COBDEN TOWN BOARD

Grey River Argus, 8 June 1933, Page 6

COBDEN TOWN BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING. 'Die ordinary 'monthly meeting of the Cobden Town Board was held last evening, and was attended by Commissioners A. 11. MuKanc (Chairman), R. Marley, W. O’Reilly, U. J. Mottrick, R. Ramage, ami the Town Clerk i Miss F. Davison), Accounts amounting to £3O 10s 7d were passed for payment. The Treasury forwarded £1 goldfields Tin* Warden of the Church of ‘Resurrection (Mr L. D. Teasdale) wrote protesting against the placing ol a tire sump on the Cliuruli property. The Chairman said that, as the other sumps had been put in fair order (hev might be able to do without the one on the (’hurch property, seeing that it was objected to. Cr. Ramage said that the Church oeople had had a lot of help from the I Board at different times. The Chairman said that he. had discussed the position with Air Teasdale, lull he had still objected. Cr. O’Reilly suggested that. they might put one down on the footpath am] cover it with heavy timber. 'l'he discussion then lapse<|. House for Destitute Soldiers. 'Die Secretary of the Greymouth Returned Soldiers’ Association wrote asking for the, permission to use the premises known as Smither’s Shop, in lliight Street, as a sleeping house for returned soldiers who have fallen on hard times ami who, in the course of l heir travels from one town to another in search of work, apply to the local branch of the R’.S.A. for sleeping aeuommodat ion. The Chairman (who is also Chalrn.an of the Greymouth R.S.A.) said That the Branch had made arrange meats for the shop, But before going lon with the scheme they wished to have the permission of the Town B< ard. The place* would be made sanitary, and provision would be made for j four or live to sleep there. | Cr. ()'Reilly; You want to make it into a doss-house? The ('hairman said that Cr. O’Reilly could call it that if he liked. It was not to be a permanenl place of residence. but for casuals who might come along. It was not proposed to go on with the proposal unless it was found necessary, am] it was a curious fact jlhal. since the letter was written they |had not had an applicant for assistance. The place would be under his (the chairman’s) personal supervision. Cr. Ramage said that he thought jthat the Board should grant the re|«|uest, and also that the R.S.A. should Ibe uoinnionded on their enterprise. It was better to have them in a house i than to have them wandering on the streets. He moved that the request he granted. In seconding the motion. Cr. Marley • said that the men were entitled Io the I shelter. j The motion was carried. j The Commissioner wrote in referienue Io the classification of Bright Ist reel, and the bus services using it. IHe pointed out that, although Mr 11. McGlashan was exceeding the elassification applied for, he was entitled to considi-ration, as he had purchased the buses for the run when it was an open The Chairman said that he had discussed the question with Mr McGlashan who had said that he was not going to be tied down by any tin-pot. arrangements with the Board. Cr. O ’Reilly; Tie wants to run CobThe Chairman said that he had pointed out to Mr McGlashan that, unless he came to an agreement with the Board he was in the •danger of losing his license, and he had replied that, in that case he would withdraw his service altogether. Cr. Ramage said that Mr McGlashan had told him that he was quite willing to reduce his runs per day. as suggested by the Board, but he was tied down by the Transport Board, and could not do it without their approval, and he was powerless until the Licensing Authority sat again. The Chairman said that the members of the Transport Board who had discussed the position with him had told him that Mr McGlashan was entitled to apply for the restriction of his service at any time. On the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Cr. Ramage, it was decided to write to Mr McGla c hr.n askling for his opinion on H iggestion that had been made i 11 should restrict his trips to Cobden on weekdays, during the life nf his present | big bus. The Chairman pointed out that at the present time ATr McGlashan was making 34 trips a day, with nearly twice that, number on Saturday. Cobden Rifle Range. The Staff Officer, Defence Office, I Greypiouth, wrote regarding the proposed rifle range at Cobden. He said

that, accompanied by the Chairman, lie had inspected the range, and he had convinced the Chairman that it

was quite safe. The nearest firing position was eight chains from Ward Street, and the range was 11 chains wide, which gave a big margin of safetv.

The Minister of Defence wrote regarding the same matter. He said that, as the Chairman had been con-

vinced of the safety of the range, the objection by the Board would be withdrawn.

The Greymouth Defence Rifle Club also wrote regarding the range, and stated that the Defence Department had arranged to have the work done with unemployed labour. and asked that the Board give the- required permission for its construction.

Crs. Mettrick and O’Reilly voiced their objections tn the permission being granted. Tim Chairman said that lie was perfectly satisfied that their objections

On the grounds of Ihe range being not safe were groundless. After viewing tin* plans of the range Cr. Alettrick withdrew his objection. and on the motion of the ('hairman. seconded by Cr. Ramage, it was decided that a letter be written to the Defence Department. stating that as the range was quite safe they had decideil to withdraw their objections to its construction. H was also decitied not to close the. unformed stret‘ls in the line of the range, but to give (he firing rights over them, to lie cancelled at a month's notice. In reply to the Board’s protest against, the allocations being received by the unemployed, the Commissioner of I'iiemployment wrote stating that the present allocations were the maxi mum financial grants that could l><‘ made. 'l’he allocations for Greyniouth. fhrough which Cobden received its share, were made on file highest, scale outside the four main cenlres. It was not possible to increase the allocations, but arrangements were being made for the free supply of boots to the men on No. 5 Scheme. Building applications by Messrs J. Contessa and Mason w('re referred to the Building Inspector and the Building Committee. Both applications were to extend and repair outbuildings. .1. McNeil wrote asking that the footpath in front of the Gospel Hall be attended to, and the drainage im The request was referred to the Works Committee. The Chairman said that he had noticed in the press that. Cobden had been ignored in the distribution of the profits of the Great Easter Art Union for the relief of distress. He had accordingly wired the Minister asking if Cobden had beet) overlooked. The Minister, in reply, had telegraphed that £9l had been allocated to Greymouth, and as the Cobden registrations were included in Greymouth, the one allocation was for the both. The Chairman said that he had, on receipt of the reply from the Minister, discussed the matter with the Mayor, and they had decided to leave the amount in the Mayor’s Relief Fund. Cobden was sharing in the Fund, and there were two urgent cases in Cobden that wore to receive attention immediately. The Cobden unemployed could now have their boots repaired at the Greyniouth Depot, and were on the same basis as Greymouth

as far as the issue of rations were concerned. Cr. O’Reilly said that he had interviewed Mr McLean (Chairman of the Harbour Board) regarding improving the visibility at the quarry corner, but he had said that he was not going to improve the visibility for the residents of Cobden. He (Cr. O’Reilly) moved that they write to the Harbour Board asking them if they had forgotten their promise to take the quarry corner off.

The motion was seconded by the Chairman and carried. It was decided to allow the sanitary contractor, whose contract expired at the end of last month, to continue on his present terms, ponding the merger, ho to bo given a week’s notice. WORKS COMMITTEE REPORT. i The Works Committee’s report for the month of May was as follows: — Bright 'Street. —The carting of gra[vel on the footpath past Hall Street, I stoning creek at the intersection of Bright and Richmond Streets. the cleaning up in front of O’Donnell’s (dumping one load of gravel), stoning drain in front of Taylor’s, the dumping of one load of gravel in front of Taylor’s, were all carried out, while the drag was worked on the road between the quarry and the beach. Fox Street. —Work was carried out grading and gravelling, and also at the stone wall, while the water tables were cleaned. Ward Street.-—The water ’tables in Ward Street were cleaned out. Fire Sumps.—The fire sumps in Wold, Stafford and Fox Streets were attended to. Sturge Street. —The stone drain at the intersection of Bright Street was attended to. and gravel dumped on the footpath. Richmond Street.—The pipes are now available for Baty’s drain, and the work will now be attended to.—R. Marley, Chairman.

The report was received as satisfae torv.