GREEN ISLAND BOROUGH

Evening Star, Issue 22718, 4 August 1937, Page 1

GREEN ISLAND BOROUGH

MMTW.V COUNCIL MEETING The Green Island Borough Council held its monthly meeting last night, when the following were present;—The mayor (Mr T. M, M‘Ahan), and Crs G. A. Orange, T. G. Tomkins, T. C. Russell, J. A. Brown, A. D. M'Gregor, W. Dickinson, E. Hopewell, and V. Pringle, WORKS COMMITTEE. The Works Committee recommended as follows:—That Mr H. J. A. Freeman be appointed poundkeeper and ranger for the borough; that speed limit signs and parking signs be erected on. the main highway and Kaikorai Valley highway in terms of a letter from the Transport Department; that the engineer be empowered to select four suitable men to repair culverts in the main highway; ’that Mrs A. M‘Kay bo advised that if the, frontage of her property is kerbed and channelled it will necessitate a step down into her residence; that the question of raising a loan of £3,000 for works, labour costs to be subsidised to the extent of £4 per week per man, be referred to the Finance Cornmitte. The report was adopted. f WATER AND LIGHTING COMMITTEE. The Water and Lighting Committee recommended that discharge lamps bo erected on the Main road as under: Corner Main road and Kaikorai Valley road (Bush’s corner), junction Main road and Church street (Kane’s corner), opposite Salvation Army Hall, corner Main road and School street (Council Chambers), opposite _Mr R. Campbell’s store, corner Main and Brighton roads (hotel corner). ■ The recommendation was approved. FINANCE COMMITTEE. The Finance Committee recommended' that the report of the town clerk on speed limit signs be received, and that the Transport Department be asked to defray the cost of signs on the State highway; that the communication from tlie of Railways in reference to rates owing on three properties mortgaged to the State Advances Department be received, and that the Minister be advised of the unsatisfactory position existing in reference to the three ratepayers concerned; that the council proceed to sell or lease the properties mentioned in recommendation No. 6, and that valua-tipns-he made on the properties; that Green Island Improvement Society be granted-the use of the library for a meeting on August 10; that a special . meeting of the council be held ou August 10 for the purpose of considering- the 1 estimates for the current year-; that the question of the joining -the Otago Employers’ Association bo deferred for. one month, ■The recommendations. were ap. proved. DRAINAGE COMMITTEE. The Drainage Committee recommended that steps be taken to allow allotment' 85, block -1., Green Island, to- be drained by a drain-in-common to Main road; that applications for drainage permits be referred to the engineer ;• that the Labour Department be advised that a further 10 men will he : engaged on the drainage scheme conditionally on the full wages costs being met by the department. On Cr Dickinson’s recommendation, a clause was inserted that ratepayers should be notified that tenders for drainage permits could be taxed by the borough engineer if they should desire. The clause was inserted for the purpose of protecting ratepayers. The recommendations were approved. , RESERVES AND CEMETERY • COMMITTEE. The Reserves and Cemetery Committee recommended that' trees bo procured for planting in Dali street and Neil street on Arbor Day; that the mayor preside at the_ Arbor Day function, and schools be invited to participate; that the invitation from the Returned Soldiers’ Committee to discuss Poppy Day works bo accepted by the chairman of reserves. The report was adopted. NECESSARY WORKS. The engineer- (Mr F. J. Williams), in his report, stated; The time appears opportune when representations should be made to the Employment Board for assistance in carrying out necessary works within the boiough. An effort

is being made to employ as many o£ the men on sustenance as possible ia order that their conditions may' be improved. The conditions laid down are£ Suitable works to be approved by the Employment Board; the department will make available subsidy on the basis of £4 per week for such number of men' as the borough may agree to employ for a period of 12 months, the principle of rotational employment applies to the works in that the workers placed are to be given four months’ full-time employment, and at the expiration of this time a similar gang of men is to be again employed. The second gang wilt then he given four months’ employment, and will thereafter be replaced. The workers are to be selected by ballot by, the certifying officer. The men engagd on these works would be considered as being on ordinary full-time employment so that the provisions of the local bodies’, labourers’ award would operate,and the full amount of wages is subject, to the employment tax.. As the borough works under the local bodies’labourers’ award, and for full-time payj £4 10s per week, it therefore follows that the borough has to find 10s peg man per week in addition to materials* cartage, and supervision. I suggest, that some of the works could be as follow Concrete kerbing and channelling, with asphalt footpath, of the Main! road as set out in a previous report; formation and metalling of Thompson street, together with kerbing and channelling the. Main road, footpath; repairs to wall and improvements to Miller Park; improvements to other streets to be decided upon. This would give 17 men award rates of pay- for 12 months. The amount of loa.n suggested as £3,000 can be raised under recent legislation without poll unless at least 5 per cent, of the ratepayers lodge formal objection. The report was adopted. ■ DRAINAGE AND SEWERAGE. The Engineer, reporting on the drainage and sewerage work being carried out, stated that No. 2 group nad continued the laying of the 6in sewer in Concord, and had now completed Emerson- street as far as Mulford street, connecting up with the old Mulford street sewer and continuing for some distance in Upper Mulford street. There was 200 ft of sewer to lay in Mulford street, and this area would then ho completed. No. 3 group had completed the Teignmouth and Totneas street sewers, and was transferred to Torquay street, where considerable progress had been made. No. 4 group had completed the special work, which consisted of an inverted siphon under the Kaikorai Stream near the Brighton road, continning the sewer up Westland street' and connecting it to the sewer laid by group No. 3 some time agp. They had then been transferred to Harraway’s road, -and had connected up. the Neill street sewer under the railway bridge to the; Harraway’s road sewer. As- this particular, work did not employ all the group all the time, vthe Earl street sewer had been laid off and was almost completed. The total length of 6in and 9in sewers laid to date was 5 miles 53 chains. The report was adopted. GENERAL. On the motion of Or Orange, it was decided to instruct the engineer to discontinue the use of ashes on the borough footpaths, and to use gravel whenever possible. - On the motion of Cr Pringle it was decided to instruct the engineer to place battens on the Dale street hridgo to fill -in the gaps in the planking.