WESTPORT STREETS

Grey River Argus, 13 December 1940, Page 8

WESTPORT STREETS

Council “Blreeze” WESTPORT, December 12. At the Borough Council meeting last evening, Cr. J. M. Fairbairn brought up a number of matters which required attention. Among these was the cleaning up of footpaths in Derby Street between Eonblanque Street and Wakefield Street. This job, he said, had only been hall done.' He also criticised a barbed wire fence which had been erected to keep children out of Victoria Squat ( croquet green. He drew attention to the pot holes and bad drainage in Adderley Stret between Rintoul and Wakefield streets. Other jobs needing attention, said Cr. Fairbairn, included the cleaning up of gardens outside the railway station and the installation of concrete kerbs in the main streets. He was also of the opinion that the streets should be cleaned during the holidays and that street flank improvements should be hurried up. Cr. Thomas reiterated the necessity of tar sealing lower Derby street as far as the beach. It was stated that this job was on the estimates and would be attended to as soon as possible. Cr. Fairbairn criticised the expenditure on the installation of the i Denniston power line. He maintained that large sums of money had been paid a contractor to do this job when it could have been done by borough employees, thus saving the ratepayers’ money. He moved that, in future no more than £5 could be spent on electrical work without the authorisation of the electrical committee.

Cr. Thomas thought this a retrograde step as it would result in the holding up of urgent work. The Mayor, Cr. Robertson, censured Cr. Fairbairn for his criticism of electrical affairs. Cr. Fairbairn’s opinions would be valued if voiced when committees were meeting. Instead, Cr. Fairbairn persisted in criticising at the monthly meeting’s decisions already made. Cr. Fairbairn said that as long as he saw ratepayers’ money being wasted, he would criticise with the object of preventing wastage. The various committees, in his opinion, should meet more often and should also pay regular visits of inspection, to the works under way. Cr. Nahr: Though countries like Germany and Italy have their dictators, I am convinced that we have one in this Council . . . Cr. Farbairn: Yes! ILandfo Nahr I Hon. P. C. Webb advised regarding Brougham Street water supply, advising that the Council had no authority to raise a loan for this purpose without a poll of ratepayers, unless the work was urgently necessary. The matter could then be attended to under certain sections of the Health Act.

Cr. Thomas said that the Health Act clause should be invoked in this case as the lack of proper water facilities in Brougham Street could start an epidemic among the children living there. Such an epidemic would rapidly spread and soon affect the whole district. He thought that the cost of the work should be estimated and the estimate put before the people who were asking for the water. They could then see what they would have to pay if the work were carried out. A motion that an estimate of the cost of the work be made and

then submitted to the residents, was passed. Considerable discussion arose over a letter from the Westport Coal Co., re insurance of power house employees. Cr. Radford moved that they be insured with the company doing the biggest amount of borough electrical insurance work. The motion was lost. Cr. Fairbairn moved that the men be insured with the State insurance company. This was also lost. A motion by Cr. Thomas, to defer the matter till next meeting of the Finance Committee, so that the Town Clerk would have an opportunity to obtain more particulars, was passed. The Acting Controller of Civil Aviation wrote re the Council taking -over the licenses of local aerodromes. The Mayor said he had been advised against taking them over. A motion that the Town Clerk enquire the Council’s liability in the matter, was passed. With regard to an appeal, from the Runnaga Borpugh Council for a donation towards a fund for the dependents of men killed in the recent mine disaster it was decided to make a donation of £lO. Nelson Education Board wrote agreeing to £5OO as purchase price fo- site of new north school and enclosing deposit. Application for electrical current from Utopia road residents and Ser--geant’s Hill and Fairdown, were referred to the electrical engineer for a full report on the cost of supplying these people with power. Cr. O’Dea said that there were plenty of people wanting power. Tne Council should sell as much power as possible now that it had plenty to spare.

The Mayor said the power should be extended where the cost of such an extension would be offset by revenue.