BOROUGH COUNCIL

Hokitika Guardian, 9 May 1936, Page 7

BOROUGH COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING

The Hokitika Borough Council met l?st evening at 8 o’clock. There were present Mr G. A. Perry (Mayor), Councillors J. King, A. R. Elcock, T. W. Duff, H, T. Parry, H. L. Michel, A. Thompson, G. Heinz, E. Park and E. Teichelmann.

REPORTS

The Treasurer reported receipts £550 14s lid, payments £2Bl i*», debit balance £320 3s 6d. Accounts amounting to £670 15s bd already paid and £97 Os Gu, a total of £767 15s lid were passed for payment. DEPUTATIONS

' A deputation waited on the Council consisting of Messrs E. W, Heenan, J. R. Taylor, A. Cutbush and G. Adamson representing the local football clubs and sports committee 11. connection with improvements to Cass Square. Mr Heenan said they forced a joint deputation in connection with improvements to Cass Square. He pointed., out that-the grass on the playing fields was 4 to 5 inches long, and on Nol ground was positively dangerous, while two diagonal tracks across the ground made by pedestrian traffic were in places almost six inches deep and required filling in. He suggested that a motor mower be procured which in the course of time would assure two,good grounds. The Rugby Uunion was prepared to assist to put the ground in order. They also asked for permission to erect two floodlights'on Cass Square, and invited financial 'support thereto, giving uetails of the'.proposal. Mr J. R. Taylor representing the Sports Committee, said his committee, would be willing to assist in any movement. The cycling track was. in need of further improvement, and a running track was needed. Mr A. Cutbush in support added the Council received £lO to £l2 in rentals per year and he thought that This should be expended on the ground. The ,tracks across the ground needed .filling’•dn: 4 "They were t liable to cause an, accident to a player at any moment. ... " ' -'V' ' ; .V:. .

Mr Adamson\thought that it would be possible to otHain the use of the Golf Club’s .motor .mower,at a nominal cost for an experiment.

The Mayor suggested that the v only way to prevent ..traffic across the' square was ,tb close the corner gates. At one time he had ‘asked the. Rector, to request the school children to’ stop the practice and this was done, but’ 4 had no effect. The post and rail fence put up had also proved of no Use as persons went over or under it. , The deputation were promised that the Council would consider, their (‘requests, and after thanking the Council for the hearing given, withdrew. Eater,'.the Council considered the requests made by the deputation,.and it was .resolved:- —'

That in connection''with the flood- 1 lighting, that the Council give toe required permission to erect same, but were not prepared to contribute to the cost.' b

That the necessary repairs to the tracks across the Square be referred to the Reserves Committee to carry out as speedily as possible. That the corner gates of Cass Square be closed to traffic, at the discretion of tne Inspector.

That a quantity of crushed gravel lv( lobtaj.ied fior /necessary repairs and that an exepriment be tried with used oil on the track. That it was not considered at present to deal with the question of a motor mower, pending proposed trial to he made. Mr A. Detlaff waited on the Council in. reference to the fencing of a right of way, North Revel 1 Street and he was again referred to the Land' Board, the Council having no power to deal with the question.

INWARD CORRESPONDENCE

From Dominion president, R.S.A., soliciting support in the purchase of Anzac stamps. —Received; a quantity to be procured. From Fire Board advising that the contribution of the Hokitika Borough Council to the Board for the current year is £2Bl 5s payable in quarterly instalments of £79 6s 3d each. —Received.

From Medical Superintendent, Mental Hospital, Hokitika, asking whether Council could place street lights on the Cemetery Hill road, one light to he at the foot of the road, and one at the curve,—Received. One light to be placed at the Spencer Street crossing and one at the Borough boundary. From Postmaster, Hokitika asking for permission to erect a telephone t>ox alongside the water tank at the cornner of Weld and Revel! Streets, and stating that, the Superi tendent of the Fire Brigade.—Received, permission granted. From W. Burgess, manager, Bide Star Taxis, application for a kerbside petrol pump at Section 124, Revell Street, next to Armstrong, grocer. —Received,: request refused.

From Alex Bowkett, application for stand to operate a saveloy and pic cart at Ross and Burt’s corner, Sewell fltreet, opposite Newman’s ga.rage. —Received. Refused; would be prepared to consider a site in Tancred Street.

From Hokitika Ladies’ Hockey Club and Rover Ladies’ Hockey Club, application for use of No 2 ground Cass Square, for hockey mn+oVs and practice. —Received and granted.

From Westland Rugby Sub-Union application for the use of playing area, Cass Square, for Rinrhv football iseason, and for permission to make the usual charge for admission on the same conditions as last year, and on the uderstanding that

the Union, will agree to meet any other suporthig bodies who may desire to use the area on the same day as football matches are to be played. Received and agreed to. Prom P. V. J. Kirwan, application to transfer his tenancy or Lot 13 of Municipal Reserve 492 ,to Francis Joseph Ghoufsky, of Hokitika and asking that Mr Groufsky be granted a 21 yeat-6’ lease. —Received and granted. 1< Vnh Local Government Loans Board, Wellington, asking turther information in regard to 4 the water supply loan, 1936, £IB,OOO. —Received. The Town Clerk’s reply was approved. From O. G. Haussman, re rates on Section 1273, Davie Street.—Received and referred to Town Clerk.

From A Stewart, butcher, applying to rent Reserve No 445, and offering a rental of £7 a year.—Received; unable at present to consider leasing reserve.

From F. G; Oliver, application for domestic water service connection, aiid also for street crossing, Park Street. Received and approved. From A. R. Elcock applying tor street crossing, Revell Street.—Received and approver

FOREMAN’S REPORT.

From Foreman —1 beg to rqport the following works were carried out during the month. Revell St. drain was covered with asphalt, the’distance being fifteen chains ; pipes were laid across Revell St footpath at F. Andrews’, J. Johnson, and W. Hall’s Dunedin Hotel. Pot holes were repaired in Revell, Weld and Hamilton Sts., with asphalt, also the highways, Fitzherbert and Stafford Sts. were repaired, and one day was spent on Cass Square patching pot holes. A water service was put in at Mrs Phillips’ in Park St., and a Avater service renewed in Sewell SR, at Mr Turner’s.

The fence leading into Be°ch St. at the rear of Mr J. Wilson’s was removed back at the corner. A 6in. trap was put in at the north end of the Revell St drain to take the surface water for flushing purposes. A crossing was put in at Mr J. Ward’s new residence in UoHeston St., one foot concrete pipes being used. The footpath in Se\vell St. fronting the Roman Catholic Church was cleared of growth,. preparatory to kerbihg, the dist.’nce being seven and a half, chains. Three dayswere sn°nt on the pipe line above the Kanieri .Forks, at Coal Creek the pipes kicked out, and a pipe burst below Wards’ Road, the water being turned off from the lake during the time. ■ Bands Avere put on a burst pine in SeAvell St., and a number of leaks repaired about toAvn. The average depth of water in the reservoir was 2ft. Sin. —Received,

From manager Abattoirs reporting during April there were slaughtered—--34 cows, 15 heifers, 58 bullocks, 208 sheep, 121 lambs, 18 pigs, 42 calves. Condemned 1 cow, 1 sheep. Fees lor month £7B 8s 6d (for same period last year £B2 12s 6d). --Received.

HEAVY TRAFFIC FEES

Further to the Council’s resolution of the 17th. inst.. we beg to renort that we represented this Council at a meeting calied by the Westland County Council for the purpose of discussing the mrtter of the cnlle'tion and allocation of the heavy traffic fees, and that after discussion, it was resolve,, to notify the Grey County Council, the controlling authority, that the present arrangement for collection of heavj traffic fees in the Westland gioup be terminated as at May 31, and in due course, steps will he arranged for the collectiin of fees through the Westland County Council, and for the quarterly distribution of the amount to the respective bodies.

Certain details are still to be dealt with, but it is expected that more fees will be available to the local bodies concernedj and that' a better system ol checking weights and general supervision will. be pi’ovided. Report received, and action taken approved.

SUB-COMMITTEE’S REPORT,

Cr. Parry reported in connection with the question of the Council obtaining a motor-lorry tint it was deemed inadvisable to obtain a loiry without the Council being prepared to add to the permanent staff by at least three men, which would result in a cost of about £6OO, and £3OO for benzine, etc., for the, lorry, a cost per year of £9OO which at present was not within tb reach of the Council. He suggested th°.t further consideration be deferred till a later date. The suggestion was approved by the Council.