PORT CHALMERS AFFAIRS

Evening Star, Issue 22807, 16 November 1937, Page 6

PORT CHALMERS AFFAIRS

COUNCIL MEETING The monthly meeting of the Port Chalmers Borough Council last night was attended by the mayor (Mr T. Scollay), Crs Armstrong, Rouse, Willmott. Jack, Forsyth, , Watson, Annan, Smith, Williamson, and Farquharson. Resolutions of sympathy . with the relatives of the late J. Timlin and Mr William J. Day were carried. CORRESPONDENCE. Mr H. G. Bremner applied for permission to screen pictures at the Laurier Theatre on the evening of Christmas Day,—Permission granted for approved pictures. Mr A. W, Hill/director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, wrote expressing pleasure that the oak trees reached Port Chalmers safely and had been planted in Rang! Park on Coronation Day. They would serve as a Coronation memorial for the next 100 years. He had been in Port Chalmers 101 years ago. The photographs depicting the planting of the Coronation oaks were very interesting. The national secretary of the Chinese relief fund again wrote asking for subscriptions, as also did the Mayor of Dunedin, who stated that the donation of Port Chalmers had been fixed at £ls.—The Mayor said that these unceasing appeals for contributions were tending to become wearisome. One’s first duty was to one’s own country, and unfortunately there was no saying when a supreme effort for our own nationals would be needed.—Cr Forsyth said it was' getting beyond mere appeals when definite ;gums were asked for.—Received.

Mr W. E. Barnard, M.p., advised that the Local Goverhmeiit Amalgamation Bill nad been referred to a special committee, which would hear evidence from local bodies interested in amalgamation on a date to be fixed. Munir cipal bodies could make representation through the Municipal Association.—l Received, ' the council to make representation at a later stage. •Dr T. M'Kibbin, medical officer of health, thathe-was pleased the council had agreed to. the new basis of contribution (7d iri the £) for the services of health inspectors, pursuant to the Healthy Act. : ENGINEER’S REPORT.

The borough engineer (Mr F. J. Williams) reported:—Before sealing .Magnetic street it will 'be necessary to relay the water main. There are. sufficient mains in hand for this work, but certain'fittings are required and the mains must be coated. An estimate of the cost of material for this work obtained from the previous report is as follows; —Coating mains, £36; additional'material, £33; cartage, £10; total, £7B. A commencement has been mad© with the top-dressing of footpaths within the borough, and some 38J. chains have been completed in lower George street. The tar supplied by the gasworks appears to be of very good, quality and is giving good results. The water post in George street has been dismantled and disconnected from the main. - , Nine men are employed under the new scheme, and are now entering on their third week. Works carried out by them include repaire to Beach road and walling, and attention to reserves. It* intended to place as many as possible on' the formation of Beach road, and they will be transferred there as they complete the various works they are on. Works in hand and authorised : Completion, of Quarry road, tarring footpaths. The water officer has been engaged in thinning out larch and cutting firewood, cutting grass, gorse, and broom, and cleaning out silt basin and races. Material was supplied to complete the connections to the George street wharf, and three new rubber hoses have been procured. The report was discussed. WORKS. The Works Committee reported: The rainfall registered at the reservoir for the month of October was l.OSin, with rain on nine days. For the corresponding month last year the rainfall registered was 3.19 in, with rain on 13 days. Pursuant to a direction of the council, the committee has given consideration to the matter of the placing of the full-time E.B. workers on works which will be of a useful or permanent' .nature. In this connection it must be pointed out that the monetary authority provides for six items listed in the Mnister’s letter, and the council is bound by the terms of tho arrangement. The committee therefor© recommends that of the Work's listed the relaying of the water main in Magnetic street be proceeded with first, this work to be followed by repairs and improvements to the road around the Peninsula. The engineer has been instructed to tar seal the surface of Cemetery road from the junction of Macandrew road to a point just below the William street intersection. It is proposed to carry out the work with the council's own staff and plant. The report was adopted. GENERAL. The General Committee reported:— An - account for maintenance of the Dunediu-Port Chalmers road has been received and examined by the committee, and a recommendation, is made that tlto proportion due by this , council (£Q4 14s 2d) be passed for payment. The committee recommends that the I dog registration fees for 1938 bo fixed I as follow:—(a) For each dog kept I

solely for the purpose of herding or driving sh66p or cattle, 2s 6d, and (b) for any other dog,' 10s., The committee is taking steps to ascertain those persons who have not yet affected registration for the current year with a view to instituting proceedings if registration is-not immediately carried out. The gas manager. in his report states that 22 tons of coal were carbonised during the month, yielding 297,200 cubic feet of. gas, an average of 13.500 cubic feet- per ton. During the past few weeks, the works staff has been busily engaged preparing tar for use in top-dTessing footpaths in the borough. During the month orders were received for two gas cooker-de-structor combination ranges and one gas copper. It it gratifying to report that several further inquiries are on hand regarding gas-cookers and gas coppers. It has come to the notice of the commitete that a good deal of speeding by motorists takes place on Cemetery road, thus causing a. danger to pedestrians. As the road in question is a narrow one, a recommendation is made that notice boards be erected at each end of the road warning motorists to travel slowly. The report was apprved. Of 14 applicants for the position of sexton at cemeteries, Mr A. T. Smiley Was appointed. Some motorists, it was reported, were ignoring the marked crossings for pedestrians.—The council decided' to take action against offenders. A number of suggested improvements were brought to the council’s notice by the Progressive - League.—These , were referred to the appropriate committees.

It was decided to write and thank Mr A.- Campbell, M.P., for assistance he had rendered the council.

Appreciation of the good , work done by Cr Forsyth and the town clerk (Mr C. Blackman) on their recent visit to Wellington was acknowledged.