Municipal Council

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3718, 9 November 1926, Page 5

Municipal Council

The monthly meeting of the Council was held in the Library on Thursday evening last. Present: His Worship the Mayor (A. Sinxson, Esq.), C-rs J. Salmond, H. S. Bishop, J. H. 'Lorden, J. P. Fix, A. E Bryant, H, Overton, Thus. Rutherford, D. E. Sutnerland and T. H. TaiLeiutine. Before the. business commenced the Mayor welcomed back to office the Town Clerk, Mr T. J. Melville, on his return from a trip to the Old Country. He expressed tlie ho.pe that, Mr and Mrs Melville had had an enjoyable and profitable time ana that they both felt refreshed in mind and body by the trip.—Mr Melville made suitable reply.

—1 n ward Go rre spoi id e nee. — The Manager, White. Star Hotel, Queenstown, enclosed plans of proposed new lavatories, which wore endorsed with the approval of the. District Inspector of Health, Clyde. The Council’s sanction was asked in order that the work might he undertaken immediately. —.Sanctioned by Council • It. D. Munro, Inspector, Fields Division sent a reminder to clear broom on borough property—Already attended to.

The Inspector of Health, Clyde, lor warden plan in re septic tank and inside conveniences to be. installed in Mountaineer Hotel. Tlie Department had approved the plan and a permit might now lie issued. —Per mit issued.

Mrs J. W. Brown, Lower Shotovcr, made application lor about 1.50 ft of rejected drain pipes, 4 or din.—To be informed that Council has no rejects on hand but would quote for new ones.

W. S. Reid, “Willowbrook,’ Ar rowtown, wrote explaining matter of lu® having secured a dozen drain pipes, and asking for debit, note.

J. P White wrote complaining of the nuisance which straying animals had been to the residents of tlie Bor - ough for the past 6 months or more. Writer asked whether the Council had any authority to deal, directly with, the nuisances-; also that the Council give the matter prompt attention—An advertisement to lie Inserted in the, L. W. Mail to- the effect that owners of animals found wandering on the streets of The borough would be prosecuted without further warning.

Capt. Gray, Salvation Army, wrote drawing attention to- the dangerous state of the kcrbiuig in front ol the Army Hall; also- to the fact of water lodging near the gutter owing to the latter being unfinished, —Cr London explained that the- concrete kerbing put -in was part of a plan for future operations —Matter left in Or Louden’®, hand's to- attend to. The Minister of Railways Wrote under circular communication drawing the Council’s attention, to- the Govt is decision to- encourage the establishment of District Advisory Boards on railway matters in order to form a common meeting ground between the users of the railway and the Railway Department for the bolter understanding of railway problems and to engender .a spirit of 00-.oipe.rat,ion and mutual assistance. —Received. W. H. Nelson wrote submitting a quotation for tlie installation of a lire alarm between the Frankton road and the residences of the Superintendent and Deputy-superintendent, of the Brigade—On the. motion of Crs Sutherland and Rutherford the. offer was accepted. W. H. Nelson, borough linesman, advised the Council that the Telegraph Department had instructed him to tighten up all sagging wires attached to. the Department’s poles. Writer asked what, the Council's instructions were. The power would require to. be- out off while, the work was being done, and the cables, would need to. be- shortened and re-splaced' —Left to Lighting ■ Committee to confer with, the engineer and the Telegraph Department W. H. Nelson, bo-rough linesman, also notified the Council that he had had to lower the street lamp, ait corner of Rees and Beach sts. owing to the Telegraph Department wanting space for two cross arms. —Received. L. Maoey, District Telegraph Engineer, Dunedin, wrote stating that no adivioe had been received from the Council ol any extensions to- existing' electric lines. If such _ extensions were being made the Council was asked to advise- the Queenstown postmaster of such so. that prompt inspection might be made to ensure the Department’s lines not being prejudicially affected—Clerk to write advising what extensions had' been made.

The Electrical Winesme.u’s Registration Board oi N.Z. sent particulars on the electrical wiresmeu’s Registration Act, 1925, for the Council’s guidan oe. —Received. J. P. White, ho a. see., Queenstown Progressive Leaglue, forwarded copy oi a letter received from the Southland Motor Association in _ regard to- the desirability oi establishing" a motorists’ camp in Queenstown for use during the summer mouths 1 . Mr IV hi-to asked that the Council _ advise him what tlie actual position was with respect to l tlie camping ground decided on by the Council some mouths ago. He wished bo send a reply to the .Southland Motor Association.. —Cr. Lorden, chairman. Works Committee, reported tha e water had been laid on to the selected site, Tlie matter of carrying etectiric light thereto was referred to the Lighting Committee,—Secretary of Queenstown Progressive League to be informed that camping ground under way and wound be ready for holiday season. T. H. Tail-entire, lion, sec., Queenstown Fire Brigade wrote drawing attention to the necessity for raising seve-rai or the fire plugs, in the town, aud placing concrete: around same so that they might be- easily found in case of lire. It, was also requested that the sanitary cart _be remove.i from alongside the Fire- Station. .Mai ter of tire plugs referred to- Work® Committee; Borough carter to be notified that sanitary cart must hr removed from Fire Station.

Roibt. Gilkis-on, borough solicitor, wrote giving opinion in regard to the Council’s position in ro taking over the Children’s playground from the Queenstown Progressive League, fins considered in committee, and it. wa® •decided to hold over further consideration of the question 111. next meeting. A further oomniumcatio'ii was received from the borough solicitor m re the Council’s liability connected with tlie erection of bowser pumps and petrol tanks in the borough. Consideration of the Letter was also taken hi Committee—Thereafter Cr. Bishop’s notice of motion given at idle Bep-

temper meeting' was seconded by Cr. Sutherland and carried.. Tins read: “That, the motion standing in the minutes re bowser pumps be rescinded and that the action of the special committee remima rending further pumps be approved and agreed to under coiddlioiH suggested.” —It. was further resolve,! on the motion oil Oiis iSuthcrland and Tallen tire—That the, Council 1 hereby approves of the suggested resolution embodied in the Borough Solicitor's letter oif -Ith No : vemiber in re bowser pump permits. WORKS COMMITTEE’S REPORT.

Or. London, chairman of the 'Works .Cemimittee, reported as folfows lor the fmiOiiith ending -Ith Nov., 192(5: Corner of Sydney St. and Frank top Road has been gravelled. —At present a man i.s. being 1 employed to. cnear brooimi from the Bonongh reserve© and commonage —l3O gum trees 'have been planted on the scenic reserve bet ween the Ore and Two. Milo and 1000 Doing'as fins'have been planted! out oil the hill. Water has boon' laid on to the proposed camping ground! near the Recreation Reserve —Concrete flooring has been .laid down in readiness for the conveniences at the Garrison Hall

The. report was adopted. PUBLIC CONVENIENCES. Or. Salimond reported that he. had submitted the plan of the, proposed public convenionioCiS bo the Health Inspector, and a good fideal jof alteration would have to be made, in it Ii the Cbuincll: provided the material and got the Council employees to do what work they could oil it, it would .come cheaper. ' He was prepared to supervise the carrying out of the. work.— Or.. ’Lorden said there, was a. lot of work to. be done in the. borough and it would he difficult to. free the. Councils’ men for the. job under discussion. If another man were taken on for, say, 3 weeks, it would be; a great help. —Cr. Overton thought an extra man should be. engaged. The Eastern Terrace was requiring a, good deai oi attention and there seemed no chance of work being uuderiaken up there as tilings were going—Cr. Fix supported this. Accordingly it was resolved on. the motion of Crs. Overton and Fix—That an extra man be put on bo. overtake arrears of work in the borough It was further resolved on the motion of the Mayor and Or. Sutherland that- a meeting oi the Works Committee be held on Wednesday at 3 p.m.. and that the Committee, confer then with Or. Sutherland and the chairman of the. Works Committee in regard to the conveniences.

NEW FIRE BRIGADE STATION. \ Or. Syjmioad reported that lie an.d th© Mayor had conferred with the Fire Brigade officers re. the proposed new station. They were quite agreeable to a modification of the plan already submitted. It was further agreed that the cost of the station ba wdit more than £4OOO. They would like a. plan submitted to them before it was decided' on, same to make provision for the accommodation oi plant as well as. a social room. Before. I;bait, however, the Council must know how they were, going’ to raise the. moiueyi Both sides recognised the difficulties of the proposition. The Mayor suggested that as the hour was "late consideration, of tue matter should he adjourned. Or. Overtom objected to any adjournment.. The matter had been hung up. long" enough and it was the duty w the Council to. stay and decide on something definite. Continuing, Or. Overton said that at a previous meeting the Council had given some consideration to. Are plan to raise enough money in. one sum to. carry out the

three urgent undertakings facing the Council, viz., public mnveniein-ceis, a. new fire brigade station and the break water. It would be better to raise a lean, it was surely not necessary for this generation to pay for that which the next generation would benefit by. He (Or Overton) would move that the. Council fake steps to raise, a loan of £SOO for Fire Brigade purposes. Seconded by Cr Rutherford Cr Sutherland: Why not borrow £IOOO for the Council's projects?

The Mayo: 1 : Notice of motion must be given where large sums are. concerned.

Cr Overton therefore gave notice of motion as follows-: That the Council take the proper steps to raise- a loan for building a fire brigade station and for the purchase of a fireengine.

DR. SHORT, MEETS THE COUNCIL. By special arrangement, Dr Shore, Assistant Medical Officer of Health, Dunedin, waited on the Council in regal'd to- sanitation in the borough.

Dr Shore said the chief matter which he wished to- speak to the Council about was the disposal of mightsoil in. the borough: (1) The present system was quite' a wrong one — that was, burying excreta in deep holes. It could not be brought into contact with the bacteriological ‘influence- of soil and would not disappear as it would- if buried at a depth 0-. 4 to* 6 inches. (2) The night cart was in a deplorable condition and quite unfit for ns-e; (3) and the method of washing the said cart did not appear to- be satisfactory. After Dr Shore had explained the systems that might be adopted and that were in vogue in other places where sewerage was not universally adopted, it was resolved on the: motion of Ors Overt o.ll and Tix, that the Council adopt Dr. Shore’s suggestion re ploughing nightsoh in; also that enquiries bci made for a cart built on modern lines. Speaking to the motion, Or Overton considered the Council should endeavour to carry out Dr Shore’s recommendations- as far as they possibly could in the best interests of public hygiene. A vote of- thanks was passed to Dr Shore, who said the Health Department was being supported partly by the Council’s yearly contributions, hence he hoped the Council would make use of its officers in matters pertaining to public health. Before retiring, Dr. Shore- commented 1 on the fact that the- borough by-laws were lacking all spedflica-T-o.s for plumbing work—a plumbing by-law being, indeed, non-existent There were no re-quiii'-eiraeinits in regard to bends, junctions-, out,lds of septic tanks, etc. The Council should frame up-to-date by-laws in this connection.

OTHER BUSINESS Cleanup Week—The. chairman of Works Committee reported that airraugem cults would be. made shortly for the annual Clean-up Week in the Borough. Pipeline—The Mayor said that the most important job in sight at present for the Council was the taming oil the. pipe line. Thais must be done at all costs. Or Borden also said the dam required to be cleaned out—lt was decided that a barrel oil’ coni'tar be ordered at once. Recreation G rou nd. —Or Bryant complained about the way the wood cuttens had broken down the fence in various places.—Cr Borden said it would be wise to burn the small stuff lying round where the trees had been out.

A ocounts —Aiooounits ,as follows 1 were passed! for payment: —District Fund £l4B 2s 2d; hydro-electric, £l6l Is lid :A ‘ BEEE(Z|E.’ Just as the Conn ell adjourned

something more than a mild breeze occurred through a chance remark regarding Library expenditure) which floated across the table. I ram the Mayoral chair. Catching it up asriie was in the act of arranging for a meeting of the Library Comnuttec, Cr. Overton said that he was not going to have any altercation with His Worship out of the Council and he demanded that the meeting be re-opened for a discussion 01 the subject. Councillors thereupon pulled in their chairs again and seated themselves.

Proceeding, Cr. Overton said he. wished to say something in regard to the Mayor’s remark re Council money being spent without, ah* being referred to him. Briefly, the jw-sitojon was that about *2 years ago the Library Committee, of which he (the speaker) was chairman, received a grant from the Council oi £25 for the purchase of new books. Smee that time about £27 had been received' by way of Government subsidy for the purchase of books. He was not in a position to say exactly what had been received in Library subscriptions. When he (Cr. Overton was away in. July he read in the L.W.M. report of the July meeting that the Mayor had said no money was ter be spent by the Library or Cemetery Committees without reference to him; (the Mayor), Why, he asked, was it necessary to refer back to the Mayor? The Library' Committee had put up the Library sub from 5® to 15s_, and subscribers ought to get something for it.. However, the Committee was entitled to purchase books with this money. The Mayor explained that he said money should not be spent without referring the expenditure to' the Council. That was the extent of what he. said. Continuing, the Mayor said the Library Committee haa spent close on £6O over receipts. Suppose the Council did grant the Committee £25, its expenditure should be referred to him as a matter oj courtesy.

iCr. Overton: You say the Library is all belijnd. It might be. Ton torget the Reacting Room is not returning a penny.—The Mayor: In a genera, way I said that Or. Overton pointed out that until two or three years ago when some mo ;ey was spent, not a penny was expended for years and years on. books. It was spent on magazines that were “pinched’’ next day. With this the Library dialogue ended. But a sharp passage-at-arms occurred between Or. Overton and the Mayor (with, other Councillors in occasional chorus) in regard to the Governor-General’s visit. The main points of variance were: (I) that His Worship did not consult Or. Overton in regard to the arrange,meats for the vice-regal visit, though the latter was appointed by the Council to act with the Mayor as an entertainment committee; and (2) that non© ot the councillors were invited to take their privileged part in the civic reception, nor were the. distract representatives of local public organisations or returned soldiers invited to be present in ,their official capacity. * In short, it was characterised a ‘‘Mayoral’' reception rather than a civic reception—The Mayor’s content ion that the arrangements were carried out we.li and that they caliLed for personal sacrifice of time and money on firs. part, was supported by another section of the Council. During’ the rather acrimonious debate such phrases as “cheek, “impudence,’ “ inferences” floated across to the press table. Finally the discussion petered out and councillors took up their hats, smiling and apparently satisfied that the air had been cleared.