QUEENSTOWN BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 4326, 10 August 1937, Page 5

QUEENSTOWN BOROUGH COUNCIL.

A monthly meeting of the Queenstown Borough Council was held in the Library on Thursday, August sth. Present: The Mayor (W. H. Overton, Esq.), and Ors S. S. Aburn, J. W. Miller, A. A. Scheib, G. Chalmers F. J. Gavin and J. P. Fix. Leave of absence was granted to Or W. A. Anderson.

The minutes of previous meeting were confirmed, outward correspondence was approved, and inward received.

Inward Correspondence. The .Sanitary Inspector, Alexandra, submitted his monthly report on inspections made in the town for the period ended 30th June.—Received.

The resident engineer, Public Works Department, Alexandra, informed the Council that the Highways Board would take over the maintenance of State Highways after the 9th Au-

gust if the graders came to hand.— Received.

Disabled Soldiers’ Products, Dun edin, circularised the Council relating to quoting for dog collars. —Received.

The Town-Planning Institute of N.Z. circularised the Council enclosing applications for honorary membership of the Institute—Received. The N.Z. Government State Fire and Accident' Insurance office drew attention to the liability of local authorities to make good the damage suffered by raelmbers of the 1 public as a result of the negligence of servant or agent of a local authority. The Council was advised to insure against this liability under the Public Risk contract issued by the office. —Held over for a month. The Council was advised of the alteration of the Electoral boundaries and a map was sent showing same. —Received.

The secretary, Southland Progress League wrote reporting a successful conference of Southland melmbers of Parliament and local bodies and enclosing a newspaper report of the piece e dings.—E ec e i v e d. John Edgar wrote asking when the Council intended to cut down the gum trees on Queenstown hill which were shading his property, as he contemplated building a new house in the vicinity. Writer also asked the foreman of the Works Committee re the removal of the trees but had received no answer. He made an offer of 14s per cord for the standing trees.

The Mayor said the Works Committee had considered the matter and recommended that no action be taken at present, -Some discussion ensued regarding the obstruction caused by the trees and it was generally acknowledged that hardship did exist owing to the sun being cut off— variously estimated from l| hours to hours. ' The opinion was expressed by more than one councillor that it was a mistake in the first instance to have planted the trees in their present position and that it would be necessary to remove the whole of the trees if any benefit was to be gained. It was decided to review the quesat a more suitable time next year.

'The chief inspector of Explosives wrote stating that it was inadvisable that two petrol pumps be placed at the entrance of the new garage which was being erected on sections off Ballarat street. It was suggested that they be placed inside- the garage or at the side.—lnspector to be formed that the Council had considered the matter very fully and had approved of the position of pumps. The proprietors. Golden Tm-race House wrote asking' if the could ha ve a logo ->f gravel , upov g tly street in front, of their pre.n R--ferred to Works Committee weh ■

cr to get il considered necessary. Applications for extensions of electric supply were received from J. B. Hamilton, -Queenstown Public Library, Mt. Cook and S. L. 'Tourist Co. (for Hotel Eichardt), D. P. Murchison and J. J. McNeill.—All the applications were granted. Cr. Aburn, Building Inspector, reported that he now approved of a permit being issued to Mr R. Ingleis for a new house in Brisbane street, certain alterations having been made in the plans to his satisfaction.

Works Committee’s (Report. The chairman of the Works Committee (the Mayor) reported that during the month the men were more or less employed In attending to service pipes which were frozen; a heap of soil on the recreation ground had been turned over in preparation for top-dressing and coarse gravel had been removed from the streets and grass patches where the new mower would be employed iu the summer months. A number of other matters had engaged tire committee during the month, having been referred to it by the Council. It was recommended that a concrete wall 2ft high be built upstream from the arch of bridge in Shotover St. The Council approved of this. The 'Committee had put into operation the South Island Local Bodies’ Workers Award, which entailed a payment of £4 8s 6d per week to the dayman as from 27th May Last,, which was 4s 6d more than had been paid pro-

viously. It was recommended that the working week be' from Monday morning till Friday night. A clause in the award stipulated that a gan-

ger receive Is per day extra when in charge of 3 or more men., and it was considered advisable to pay this although he may not even be in charge of men every day.

It was moved by Or. Aburn and seconded by Cr. Scheib that Is extra per day be given for the five days per week.

The motion gave rise to some discussion. Cr. Miller objected to paying away more of the ratepayers money than was necessary. He considered that payment should only be made for the three days when the relief men were employed. “We are supposed to be mean,” said Or. Miller, “and must do our duty to the ratepayers. No councillor present in business would pay more than he was justly entitled to do. Crs. Chalmers and Fix agreed with Cr. Miller’s remarks.

Cr. Aburn considered that the extra payment was money well invested. The Mayor did not agree with Or ! Miller’s remarks. He considered that it was the Council’s duty to be fair and just with their employees and the Council would expect to receive similar treatment in return. A ganger may possibly be in charge of various numbers of men on more than three days, a week and he considered the small amount involved was justifiable. He was the last mm to give away the ratepayers’ money unnecessarily. Their dayman had aften been called out at night on urgent work, but he had never been paid for it, and never expected it, for he could always get time off. Or. Chalmers said that the dayman should receive overtime pay. The motion to pay Is per day extra to a ganger was passed, Cr.s Miller and Chalmers dissenting.

The Works Committee recommended that no action be taken in respect of planting trees in the vicinity of the water mains coming out of Brewery 'Creek. In respect of the Camping ground regulations it was recommended that Council do not register at present. In reference' to improvements on the Camping Ground, it was recommended that one more ladies’ shower be added, that two more ladies’ lavatories be placed on the lower part of the ground and that pits be dug where they did not at present exist. It was also advised that gravel be placed on Man street where required. The Council approved of the recommendations.

The Mayor stated that Mr J. Fraser was prepared to sell his section on the water front to the Council at a price to be fixed by assessors. He (the Mayor) was of opinion that the Council should purchase the property if it was desired to improve the water front.

The Council appointed the Mayor as its valuer.

Other Business. Cr. Gavin strongly advised the Council to employ a relief man for two weeks in planting trees on the Two-mile flat.

Or, Scheib seconded the motion which was carried.

It was decided to carry out Arbor Day ceremony as usual.

At the suggestion of Or. Gavin it was decided to plant birch tree© and other decidious trees on the reserve facing the One-mile road.

Cr. Gavin asked if it would be possible to employ men on Suburb Street under the Government subsidy scheme of employment. The Mayor replied that the street had been formed as far as the last house, giving the necessary access. He thought it wise not to commit the Council to any further expense-.

rmpoosi' fo Or Gavin’s wish, was a.mved lhal Urn Wuiks C-mv mittce inspect the Catholic portae ,f .■cmefei',' wirh a view to defining two or tnroe 1 oocpatiie. Ir was si--- resolved to place a' few loads of white- gravel ,-n the- main pathways in the cemetery.

A suggestion of Cr. Gavin that the interior of the new power house be whitewashed, was adopted; also that the Works Committee prospect for a new gravel pit. It was decided to write to the Rev. Chisholm, chairman of the Health Camp Committee in Invercargill, inviting him to inspect sites in the district suitable for a permanent health camp.

In response to the request of Or. Chalmers, the Works Committee was asked to report on the formation of footpaths on upper Loft side of Ballarat Street and in Hallenstein street. As the result of an enquiry from the Stock Department re keepingdairy cattle in the town, some discussion took place as to whether it would be judicious or not to have dairies placed outside the town boundary on account of the nuisance

created by cattle. It was resolved to set up a committee consisting of the Mayor, (Jrs Fix, Gavin and Miller to report at next meeting on the 'matter of framing new by-laws for the borough. Accounts amounting to £lls 2s lid were passed for payment.