GREY BOROUGH COUNCIL
FORTNIGHTLY MEETING. With a short order paper, and a disinclination by the Councillors, in view of the forthcoming election, to commit their possible successors in matters of policy, the proceedings at the fortnightly meeting of the Greymouth Borough Council, held on Thursday evening, were brief. The Mayor (Mr. F. A. Kitchingham) presided, and the following were also present: Crs. H. H. Herring, J. Kent, F. F. Boustridge, G. R. Harker, J. Saunders, C. Neville and J. RAnderson. Cr. R. J. Williams was granted leave of absence, to the end of the present Council’s term. The Royal Humane Society of New Zealand wrote, applying for the annual donation to its funds.—The usual sum of £l/1/- was granted. Mr, J. O’Brien, M.P., acknowledged the Council’s letter regarding daylight saving, and advised that it had been, unanimously agreed by Members of Parliament of both parties, that daylight-saving should continue. The Under-Secretary, Department of Internal Affairs, aiso acknowledged a similar letter from the Council. , The Runanga Borough Council and the Grey County Council advised that they had decided to take no action in the proposed appointment of a full-time traffic inspector for the Boroughs of Greymouth, Runanga, and Brunner, and the Grey County. „ . Mrs. L. C. Poschich wrote, offering a quarter-acre section in , Arney Street to the Council, if they desired to remove the Borough stables. The Engineer stated that the section was not suitable, and it was decided to forward a reply to that effect. The Railways Land Officer advised that the railway reserve near Omoto has been gazetted, for streetwidening purposes. The approximate area is 2 roods 35.7 perches.. A letter was received from the Municipal Association, with reference to the shops and Offices Act. Cr. Anderson said that one point upon which comment was invited was that concerning the hours to he observed by shops during Christmas week. There was a suggestion that two late shopping nights would be advisable. Cr. Neville: Does not the local Businessmen’s Association make its own arrangements? Cr. Saunders said it was suggested that the right of the local authority or the electors, to fix the weekly half-holiday, should be taken away. Cr. Anderson said that the suggested alteration aimed at a universal half-holiday, which in his opinion was a sound and sensible idea. There was no reason why all towns should not observe the half-holiday on the same day. Cr. Kent: I think we are wasting time. Cr. Neville moved that no action be taken.
The Mayor said that the position was apparently complicated. Personally, he was opposed to universality. “It would be a terrible state ol affairs if we all knocked off at 12 o’clock for lunch. We cannot have such universal things,” he added.
Cr. Neville’s motion was not seconded.
On the motion of the Mayor, seconded by Cr. Saunders, further discussion on the subject was postponed until the first meeting in May. TRAFFIC CONTROL. The Commissioner of Transport wrote, setting out the terms upon which the Transport Department is willing to control traffic in the Borough of Greymouth, at £3OO per year. Cr. Kent moved that the matter bo deferred for discussion by the new Council.
The Mayor agreed that it was not worth while discussing the subject that evening. Cr. Neville: We wrote and asked for information, and it should be disclosed.
The Town Clerk said that the letter was read at the previous meeting, and held over until replies were received from other local bodies. The matter had been briefly discussed by the General Committee, said the Mayor. He suggested that it would be improper to reach a decision in the dying hours of the present Council.
Cr. Anderson seconded Cr. Kent’s motion, and it was carried. The Chairman of the Traffic Committee (Cr. Kent) said that the question of traffic control in the Borough had caused wide interest, and he gave the following figures: Drivers’ licenses issued from June 1, 1940, to April 22, 1941, totalled 1411, and the fees amounted to £352/15/-. There had been 20 Court cases; 16 defendants were fined a total of £9 5/-; two were convicted and discharged, and two informations were withdrawn. A total of 81 drivers had been tested for licenses. Up to February 23, there were three serious and four minor accidents within the Borough, involving injury to seven persons. Included in these were two children who fell from vehicles; one child who ran into a car; and there were four careless pedestrians, two of whom were intoxicated. The faces and figures, said Cr. Kent, did not bear out the allegation that there was a lack of traffic control. Cr. Herring asked if Cr. Kent had received any complaint from the Traffic Inspector, about overcrowding on the taxi stand. Was it true that one man on the stand said he intended to stay there, because he had received permission from Wellington? , , Cr. Kent said it was the first he had heard of such a thing. GAS MANAGER’S REPORT. The Gas Manager (Mr A. J. Fairmaid) reported that the total cash receipts for the year amounted to £15,447/2/5, an increase of £1307 18/2 on the previous year. Sales of gas increased from 31,908,600 cubic feet to 33,381,800 cubic feet. Sales of fittings and residuals for the year totalled £4782/5/5, compared with £4391/13/- in.the previous year. Gas receipts increased from £9747/11/2 to £10,664/17/-, or by £917/5/9. Sales of appliances have comprised one second-hand combination, seven cookers, and five fires, of a total value of £l5O. There has been no extension of the main reticulation system, but consumers’ services have accounted for 211 feet of one-inch pipe and renewals have called for 40 feet of the same. The annual overhaul of plant has been completed and the works are in a good position to meet the Winter demand which, this year, on account of weather conditions, has set in three weeks earlier than usual, ; the fifth bed being now in operation, ’
though not yet required to capacity. As usual, the increased demand reveals deficiencies in the reticulation system, and these are being dealt with as they arise. The Mayor said that there had been a substantial increase in the sale of gas, and in the revenue, and Cr. Kent said that the Gas Manager was to be congratulated on the wonderful result.
The report was adopted. Accounts totalling £1785/14/2 were passed for payment. The following statement was submitted by the Treasurer, showing the receipts for the year ended March 31, 1941, and for March, 1941, the latter being shown in parentheses:—Grey rates £28,661/0/2 (£20,830/1/5); Cobden rates, £4,128/0/9 (£2,413 2/2); gas, £10,664/17/- (£B7B 14/10); gas sundries, £5,782/5/ (£1,581/2/-); cemetery, £513/10/(£25); sanitation, £1,315/16/1 (£798/1/10); rents, £B2B/10/1 (£l7B/15/5); licenses, £1,727/18/(£35/7/6); water, £1,459/10/(£866/5/7); extra water, £1,288 17/11 (£126/18/7); miscellaneous (including abattoir) £26,205/1/2 (£4,842/8/9). Totals: £82,575/6/7 ( £32,575/18/1).
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Greymouth Evening Star, 26 April 1941, Page 4
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1,131GREY BOROUGH COUNCIL Greymouth Evening Star, 26 April 1941, Page 4
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