BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 91, 15 March 1935, Page 4

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The Feilding Borough Council ' met last night the Mayor (Air C. ,E. Taylor) presiding. Also present were Crs. S. 1). Pearce, E. Fair. AY. AY. Andrews, A. J. lvellow. J. Corpe, G. Kilvington, and A. C. AlpCorkindale. Leave of absence was granted Crs. G. Darragli and 1). Fairweather. The A lay or and the town clerk (Air C. H. Tate) were appointed delegates to represent the council at the Municipal Association’s conference at Christchurch on March 21. Air Tato was also authorised to attend the annual meeting of the Institute of Town Clerks. The Christchurch City Council wrote protesting against the non-liability of ' the State Advances Office for rates, stating that the Alortgage Corporation Bill would further increase local bodies’ difficulties in this respect.—The Mayor said the matter was bound to be threshed out at the Municipal Association’s conference, and he thought that the council could receive the letter and communicate to the member for the district that the council considered that the collection of State rates should not bo further jeopardised under anv legislation being brought forward. It was also agreed to inform the Christchurch City Council of the council’s views. SHEEP AY-ORRYING. "This is really more a matter for legislation than for by-laws.” remarked the Alayor when a letter was received from Air H. E. Port, of Lee's Line, complaining about the damage done to sheep through stray dogs worrying them, and asking whether the council could make a by-law to deal with the nuisance. The Alayor said that it was hardly reasonable to expect the borough to j endeavour to take action alone, as ! stray dogs would be-just as bad a nuis- j ance in Canterbury and other places I as in Feilding. He considered the mat- | ter was one for Parliament to deal with. j "How many dogs are there registered in Feilding?” inquired Cr. Kellow, the town clerk replying that the dog inspector issued about- 300 collars. “And there are about 300 more dogs running loose that are not registered,” declared Cr. Andrews. Cr. Corpe said he only had one idea on the point, and that was that all dogs running loose after dark should be destroyed. It was decided to reply informing Air Port that the matter was one which he should bring before the notice of the member for the district, with a , view to action being taken. FILE PREVENTION. "I think the Alinister of Internal Affairs should devote his time to getting a reduction in premiums instead of giving it to matters such as this,” stated Cr. Fair, when a letter concerning the annual observation of Eire Prevention AVeek was received from the Alinister. Cr. Fair made reference to the low lire loss Feilding bad enjoyed last year—one of the lowest yet recorded for the borough—and be thought little in the way of a fire prevention week was needed. The Alayor agreed that with the weekly rubbish collection the town required little in the way of cleaning from rubbish. Tlie letter was received, Cr. Fair commenting tHat the people of Feilding were obviously very careful in regard to fires. RATE COLLECTION. The finance committee reported that a list showing the amount of outstanding rates, totalling £796, was before it at its last meeting and it bad been decided that certain of the accounts be left in the hands of the town clerk for payment and the balance placed in the hands of the borough solicitor i j for collection. i In moving the adoption of the re- , port, the Alayor said that the number ■ of the latter cases had been about 10. , Reporting on the rates collected, the j Alayor said that to date 95 per cent, of the current rates had been receiv- ■ ed. while arrears of last year’s rates brought in totalled just over 50 per

cent. This state of affairs His Worship considered most satisfactory. , Dealing with the borough finances, Air Taylor said it would be iileasing news to the council to realise that there was every chance of the council ending the financial year with a credit in the district fund account. This would be quite apart from the special fund which stood to the credit of the borough abattoir in the district fund account, and which had been earmarked as a fund for the building of a new abattoir. The footpath programme of tlie council was now on the way to completion, and the work had proceeded so well that no portion of the £BOO which had been set aside from the electric light account had been touched. The incoming council would find -the borough finances in a very happy state, the Alayor added. CRIPPLED CHILDREN FUND. Reference to Lord Nuffield’s recent gift of £60,000 towards the welfare of crippled children in New Zealand was made when the Alayor said he bad received a communication from Mr C. J. B. Norwood, of AYellington, regarding the opening of a fund in Feilding. Mr Taylor said that, although he had every sympathy with such a fund lie had replied stating that the matter, in his opinion, was one more for a national move than a civic one. The opening of a public fund was a delicate question for the Alayor of any town to entertain, and apparently at present there had been a general move in this direction. At such a time as the present, when distress was .so apparentin every town, any appeal for funds would be diffidently entertained, a.nd although Air Taylor said he had not yet done anything he wished to make | it quite plain that he was prepared to receive and acknowledge any subscrip- j tions to the fund and forward them to headquarters. j CR. KILVINGTON FAREWELLED. J The opportunity was taken at the meeting by the Alayor to bid farewell to Cr. Kilvington, who, with Airs Kilvington, leaves Feilding to-day to re- j side at Wliakatane. In conveying to Cr. I Kilvington the council’s thanks for the j services lie had rendered, the Alayor j spoke highly of the work Cr. Kilvington had done in all matters that had come before him, mentioning particularly bis interest in the borough reserves. In Cr. Kilvington the council and tlie town were losing a zealous and conscientious civic officer and a citi- j zen of much worth, who would, go to I his new home with the council’s sincere wishes for Ills future good health and happiness. Air Taylor went on to mention tlie appreciation Cr. Kilvington had earn- ’ ed in the town during liis term as ' postmaster, his services in that regard alone having served to stamp him as a courteous and obliging official. On behalf of the council, Air Taylor wished Air and Airs Kilvington God speed ' and every happiness in the future. Cr. Kilvington suitably expressed bis j thanks for the felicitations of the Alayor, and -conveyed to the members of tlie council his gratitude for the ‘ help and assistance lie bad received in j his work while in occupancy of his . seat. J ROAD LOAN FINANCE. J

Mention was made of the £6OOO road sealing loan of the council by the Alayor, who stated that the council bad received an offer of £2OOO for the first term of the loan from a local citizen and this had been accepted, the rate of interest- being 3J per cent, on a 15year amortisation term. The council had received other offers at 31 Tier cent,, but the conditions of these would have necessitated the council going back to tlie Loans Board for an alteration in tlie terms. The two offers bad been carefully considered, and in view of the first definitely fixing a sum for the whole period and the other being an indefinite quantity over the period, the first offer had been accejited. The council agreed with tlie Mayor that the first offer was the more secure one, and his action was confirmed.

GENERAL. • The abattoir manager reported that during February 141 cows, 3 oxen, 13 heifers, 29 ewes, 327 wethers, 1 lamb, 857 pigs and 1 vealer were dealt with at the municipal abattoir. Fees amounted to £172 3s fld as compared with £215 15s 8d for the corresponding ’ month of last year, a. decrease of £43 £ 12s 3d. The killings in the extended j abattoir district for February were 105 j. sheep, 245 lambs, 19 pigs and 6 cattle. 5 Fees amounted to £l2 9s Bd. 1 The number of men employed on re--3 lief work in Feilding during February j ranged from 41 to 48 per week. Only one building permit was issued j hi the borough last month, tbo amount f covered being £SOO. j The borough engineer reported that . j good progress was being made yitli the ) making of extra footpaths. Eight . chains of concrete path bad been laid in AVellesley Street, six in Trewin Street, j and a start made on tbo path in Den- . bigli Street from the Square to the bridge. Books changed by subscribers to the municipal library jast month totalled 1207, tho number of subscribers being 221. Twenty new books were purchased. After the payment of the monthly accounts, the balance to the credit of the councii in tlie district fund account was £193 3s 3d.