NELSON CITY COUNCIL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 14 October 1922, Page 2

NELSON CITY COUNCIL

l-’O RTNIG HT LY M EETING The foi’Lnit'litlv meeting of the Nelson City Council" was held at the Municipal Chambers last evening. I.lmre were^ piesent: The Mavor (Mr W, Cock), Councillors 11. Colt man, J. A. Stringer, U I’lum, 1). R. Edwards, R. Watson, W. J. Molfatt and \V. C. Hailey. Crs. Nightingale and Surrell were excused from attendanee. ACCOUNT BALANCES Cr. & s - d. Trust Account Balances 520 7 1 General Account 1969 17 2 Water Account 666 8 3 £3156 12 6 Dr. Interest Account 1329 13 4 Abattoir Account. 66 18 7 11. and C. Aid Account 710 10 0 Balance 1049 10 7 £3156 12 6 PAYMENTS Payments were authorised to the amount of £1789 13s 3d. Of this total the loan account was responsible for £827. WAR MEMORIAE A letter was read from the secretary, War Memorial Committee, asking permission to erect the proposed memorial on the east side of the Church Hill, opposite the/Returned Soldiers’ Club. The, request was granted. THE CARNIVAL The Carnival Committee requested the use of Trafalgar Park from 29th January to 3rd February. It was also asked if the Council proposed to wire the Park for electric light. The Council decided to giant (lie request, but. that there was no intention of wiring the Park at present. META LUC CIRCUIT TELEPHONE SYSTEM The Chief Telegraph Engineer, Wellington. replying to a request that the metallic circuit telephone system he introduced at Nelson and overhead telephone wiles he eret ted on om side of the street only, stated that the matter of converting telephone exchange sub seribors’ lines at Nelson to metallic, working and of clearing one side of the street of telephone lines, to enable the electric lighting installation to be proceeded with, is already under consideration. The Mayor said the matter was a very urgent one to ,thc Council. Ho moved that copies of ’the letter be sent to Air 11. Atmore, ALP., and Air Toogood, and

that (lie Department, be urged to proceed willi the work as soon as possible. j DRESSING SHKtTat RESERVE Tlio-Hockey Association again brought before the notice of (lie Council the need for dressing' sheds and conveniences at the Rotanicill Reserve. ' Councillors were sympathei ie. but agreed that no funds were available nt present, but that the work would be canned out as soon as possible DAY LABOUR On the. suggestion of Mr Toogood it was decided that the power house foundations for the electric light installation be done by day labour. OTHER CORRESPONDENCE A number of other letters were either referred to Committee or dealt with outright. WAIMEA ROAD PETITION Cr. Harley presented a petition signed by 90 residents of Waimea road praying that Waimea road from Snow’s Hill to the Hospital be tarred in order to abate the dust nuisance; and that the speed limit area for motor traffic be extended. 'The speed at which motorists travelled, said the petition, was a decided menace to life. Cr. Harley moved that the petition be referred to' Committee for favourable consideration. The road was usually in good condition, and this tended to overspeeding of motor vehicles. The street at times was a “solid wall' of dust"’ through which pedestrians had to walk. He complained, particularly, as to the speed of service cars along tin’s road. In spite of protests, the ears were going as fast ns ever. Only that morning he had seen a service car landed in the ditch. The ears were also a danger to the pupils of the Hampden street School and the Boys’ College; and he asserted that lie had seen ears travelding at the rate of 40 miles an hour. The police had been appealed to, hut had done nothing ; and the Council would have to send (heir own officers in order to try and obtain convictions. Cr.‘Edwards was glad to second the motion; and he voiced a complaint regarding the speed of "road-hogs ’—especially motor cyclists—in Collingwood ■ street." It was time something was done ‘in the matter. The Mayor agreed that some motorists needed pulling up. On the Port road some went at a very dangerous speed. Cr. Plum would like to see all the 1 roads tar-sealed. The motion was carried. THREATENING COMPLAINT The sewer from Nile street to Hardy street became blocked and is being attended to, stated the Engineer. In connection with this matter a threatening complaint was received, presumably from a resident in the locality. A moment’s reflection'■would no doubt enable him to understand Ids trouble is not the only one in time of flood and that complaints so expressed are more likely to be ignored than to receive prompt attention. VANDALISM “I have to report," stated the Enginerr. “malicious damage to seats in the Old Cemetery, on the Church Hill, and in Anzac Park. The foreman gardener also reports that the nursery garden is being systematically raided on Sundays, and he is unable to leave his tools or seeds in the open shed. I would recommend that a small shed be built for his use. He further reports that a great many of the trees planted as a shelter bolt round the new football ground at the Sands have been pulled up. It Is apparently impossible to trace the perpetrators of this senseless destruction.” The Mayor said the Council should take some notice of the Engineer’s remarks.

It was resolved that a copy of the report bo sent to the Sergeant of Police; and that a reward of £5 be offered for information leading to a conviction. Cr. Coliman did not think tiic ordinary thief raided the nursery. Cr. Plum said he knew of people who went to the tip early ‘every Sunday mornings and took'all sorts of stuff away. It was decided, on Civ Moffatt's suggestion, to appoint Mr Robertson caretaker of the tip. | WATER The Engineer reported that the fault in the high levels reticulation still remained undetected, and the far end of the Port Hills is practically without water from 7.30 in the morning. The work of laying the new mains is progressing satisfactorily and should be well on to completion by the middle of next month. The Committee of the whole Council recommended that steps be taken to raise the balance of the £IO,OOO water loan. Cr. Moffatt noted with satisfaction, in view of what had been said at the last meeting, that the Engineer reported that the work of laying the water mains was proceeding s;ttisfactorily. In answer to Cr. Coltman, the Mayor said no more complaints had been received. Oh the other hand, satisfaction had been expressed. GAS The half-yearly gasworks return shows an increased make of 1,149,000 cubic feet

over (ho corresponding half year am! a i reduction in the unaccounted for gas to '9.6 per cent, of the total make, states | the Engineer's report, | BUILDING BEHMITH It was reported that building permits numbering 13 had been issued during the fortnight, involving an expenditure of £3590. Four new buildings account for £3325 of this sum. THE GASWORKS I'or month ending 30th September, 1922; Coal carbonised amounted to 400 tons; gas manufactured, 0,039,800 cubic feet ; gas manufactured per ton of coal, 12,597 cubic feet; coal in band, 124 tons; coke in hand,' nil; tar m band 17,000 gallons. Value of residuals sold during month, £464 14s Bd. Or. Stringer said he had heard that a certain gas meter iiad not been read for two years.

A Councillor: Tlic premises are installed with electric light. Another Councillor; And the cooking is probably done with gas. The Engineer was instructed to inquire into the matter. It was stated earlier in the evening (hat the Gasworks Account was about £3OOO in credit. Cr. Moffatt said there had been an improvement in the gas. In view of the credit shown he moved that the Engineer be instructed to report on the smaller services at an early date with a view of making improvements. ROCKS ROAD In answer to Cr. Harley, the Mayor replied that the total money expended under the combined scheme to date on the Rocks road and Tahuna main road was £719 19s Id; the Council’s liability (33 per cent.) is approximately £240. The whole of the work has been charged for in the fortnightly returns ; and beyond the ordinary way of street maintenance no provision has been made on tin; current year’s estimates. SANITATION

The Inspector of Nuisances reported inter alia, that six complaints of nuisances had been received, two referring to the keeping of animals, one accumulation of refuse and the remainder defective drains. The promises had been inspected and notices given to abate the nuisances. Five dwelling houses had been inspected and found to be in a state of disrepair, suitable sanitary appliances also not being provided. Requisitions had been served, but the time allowed has not yet expired. ! THE ABATTOIR The following stock were slaughtered during the fortnight: 68 cattle. 4 calves, 524 sheep, 52 lambs, 46 pigs; total, 994. During the period two sheep were condemned. COUNCIL EMPLOYEES

Cr. Harley moved according to notice: “That'the Government be asked to introduce legislation this session to extend the power given to the Auckland City Council by section 4 of the Auckland City Council Empowering Act, 1922 to all local bodies in view of the fact that this Council feels that gross injustice may occur under the present state of tiic law which forbids- payment out of the district fund to officers, servants and employees of the Council who with the consent of the Council may be-retir-ed through infirmity arising from old age or sickness.” * ■ -.. t ; In moving the motion,- Cr. Harley said the Council had some time ago goht? into the matter of superannuation very thoroughly, but for '/various reasons it had been found That’the scheme was impracticable, principally because of ' the fact that the average ages of the .Council’s employees was very high. _ The Council needed the power to assist employees in their old age, and this power had been given to the Auckland Council, and ho thought Nelson should be treated similarly. . * Seconded by Cr, Stringer. , Cr. Moffatt gavc Cr. Harley ..credit for bringing forward the motion.' Cr. Moffatt outlined a scheme which he had I brought forward in 1898 in the course of letters to the Evening Mail, which had met with considerable support. The making of provision for old age, he said, was the problem of the age. He advoi a ted that any superannuation scheme ••div. i. l-'l be i -rsoiialfy contributed to by the individual. Tiic Mayor said that for many years past the Municipal Corporation had been studying the question; and it seemed particularly bard that a Council could not make a grant of even a penny to an old employee. He strongly advocated a national insurance scheme. He supported the motion. Tiie Engineer said that if a scheme of superannuation for Council employees was brought in higher salaries would have to be paid in order to allow them to meet their contributions. Civil servants’ salaries were on a higher scale, simply to allow them to do this. The Motion was carried unanimously, and it was resolved that copies of the resolution be forwarded to Messrs Atmore and Hudson, M.’s P., .and Hon. W. W. Snodgrass, M.L.C., and the Minister of Internal Affairs.