BOROUGH AFFAIRS

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 September 1944, Page 2

BOROUGH AFFAIRS

MEETING OF COUNCIL.

The Mayor (Mr. F. A. Kitchingham) and Councillors P. Blancnfield, J. Stokes, H. Hutchinson, W. Herring, A. L. McKay, G. R. Harker, J. B. Kent, T. Caldwell and F. F. Boustridge attended a meeting oi the Greymouth Borough Council, last evening. . Correspondence was received from the Napier Borough Council, the Timaru Cemetery Board, the Palmerston North City Council, the Wanganui City Council, the Oamaru Cemetery Trustees, and the Christchurch City Council regarding ordinary interment fees and fees for the interment of ashes. —Preferred to the Cemetery Committee. ... The Grey County Council advised, with regard to the taking over by the State of mining property, ’ that no subsidy had been received and that the total rateable capital value of the riding had been reduced. The Brunner Borough Council, advised that it now received £lOOO per year subsidy in lieu of rates previously paid by the Brunner and Grey Valley Collieries; and further that the rateable capital value of the Borough prior to the taking over of the Brunner and Grey Valley pro_perties by the State was £191,475, and that at March 31, 1944, it was £94,060. The Runanga Borough Council advised that it received no subsidy from the Mines Department in respect' of properties in Runanga owned by the Department, but that representations were being made to the Under-Secretary of Mines for such a subsidy. The capital value had not been reduced as a result of properties being taken over by the Deoartment.

I ’ The replies were referred to Crs. ;! Kent and McKay for further inves- :■ .igation in the light of the hospital iovies payable. The Salvation Army wrote asking permission to conduct a street appeal in Greymouth on October 6.— i Iran Led. • ! The Grey Returned Services’ Asso- , Jation wrote asking permission to j conduct their annual street appeal in Greymouth on October 20 and October '2l.—Granted. The Secretary of the Grey Labour Party wrote asking permission to conduct a concert in the Regent Theatre on Sunday, October 22.—0 n the motion of the Mayor and Cr. Stokes the application was granted, Crs. Boustridge, Harker and Hutchinson having their votes recorded against the motion. It was contended by several Councillors during the discussion that Sunday night concerts should be reserved for public purposes. CATCHMENT AREA. The Grey, Westland and Inangahua County Councils advised that they will be represented at the meeting' to be held at Greymouth next week in connection with ’ the establishment of a catchment board on the West Coast. —Crs. Blanchfield, Boustridge and Hutchinson were appointed to represent the Borough Council. The District Engineer of Railways advised that the Department was prepared to grant the Council a lease of railway land at Karoro on a year-to-year tenure, terminable on one month’s notice, at a rental of £1 per annum.—Accepted. The Greymouth Technical High School Board of Managers wrote asking that the Council ask its Engineer to give an authoritative opinion on the extent of the .Board’s liability in the matter of a drain along the southern boundary of the hostel property, which caused a nuisance’to a neighbour. The Boanjl also asked if the Council could carry out the work of abating the nuisance and charge the Board with such part of the cost as was thought fair—The matter was referred to the Engineer with power to act and to report back to the Council in the event of proposed action being unsuccessful. The Inspector of Stock, Department of Agriculture, Greymouth, advised in reply to a letter from the Council that all sources of milk supply to the Greymouth Borough, including the herds and dairies, are inspected regularly by officers of the Department, and that in addition the Health Department officers keep in touch with the vendors. He added that he would be pleased to meet the milk supply committee of the Council.

Mrs. E. Benney, Richmond Street, Cobden, wrote complaining of water running on to her section from a neighbour’s garage, which had no spouting. She asked if the Council could assist her to have the nuisance abated.—The Borough Inspector (Mr. H. Lane) reported that he had viewed the property and had advised the complainant that the matter was one for adjustment between her and her neighbour. The by-laws in this particular respect did not apply to private property. The Inspector’s action was approved.

The Municipal Association advised that the postponed annual conference will b.e held in Wellington on November 1,2 and 3.—lt was resolved that the Mayor represent the Council at the conference.

The Grey Hospital Board advised that it was prepared to meet the charges in connection with the closing of portion of High Street, but that the time of closing, as far as the Board was concerned, was dependent on how soon the new building programme was proceeded with. The Blaketown-Preston Road Ratepayers’ Association wrote asking that a pedestrian safety zone be constructed at the Mackay-Boundary-Herbert-Gresson Streets .intersection. —lt. was resolved that the Borough Inspector discuss the matter with the Secretary of the Association, and that the pedestrian crossing lines be repainted. TOWN CLOCK AGAIN The Blaketown-Preston Road Ratepayers’ Association wrote protesting against the Council’s proposal to store the Greymouth Town Clock, and requesting again that the clock be erected on the hill site above Alexander Street. The Westland District Progress League wrote forwarding two recommendations from sub-committees, which recommendations had been adopted as follow:— (1) That the town clock be established in a conspicuous position immediately it is removed from its present site; and (2) that the clock be erected on the hill site dbove Alexander Street.

Some discussion ensued, and Cr Boustridge moved that a committee be appointed to investigate a suitable site for the clock, to investigate probable costs in the re-erection of the clock, and report to the Council. The motion was seconded by Cr. Kent, pro forma. Cr. Blanchfield said it had been established that the hands on the clock if erected would not be the size represented on the present hoarding as they would be affected by the wind. He added that if the clock were put on the hill it might entail a rate on the people of Greymouth for two years. The Mayor said that he thought the Council, would be astonished when they received estimates of the cost.

The motion was carried, and Crs. Herring, Blanchfield and Boustridge were appointed to the .committee. The Westland agent for the Local Bodies’ Union wrote asking, on behalf of the men employed in cleaning sricets cn Saturday mornings that heir ci work be altered to

bring them back to the ordinary 40 hours from Monday to Friday. It was stated that'the present procedure was for the men to work 44 hours one week and 36 hours the next, making the 80 hours for the fortnight.—Referred to the Works Committee.

The Greymouth Highland Pipe Band wrote asking for a grant. It was stated that in June, 1942, the Council had replied to a similar request that a grant could not be made at that particular date. It was further stated that the band had incurred expenditure in paying miner members for days off attending parades, such as the one for the liberation of Paris, the total being £6.—lt was decided that a grant of £lO be made, councillors expressing appreciation of the band’s services to the town.

A letter from the Westland District Progress League asking that attention be given to public conveniences in the town, was referred to the Engineer, with the exception of a paragraph dealing with conveniences at hotels, regarding which it was decided that the League be advised that the hotel conveniences are not open to the general public and are not the responsibility of the Council unless they constitute a public nuisance. GENERAL COMMITTEE.

The following recommendations of the General Committee were adopted: That the question of taxis turning in Mackay Street be referred to the Traffic Inspector; that the lines indicating the bus stand on the west side of Tainui Street be extended six feet; that the buses revert to the original route via the Town Belt; that a telephone be installed at the Traffic Inspector’s residence; that the weighbridge in Tarapuhi Street be removed, the matter to be left to the Engineer for attention.

The following recommendations of the Works Committee were adopted: (1) That the outside staff be allowed 10 minutes “smoke-ho” at 10.0 a.m. and 3.0 p.m., the hot drink referred to in sub-clause (c) of clause (14 1 of the award be partaken of during this “smoke-ho.” (2) That the Engineer be authorised to employ an assistant to the night soil contractor upon one night each week. GAS MANAGER’S REPORT. The Gas Manager (Mr. A. J. Fairmaid) reported that the total receipts for August amounted to £1,436/4/as compared with £1521/15/3 in August, last year,-a decrease of £B5 11/3. The receipts to August were £6,780/13/-, a decrease of £759/3/10 as compared with the figure up to that date last year. He added that consequent upon the supply of a considerable proportion of unscreened coal the increase in the coal account has amounted to £ 165 since the beginning of the financial year. The increase was likely to continue throughout the present period of coal shortage, unscreened coal costing 4/9 per ton more than slack coal. CEMETERY ACCOMMODATION. The Reserves and Cemetery Committee made the following recommendations: That the by-laws relating to burial charges be amended by providing that the charge for re-open-ing any grave or vault for the interment of cremation ashes should be 10/6; that the Council write to the Grey County Council suggesting thai. it consider the need of providing more cemeteries in the Grey County, particularly along the Otira Line, and that in the case of all the cemeteries in the County adequate arrangements be made for the performance oi sexton’s duties; that the Council also write to the Runanga Borough Council suggesting that it consider the need for providing a cemetery in the vicinity of Runanga; that the Engineer make enquiries and report generally on the matter of establishing a crematorium in the vicinity of Greymouth.

The Mayor, commenting on the report, stressed the difficulty facing Greymouth in the matter of cemetery accommodation. He said that bodies had been brought from as far afield as Waiuta for burial at Greymouth past intervening cemeteries, and the present cemetery at Karoro was not going to last the town more than 20 years at the present rate of burials. He had been told that one of the reasons why some of the country cemeteries were not used was that it was very difficult to get anyone to dig the graves. If funerals from outside districts continued at the present, rate the Council would have to increase the charge for such burials. No suggestions had been forthcoming when some time ago suggestions were invited for suitable sites for a new cemetery for Greymouth. The report was adopted. ABATTOIR CHARGES

Oil the recommendation of the Abattoir Committee it was decided to apply to the Department of Agriculture for permission to increase the charge for the use of the Abattoir by 1/- in the case of cattle and 3d in. the case of sheep, making the charge for cattle 4/6 and for sheep 1/3. It was also decided, as a result of a similar recommendation, to call applications for an. assistant’ slaughterman at wagc.s and on conditions according to the' award.

The Rehabilitation Office, Greymouth, advised that the Board had decided not to grant a subsidy for the training of a named returned serviceman as a slaughterman with the Council. It was stated that the man concerned was, in the opinion of Greymouth doctors, able to carry out his pre-service occupation, and it was the policy of the Board not to train a man in another trade unless his physical disability was such as to preclude his following his preservice occupation. The Abattoir Manager reported that the following stock were examined during August:—Cows, 31: bullocks, 152; calves, 11; sheep, 230; pigs, 25. Total fees £125/3/7. A copy of the following resolution was received, and after brief discussion no action was taken: —“That the Government be requested to grant the Sumner Borough Council an in-terest-free loan of £50,000 direct from the Reserve Bank at the cost of issue, same to be self-amortising over a period of 30 years, for the purpose of building homes within the Borough for discharged servicemen.” The Director of Housing Construction .wrote stating, in regard to the Department’s desire to erect further houses in Greymouth, that he would recommend to the Minister of Works that the Counci be reimbursed by the Government to the extent of the cost of the land necessary for the relocation of Fitzgerald Street, Cobden, in consideration of the formation work being carried out by the Council and the present reservation being closed and vested in the Crown for housing purposes. The Works Committee recommended:—(a) That enquiry be made as to whether the Department’s intention is that the cost of the land includes all costs in connection therewith, that is, surveys and preparation of plans for the taking of portion of tne several parcels of land, the closing of the portion of street, the issue of new titles for ’the remaining portions of the lands affected and for the closed portion of Fitzgerald Street, agreements relating to the land and any necessary advertising. (b) That upon receipt of a reply in the affirmative steps be taken to acquire the land, by proclamation if necessary, (c) That immediately the Council has the right to enter upon the land for road formation purpose:.’, I he Borough Engineer proceed wid 1 . work in order that the Council may give every assistance to-

wards the provision of further housing accommodation in the Borough (Note. —No provision for this work was made in the annual estimates but preliminary negotiations have been discussed with officers of the Housing Department and, if necessary, a loan to cover expenditure will be available under the statutory authority held by the Department, £250 being the estimated cost of rough formation only by the use of a bull-dozer). The ii’commendaticns were adopt-