BOROUGH COUNCIL

Grey River Argus, 20 December 1940, Page 8

BOROUGH COUNCIL

Fortnightly Meeting The Mayor (Mr. F. A. Kitchingham) presided at the fortnightly meeting of the Greymouth Borough Councif last evening, when there were also present: Crs.- H. Heiring, J' Saunders, C. Neville, R. J. Williams, A. H. McKane, J. B. Kent J. Anderson arid F. F. Boustridge. An apology was received from Cr. G. K. Harker. 'The Mayor said that since the last meeting, there had passed away one who had been for some time in the employment of the Council, and. io (erred to the late Mr. W. Wallwork, and moved that the Council record his death. The motion was carried, Councillors standing in silence. The Runanga Borough Council wrote appealing for a donation towards the victims of the recent mine explosion. On the motion of Or. Neville, seconded by Cr. McKane. a donation of £25 was made. The Greymouth Yacht Club applied for permission to hold foot races on Richmond Quay during the holding! of the annual regatta on Boxing Day. Permission was granted on the motion of Cr. Kent, seconded by Cr. Saunders. The New Zealand Libraries’ Association wrote advising that the Librarians’ Conference would be held in Dunedin from February 18th. to 21st. The circular was referred to the General Committee, with power to act. , The Grey Surf Life Saving Club forwarded a receipt for the Council s donation of £l5 to the Club, and also thanked the Council, and advised that the reel-house would be built early in the New Year. The Municipal Band wrote asking for some form of assistance to enable them to wipe out their present debt of £282. Cr. Boustridge said the Band was owing £282, and tney had given a promise to pay £lOO by April, and had committed themselves to pay £l5 per quarter. He wouid like to see the Council meet the Band and help them. There was now an energetic Band, and with assistance it would come back to its former high standard. He suggested that the Council subsidise the Band on its own efforts and moved that Council subsidise on a £1 for £1 basis the £l5 per quarter. If they were able the Band was going to pay off the debt as soon.as possible. The members of the Band were giving up a considerable amount of their time in farewells, etc., and the Council would be doing right in helping them. Cr. Nevile: It would cost us £9O on that basis. Cr. Boustridge said that £9O would be the limit of the Council’s payment. The first payment would not be wanted till June, when the first £l5 was to be paid. Cr. Boustridge’s motion lapsed for the want of a ■ seconder. Cr. McKane moved that the Band be informed that if the application was made after March 31, it would he favourably received. Cr. Anderson seconded the motion, stating mat the fact that the Band knew that the Council would help them, would act as an incentive. Cr. Boustridge said that he was sorry that he did not get -a seconder to his motion but, on behalf of the Band, he thanked the Councillors for their kind remarks. He explained to the Band that it was largely on the Band’s own efforts that it would get out of debt. The motion was carried. The Proprietor of the Dominion Hotel (Mr. R. R. King) wrote complaining about the state of parked bicycles outside his premises, as xol-lows:—-I wish to draw the Council’s attention to the inconvenience being caused to my guests by bicycles being left against the posts of the hotel in the day time. During recent afterI noons, large numbers of bicycles have been placed on the footpath side of the posts, sometimes three deep, leaving little room for ordinary pedestrians to pass. These bicycles also prevented the staff from using the back entrance to the Hotel for tradesmen and others connected with the business. Several people have suffered injuries through falling over the bicycles. The new stands in front of Woolwortjis appear to be totally inadequate to cope with the increasing number of bicycles used by workers in the area adjacent to the Hotel. In view of the extra amount of business during the Christmas period. I would ask that the Council give urgent attention to this matter in an endeavour to overcome the difficulty being caused to pedestrians as well .as the staff and guests of the Hotel.

Cr. Neville moved that the letter be referred to Mr, H. Lane for attention.

Cr. Kent seconded the motion, which was carried. Cr. Kent also asked if there was a possibility of getting more cycle stands at the Post Office? The Engineer (Mr. A. J. Fairmaid), said that he had seen Mr. C. W. Browne (Chief Postmaster), in regard to having a stand put in Guinness Street. Cr. Neville said that another stand at the Post Office would not eliminate the congregation at the Dominion Hotel to any great extent. He suggested that a stand be built at McKenzie’s, and if that was not sufficient ,the Power Board be approached with the building of a stand m their yards in view. The Mayor said that it was the employers’ place to provide the stands for their employees. The Gas Institute of New Zealand wrote asking support in its protest against alleged unfair' treatment of the gas industry by the precluding of gas installations in State houses, and advised that the Town Clerks had been asked to bring the matter before the annual meeting of the Municipal Association. ■ The Engineer said that the position had not arisen in Greymouth, there being at present more gas stoves installed than electric ones. Pie was waiting to see what the next contract brought forth. Cr. McKane said that the Council had applied for permission to install the gas stoves, whereas it was probable that the other Borough Councils had waited for the Housing Department to approach them in the matter. The Mayor moved that the Engineer look into the matter to see that the Council was going to get similar treatment as in the past. The motion was carried. Cr. McKane moved an amendment that the Council reply to the Institute, stating that the treatment of the Grey Council by the Power Board had been very fair.

The motion was carried. Cr. Herring moved as an amendment, that the Gas Institute be asked to approach the Housing Department and, in future, make provision in. every house built for gas as well as electric cooking. Cr. Neville seconded the motion. The Grey District Centennial Memorial Committee wrote applying for permission to hold a street appeal on Tuesday evening, December 31, in aid of funds for the Centennial Memorial. Permission was granted. The thanks of the residents of Blaketown of the attention given by the Council to the district, were conveyed in a letter from the Blake-town-Preston Road Ratepayers’ Association, who also extended season’), greetings to the Council and staff. The letter was received and it was decided to reciprocate the good wishes. The Mayor remarked that it was not often that such a letter was received. Subdivisional plan of Part Section 372, Greymouth, forwarded by Hannan and S'eddon, was stood over for investigation, to be brought up at the next meeting of the Council. Resolution exempting the north side of Swanson Street from the provision of Section 128 of the Public Works Act, 1928, as forwarded by the Borough Solicitors, was passed on I the motion of the Mayor, seconded by Cr. Kent. I The Borough Solicitors, Hannan I and Seddon, advised that a letter had been received from Messrs Bunny and Gillespie, solicitors, Wellington, [pointing out that the special rate [struck in connection with the £10.401) Redemption Loan 1940, was levied on the Greymouth area excluding Cobden, whereas their clients understood that the rate was to be over the whole borough. To surmount this difficulty, the Borough Solicitors suggested that the Council execute a deed of covenant, under the authority contained in the Finance Act 1933 (No. 2), agreeing that in the event

of the rate levied being insufficient to meet the debentures, any" deficiency should be met out of the Council’s general fund.

The deed of covenant was executed.

The Mayor said in regard to the Town Planning, the question of reserves had not’ been tackled. This was a very important question and should be considered. He asked that the committee go into the matter.

Cr. Saunders said that he had received numerous complaints in regard to the dogs housed alongside the Borough abbatoirs. He suggested that a house for the dogs be constructed elsewhere in the grounds. There was another matter which he wished to bring up and that was the fact that a couple of earcases had disappeared from the abbatoirs. Cr. Anderson said that he had noticed that the dogs had been causing trouble in that area for some time, but as he had been affected himself, he had not wished to bring up the matter. There had been times when his neighbours had came to his house in the early hours of the morning making complaints. Mr. Gibbens, who had charge of the dogs, had suggested that the dogs be shifted further down the paddock and he moved that the abbatoirs manager be empowered to immediately prepare a suitable housing for the dogs further down the paddock. The motion was carried.

The Mayor said that in regard to the stolen carcases, the matter was in the hands of the police. No report had yet been received from the abbatojrs manager regarding the matter. Cr. Neville asked If the Marlborough Street bridge was to be a lootbridge, and when answered in the affirmative, suggested that it be replaced by a traffic bridge. He was not suggesting that it could be cone, but before that footbridge had- been definitely decided on, he would like to see the traffic bridge considered. Cr. Anderson said that It had been definitely decided to build a foot-

bridge. Cr. Neville: Then we’ll rescind the motion. Cr. Anderson said that the thing had been finalised. The Mayor said that a traffic bridge was definitely out of the question at the present time. FINANCIAL STATEMENT. The Treasurer (Mr. F. H. Denton), presented the following statement of receipts to November 30:—Grey rates £2,747 17s 6d; Cobden rates £837 os lid; Gas Account £7,528 Ils sd; Gas tar, coke and ftgs. £3,379 14s fid; Cemetery £361 0s Od; Sanitation £270; Rents £462 3s; Licenses £1,642 10s; Water £317 10s Od; Water by meter, £930 18s 9d; Miscellaneous —Abbatoir Subsidy Petrol Refund £15,494 19s 9d; total £33,972 12s Id.