RICHMOND NEWS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 25 November 1938, Page 8

RICHMOND NEWS

BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETING j RENTAL CHARGES FOR TOWN HALL FLOODING OF BALCKS CREEK [From Our Own Correspondent) At the fortnightly meeting of the Richmond Borough Council the following were present:—The Mayor (Mr A. R. Tuffnell) in the chair, Councillors M. H. McGlashen, E. H. Lukey, E. Norris, W. L. Palmer, W. E. Poole and 1 H. Stratford. Accounts amounting to £713 7s 8d in, the general account and £135 in the. Town Hall Loan Account were passed : for payment. FOREMAN’S REPORT The Foreman (Mr W. R. Andrews) re- j ported as follows: There have been 40 yards of rubble carted from Jubilee Park to the sanitary ground for making roads. A further I 20 yards will be required to complete ’ this work. A further 29 yards of river gravel has been spread on Oxford street, and 9 yards on Wesley stree*. 1 The grader has been worked on the State Highway also Wensley road, lower: Queen Street and Oxford street. The cleaning up of the cemetery is proceeding. On the 18th November the water at 1 the reservoir was 15 inches below the spillway. I DEPUTATION 1 A deputation of two members of the W.D.F.U. (Mesdames G. W. Macdonald : and F. H. Best) waited on the Council requesting a reduction in the rent paid , by the Division for the room used for | 1 its monthly meetings and for the Town Hall for an evening in December for a Christmas Party. Mrs Macdonald stressed the import-! ’ ance of the services rendered to the ‘ borough through the activities of the! Division housekeepers, who are supported largely by the local branch, and ' asked for the sympathetic consideration of the council in the direction named. During the discussion which followed ' it was pointed out that the estimated revenue from the hall, at the charges fixed by the Council, would produce only sufficient to meet half the annual charges and if a concession is made to the W.D.F.U. other bodies of a like nature would wgnt similar reductions I and would have a right to expect them j and eventually the whole burden would be on the ratepayers instead ■ of being shared by those who use the building. It was decided that reply be made that the Council very much regrets 1 being unable to make any concession which would create a precedent and give rise to other difficulties. CORRESPONDENCE The Minister of Internal Affairs wrote, tegarding the setting up of a committee! ' under the Physical Welfare and Recrca- : tion Act, 1937, to co-operate in carrying! out the provisions of the Act the first j step being a national survey of the ' recreational facilities of the Dominion. ' It was decided to reply that the Council is agreeable to the appointment of 1 ( such a committee under its contrqj for , * the purposes of the scheme. The Department of Internal Affairs' 1 also forwarded a copy of regulations 1 under the Dog Registration Amendment * Act, 1937 for the distribution of a pre- f naration known as Arecoline Hydro- *

bromide as a remedy for the treatment of hydatids among dogs. The regulations provide for the disposal of the drug to dog-owners at the time of registration at a cost of Is per dog. That such a measure is necessary for the prevention of this dangerous disease goes without saying but the success of the scheme depends very largely on the co-operation of dog owners. The Act comes into force as from Ist January,! 1939. In a circular letter the Transport Department outlined the steps being taken 1 to inaugurate a Road Safety Week commencing on 4th December. It was decided to co-operate as far as possible in the distribution of posters and other 1 forms of publicity being adopted to draw public attention to the need for! exercising care on the road particularly j during the holiday season. The Nelson City Council’s offer for a quantity of engine oil, which the Coun- 1 cil has for disposal, was accepted. | FLOOD DAMAGE In the matter of dealing with flood] water coming into the borough from Balck’s Creek and the vicinity of Hope*' south of Appleby road the Waimea County Council advised that it could not j take any steps to compel settlers to widen or deepen the creek but that it had no objection to the Richmond Council arranging with the settlers to carry out improvements.

The Mayor referred to the deputation which had waited on the County Council and from the reply it appeared that nothing else could be done in that direction. It was decided that further steps be taken with the Highway Board and that the Board be asked on its next visit to the district to make an inspection of the locality as the highway both in the borough and beyond the Appleby road corner suffers damage each time a flood occurs. GENERAL MATTERS Quotations from a chair company were accepted for a further supply of seats for the new Town Hall to supplement the present seating accommodation. The seats are of a collapsible type, easily handled when required to be stored away and very comfortable. At the request of the District Land Registrar consent was granted as required to a grant of right-of-way to permit the completion of the widening of Cambridge street. The Mayor stated that all the formalities in connection with taking the land required for this important job are now completed and the widening of Cambridge street could be finished. The work will be put in hand almost immediately. It was decided to make the usual proChristmas collection of rubbish at the first opportunity the date to be adver- i tised. The Waimea Power Board is to be asked to supply footlights for the front: of the stage at the Town Hall. In reply to an inquiry regarding the overhanging trees in Oxford street the Mayor stated that a local man had been j engaged by the owners to do the job out for some reason it appears to have oeen delayed. The matter is to bo looked into as the trees in their present date are becoming a source of danger ;o passing traffic. ■ -