OAMARU BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIV, Issue 14009, 13 March 1920, Page 1

OAMARU BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The Onmaru Borough Council sat last night. The Mayor, Mr James McDiarnud, presided, and there were also present Councillors Calder, Snadden, Swinard, Miller", Deal, Clarke, • Sinclair Mahnn, Cooney and Woodward. • The Borough Inspector, Mr A. C. A. Whvte, resigned his position, and asked "to be relieved of his duties as soon as possible. It was stated that no reason was known for Mr "Whyte's decision, - but it was supposed that' possibly he had been over sensitive in regard to letters I published in the press. Several councillors spoke warmly in appreciation of his services, and pointed out that perhaps his duties were too numerous and varied, and that that was the reason of his decision. —It was decided that the Inspector be asked to attend a I nueting of the By-Laws Committee, laud give his reasons, with a view to {obtaining the withdrawal of his re- ! sanation. . S The Prime Minister, acknowledging 1 receipt of a letter drawing attention • to the dangers of the. Severn street crossing, wrote that enquiries were being made by officers of the Department. —Received. . The' Acting District Engineer Mr John McNair, reported on the Ribble street sewer that the boxing could safelv be shortened without creating a nuisance.—The matter was referred to thf Works Committee for report. The Borough Electrical Engineer, .Mr 1. Dalnier, forwarded correspondence from Messrs John Chambers and .Son, the gist of which was a request [or an increase of 12 per cent, in the contract price ol the engine for thepower plant, on account of an increase insisted upon by the builders consequent upon increased wages and price of material. , . Uter discussion Councillor -Woodward moved that the letter be replied to that the Committee does not accept anv liabilitv, but the Committee will | review the 'position when the contract is completed. Councillor Snadden seconded the motion which was carried. Councillor Woodward brought up the question of a/stock and motor bridge in Che'lmer street. A notice had been i«sucd asking sheep drivers to keep eft the Severn street bank; this was impossible. There had been an accident at the Severn street crossing, and tins wo?" not the onlv disadvantage of stock nsiii" the main streets. On his motion the matter was referred to the \\ orKs Committee for report. Mr R. A. McDowell applied for consent to transfer lease of section 2, block 77. to W. C. Gemmell from Crawford's trustees.—Granted Mr R B. Irvine applied for consent of transfer of his interest in section block 42, to Mrs Jessie Holland.Granted. , , . . Mr * Slater asked permission to build a temporarj- iron sned j. n the roar of his new premises.—Granted. —Committees' Reports. — Finance.—Bank balances: General account, cr., £732 Is 3d; loan account dr £564 os lid; deposits., dr £4(Ho 16s' 7d. (1) Recommending for payment accounts amounting to *.o/y J£» 4d (2) Recommending that an application be made to the Public Works Department for the services of an engineer to advise as to a drainage scheme which would overcome the difficulties ot South Oamaru.—The report was adoptElectrieitv.—(l) Recommending that Mr DalmeT V l>e granted a. bicycle allowance of £5 per annum. (2) Recommending that electricity be installed m the Council Chamber, borough oinee, stairwav and halls, the- Work to be carried out by the staff when available (3) Recommending that from Ist April the wattage installation charges be adopted, and that the* discount on all accounts be 10 per cent.—The reportwas adopted. , , Works.—(l) Recommending that the owners of the Royal Hotel arid of ;iart lot 1. block 95. be required to nave, the cellar coverings at their premises put in order and brought up to !he footpath level. (2) Recommending that, the various agents for farm implements be written to re damage done to tlio main street through the. haulage ot machinery and requesting that such traffic be confined to the back streets.— The report was adoptedTHE MEAT TRUST. The extension of the operations of the American Meat Trust was the subject of « statement made by liam Vestey before the British Royal Commission on Income Tax. bir \Ym. Vestey said: "Until ten years ago the American Beef Trust had not one single freezing works outside the I United States. Since then they have built very many in different parte ot the world, solely to supply the English market, and are now building freezing works at Sao Paulo, Santa •Vna de Livramento, another quite near tint place, and two at Rio Grande do Sul all in Brazil, three in Paraguay, and one in Santa Cruz. Patagonia, and have bought land and are about to commence" the erection ol another at Uoslirio de Santo Fe, in the Argentine Republic. Thev are also commencing building in Colombia, I believe at Haranquilla. also sending out material to build in South Africa, and have their men out acquiring sites in other countries. They have, to my knowledge, offered to buy important works in the colonies. All their works m the past have, been built almost solely to supplv the English market. While all this work is beine done by the Trust, not one Eqglish freezing works has been built abroad by any other firm than onr own. It does seem to me that the preferences which are given in even- possible way to the American Beef Trust bv the English Governmentshould be stopped and English firms ; given equality of treatment. We do , not ask for any preference in anv way, r bm merely equality of taxation." I ,