PORT CHALMERS COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19906, 28 September 1926, Page 7

PORT CHALMERS COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of the Port Chalmers Borough Council was held last night. There were present: Mr T. Anderson (Mayor), Crs W. Limn, F. Smith, A. Love, W. Love, J. Morgan, N. Campbell. R. Willmott, A. Bell, and R. Allen. CORRESPONDENCE. Mr A. E. Short, secretary of the local cricket club, invited the Mayor and councillors to the openin' function of the cricket season, and also asked for 12 loads of material for top-dressing to the wicket. —The invitat.on was accepted. It was stated that last year the council supplied material. The request was referred to the Reserves Committee. Dr E. Gurr inquired wether the room used by the Plunket Society was available for use on Thursday afternoons as a prenatal clinic. —It was resolved that the room be made available as requested. The City Electrical Engineer wished to have the council’s consent to the erection of a transformer, south of the tower, in connection with switching alterations at Port Chalmers. —It was decided to supply the small area of ground required. H. Jenkers and P. A. Wilson wrote protesting against rubbish being tipped near their houses in Wickliffe terrace, as it was dangerous. Last week the writers had put out three fires amongst the rubbish. —It was resolved to inform the writers that the council was cleaning up the place, and that anyone putting more rubbish on the place referred to would be prosecuted. REPORTS. The Works Committee reported that the foreman and staff had been engaged for the past fortnigut on general maintenance work about the borough. Beach street had been given attention, 17 loads of metal being carted and spread on that street, also 12 loads of blinding and one load of rotten rock. Twenty loads of roc!; and eight loads of blinding were carted and spread on the High .oad near the railway bridge. Nineteen loads of rock and 11 loads of blinding were carted and spread on the Sawyers’ Bay road at the approach to the bridge. During the few days of bad weather some of the staff have been engaged in mixing asphalt iu readiness for the patching work about tnc streets and footpaths as soon as the warmer weather came in. The for lan reported that a great deal of offensive, inflammable rubbish was being deposited over the bank in Wickliffe terrace. Some of this rubbish, if it took fire in a high wind, would probably cause a great deal of damage to private property. The foreman was arranging to rake all inf .nable stuff to the foreshore and hum it. The committee recommended that the gate to the tip be left open every day iu future, so that the carters could take the loads right on to the proper place for depositing rubbish. At the present time the gate was open on Wednesdays and Saturdays only. During the fortnight all mud tanks had been cleaned and channel* swept. For the past few days the staff had been engaged planting pinus radiata at the waterworks reserve. The shed at the lower end of George street had been donned out and the tenants had taken possession. Notices were to bo served on residents in Careys Bay, about trees overhanging the road, requesting that they be cut back.—ln reply to questions, the Mayor said that in future only solid material would bo dumped over the roadside at Wickliffe terrace. The report was adopted. The Finance Committee submitted the fortnightly financial statement, which showed that ‘ the general expenditure amounted to £327 8s lOd, exclusive of the gasworks amounts totalling £33 13s 3d. The receipts were:—General, £229 Ids 9d; gasworks, £146 0s 6d. The debit balances were:—General, £1649 16s; gasworks, £678 14s 7d. The committee reported that 3000 pinus radiata trees were being planted by the borough staff on to the waterworks reserves.—The report was adopted.—Cr Campbell submitted a statement ot the financial position to date. The expenditure so far, he said, was well within the estimates. —Cr W. Love said the position was satisfactory. The Gas and Water Committee reported that the gas manager had stated that everything was working satisfactorily at the gasworks. He had been engaged during the past week locating the gas main whuii served the municipal buildings, which were without pas owing to water in the main. ’Thirty tons of coal had been received at the works. Advice had been received that two whaling vessels. Sir Janies Clark Ross and C. A. Larsen, were due at Port Chalmers next month, and would want a considerable supply of fresh water. With regard to the new water mains down the George street wharf, the contractor made a start laying these yesterday, and anticipated completing the work early in October; the George street main would also be opened and cleaned out. A water service had been put in to Miss M'Kinlay’s new house in Mary street. Cracks which had appeared in the water races at the reservoir were being repaired as time permitted. The foreman stated that the hose was required for the wharf. The committee recommended that prices be obtained, and the hose purchased straight away.—Replying to questions, the Mayor said the water officer was looking after the council’s interests in connection with the laying of a water main under the wharf.— Several councillors objected to him assisting the contractor.—The report was adopted. The council then went into committee to discuss a letter from the Harbour Board in regard to the sewering at Mussel Bay. It was decided to appoint a committee of the council to go into the matter further, and to confer with the Harbour Board.