BLENHEIM BOROUGH COUNCIL

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 301, 19 December 1908, Page 7

BLENHEIM BOROUGH COUNCIL

ORDINARY MEETING

The ordinary meeting of the Blenneim Borough Council was held last evening. There were present: Ihe Mayor (Mr A. McCallum), Councillors McSnley, Brown, Patehett, Macey, Ching, Birch, White, Griffiths. WATER SUPPLY.

Mr Chenery Suggate, C.E., wrote confirming the offer made, to the Mayor and several councillors a few weeks ago, in reference to a high pressure water supply, with or without a sewerage scheme. The price for a full report upon the two river schemes, Including tbo local high water supply, would be £50. —Received, with the thanks of the Council.

GAS WANTED

Messrs J. W. Ward, A. Moreland, E. J. Fair and A. J. Maclaine, ratepayers, of Howick Road, requested that the gas mains be extended to Howick Road. —Referred to the Gas Committee for a report.

GROIN IN NEED OF REPAIR

The solicitors wrote on behalf of Banford's trustees stating that the groin on the western side of the Taylor River needed attending to. The Mayor doubted if the Council had any jurisdiction over the land mentioned. He did not think the Council should do work outside its own boundary. Other Councillors thought that some agreement had been entered into "between the Council and the estate, and affcr eoiqo discussion on the technicalities of banking rivers, the matter was left in the hands of the sub-committee which had originally been >set up to deal with the matter, and had neglected to do so.

TREES IN MR WIFFEN'S PROPERTY.

Mr "Wiffen wrote saying that he would put the trees in his property at the end of High Street in proper order at the proper time, to the satisfaction of all sensible^ people of the ratepayers of the Borough of Blenlieim.

Resolved that if the trees are cut in the autumn to the satisfaction, of the Council it would be sufficient.

A RIVER BOARD COMPLAINT

The Lower Wairau River Board wrote requesting that certain pegs be removed within 48 hours, which had been put into their property in Collie's Hollow bank. Should this be not done the Board would take legal proceedings to defend the property in. question from further interference. The Town Clerk had replied to this to the effect that the pegs placed in the bank were merely temporary. It was not the intention of the Council to interfere with the existing bank without consulting with the River Board.

It was resolved to appoint a committee, consisting of Councillors MoKinley, Griffiths, Macey and Ching, to confer with the River Board to enr deavour to make arrangements to allow the Council to go on with the work.

REBATE OF RATES

The' Hon. Secretary, of the Wairau Cricket Club asked, on behalf of the club, for the usual rebate on the Borough rates for the club's ground. The ground was practically a public ground, the Borough School boys, cadets, etc., having the use of it free. The amount collected from sports bodies, grazing rights, etc., had not paid the amount it had cost the club ior labor in preparing the ground. Councillor Macey moved! that the request be not entertained. He looked upon it as a piece of impudence to ask,it. He dealt with the rent produced from the ground, saying that at the last meeting of the High School Board he was surprised to see an account for the use of the ground by the High School boys. Councillor seconded the motion.

Councillor Griffiths would be very sorry to see the motion caxried. The Wairau Cricket Club' never charged the High School boys for the use of the ground, though the. Board had offered to pay an amount (which was not stated) in appreciation of the liberty allowed in that respect. Tt was the only one of the public grounds of the town that was open to the public, and the Cricket Club allowed the young men of the town to join the club at a much lower fee than, for instance, the Bowling Green, ■which nobody except the members ever saw the inside of., He moved am amendment that the request be granted. >

Councillor McKintyy seconded the amendment.

Councillor Ching spoke in support of the motion.

After other Councillors had spoken, the amendment was put and lost, and the motion carried. The minority for the amendment were Councillors MoKinley, Griffiths, Birch and the Mayor.

CERTIFICATE WANTED

Messrs Martin and Mullins wrote asking if the Council would issue a certificate to the effect that the numbering of (some of) the houses in the Borough, which has recently been done by Mr Tbos. Mullins, was done to the satisfaction of the Council. —

Resolved that a certificate be granted

WIDTH OF FOOTPATH

Mr Edward Parker applied for permission to erect a verandah in front of his new brick premises, High Street East, according to the plans supplied. The plans were drawn before the arrangement between Mr Parker and the Council about the widening of the road, and they showed a verandah 14ft. wide. He asked the Council to decide as to what width the new footpath line to be laid out would allow, and he would build to that line. He would like it (the footpath) to be at least 9ft. wide.

Mr J. Conolly also wrote in regard to the same matter, and stated that, as he and Mr Parker had given 7ft. of their land to> the town, they thought the path should be at least nine feet wide. Permission was granted to have the verandah nine feet wide .subject to the approval of the Council. COOKERY LECTURES. A circular letter was received from Messrs A. and T. Burt, Dunedin, in reference to a lady lecturer who is travelling for John Wright and Co., Ltd., Birmingham, for whom Messrs A. and T. Burt are the New Zealand agents, giving practical lessons on cookery m each city where there is a gasworks. Each lecture is free. John Wright and Co. provided all the advertising matter, such as posters window bills, invitation cards, etc. and only asked the gas committee to distribute the same. The letter suggested the following ways in which the gas committee could assist: (1) I n Australia the gas companies in each town usually provided a hall and fixed £o one or two "Eu~eka" cookers. They also furnished the lecturer with an assistant, and provided all the mi

gradients for the necessary exhibition o* cookery- (2) Afternoon tea was usually served, and in this respect it would bo necessary to have sufficient crockery hired. (3) Take Australia as a guide. Tho gas companies ilwve had usually guaranteed ivn order for gas cook" e*s7 "which might be handed to Mr Dickson on his visit at the time of the lectures. In connection with this matter, the Council were to understand that the lecturer would no doubt increase the sale of the cookers considerably, and also that the lecturer would be prepared to go to the home of any of the Council s clients who might order a cooker, and give practical help in the correct way of economising the consumption of gas, etc., also in the general use of the cooker, and in Australia this had been very much appreciated. Messrs A and T. Burt trusted that the Council would give the matter prompt attention and reply quickly. The Gas Committee recommended the favorable consideration of the lettor in so far as the demonstration of how to use the gas stoves was concerned. Councillor Birch moved that A. and T. Burt be thanked /for tlieir letter and be told that the Council would do all it could to further the matter. Councillor White seconded the motion, and said he felt sure the lecture would be a very good investment. After discussion,, it was resolved to grant the Town Hall free for the demonstration, but to go no further. Councillor White supported this, as he was not aware that Councillor Birch's motion meant to favor the letter in all its details. . fit is to be understood that it is the Gas Committee that is caving the Town Hall free—not the Town Hall Committee—as the Gas Committee are to pay the Town Hall Committee.] HIGH STREET BRIDGE.

Mr Huddleston forwarded a long letter on the state of the bridge at the Springlands end of High Street, saying that as the question of rebuilding the High Street Bridge (Springlands) was under the consideration of the Council, he wished to direct their special attention to .the section of High Street between the river-banks, which was not only a dam holding back the river water m times of flood, but so narrow in its roadway as to be inconvenient antl insufficient., for the present traffic, quite regardless of the future (Springlands being rapidly on the increase), while foot passengers were in no way protected or provided for, and the risks and annoyance to which females and children were subjected could only be fully realised by those constantly using the present track and bridge. The difficulties named could easily and inexpensively be met by an arrangement with the River Board, who owned the land on both sides ot the present roadway, which, being only adapted for grazing, and; subject to floods, had little commercial value, while the River Board as a public body was directly interested in any improvement for the public good. It this roadway was increased to a chain or even a chain and a half in widitn it would then allow for two wide tootpaths and give a convenient roadway, freed from the blocking and stoppages which now so constantly occurred, and if planted on either side would protect the banks and form a pleasant feature to the western entrance to the town. With respect to a new bridge at this important point, he would ask the Council, in concert with the adjacent Road Boards, most carefully to consider the position now used at the extreme elbow of a river curve, and which diverted the water, passing entirely out of the material course of the direct line o^the Omaka. With respect to the new bridge,- it was admitted on all hands that the present one was far too short, and suffered in consequence from floodwater scouring over its decking. Again, wooden bridges were fast becoming things of the past, being superseded by iron or concrete, the latter being in this case the more suitable. A bridge placed in the centre of the present roadway, consisting of six half-chain concrete arches and giving a xclear waterway of three chains, was about what ■•■was required, and with a parapet on either side would form a permanent work ■not likely to require repairs. Mr Huddleston trusted the matter of erecting a bridge on permanent and improved lines would be considered by the Council, and should public subscriptions be required to further it, he felt sure a liberal response from Springlands' might be depended on. The village stage of Blenheim having long passed into a municipal one, the future pointed to a Greater Blenheim, otherwise minor municipalities would arise within its borders and clash with what must soon become the northern capital on completion of the Southern Trunk Line of railway, now fully assured. [This letter was not dealt with by the Council, owing to lack of time.]