BOROUGH AFFAIRS.

Grey River Argus, 21 July 1922, Page 3

BOROUGH AFFAIRS.

GREYMOUTH COUNCIL MEET. The Greymouth Borough Council met last evening. PrcseiTT: The Mayor (Mr .7. D. Lynch), Crs. W. H. Parfitt, W. C. S. Colclough, J. McGinley, K. Skoglund, .1. Greaney, J. O’Brien, K. J. V illiams, 11. F. Doogan, and T. B. Baty. POWER BOARD. Reference was made to the proposed Power Board by Cr. Doogan, who said the petition had been completed os also had those of Runanga and Brunner. The County and Cobden petitions had not yet been recovered. The County Council had a big district to cover and theirs would be completed in the course of a few days. He could see no reason whatever why the Cobden petition had not been returned to the Council. Week after week he had called upon Mr Bi licit (Chairman of the Cobden Town Board) and had on each occasion received promises that the petition would be available in the cours-e of a few days. Recently he had asked about it and received the reply that the Council would got it “when it is ready.” He blamed the Cobden Board for hanging the matter • up, as if this petition had been rcturn- ' ed before, he personally’ would have en- : gaged assistance to complete the County’ I The matter had not been neglected and Ihe considered the explanation due to , the Public of the various districts. He i moved that the Cobden Town Board be written to and asked to expedite the matter of completing signing of the petition. The Mayor seconded and congratulated Cr. Doogan on the work he had put in on the formation of the Power Board. It seemed to him to be a pity that the whole thing should be held up. There had been a great wave of depression over N.Z. and now the clouds were lifting and every opportunity should bo made to benefit the country. Plenty’ of power was available, and Cobden would benefit as much as any’ other district in the Board’s area. He said that as the banking rate had recently’ fallen and the money market generally was becoming easier British capitalists would surely be anxious to invest their money’ in establishing industries hero providing cheap power is available. He saw no reason why most industries should not Ito established hero, as the overseas dominions were the places the British people wore looking for. Cr. Williams said it was hardly’ fair to place all the blame on the Cobden Town Board, for the County Council had not yet completed their petition. Cr. Doogan: If the Cobden Board had finished their petition at the proper time we could have had the County finished within a few days. AVe are giving the County G...e '.»> get through their riding. The resolution was carried. REST ROOM. Two tenders were received for the building of a ladies rest room iu connection with Hie Town Hall. Cr. Doogan asked if the Council still wished to confine the expenditure in connection with a rest room to £5O or whether it was des’red to enter into at larger proposition. He suggested hold ing the matter over for the present as it was felt that if public funds were available it would be better to go in for a more elaborate room. Ho moved to that effect. This was seconded by' the Mayor. Cr. AVilliams said it would be only fair to the tenderers to open the ten- { ders and notify the decision. Cr. O’Brien said while he wanted to • see us good a room as possible ho did | not wish to see the matter shelved for an indefinite period. He suggested delaying the matter for a couple of weeks at the most. Cr. Baty’ said he felt sure quite a lot of public money’ would be available for the room, especially from the country’ districts. He thought the ; Council should circulate subscription I lists. Cr Parfitt said if they were going * in for a rest room they should have a good one. The resolution was carried, the mat- j tor to be revived at the first meeting I in August. TOWN HALL AGAIN. Two tenders were received for the painting of the Town Hail window sashes and doors —£64 and £57 respec- ! lively. Crs. contended the amounts too high. 1- was pointed out that the speci- ; fications provided for repairs to ! windows and several other details as I well as painting. : Cr. McGinley moved that no tender be accepted. Cr. Williams said there was more I work mentioned in the specifications than was intended by’ the Council, as only’ the painting of the windows and doors were mentioned at first. : Cr. Baty’ moved as an amendment the •lowest tender (Mr T. O’Donnell) be ; accepted. There was a great deal of i work requiring attention in connection j with the Hall. ; Cr. Skoglund seconded and said the doors and win lows were in a disgrace- ; ful state. Cr. Doogan thought it would pay the Council to have the work carried out. The Mayor also supported the amendment stating that the Town Hall was the property’ of the people and should-be kept in repair. Cr. McGinley objected to the engineer including anything in the specifications that was not provided for by the Council.

Cr. O’Brien contended that the Engineer would not be carrying out his duty if he did not include the matters in the specifications if he saw they required attention. The amendment was carried, Crs McGinley and Williams dissenting. MUSEUM. Cr Parfitt mentioned the dillapidated and neglected state of the Grey mouth Museum and said it was a pity the specimens were allowed to be neglected. He moved that the Museum Committee meet this week and confer with Mr Fry, geologist, of Reefton, with a view to having the Museum re-opened. He also suggested asking the public for contributions of specimens towards the collect ion. Cr Calclough seconded and said if the money’ was provided the Museum Committee would carry out the necessary work. The resolution was carried. AVORKS COMMITTEE REPORT. The Chairman of the AVorks Committee- (Cr. Williams) reported:— We have looked into the following items referred to us and desire to re- i commend as follows:—That the asphalt : footpath on the east side of High St., i from Franklin to Buccleugh St., be I ker bed in concrete in the same manner ' as the western side path; i.e., that the 1 new kerbing and : sphalt be so constructed as to fit. in with the present, solid asphalt pathway as near as pos- | sible. As the plant, etc., it at that i end of the town, we suggest that this i work be done immediately. Ruts in footways.—That the several business firms whose traffic cut up the asphalt, be requested to repair same as soon as possible, .seeing that some of the crossings need urgent attention, it may be advisable for the Council to do the repairs and charge for the work done. ’Flint permission be granted to Mr ■ Mathiesou to » iii:.rg ‘ and improve his premises in Mackay Street, provided chat the floor be constructed in concrete and graded in a suitable manner to the satisfaction of the Borough Engineer. Ladies' Rest Room.—On the Mayor's advice, who is ex officio a member of the Works Committee, it was decided to call ler tenders for the access; ry work. This the engineer has done. 'Fhe Committee desire to draw your attention to the recurring heavy expenditure entailed in grubbing grass, etc., off our streets, and recommend that i the roadway on th-* west side of High Street, from Sawyer’s Creek bridge to Buccleugh Street, which has been recently kerbed ami cleared of grass, etc., be tarred with r: w tar (that is unboiled') ami then sanded. If this were done it would make that part of the j’oadwuv look well, and save further expense in grubbing grass, etc. The clause in the report concerning Mr Mahtieson’s building caused some discussion. Cr. Greaney said he objected to the Borough By-laws being broken by the erection of a wooden and iron building in the brick area. He complained that ?ome were allowed to build in wood, whilst others were compelled to u.-.e brick. The Mayor said that no by laws were being broken, as the Engineer was granted power to pass alterations that he considered fit. Cr. O'Brien: It’s a well-known f ct that by laws’are only to keep certiuu people in order. It was finally decided to adopt the Committee’s recommendation, with the addition, “ in accords nee with Section 380 of the By-laws and on the advice of the Borough Surveyor.” ENGINEERS REPORT. The Borough Engineer (Mr AV. J. O ’Donnell) reported:—‘ ‘ The usual maintenance work has been attended to during the month as follows: —Metal has been placed upon Shakespeare St., Buccleugh St., Preston Road and in Cemetery. High Street kerbing is now finished. Sewer repairs have kept the street staff fully' occupied during the fortnight just ended, that at Mawhera Quay having the pipes flattened out and will have to be removed and strengthened by concrete. Foundry’ Lane has been a continual source of trouble and is again blocked up. It would seem advisable to relay it. Slips on Omoto Road have occurred on two occasions during the period.” PUMPING PLANT. The pumping engineer reported as follows: ‘‘All the machinery in my charge is working well. Ou the 23rd ami 24th ultimo, I stopped each set alternately’ and gave them an overhaul after their continuous run while the water was low. Since then they* have been working sixteen hours a day’. AVith the cutting out of the channel and the rain on the 25th there has lieen a good supply to the pumps and the stopping of leaks in the main has eased things. I When other leakages are located as I have before reported, th-ere should be \ no difficulty in keeping up the supply with 12 hours pumping. The gas consumption for the period was, No 1. set: —442,500 feet. No. 2., 389,100 feet, oil, lubricating, 23A gallons; cylinder, 23 gallons. ’ ’ The special water committee (Crs. Baty and O’Brien) recommended a Baty repair to the pumping engine — . Adopted. : FINANCE. Cr Doogan formally’ moved that the recent resolution in connection with the ' £ll,OOO loan be rescinded and moved a fresh one on similar lines with a provision for the allocation of A per cent ■ per annum for sinking fund on the loan. Seconded by Cr Baty and carried. ,• On the further motion of Cr Doog; n Messrs G. E. Perkins, J. Greenslade and F. 11. Denton were appointed Commissioners to dispose and invest any interest on the sinking fund accruing from the loan.

BOROUGH INSPECTOR. 3 s Ihe Borough Inspector reported: . ‘‘During the month 1 was engaged assisting Air Evans inspecting leaks in . water taps. I inspected four hundred and sixty premises. I have also impounded seven horses and have had four prosecutions and four convictions. There- have been several drains blocked, 1 one in Perotti Street which has been attended to and one in Albert Street I which has been a source of trouble for , j some tunc. Mr Heinz has been noti- : i lied about it but nothing has been - done so far. The blockage in Thread- ■ needle Street has been attend-ed to. GENERAL. Mm. Heinz wrote, stating that ho did I not consider himself ’responsible for i any’ defect in thv drain to his property | in Albert St., and asking the Council | to have it repaired. | 7he motion was rcferreldwpgges stat I The matter was referred to the • Works Committee for report. j The Grey’ County- Council stated in a letter that it was prepared to support i the Borough Council in any’ steps the | latter may’ take towards the opportion- 1 ! ing of the cost of maintenance of the l Cobden bridge; also pointing ' . out that the writers con- | sidcred Runanga and Cobden should be included in the liability , in connection with the bridge. I Cr. Doogan said it was advisable that it should be settled who was liable j for the maintenance of the bridge. At present the County’ Council and Borough Council had to bear the cost of maintenance. He moved that a commission be set up to apportion the cost of maintenance of the bridge. Cr. AVilliams seconded and expressed the opinion that Runanga and Cobden local bodies should contribute. This was carried, it being pointed out that a number of preliminary’ steps were necessary. The Barrytown Settlers’ Association wrote asking the Council to support an effort to have th-e Barrytown-AVest-port road completed as soon as possible. A matter of about 7 miles yet remained to be formed and the benefits which, the district would derive from the completion of the road would be many. Cr. Parfitt moved ’.hat the Council j co-operate with the Barrytown Association in the matter. Seconded by Ur. Greaney’ and carried. Ihe Blaketown Ratepayers’ Association wrote asking the Council to set aside a section of hind near Reid St. and Packers Quay in Blaketown for th-e purpose of forming a recreation ground. The Association was prepared to provide the work of cleaning and bcauii(ying the kind it' the Council provided the section. i Cr. Parfitt said he thought the Council could well grant the request. Blaketown required some ground of this sort and he moved that the request be granted. Cr. Doogan said part of the land was police reserve over which the Council had no control. Cr. McGinley seconded. It was finally’ decided that the general committee apportion the area to be granted. AV. 11. Johnston wrote drawing the ' Council’s attention to the insanitary state of a side drain in Kilgour Road. • —Referred to the Works Committee. The Secretary of the Greymouth Fire Board drawing attention to the danger of firo which exists from the accumulation of dried gorse and shrubs in the vicinity of various dwellings in the Borough, ami asking the Council to take some steps to have the growth checked. Cr. McGinley asked for an interpre tation or the Act regarding the clearing of gorse. The Mayor said it was generally recognised that residents were obliged to keep the noxious weeds from their property. Cr. Doogan said fhe Board should have specified the particular parts of the Borough referred to. He moved that they’ be written to and asked what portions of the town are referred to. This was seconded by’ Cr. Baty and carried. The .Secretary’ of the Municipal Band notified that Messrs AV. Garth and tS. Compton had been appointed trusteesto sign the agreement between the Council and the band. Cr. Doogan explained that the agreement was the result of the band handing their property over to the Council. He moved that it be referred to the Band Committee of the Council. Seconded by Cr. ParJ’tt and carried. The Sisters of Mercy’ thanked the Council for a donation of. coke to the Convent. The Grey' D.H.S. Committoc also wrote thanking the Council for a similar donation. —Received. The Canteen and Regimental Trust Fund Board wrote offering to lend money’ to the Council on conditions that same be expended on the employment of soldiers who are out of work. —Received.