BOROUGH AFFAIRS

Hokitika Guardian, 9 July 1932, Page 2

BOROUGH AFFAIRS

MEETING OF THE COUNCIL. HELD LAST EVENING. The Hokitika Borough Council met ilast evening. Present, the Mayor (Mr G. A. Perry),- and Councillors J. King, T. W. Duff, D. J. "Eveng, D. P. -Stuar;, A. C. Armstrong and E. W. Heenail. Apologies were received from Councillors E. Teiche'lmann, G. Heinz and A. R. Elcock. INWARD CORRESPONDENCE. The imvaiu correspondence wa;s dealt with as follows : The Commissioner of Unemployment intimated that insurance companies had decided not to proceed with th e proposed “Pool,” ibut to reduce insurance rate in repeat to relief workers of a Jiiat rats of 25 per cen;.—Received, The District Engineer, PubLc Works, Greymoath, for war -ted rates o? pay upon which subsidy wi/. be based- as from the Ist July, 1932.—Received.

The Chairman, No. 12 District Highways Council, Greymouth, intimated that under Section 2 of -the Main Highways Act. 1922. any applications for adjustments on Main Highways or doalaring others in substitution must reach him not later than the m!i ;:i:t.

The Public Trust Office, Wel.ingtoii, intimated that "in regard to Scct'on 45 i(2) (c) of nhe National Expenditure Adjustment Act, 1932, the Sinking Fund Of the Abattoirs Loan of £3500 being invested in the National Provident Fund, the debentures are exempt from the (10 per cent, Stamp Duty imposed by th e Act.—Received. \ The Chairman, No. 12 District High, ways Council, Greymouth, intimated that Mr J. H. Clark had been appointed as Traffic Inspector for the No. 12 Highways District, and that Highways Board would provide him with a car and pay his salary and expenses, without calling upon local authorities to contribute.

Kanieri Electric confirmed Council’s letter of the 28th June, 1932, re -street lighting between sunset and dawn. The N.Z. Refrigerating C°., Christchurch, -intimated that the following meat was delivered into Hokitika 'during the month of May, 1932: viz: 3 -sheep.

Th e Lower. Hiutt Borough Council pointed out the heavy cost of insuring Relief Workers, under Scheme 5, and asking that Council co-operate in placing the views of local bodies 1A ‘ore the Unemployment Board, and also that •the Council furnish particulars of cost of insurance over a period of two years, and amount received in compensation.— Received. The Mayor said that he dui not think the Council would be- justified in taking any action. The secretary, Municipal Association, pointed out that as far as ideal bodies were concerned, ground rents cannot be reduced to less than 5 per cent, of the unimproved value of the land, as existing Ist April, 1932, and asking theCouncil to support the Association in representations to next sitting of Parliament, to prevent thiig minimum being reduced.—Received, The. Canterbury Progress League, Westland Committee-, wrote- asking for a donation to its funds for publicity work.—Matter deferred for consideration until after September. The secretary, Returned Soldiers’ Association, wrote asking if the Council would consider subsidising a grant from the Asisociaton for employment of v exservicemen who are unemployed.—Decided to point out the- difficult position in which -Council was placed and regretting unable- to accede. The- financial statement showed that receipts for the period amounted to £lll4 and -expenditure to £s4<. There was a debit of -£668 12s 7d in the district fund account. Accounts amounting to £976 4s 9d were passed for payment. Several men engaged at the botanical reserve, said Cr. Heenan, had complained’ of the wet conditions under which they were working, and he recommended that those men without gumboots be not engaged while conditions remained -a® they are. It was decided to procure several pairs of knee boots. Stock slaughtered at the abattoirs during the month was a-s follows: Cows 10, sheep 301, heifers 6, bullocks 68, lambs 33, pigs 6, calves 23. Fees amounted to £62 7-s 6d, as against £7l 6s last year! The manager reported on necessary improvements amounting, to £lO, and it was decided that they be carried out. Mr M. McGavin wrote asking, as a ratepayer, who appointed the assistant clerk in the Borough Council office, and

also asking the cost of such additional assistance.

Is was decided that the Town Cbra reply, giving the desired information.

Mr McGavin appeared in person in support of his letter to the Council, and asked for verbal replies to his inquiries. The Mayor said that the Council had dealt with the matter and had decided to respond ;o it .giving th« information asked for.

■•1 would like to know how he was appointed and for how many days'’ saiu Mr Mcu-ovin.

“I think you ar e making a mountain out 01 a molehill ’ replied the -Mayor. “The Town Clerk needed assistance, and he. engaged the assistant clerk at present in the office. Tne Council gave the Town • u-ork permits.on to apppi-it ■whoever he shougnt fit for the position, and' to engage him as he requir-d.-

Mr '-Mcuaviii .added that, as a ratepayer, h e was entitled to know how the money was being spent. -,

The matter was then closed. REPORTS BY OFFICERS

Tile foreman (Mr F. Chester man) reported that the staff were employed the first week in the month on Casis Square, a tree on the east side blew down ca;rying away the power hue, and as three others looked dangerous to th e Cenotaph, these were felled and removed. The wooclen wall at the corner of Beaby and Stafford Streets at If; Jones’ being rotte-h was feplao.d witn a concrete wall. A concrete trap was put ih at tile corner of Hampden arid Fitzhei'bei't Stre-ts, '-to prevent the drain in Hampden Street from being blocked, which occurred after rain ( through rubbish and sand being washed in. A wooden pipe was put in a crossing in Hampden Street at D. Breeze’s. The culvert in Sale Street leading into the gravel pit was . renewed. A wooden drain at the corner of Hampden and Fitzherbert Streets on .the east side collapsed and ‘was renewed with earthenware pipes. Rolleston Street drain between Weld Street and Gibsons Quay was cleaned out and a start made laying eighteen inch pipes, and a. drain crossing Rolleston Street from Weld Street was connected with Rolleston Street drain. Water connection was renewed at Mrs Walker’s-in Sale Street, and repaired at the following places, D. Stewart’s, Stafford Street, at the morgue, Beach Street, and renewed part of the service at the Town Hall. A new pipe was nut in the water main in Rolleston Street between Weld and’ 'Stafford Streets, and two new pipes put" in the main on Gibsons Quay between Bealey and Hall Streets. A number of leaks were repaired at various places in the town during the month. The average depth of water in the reservoir for the month, was 7ft. Bin. THE; UNEMPLOYED. A number of the unemployed were engaged at the botanical reserve digging drains and grubbing out the gorsfe and rushes. Mr Herring has a number of Oass Square rind on other town reserves. Four are working on the cutting down of Jollio Street hill, Two are out at the abattoirs. Three gey them eri are engaged cutting growth on the street sides. Three are on theschool reserve cutting drains. Three are screening gravel in the pit. Two are employed on footpaths chipping, while "a good number, mostly single men, are at the aerodrome levelling the ground. ’ . .