PORT CHALMERS COUNCIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18898, 26 June 1923, Page 5

PORT CHALMERS COUNCIL

There were present at the fortnightly meeting of the Port Chalmers Borough Council lust night Mr J. Watson (Mayor), CrsLunn, Allan, Borrio, Love, Dodds, M‘Lachlan, Cable, Asher, and Anderson. The Public Trustee accepted appointment as sinking fund commissioner for the borough’s £7OOO gas loan. —Received. Mr J. Jacobs (secretary of the Otago Hospital Board) wrote advising that the following .persons had been appointed members of the Port Chalmers Cottage Hospital Committee ;—Messrs Knight and Morgan. Mrs Cunningham, Miss Snell, Messrs J. Watson (Mayor), D. L. K. Walker, W. J. Johnston, R. Young, W. M‘Ewan, and J. Tuit. —Received. Mr A. R. Verrall asked for the free use of the Town Hall for a church entertainment. —Granted. The secretary of the local Fire Board asked for prompt attention to fire plugs and distance discs.—Received. The Works Committee reported that during the fortnight the main streets, channels, and mud tanks had received the usual attention; fire plugs had been cleared in different parts of the town, and distance discs placed on fences nearby: clearing of slips at Macandrew road and Upper road completed. In regard to complaint from Mrs Miller and Mr Berryman, the committee recommended that a concrete mud tank be put in between the culvert and the sewer at an estimated cost of £l3 ss. In reference to complaints from Gibbs and W. A. Sunderland and others, these matters would be attended to as soon as the men are available. The committee recommended that in future all work done by the staff be under the supervision of the Works Committee.—Cr Borne said the staff was so small that it was necessary the committee should control it. —Cr M‘Lachlan said that the difficulty was that work had not been carried out svstematically. as passed bv the council. —The Mayor he'd that work, other than urgent work, should be earned out in the order in which such work was approved.—Adopted. The Finance Committee recommended that old outstanding rales amounting to £3 Os 7d be written off. Rates had been collected in error on « prppcrty situated within the borough boundary. In regard to Beach street encroachments, the committee had done all in its power to have the ouestion at issue between the council and Messrs Love Bros, and C. Stevenson settled, but. so far had failed. It was now n, question for the council to decide whether it would rescind its previous resolution, hand over the matter to the solimtor to take action, or otherwise deal with the matter. Acceptance of a tender at, .w 17s 6d for repairs to the sexton s res’dence was recommended. —His Worship explained in regard to the Beach street encroachments that on two instances the payment of rent was not made, .although the rent was first charged on a pro rata basis, and the two rents in question twice reduced —The report was adopted ; rents of £IZ and £5 respectively to bo charged for Beach street encroachments. The Gas and Works Committe recommended payment of accounts totalling idle IBs 4d, leaving a debit balance of £507 15s. The gasworks manager was fitting a boiler for making water gas. At the reservoir the work at the eastern by-wash was near completion. On Thursday, unfortunate}, the weather stopped the concreting, but otherwise no serious damage was done, and the work would be finished as soon as the weather perniitted.-The Chairman of the Committee said the water mams would be scoured next Saturday afternoon.—l he icport was adopted. . , , , A Roecial Committee recommended that consideration in regard to the borough seeking inclusion in the Otago Power Board scheme be deferred for nine months. ApP Cr Anderson moved the following series of proposals“(a) That all resolutions and minutes appertaining to the expenditure on works of'the borough relating to such expenditure being heaviest where the largest revenue is received be rescinded and that such expenditure on works in the borough be carried out as occasion requires irrespective of the proportion of the income. • ivuled out of order as being contrary to statute —“(b) That the resolution moved and carried in the Finance Committees report at the last meeting relative to the sanitary low be rescinded and that it be held over for' 12 months to enable the people who are in a position to drain to do so where drains are available • further, that the whole question bo reviewed between the Finance and ■Sanitary Committees and a report of the whole position be placed before the council especially in view of the large expenditure that may arise through new pans and improved drainage as a result of such a change in the system and also the collecting of the revenue, also the committees suggestions to carry out. these very necessary improvements and how the money is to bo provided, loaned, or spent, in the expeditious execution of such necessary sanitation changes; further, to report upon the posil.ion of Carey’s Bay regarding the levy, as they have no drainage, and what the posiHon will be if the ratepayers of Carey s Bay come with a petition backed by the Health Department, for drainage or septic tank system.”—This motion proposed that householders not requiring the pan sanitary should pay for same. —Motion not carried. “(c) That the following remit be forwarded to the Municipal Association That this council request the Municipal Association to examine the manner in which members are elected to the Harbour Boards and that the constitution of same be altered by legislation to permit the democratic vote of the people to elect such members, which means the revoking of the election of the memhers elected by the payers of duos on goods and ships and also the Government appointments.” —Motion rejected as not being within the jurisdiction of the Municipal Association._“(d) That all correspondence and minutes relative to the empty house on Thomson’s farm at Sawyer’s Bay be laid on the table and a decision arrived at whether the council holds the right to remove the house for its own purposes and if so immediate steps be taken to save any further complications to have same dismantled for necessary repairs within the borough.”—Carried.—’‘(e) That in view of the untidy state of the corporation’s various yards and ohe nattered nature of the plant, tools, and gear, a central depot be immediately decided upon where all the gear can be treated with care and placed under lock and key and be accounted for as time goes on.”—Carried. —“(f) That a stock book of all material, plant, etc., be made up with values assessed and be placed upon the table at each council meeting, deductions and additions of stock to be made as occasion demands; that old lead and material not required be collected and sold.”—Carried. —“(g) That the following recommendations be forwarded to the Hospital Board:—’lllat to bring the borough of Port Chalmers into line with other districts, that the local Cottage Hospital Committee be constituted as follows;—Local member of Hospital Board, the Mayor ex-officio, local practitioners ex-officio, Borough Council (two members), friendly societies (one member), waterside workers (one member), allied trades and metal workers (one member), citizens (two members —one male and one female).”—Carried. —“(h) That in view of the present unsatisfactory condition of the borough in the matter of management and carrying out of the works, and to bring things up to date, the council sit as a special committee to devise ways and means of corning to some definite agreement upon same so as to enable the borough to secure the best for what it is to expend upon the necessary works and repairs during the near future.” —Consideration was deferred.—"(i) ’’•it in view of the present discussion and the deputations recently made relative to the duplication of the Port Chalmers railway line, the Mayor convene a meeting of the citizens to have the advantages of same discussed and to also bring out the position of Port Chalmers as a residential area if such a duplication was made.”—The Mayor Raid that duplication was being well looked after by the Expansion League, and he doubted whether the council should move in the matter at present, —The motion was withdrawn.