BOROUGH AFFAIRS.

Grey River Argus, 9 June 1922, Page 6

BOROUGH AFFAIRS.

GREYMOUTH COUNCIL MEETS. The Greymouth Borough Council met last evening. Present: The ’Mayor (Mr J. D. Lynch), Crs W. 11. Parfitt, IL F. Doogan, T. B. Baty, IL J. Williams, J. Greancy, W. C. S. Colclough, J. McGinley, K. Sk oglu nd. An apology for absence was received from Ur J. O’Brien. ELECTRIC POWER BOARD. The Minister of Mines (the Hon. G. J. Anderson) wrote asking what the council intended doing in regard to utilising the Kimi: ra water race for power purposes. Ur Doogan said some of the petitions in connection with the power district were completed, and the others would be ready this week. When this is completed the petition would have to remain for a month for perusal. He moved that a reply bo sent to the effect that the petitions in this connee- , tion would be finished this week and j then the necessary steps towards th? formation of the board would be gone' 1 on with immediately. He did not an- ; ticipate : iiy difficulty in the formation I of the board. Some people seemed to think that those concerned in the 1 work in question intended using i the Kumara race for the power. This was not so but all sources available would be kept open until the board ■was formed. Ho also explained that the scheme was not yet definitely fixed I ;;s a hydro or other scheme. This was purely a matter for electrical experts. I Cr Parfitt seconded. The Mayor thought the council should inform the Minister their opinion as to whether they contended the Kumara race a suitable one or otherwise. lie considered it only a fair move to the Minister. Personally, he had made up liis min dthat the race in question was not suit: ble for a scheme such as the one proposed for this district. <’r Williams suggested hastening the signing of the petitions. In reply to the Mayor, Cr Doogan pointed out that the council had no power to take any action until the board was formed. Tho resolution was carried. THAT FENCE AGAIN. Messrs J. Rothwell ami AValton, re■presenting the United Football Club, i waitetl upon the council with a request, that the fence erected : round the playi ing area at the Recreation Ground rei cently, be removed. ! Mr J. Rothwell said the fence was a hindrance to the members of thUnited Club who were in the habit of training at night. Several players had already been injured through running into the fence in the dark. A councillor (sotto voice): Take more j w: ter with it ! j Mr Reynolds supported Mr Rothwell ' in the request, stating that if the posts in the centre were taken out they would be satisfied. Tin: fence rouid be taken down after every match and re-mected in a few minutes if the corner posts were left in. Cr Sk.oglund: A’ou ought to be : ble to see the posts; you can see tho ball alright. Mr Reynolds: It is very difficult when a large crowd of us is practising. Cr Baty said be w: s of opinion that the fence should not have been erected. Ib‘ suggested however that the United Club approach the League and request them to remove the fence and place a white line around the playing area. Cr Colclough proposed that the mat ter be referred to the Reserves Committee. Cr Doogan seconded and H'id there seemed to be some animosity between the various football clubs and bodies. He thought there was room for them all if they only wished to work in harmony. It was very difficult to keep a crowd back off a line that was not fenced off, and he approved of some method of obstruction. However, there should be a solution to the problem. The resolution was c: rried. E N GIN E ER ’S RE DO RT. The Borough Engineer (Mr J. O’Donne!!') reported as follows:—“I have to report that the usual niaiiit< > nance works have been attcnde'.i to during the month as required to -'treets, footways <iml sewers, as fol lows: High Street footway, reconstruction. Chapel Street and Moss Street ootwav and road. Y : ter tables in Iler l>ert Street, Chapel St r » t. W iliiam Street, Turuinaha Street, High Street, Grcsson Street, Franklin Street, Cow per Streit ami Shakespeare Street, '''earing sewer from Perotti Lam* Pumping Station repairs to engine ami carting met' 1 to the following streets. G reason, Turumaha, Shakespeare ami Marlborough Streets. ’ ’ It was decided on. the motion of Cr McGinley that a portion of Johnston Street be metalled. Pi MPINit STATION. Two reports were submitted by the Pumping Engineer as follows:—‘‘ln regard to your instruct ions re having gas readings and depth of water in reservoir in your office at 9 a.m. every morning, 1 would like you to inform me how to get it to your office at that time, seeing 1 am on duty then. 1 may state that until a proper I tell-tale gauge is fixed—the one at preI sent there being useless—the daily readings cannot be given without some | one going up to the reservoir and meaf suring it with a rod and by clause 3 of your instructions of AL: y 23, the readings cannot be taken without stopping the machinery to go and get it.. You ■will therefore see the necessity'’for a proper gauge being erected, not only for supplying the daily readings but also as

a guide to me when a heavy draw-off is taking place—and also when the weather is b: d it is useless to ask anyone to climb the hill to take the depth.’’ The second report read: “The reservoir was full on Sunday, the 4th at midnight and on Alonday at 8.30 a.m. there was 13ft lOin, a loss of 12ft 2in and this morning again a loss of Ift 7in for 16 hours pumping yesterday. During 11. days of the month the pumps were kept working the 24 hours. Since the 26th owing to the low river the pumps can only be kept working at h: If-specd and one set off altogether at low tide. As instructed I sent Air Toomey up to clear the intake of the channel supplying the pumps with water, but this has made no improvement. So until the river rises, the pumps can only be kept working at full, when the tide is in. During the month I took up both engines’ gudgeon brasses, overhauled No. 2 pump bearings and other minor repairs. On Alonday, tho 22nd. the gas meter of No. 1 stuck, no gas would pass through it. I disconnected the meter : nd connected direct to the main. On the 24th at 10.30 a.m. the head broke off one of the wing bolts on No. 1 friction. 1 had to lift the main shaft out and a new pin fitted in and also the key of driver did not get going again until 3.30 p.m. next day. On the 30th I had to lift the cylinder off No. 2 and make the joint between the jacket and liner —this engine w: s off until 2 p.m. that day. Both sets have been working continuously since then until Sunday, the 4th inst., when the reservoir was full. To keep the reservoir full the three shifts will have to be worked owing to the heavy drawoff and the pumps only working at reduced speed at low tides. Since receipt of yours dated May 29, each shift is keeping a record of oils used so that the exact qiv ntity used can be reported each month. The gas consumption for this period was: No. 1 engine, 143,000 feet up to May 22; No. 2 engine, 327,200 feet up to June s.’’ Ur Doogan moved that the reports be referred to a meeting of the whole council on Thursday night next. Seconded by Cr Baty and carried. FINANCE. The report of the Finance Committee was read as follows: — “It is recommended: (1) That Mr Kennedy be authorised to purchase ’it exhauster and engine from the firm recommended by him. (2) That Air Kennedy be authorised to buy a suitable boiler for the Gas Works, when one offers. (3) That the Gas Works Manager be authorised to place a street lamji in Mackay Street no- r tho offices of Messrs Cray and Co. (!) That the offer of the Temperance and General Mutual Assurance Society of Australia, Ltd., to lend the borough the sum of £11,009 at 6 ju-r cent, per annum, bo accepted in terms of the society’s cablegrams. (5) That Mr McNeill’s claim of £7 7 ‘6 be pissed for jmyment. (6) That the Fire Board's request re stand pipes at Alawbera ami Richmond Quays bo aci-oded to.’’ The recommendations were adopted. Accounts passed for payment totalled £1925 311. TURNCOCK ’S REPORT. The Borough Turncock reported: — “According to instructions received from the Town Clerk, I have to report that during the past fortnight, T have for a period of two days r-long with Mr Cochrane, been engaged in inspecting water taps. The number of premises inspected was 118—commencing at the Harour Board and reaching as far as the Railway Station. Thirteen tajis were found to bo leaking and two W.C.’s cisterns were found to be overflowing, the shut off valves not working properly. So far, I have not dis•overed any serious leakage or waste, but of course only a small portion of ’he town has been inspected. This work of inspection will be continued when I am released from the work of attending to the engines at the Pumj»ing Station. For the remainder of the fortnight I have been engaged ft tho Pumjiing Station, jirincipally on the night shifts.’’ Cr V/il'iams drew the attention of the council to a waste of water going mi at the District High School, as the automatic tlushcr was never turned off and continued throughout the night and holidays. An alteration in the system w: s necessary to remedy the matter. He moved that the matter be referred to the Engineer with a view to having an alteration made. Cr Baty said the matter had already been gone into by the School Committee. The resolution was seconded by Cr Parfitt and carried. J NSP E< ’TO R OF N UISA NCES. The Inspector of Nuisances ri-portcd: “According to instructions received from th*.' Town Clerk, I hr ve to report that every day, with the exeepI ion of Sundays, I make a round of the town twice and sometimes three times and Blakctown twice or three times a week. For the month of May L have impounded two horses ami 11 head of cattle. I have had seven prosecutions and seven convictions. 1 have also lr d a number of complaints which have been attended to. I have ■’ollected all the dangerous goods rents and licenses. On May 29. I assisted ?'lr Russell in the examination of the boats in port. Of the five which we examined we found clear of rats. I reported to you verbally that Mr Av. Bring was erecting a building in Kilgour Road without a. permit. I again interviewed him on May 31 and he stated that. Cr Williams informed him (Air Pring) that it was not necessary to obtain a permit unless the cost of the building exceeded £5O. I advised Mr Pring to look up the by-laws. It is a pity that councillors and ratepayers did not make themselves conversant with the Borough By-laws before advising others, as I have had some very unpleasant experiences through coun-

cillors and others advising ratepayers contrary to tho Borough By-laws.” Other minor matters were contained in the report. Cr Willi:ms moved that the Town Clerk ask the Inspector of Nuisances not to take any notice of any advice from any individual councillor regarding the Borough By-laws. Seconded by Cr Doogan and carried. The report was adopted. GENERAL. Cr Doogan referred to his motion regarding the appointment of a commission to : pportion the cost to the various local bodies concerned of tho upkeep of the Cobden Bridge and suggested that as the matter was not urgent liis resolution be held over for the present, pending further discussion with the County Council. He merely brought the matter forward in order that it would not be lost sight of. This was agreed to. A discussion emanated from the application of Air A. Webster for the lease of a section in Blakctown. Cr Williams suggested that the Town Clerk go into the matter of the disposal of all the sections in Blakctown and report to the council. On the motion of Cr Parfitt the matter was referred to tho Finance Committee. Cr Parfitt said a number of councillors had inspected a portion of the Town Hall with a view to selecting a suitable rest room. As a result of their investigation it had been suggested that the room could be erected at the rear of the present reading-room for the sum of £5O. lie suggested that consideration of the matter be deferred until the next meeting of the council and in the meantime all available data in this connection be secured. This suggestion was adopted. Cr McGinley moved that the Gas Manager be instructed to deliver a load of coke to all the schools in the borough. Seconded by Cr Baty and carried. Cr Williams brought forward the necessity of affecting repairs to the footpaths in various prrts of the town. In Mackay Street there were several very bad portions and a particularly bail part near the Hospital. He outlined eight urgent works and moved that they be repaired. Cr Parfitt seconded and emphasised the rough patches on some of the footpa Hi.s in town. The AL'iyor: Is there not something in the by-laws which provides for the ' owners of property having to attend to the footpaths in front of their premises? Cr Williams: Footpath crossing are tho worst. On the suggestion of the Mayor the resolution was altered to the effect that the matter be referred to tho AVorks Committee. Tho Minister of Internal Affairs stated that he would give consideration to the council's representation regarding the projmsed amendment to the Local Bodies Finance Act. The clause in question refers to credit bal-aiß-os of loan accounts being set off by tho banks to the credit of other accounts regarding the payment of inter est on the litter.-—Received. The Deputy-Chief Inspector of Explosives forwarded a copy of the dangerous goods by-law for the Borough of G r<\v m out h.—R e c e i v e d. The Town Clerk of Batea, wrote forwarding a copy of a resolution which suggests a pooling of all antecedent lia bilities of the various local bodies and all borough councils coming into the scheme with a view to r: ising a loan on the London market for the total amount, each body concerned to be allocated its legitimate proportion of the liability. It was decided to reply to the effect that the matter does not affect this council. The Abattoirs Manager reported that during the month stock had been de'll with as follows:—Examined: Cows 3, bullocks 116, sheep 912, lambs 168, pigs 13, calves 17. Condemned: Cows 1, but locks 1, sheep 2, lambs 1, pigs I.— Adopted. The report of the Sexton contained various matters requiring attention in connection with the Cemetery and references to work carried out. Burials for the month totalled IL Bermits re ceived for plots purchased numbered three singles (per Air Sampson). The recommendations contained in the report were : dopted.