PORT CHALMERS COUNCIL

Evening Star, Issue 17954, 27 April 1922, Page 10

PORT CHALMERS COUNCIL

The fortnightly meeting was attended bv the mayor (Mr J. Watson), Crs Lunn, Allen. Reeves, Luoni, Mawson, Watson, Jones, and Coleman. Mr J. Watson, mayor elect, was formally introduced by Mr J. Tait (town clerk), and after signing the statutory declaration Mr Watson took the chair, the councillors expressing their friendly attitude by applause. Cr Lunn, in reference to the proposal to form an Electric Power Board, said ha thought it would be advisable that Port Chalmers get Its power in bulk when tho present agreement with the City Council expired. Tho Waihcmo County Council asked tor support for their resolution that hospital hoard -accounts should be audited free of charge by the Government Audit Department.—Referred to Finance Committee. Mr H. A. Booth, secretary of the local Rugby club, asked for tho use of the recreation ground for football from the 29th inst. to tho end of October.—Cr Jones inquired whether the club was to have solo use of tho recreation ground.—L’r Luoni said too Rugby Union had asked tho club if they had a ground ; hence tho club’s request.—Tho Mayor said that other sports clubs must also have the use of the ground. Fixtures must not clash, but other people must not be debarred from using tho ground.—Resolved that the football club’s request be granted, subject to. the council’s control of the ground. Tho Works Committee reported that in addition to tho ordinary maintenance work twenty-four loads of metal had been spread in Harrington and Meridian streets and ten loads in Kaio lane; tho crossing at intersection of Grey and Currie_ streets raised to prevent stormwater scouring out centre of Grey street: grass cut in Beach road, and two now drainage connections inspected.—Report adopted. Tho Finance Committee reported that of tho £252 4s debit balance on March 31, £lB9 11s Id had been carried to antecedent liability account. The receipts for the past fortnight amounted to £290 6s Id, and tho expenditure to £723 7s 3d, leaving a debit balance of £475 14s Id. One man bad been employed for a week assisting sexton cutting back trees and trimming paths. The lower part of the recreation ground had been topdressed and rolled. The forester was busy preparing for tho planting season, and hoped by August to bo able to give a more definite report of what trees he would be able to plant himself and what would be available for sale. Re Moore, Moore, and Nichol’s application for lease of Town Hall, after carefully going into the matter the committee was of opinion that as Mr Hutton’s lease jyas not -it-until the end of August they could not do anything in too meantime. —In moving the adoption of the .report, Cr Mawson said a. clause in too Town Hall lease Tendered it impracticable to let tho hall to others than too present lessee until the lease expired.—Cr Lunn said this was regrettable, as a considerable number of people wanted too hall opened to pictures. He thought it was not right that the Town Hall should have been leased for a small rent for tho purpose of its being shut up. Ho held that ho as a councillor had not had opportunity to know about too leasing of too Town Hall. If tho hall was leased without resolution of tho council tho lease was illegal. Ho would move that tho matter be referred back to the committee for further consideration. —Cr Lunn’s motion was lost, and the report was adopted unaltered. Tho Gas and Water Committee submitted a statement of receipts and expenditure, showing a credit balance of £229 10s lid. All was well at tho works. 'The manager was getting a quantity of old pipe he had in hand ready, and hoped to have sufficient to extend the main in Meridian street, where four new services were wanted. Tho forester reported that tho reservoir was full, and that the trees and grass had been cut around the top of dam. Intimation bad been received from Messsr A. and T. Burt that the forty-five Sin cast iron pipes ordered for renewing water main in George street to wharf were on s.s. Tainui.—Adopted. Printed copies of the balance-sheet for the year ended March, 1921, were to hand, and it was stated that copies would bo available for public inspection in tho town clerk’s office. Various items in the balance-sheet were discussed- It was elated that the printed balance-sheet for tho past would soon bo available.