PETONE COUNCIL

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11222, 30 May 1922, Page 6

PETONE COUNCIL

WARRENS FOR RATS CRUSHING TINS FOR RUBBISH TIPS. . The Petone Borough Council met last j evening; present the Mayor (Mr J. W. : Mt-Ewant, in the chair, Councillors C. ■ F. Brocldcbank, iU. Ford, A. Pere, R. H. Jones, W. Hay, A. Anderson, D. ! F. Bedingfield and R. A. Hartley. i ANTECEDENT LIABILITIES. | Mr T. M. Wilford, M.P., wrote acknowledging receipt of the council’s | letter, which lie had filed for use whet) j the matter of local bodies’ antecedent | liabilities is being discussed in Parliament. The Minister for Finance wrote that it was impossible for the Government to arrange for the repayment of tho total antecedent liability indebtedness of all local bodies by means of a Stateraised loan. The £5,000,000 loan had been wholly allocated for specific purposes and would, in any case, be far from sufficient to meet the liabilities of local bodies i,n. this respect. The letters were received. AMUSEMENT TAXES. It was decided to receive a lettei from the Gore council asking for support at- the municipal conference of tho following resolution passed by tho council: “That all the amusement taxes collected in the district be paid over to the local body of that district or town board.” The Mayor said the idea was a good one, and the clerk added that the conference would take place in two or three weeks’ time. Councillor Ford moved that delegates he appointed to attend. Councillor Pere seconded, and the motion was carried, the Mayor and Councillor Pere being appointed to attend. ELECTRIC POWER BOARD. It was decided to receive a letter from the Timaru Borough Council on the subject of the present system of constituting electric power boards, and that proposals to elect such hoards should, be submitted to a poll of ratepayers)' war memorial fund. A communication from the Assistant-Under-Secretary of the Department cf Internal Affairs asked for information regarding the deposit of the war memorial committee of £1949 IGe Bd, as it was questionable ivhether the same could legally be included. Hie Mayor remarked that it was a liability on March 31st, and became an antecedent liability on April Ist. That wa3 common sense and common law, but it did not appear to come within the four corners of the Finance Act on the matter. The clerk said he had written pointing out that local bodies had been encouraged to obtain such loans. It was agreed that Hie matter should be further gone into with the depart- j ment. TINS MUST BE ORUSHED. Dir. W. F. Findlay, Medical Officer of Health, wrote that with regal’d to tins, it appeared to be the custom to receive tnem at most borough tips without being crushed. Uncrushed tins deposited at the tip tended to form an ideal warren for rats. In addition, they took up much valuable space, and cost more in cartage to the tip. Further, many tins, such as jam and fruit tins, have a oertain amount of foodstuff adhering to their sides, which furnished food for rats. It had been the custom for many years in England that such Bus were not received until flattened, and this could easily be done with a mallet or hammer. He asked the council to endeavour to have the tins crushed, which would make a great improvement at the tip. Hie Mayor said the inspector agreed that it would be the proper thing if it could be done. » The inspector pointed out that bylaws were being prepared and provision oould bo made compelling it to be done. Hie Mayor’s proposal, that provision be made in the by-laws for tins to he crushed before being taken away to the rubbish tip, was unanimously adopted.