GREY BOROUGH COUNCIL

Grey River Argus, 22 May 1942, Page 6

GREY BOROUGH COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING HELD. The Greymouth Borough Council met last evening. The Mayor (Mr. F. A. Kitchingham), presided, and there were present: Crs. H. Herring (Deputy Mayor), J. Saunders. C Neville, G. M. Truman, G. R. Harker, J. B. Kent. P. Blanchfield, junr., and F. F. Boustridge; Messrs F. H. Denton (Town Clerk), and A. J. Fairmaid (Borough Engineer). The Grey Hospital Board wrote making a further request for the erection of a, shelter at the bus stop outside the hospital. The matter was referred to the Works Committee, and a reply will be sent as soon as final:!t v is reached. The Grev Hospital Board advisc/i that Ministerial consent for expenditure in connecting up with the 4-inch water main at the Grey Hospital, and that the Board would be pleased to accept the Council’s offer of doing this work at cost. —The Engincesaid that the pipes were expected at the end of the month, but delivery was subject to defence orders. The Principal of the Greymouth Technical' High School (Mr. W. M. Stewart), wrote asking that the School be allowed the use of the Recreation Ground for football from time to time during the week. The letter stated that, owing to lack of competition facilities locally, Association Football would not be prominent at the School. The use of two playing areas for inter-tribal matches on Thursday afternoon was being asked, 'and also occasionally one area for ordinary football practice.—Permission, as requested, was given. Joyce and. Taylor, solicitors, wrote on behalf of Miss A. C. Volheide, requesting the replacement of the soil and the reinstatement of the fence outside her property to prevent the flooding which had occurred since the footpath was lowered. Cr. Boustridge said that the Works Committee had decided that there was no liability on the Council. Cr. Herring said that the Council should recognise the claim on account of the iwork that it had carried out, and moved that Miss Volheide should be granted £2.

Cr. Kent seconded this The Mayor said that this would be without prejudice or liability. Cr. Boustridge said that to make such a grant, because "somebody’s fence was so rotten that it had fallen down,” would lay the Council open to all sorts of claims. He would have to vote against the motion. ■ After some discussion, the Mayor said that fences on sidlings running down to creeks were also falling over, and if the Council were going to give compensation in all such cases, “we are going to have headaches for years to come.” Th e motion was lost. The Hon. D. Wilson wrote on behalf of the Minister of Mines (Hon. P. C. Webb), stating that he had received the resolution passed by the Council in regard to the provision of ■adequate military protection for the port of Greymouth. He would discuss the matter with the Minister of Defence, and at the earliest possible date let the Council know the decision of the Government.—The letter was received.

The Greymouth Municipal Band forwarded copies of the balance sheet and accounts for the year. Both were approved.

Mr E. B. E. Taylor, solicitor, wrote on behalf of Mr Arthur Hill concerning the council’s action regarding the slip which came down alongside his section on Tindale Road early last month. The letter stated that there had always been a natural water course down the gully where the slip occurred. The council had made a channel for the water with the result that spoil was being built up on the bank at the top side of the road, making a very dangerous situation for Mr Hill’s section in the event of further spoil coming down the hill. The section would be comparatively safe if the spoil on the road was removed and the water allowed to take its original course. Cr Boustridge said that the opinion of the Works Committee was that nothing had been done likely to increase the risk of damage to the property. He moved that MT Hill be written to and informed of this opinion. The motion was carried. . : The .Blaketown-Preston Road Ratepayers’ Association wrote drawing attention to the flooding, which occurred, after every heavy fall of rain at the intersection of Blake and Ryan Streets. The matter was left

to the engineer. Mr W. P. Hambleton wrote drawing attention to the flooding that occurred at his property in Alexander Street. Whether it was due to recent work carried out on the hillside or to faulty drains, he was unable to say. The engineer said that the drainage work would cost £903 or £lO6B, according to the size of the pipes. The work could not be done without a loan.

Cr Truman said that the matter should be kept in mind for next year’s estimates. Cr Boustridge supported the carrying out of the work, with a loan, if necessary. “We’ll just have to do it,” said Cr Harker, in supporting the carrying out of the work.

Cr Blanchfield said that he could not support the motion till the whole scheme was clarified.

Cr Boustridge said that the Murray Street area was equally in need of attention if not more so. It was decided on Cr Harker's motion that the matter should be considered when the estimates came up.

The Gas Manager (Mr A. J. Fairmaid) wrote referring to the position of two gas works employees who had gone into camp, and on whose endowment insurance policies the council had been paying half the premiums, Is 6d in one case and Sd in the other. They had joined the staff under conditions requiring the mto take out endowment policies. The question they asked was as to who was to bear the cost of the premiums while they were in camp.

Cr Kent moved that the council carry the whole of insurances for members of the staff that were called up. Cr Herring said that this should be done while they were on active service, and the motion was carried with this proviso. An application for an extension of a driving license by Mr Ron McIntosh was granted. It was decided to grant permission to Mrs McGlaSiian, Premier Garage, Cobden, to enlarge the accommodation to take two buses instead of one, subject to conditions to be imposed by the Works Committee.

Requests from the following were referred to the Works Committee: R. Seddon, 136 High Street, concerning flooding on to his property from the regraded roadway leading to the Grey Hospital; Blaketown-Pres-ton Road Ratepayers’ Association concerning (1) numbering of the streets in the vicinity of the conjunction of Blake and Reid Streets; (2) depression in Doyle Street and Robinson Street, which requires filling; (3) blockage of stormwater drain in Preston Road; (4) bridging of keifling of footpaths at the intersection of Blake and Robinson Streets.; Westland Laundry Ltd., concerning condition of Gres’son Street in front of laundry premises; B. Marley, concerning the dangerous state of drain footpath at his residence at the corner of Bright and Cardwell Streets.