking, instead a special raio of -Id. This would bring next year about £"99, which would <4! b absorbed by the Hospital and Chare, a hie Aid Boards’ levies during

The b'rori/T's estimat"d revenue for 'vc coming vrr v. ns ns follows, ther:v!”;.l rateable value of property being £P'JD9. or an increase of £1,450 over that- of the past year:— yen era I rate. Is 2d ... £2.303 0 0 Lighting and -Tccial, ;M 001 0 0 Miction. ... ... ... 765 10 0 tin.-mial nml charitable 4d 801 1(1 4 Wrlrr rate, 5 per cent.... 1,501 13 0 Total £G,47G 2 4 Hnhvvlic;;, etc., would bring the total "ivenne up to j.bout £7,090. Thus it woM'l b,-ven that, the ratepayers were taacd ’"irly !w ’Vlly. I" the past year vl;e horougi! VM naid £BO2 in hospital end charitable aid rates— (A ' Councilmr; •• rrr 100 mne'i.’) —a.nd this was •a very norm.;,-; item indeed, hut the Loi’.r.ci I had "■> notion in Hi a .mutter. ~As te tn." c<i-"ir.g years operations, -’v.gi. J. V- iknyi’.s, C.F., m. accordance widi the Council's resolution, had been instructed to make an estimate for the nation of septic tanks and for y iy,-vialion in connection with tlmlr y.eiorei drainage scheme. Mr £ll- - was now engaged in taking the ; rcev-ary levels. In conclusion, he expressed thankfulness that the year had Pogsvd so sn.ootidy and pleasantly, and ynd iliac ii the rater,avers began to ui'a. ."..gainst the special rates he would “ ;t surprised, hut_ the Council had my ah-ernative but to impose them. Cr Hamel (the only announced candidate ;or the mayoralty) moved a ’ vote of thrniK.s to tiro -Mayor for bis lucid : vH’” , iu j. Lir the able manner in wnu .i .dr Aiathesoa had.conducted the V-ouncd’s business;. i y 1 ■’ e ” syeonded this, and lie and ocner councillors having expressed anprrcmtnm of the firm hut kind rule 0.-.e!< !....<(£ I)v - ,jr -Matheson, the motion was earned. 'ATrr chief business of the Council consisted in fixing the. rates Cor the ensuing .year, as mentioned above bv f ne -•!a.vor —vus.: General rate. Is 2d n , v 1 %i (I LL and special W ;T). 1.1.; sanitation (whore service is ion .mi: ii). -xt; hospital and charitable ' ,< V. J;lU Cwater, 5 per cent. .. ;m. v onneii y;lso adopted the reports m ,ne:r cononniet.s. The Finance Comyyy‘y"‘y .lepo- L recommended that the i;V ! T‘ TUh' "- hj m‘ r . year be ~2".r!; u r ‘ V"'-’ ”' uat date it stands at i'C' 1 ;’ ; • Lraci which there is £353 14s w'C'iH i. .-einm ymt: t-uiding). The t ( 'ported payment of fMii iu 1’ iiiicl Coin mis--1 ()l1 account oi iho waterworks ;vih! pHiemptmn of one £2i.;o <!<*. myirnre <;t the lighting loan. The , ° i ,£ (, ; !I ”'dtee-’s report recom- ■ ‘fuf.-o Hint tenders be invited for removing _ banks and widening Jervois ■ yu'et in accordance with plan subinuceu .iv toe inspector: that the inspccior he authorised to procure and ox up street name plates, as per list luraaov sanctioned by the Council ; -mu- uis! north sum or the Main Taieri lyml, between Uuirch street and Farley street, oe channelled in .concrete as soon as men are available for the hCU .“‘ ,f, 'V U Ci 0U,, . S b " informed that yi-.kcnncil wnl kerb am l channel Victoria crescent on the frontage-owners Hr/Zp"'T, 1 V'nntnbnte, half-cost: that L - ! V right be informed that a permanent improvement will be made to pa rt or a Inert street when the contemplated works at the south end of ales street are earned out; and that tne inspector lias been instructed to comply with the health officer’s requirements!,, respect of channels on streets in tlosl.vn Extension.