BLENHEIM BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Marlborough Express, Volume XL, Issue 4, 5 January 1907, Page 1

BLENHEIM BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual fortnightly meeting was held last night. There were present: His Worship the Mayor (Mr E. H. Penny), Crs Ching, Pike, Brown, Mogridge, Patchett, White, Birch. The action or the Finance Committee in passing a progress payment of £300 to Mr Osgood, contractor for the Town Hall, during the holidays, was confirmed.

Accounts passed for payment:— General account £157.10s Bd, institute account £24 8s Id, gas account £233 4s 9d, reclamation loan account £138 5s 6d, abattoir account £13 5s 3d; total £568 14s 3d. ,

It was decided to ask Mr W. Litcli- j field j wlio has left the town for the Pelorus Sound, to resign his position as fire iiispec'toiv- . - •-■ ■ - - It was resolved to notify the Mm-] 'ister for Labour that Wednesday shall, be the working day when the shops shall close for the statutory half-holi-day- ' ■■■■■,■"■ I S. Holcrc-ft was granted permission ] to erect a shed at the rear of his work- j shop for the shelter of new machinery, subject to the Engineer's approval. \ ENGINEER'S REPORT. j ,I'lngmeer asked the. Council to lat the usual contract i'or the cleaning j of ,jall ditches in the Borough, as some were in a bad condition. Asphalting work had been resumed, j mainly patching. Notices in., respect j to over-hanging hedges had been serv- | cd. The additions to the gas manager's house had been completed, with j the exception to pointing, paper- j hanging, and gas-fitting. Water-! tables and footpaths had been cleaned in several streets. It was resolved that steps be taken ' to enforce the regulations in regard to hedge-cutting. j The question of cleaning the ditches was deferred till later in the season, necessary work to be done as convenient. ' TARRING THE FOOTPATHS. The matter of re-tarring the footpaths came up for discussion. . Cr Ching said all the paths already asphalted should be re-tarred, in order to save the wear and tear, and at the same time use up some of the great reserve of tar at the works. It .would not cost a great deal for labour. He moved that this be done, first. Cr Mogridge seconded, and urged the advisability ~bf such preservative work.

It was pointed out that the single tank would not allow of the contemporary carrying on of new work and re-tarring. The motion* was carried. THE NATIONALISTS' VISIT.

Mr G. W. o'Sullivan, Secretary of the Reception Committee, applied for the use of the Town Hall for the address to be given by Mr Donovan in Blenheim on the night of January 25th.

The Mayor said it would not be out of the contractor's hands till after that date, but there was a bare'possibility it would be available for use if the Reception Committee would provide seating and lighting. Cr Pike said he understood the Garrison Band had promise of the first use of the Town Hall. Would it be fair to them to allow the use of the hall for public purposes? The novelty of seeing the interior of the hall would be a draw.

The Mayor and Crs Brown and White did not see how the letting of the hall for the address could be considered a breaking of faith with the Band.

_ Cr Chine said that if the scaffolding inside the hall was not down the use of the building would not be practicable. Cr Patchett said Mr Osgood, the contractor, had told him there was no possibility of the scaffolding being; removed by January 25th. • It was resolved that the application be granted, subject to the scaffolding having been removed. The Mayor said the bandsmen were labouring under a misapprehension, because the hall would hot be opened before it was thoroughly completed. THE GASWORKS.

The Gas Manager (Mr C. R. Pease) reported that 69 tons 1 cwt. of coal had been carbonised, and 784,780 ft of gas made, averaging 11,380 ft to the ton. Ihe quantity made in the previous month was 12,350. Some trouble had been experienced with' a leaky retort, but, \Vith the'assistance of Crs V\ hite and Carr, the trouble had been overcome The retort broken in transit had been replaced with one from Nelson.