PORT CHALMERS BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14467, 9 March 1909, Page 6

PORT CHALMERS BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual meeting of the Port Chalmers Bovoiwh Council, held last, evening, was attended by the Mayor (Mr John Mill), Crs Cable, Tait, Weir, Asher, Mawson, Powell, Crawford, and Knewstubb. An apology for absence was received Irom Cr Fail. COIMSrOKDEXCE. John Portcous, clerk AVuikouaiti County Council, wrote notifying that the above council had decided lo discontinue lighting the lamps on the road leading to Mansford Town.—Received. An Application from Stevenson and Ccok for an extra water pipe at the new foundry was l-oferrcd to tho Water Committee, with power to act. Mr Koitlo, oocrctary Otago Dock Trust, wroto infoi'inini; tJic eotincii that the Dock Trust declined to sanction the reformation of Jlaeandrcw road as suggested in the sketch submitted by tho borough surveyors. —Keceived. 11. Maeandrew wroto acknowledging receipt of a complaint fvotn the council re lighting Hie wharves a.t night, and stated that the matter had been referred to the trnftic superindendent to deal with.— Received. 'J'. F. Man in, secretary Municipal Association, Wellington, wrote calling attention to the movement proposing to establish a joint, Hipcraunutaion fniul under "The Loc>il Authorities Superannuation Act, 1908," and asking the council to consider the desirability of joining in the movement—llcferrcd to Finance Committee for report. A llazelto notice was received from tho Department, of Labour notifying the council that Wednesday had been duly appointed to be tho statutory closing tiny for shops in the combined district of Duncdin.—Heceivcd. HEPORTS. Tho Works Committee recommended that, lenders be invited for carting for the ensuing year, and that the engineer's estimate for Macaudrew road he approved, the staff to do the work, which is to ho put. in hand as early as possible. The usual maintenance work bad been carried out by the staff. A level crossing ha/1 been put down at ihe junction ol tirey and Scc t tia streets, and Ihe fence at the angle of Macandrew road was being shifted back to the proper boundary line.—Cr Crawford objected to the staff being employed in the manner suggested, as there wtw plenty to keep it employed in. general maintenance wori; throughout the borough.—Cr Powell, explained that the Works Committee had recommended that the staff be so employed by reason of an understanding previously arrived at in order to economise expenditure as far as possible.—The Mayor explained that the inspector had satisfied the council that the work could be dono satisfactorily by the staff, and he w<u> saticlied that it was desirable to do so in the interests of utifi".V and economy.—Adopted. The Sanitary Committee recommended that the three sewers leading from the vicinity of Mary street be joined up and the sewage conveyed in tho pipe to discharge outside the retaining wall at Mussel Bay;— Adopted. The Lighting Committee recommended that the lamps be rolit for eight months from the present, month, from dusk till 11 p.m., at 9s per lamp per month, and that an additional lamp be erected in Meridian street on the site selected. —Adopted. The Finance Commit tee reported that receipts amounting to £247 10s 5d had come to hand since last meeting, and accounts nmomitning to £80 19s Pd wtfre recommended for payment. Slate of funds in bank on Maroh K to credit District Fund account, £163 18s 4d.—Adopted, The estimates of income and expenditure were submitted for til© ensuing year, blowing that the probable income •' from all sources would amount to £4959 Is 3d, and ; after, allowing for expenditure, including £500 new dock guarantee, a balajjce of

£798 lis 3d would be left over for construction, maintenance and surveying, etc., also baths, tree-planting, and miscellaneous expenditure. Cr Tait expla-ined the various items which required special attention in dealing with the estimates, which had been framed to meet all probable contingencies. Hospital and charitable aid had increased alarmingly, being now fully £100 more than it was 3.years ago, but some of lost, year's expenditure was practically nonrecurring.—The Mayor said the rates now amounted to about 3s Id in the pound, and' as matters now stood the financial position of the borough was second to none in the Dominion. The estimates were unanimously adopted as read. Re Mr Stevenson's offer to sell the old slou? building at the quarry, tlio Reserves Committee could not recognise any claim to tho building, or compensation therefor.— The committee rccommendodt.hata.relvi.teof 12J per cent bo allowed Mrs F. A. Lean off her rental for. land at Mihiwaka for this year only. Satisfaction was recorded concerning the- satisfactory rental of 2s 4Jd realised at auction for the lease of the Dunback endowment.—Adopted. The Water 'Committee reported baring visited the reservoir, and found everything very tidy and in good order. The'water leva! was found to be 18 inches below tho overflow outlet, but 110 shortage was anticipated, owing_ to the lateness of the 'season. Further repairs to the byewash were urged during the fine weather and other maintenance work requiring attention was detailed in tho report. The contractor had completed laying the 3-inch main in Macandrow road, but it required to be extended 2 eiiains further, and tenders would he called' foi' this work as poon as the necessary sanction had been received from the Dock Trust. —Adopted. RATES, The Council having decided to levy the same rates this year as last, Cr Tait. detailed the various rates leviable throughout the borough for the ensuing year in accordance with Section 95 of the "Municipal Corporations Ac-t, 1900," and "Rating Act, 1894," and moved that a special .meeting of the'council ho held 011 March 31 to strike same.—Adopted. ABOLITION OP -WARDS, Cr Crawford gave notice to move at next meeting "That the ward system lie discontinued, and that the borough of Tort Chalmers bo declared a.r undivided borough." DEEP-WATER HERTItAGE. Cr Asher moved "That the attention of Mr JO. H. Clark, : M.P., lie called to the Urgent- need of an extension of the export wharf, in order that more adequate berth- | ing accommodation 01 shipping visiting this port be provided, and that lie be asked to bring this matter,under the notice of the Minister for Railways for favourable consideration."—The Mayor supported the motion, aJid said, that the berth referred to would prove one of the licst in the Dominion, and- would give ample accommodation for deeply-laden vessels. There was 35 feet of water available at' high tide, and a deepwater berth there would prove one of the safest berths possible in all weathers. He deplored the fact that the fiagship Powerful was unable to berth in port on her recent visit, but folt assured that the Olago Harbour Board, as at present constituted, would do all in its power to improve the harbour and wharves as a whole. In view of the completion of tho new dock, lie considered the proposed- new berth was indi.v. pensabloi—Cr Tait called attention to tlw fact that the matter had already been brought under -notice, but he saw 110 harm in acting as suggested, as it would tend to bring tho proposal into greater promin ence. Tho motion was adopted unanimously.