MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2645, 11 September 1906, Page 5

MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of above body I wu held in the Library on Wednesday ■ evening last. Present: His Worship the Mayor (M. J. Gavin) and Crs F. St. Omer, F. Mcßride, E. Monson, C. D. Dagg, L. J. Lynch, A. Mayne and J. Edgar. Minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE. Or P. McCarthy wrote asking for leave of absence from the meeting.— Granted. P. Malaghan. secretary, Queenstown Brass Band, wrote asking for renewal of the annual subsidy of £lo.—Subsidygranted as from sth October. T. W. Hislop, Mayor of tho City of Wellington, brought under the notice of the Council tho matter of a National Memorial to the late Right Hon. R. J. Seddon. A large meeting was held in Wellington recently and two schemes /-. were proposed as a means of perpetuat ing the memory of the late statesman. These were (1) Establishment of a Scholarship on the samp lines as the Rhodes Scholarship ; (2) Establishment of a Technical University. The writer asked the Council to give its opinion on these two proposals and to make other suggestions which would come up for consideration when all the opinions were in. The Mayor said that he had replied to the communication stating that he was in sympathy with the movement of a National Memorial, but he did not agree to either of the proposals men tioned. The education afforded thereby would be within the reach of only a few. The Mayor, in his letter, said he would like to see the memorial take the form of something that would prove beneficial to th« old and infirm. This would be more in keeping with the late Premier's inclinations. He could not form any definite scheme, but Cr Edgar •greed with him regarding the form of memorial. He thought that it would be better not to collect subscriptions until they saw what form the memorial was to take. The Mayor's action was approved. W. Allan, Secretary, Southland Court of the N.Z. International Exhi bition, wrote stating that the total expense in connection with the arrangement of the court would, with due economy, exceed the amount reckoned on and in order that the executive, which had already been at much trouble and expense, would not havejto pay out of their own pockets, thn writer asked if the Council would give a further contribution of not more than 50 per cent, of what had already been paid if same were required. It was resolved, on the motion of Crs Edgar and Mcßride—That should necessity arise for a further pro-rata contribution the Council give its proportion. A circular was received from Christchurch regarding accommodation to be obtained during Exhibition'time. —Received. J. Wenkheim wrote asking for a refund of the sanitary rate paid on section 5, block 15, as the property was unlet. The Clerk stated that he was informed by the nightman that the w.c. on the premises had been cleaned out lately. The Clerk was instructed to make further enquiries. The Invercargill Gas Co. wrote offering to supply tar at 4d per gal.—Decided not to purchase any at present. The Mayor said that in the matter of the application of the Tourist Department to take soil from the Commonage, it had been decided to grant the request on the undertaking of the Department to sow grass seed where the ground had been stripped.—Action approved. The Queenstown Fire Brigade reminded the Council that its annual grant from the Borough funds was due in October next —Resolved that the Fire Brigade be granted the usual sum of £7 5a as from October. Sir J. G. Ward wrote thanking the Mayor and Council for congratulatory telegram on his becoming Premier. Thos. Mantle wrote stating that his wife had given up keeping a boarding house and therefore he wished the Council to reduce the sanitary rate to that paid for an ordinary residence. As he had paid the sanitary rates to 31st December next he asked for a refund of the difference between a residential and boarding-house rate. —Left in the hands of the Clerk. The Town Clerk, Gore, wrote, in reply to the Council's letter, stating that the Gore Fire Brigade was subsidised by the Corporation to the extent of £SO per annum. The Brigade con ducted its own affairs; tho whole of the equipment was the property of the Corporation, but the brigade was responsible for its safe keeping. It was found that this system of management was very efficient and better than the cumbersome machinery of the Municipal Corporations Act.—Received. It was decided that the Mayor, Crs Edgar, Lynch and Mayne be a subcommittee to look over the Fire Brigades Bill. The Tourist and Health Department wrote stating that the matter of taking over Quaenstown by the Government which had been brought before Mr T. E. Donne when he was in Queenstown had been under consideration by the Government and it was decided not to take any action at present. —Received. It was resolved, on the motion of Crs Kdgar and Lynch—That applications be called for the position of valuator of the borough for the triennual valuation, same to be in by noon of 3rd October. The Mayor reported that Arbor Day had been observed that day. There was a large number of children present but very few adults. This showed a very poor public spirit. He was surprised that more interest was not shown in tree-planting. The Mayor said that he did not believe in the present system of carrying out Arbor Day. It was well to inculcate in the minds of children the art of tree-planting aud he would

favor allowing a certain number of the older children to plant trees, but it was a mistake to allow the younger ones to take any part as the wo>k had to be done over again. He would also advocate that the Corporation undertake the planting of a ceitain number of trees. Cr Edgar spoke of the necessity of forming Park street by day labour and then calling for tenders for gravelling. The matter was left in the hands of the Works Committee with power to act.

The Town Clerk having given notice at last meeting of his inti-ntion to apply for an increase in his salary from £6O to £BS, now made his application in writing to the Council. In doing so ho trusted that tho Council would give the matter due consideration. When he took office nearly two years ago he understood that two days a week would require to be given up to tho Corporation work. He had, however, found that it was absolutely necessary to devote five days a week to the work. If he did not have other work to do £6O a year would not be sufficient to live out of. He thought that he had given satisfaction for the two years he h»d been in the Council's employ and taking all the circumstances into consideration he hoped that the Council would go carefully into the matter. The Town Clerk retired to allow the Council to discuss the matter. The Mayor said that he thought that the salary was rather small, but the remuneration was fixed at £6O before the present Town Clerk took office. This was final and there were to be no future increases. In view of such a decision he did not think that the Council could grant the extra salary asked for. Or Edgar thought that the matter, being an important one, should be deferred till a full meeting of the Council. The mover of the resolution Sxing the salary wai, moreover, absent, and! no alteration ought to be made in his absence.

Cr Dagg did not think it was necessary for the Council to hold the matter over because the mover of the resolution was absent. He supposed that he got the usual notice to attend the meeting. He (Or Dagg) was not in favor of increasing the salary. When applications were called for the position several applied for it and Mr Gudgeon wes appointed. If he was not satisfied with the remuneration there were several others who would be glad of the position at the present salary. They were there to spend the ratepayers' money to the best advantage. Cr Monson was in favor of giving a bonus for extra work done since the Town Clerk took up the position. The Mayor said that a bonus had already been given to Mr Gudgeon. Crs Lynch and Mayne were not in favor of an increase. The Mayor did not see the necessity for adjourning the matter. The feeling of the meeting was evidently against the increase asked for. It was thereupon rcnolved that, whilst recognising that the Town Clerk did his work faithfully and well, the Council regretted that it could not see its way to grant the application for the extra remuneration of £25. Accounts amounting £llO 19s 9d were passed for payment. A vote of thanks to the chair closed the meeting.