PORT CHALMERS COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 14038, 20 April 1909, Page 6

PORT CHALMERS COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting last evening waa attended by the Mayor (Mr J. Mill) Cn Tait, Morgan, Weir, Asher, Powell, Knew stubb, Crawford, Tait, Mawson, and Cable ; —Correspondence.— ■ Messrs Stevenson and Cook were willing to comply with terms submitted in connection with the erection of a weighbridge in front of their office.—Received ; the writers fo be informed that the weighbridge would be erected on the originally-chosen site. Mr E. H. Clark, M.P., wrote enclosing a letter from the Prime Minister to the effect that Mr Clark’s request for one or more warships to visit Port Chalmers had been forwarded to the Governor for transmission to the Admiral.—Received ; Mr Clark to be thanked for his services in the matter. —Reports.— The Works Committee reported that the day men, besides the usual maintenance work, had been laying a drain at Wickliffe terrace to connect all the drains in the vicinity and carry them beyond the sea wall. A lamp-post had been erected in Meridian -street. A crossing from Mrj Gibb’s house to Fox • street, giving . accesi to Bellevue place, was under construction, The re-forming of Macandrew road was progressing satisiactorily, although a deal. of time was spent in getting down the rocky projection near Boiler Point. The lowest tender for the ten tons of cement required at this road. was accepted (from tbs Milburn Company) at 55s per ton.—Adopted^ The Finance Committee reported that receipts since last meeting amounted tff £Bl 14s 7d, and expenditure to £328 19t sd. Coupons on account of the water, works loan amounting to £544 10s ha/ been paid by the bank.—Adopted. —Felicitations.— Mr MiU said the time had according to law, for councillors to cease their work as councillors. This was the last meeting prior to the elections. He was sorry to hear that six councillors did not intend - to stand for re-election. Conncdlors had given a large amount of theii time and attention to promoting the welfare of the borough. He felt sure the people appreciated those services, and he hoped that some of the retiring councillors would' in the not "very distant future be asked to give a little more of thqir time to the affairs of the town. He hoped good men would come, forward to take the place and carry on the work of retiring councillors. Mr Mill felt somewhat sorry that he himself had to leave them. He had had the greatest respect shown him during his twelve months of office, but he hoped that Cr Cable, who had done, yeoman service in the Council for upwards of eleven years—service which the ratepayers recognised-—would that evening be able to inform them that he had decided to come forward as a mayoral candidate. All the councillors testified to the pleasure they had experienced in serving under tneir present mayor, and Crs Morgan, Fail, Weir, Crawford, and Knewstubb regretted that for various reasons they were not in a position to stand for reelection. The councillors unanimously agreed to place on record their appreciation of the courtesy and attention extended to them by Air Mill during his term of office as mayor, expressed the hope that he would long be spared to help forward the interests of the borough in the future as he had done in the past, and that he be presented with an engrossed resolution to that effect as a mark of their esteem. Air Alill said the councillors had flattered him very much. He little expected to have his services recognised as they had done that evening, and councillors’ good-will would be appreciated by himself and his family.

—The Mayoralty.— Cr Cable regretted he could not see his way clear to accept nomination for the mayoral chair, as it would not suit him at the present time. He was grateful for the evidences of confidence and approval that had reached him, both from local people and others, since he had been asked to stand for mayor, and though unable to stand at present he might have tbs opportunity of coming forward on some tutors occasion. Cr Cable said that perhaps, if • it was the ratepayers’ wish, he would stand again for councillor, and concluded by paying a tribute to the manner in which Mr Mill had upheld the honor and dignity of the town during his term. One retiring councillor said he was prepared to stand for re-election, and probably some of the others would do likewise, if Cr Cable would stand for the higher office, but Cr Cable said he was sorry, hut he would have to decline the offer. Cr Powell was disappointed to hear that Cr Cable would not stand. He strongly of opinion that the honor of occupying the mayoral chair was one ihat councillors could reasonably claim as the reward of their services as councillors. He was prepared to support any, councillor present who would stand, and sooner than see an outsider come in to assume the position he would himself stand for mayor. —(Applause.) No other councillor being prepared to seek promotion, Cr Powell reiterated his decision, saying that he would forthwith take steps to let the ratepayers know of 1. is intention to seek election to the higher office. —Borough Finances.— Cr Tait, in the course of some retrospective remarks on the concluding term, said the large debit balance was owing to the extra expenditure they had had to n-ret in paying the dock guarantee, the Mann for compensation in connection with the water rights, and other items. In fact, the extra expenditure was close on £14,000. He hoped the new dock would be finished before next 'Christmas. If the incoming Council adopted a fair policy with reasonable progress he had no doubt that at the ( end of next financial year they would be S able to carry out the long-hoped-for | scheme of reducing the rates in the bor- j ough.—Mr Mill said there was no tov n : that he knew of in a better financial position than Port Chalmers. The total indebtedness was £35,000, aid sgvnst UvtJt, they had valuable reserves, and most of the loans were more than paying interest, besides which sinking funds existed for paying off the capital. Retiring councillors had the satisfaction of knowing that they were leaving everything in a thor- ■ oughly sound condition behind them. ' —Light.— Cr Knewstubb referred to the present j unsatisfactory gas supply, and suggested that negotiations for the municipaJisation of the gasworks be discontinued, and the incoming Council be recommended to take into serious consideration the erection of new gasworks. He was prepared to move in that direction;— Cr Asher, as chairman of the Special Lighting Committee set up to deal w ; th the question of improved facilities fur residential lighting, thought it was understood that no further steps wer-s to be ( taken pending the receipt of information , that might come to hand at any time inspecting an electric light installation in the borough. Regarding the negotiations for taking over -'the gasworks, tm y had legal advice on the matter, and no councillor was ignorant of what had been dene up to the present time. Some matters were in abeyance at present, but would be reported on in due course. There \v;s certain information it was not advisable to make public at the present time. It would be better under the circumstances to wait until after the election, and see how things went then. If there were any fresh negotiations to be submitted let such be done by the Gas Company, as the ■ Committee had done all they could in fairness be expected, to do.—Mr _Mfll said the Council had been peculiarly dealt with in the matter. —Cr Knewstubb was prepared to leave the matter in abeyance, only he thought it would lie as well to terminate the negotiations, as he was under the impression that the general feeling was that a new gasworks be constructed.—Cr Asher said the. principal reason why he intended to seek re-election was in order to see the matter through. Councillors could be as- • sured that nothing detrimental to the town would take place.—Cr Weir said that he was prepared to second Cr Knewstubb’* suggestion as a motion, but he was agreeable to the matter standing over until ■ after the election. - , •