ST. KILDA BOROUGH COUNCIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21362, 16 June 1931, Page 5

ST. KILDA BOROUGH COUNCIL

FORTNIGHTLY MEETING The fortnightly meeting of the St. Kilda Borough Council was held in the council chambers, St. Kilda, last evening. There were present the Mayor (Mr J. Beattie), Crs H. H. Leary, C. Conn, T. D. B. Roy, J. A. Carman, G. Glue, W. G. Baird, E. Long-worth, G. Stratton, A. D. Edgar, and R. Telfer. CORRESPONDENCE. The Unemployment Commissioner wrote stating that in view of the fact that the funds made available under the Unemployment Act, 1930, for the relief of unemployed were temporarily exhausted he had to advise that the Unemployment Board was -orapelled to suspend the operation of scheme No. 5 immediately after the close of the week ending June 20. —It was decided to urge the Government to lend sufficient money to the Unemployment Board to enable it to carry on until Parliament met. The town clerk, Dunedin, wrote stating that a proposal had been made that the City Council’s Tramways Department should clean up, trim, and level the portion of tramway property which adjoined the bank in Royal crescent between Anderson’s Bay road and Victoria road. The area when finally levelled and grassed would be planted with a row ot trees, and would, it was suggested, make a very desirable improvement to the whole neighbourhood. The writer desired to know whether it would be possible for the St. Kilda Council to arrange to keep the grass cut and tidy.—ln connection with the same matter, a petition was received from a number ot ratepayers living in and adjacent to Royal crescent, who pointed out that for many years that piece ot land between the tram line and the formed road in Royal crescent had been allowed to remain in a very disorderly state, much to the annoyance of the residents. Royal crescent, it was pointed out, was now the principal route to the school, Tahuna Park, the cemetery, and Tomahawk, and, therefore, the petitioners asked that the council should avail itself of the opportunity now offered by the Amenities society to have this unsightly piece of road attended to— Cr Edgar said that the Tramways Department was, prepared to level and grass the area referred to. and the Amenities Society was prepared to spend £SO in planting trees. The question which was worrying both bodies was whether the area would be looked a )V er when the work had been completed. Ins petition showed that the residents were keen to support the project, and were quite prepared to assist in the matter of upkeep. He thought that the council should avail itself of this opportunity to have the work done, and he moved that the offer be accepted.—The motion was seconded by Cr Stratton.-Cr Longworth said that he considered that, if the Gity Council wished to clean up the area, and the residents in that vicinity were also desirous of doing so, the council shouK not place any obstacle in their way. bo long as the trees were not planted within 10 feet of a street intersection, the council was quite in supporting the scheme. —After some further discussion the motion was carried. . A letter was received from the Borou D li of Newmarket with reference to the commission which the Government proposed to set up to consider the question of rural rating and local body finance Generally. It was stated that the Auckland Chamber of Commerce had recently decided to ask the Prime Minister to extend the order of reference to include the question ot compulsorily amalgamating the smaller contiguous local ihe ot. Kilda Council was asked to join the Newmarket Borough Council in protesting against this proposal.—After some discussion, it was decided to support the Newmarket Borough Council in its protest against the proposal. FOREMAN’S REPORT. The foreman of works reported that during the fortnight ended June 6 the patching of streets and footpaths and the carting of grass, etc., had been carried out. He suggested that for the ensuing fortnight the work to be carried put be the patching of streets and footpaths. The plant was in good order. There had been about 100 unemployed men engaged in digging lawns and grassing streets for the past fortnight. The plumber had reported that on the night of June 9 four lengths of half-inch galvanised pipe had been removed from the yard.—Adopted. TRAFFIC INSPECTOR’S REPORT. The traffic inspector reported that for the fortnight ended Juno 13 245 drivers licenses had been issued, making a total to date of 582. Three heavy traffic licenses had been issued apd four drivers tested. An inspection of all the streets in the borough on the east side of Prme« Albert road disclosed the fact that 21 crossings were required, and these owners would be notified in due course. — Adopted. WATER CONSUMPTION. It was reported that the amount of water consumed in the borough during the past fortnight amounted to 4,344,000 gallons, the value being £IOB 12s. For the previous fortnight water to the value of £lO9 3s 6d had been consumed.— Noted. FINANCE. Accounts amounting to £450 11s 8d were passed for payment. GENERAL, In connection with the 10 per cent, penalty on unpaid rates, it was decided that the clerk should be given power to usp his discretion in refunding the 10 per cent, penalty to ratepayers. In acordance with the notice which he had given at the last meeting of the council, Or Edgar moved that the resolution of the council that a reply be made to the St. Kilda Bowling Club stating that no lease now existed, but that the council would accept £l2 10s for rent to March 31, 1931 in lieu of £ls charged, and that the.club also be notified in writing that the rent for the ensuing year would be £ls be rescinded, and that the club be offered a further lease at the same rental as hitherto, viz,, £l2 10s per annum.— Cr Edgar said that to raise the rent from £l2 10s to £ls did not appear to be in keeping with the spirit of the times.— A very lengthy discussion ensued, during which the question was raised us t • what justification the council had foi raising the rent, and the motion, on being put to the meeting, was finally carried. Cr Edgar asked the Mayor if he had given any consideration to the question of organising a relief depot in St. Kilda. A great deal of distress, he said, was at present in evidence, and he thought the time was ripe to consider the sotting up of a relief depot. He suggested that the Mayor should call a meeting of residents to discuss the matter of destitut.on in the borough.—Gr Glue said that he did not think it would be a wise policy to open up a depot in St. Kilda, as them was a possibility that it would clash with the city schemes.—A great deal of discussion took place with regard to the proposal to establish such a depot.—The Mayor said he thought it would bo a good idea to establish a depot if it was worked in conjunction with the one in the city, but he did not think that it would be wise for St. Kilda to act on its own in this respect.—lt was finallydecided that the Mayor should interview Mrs Macdonald in connection with the matter, and bring the question forward at a later meeting of the council. On the motion of Or Leary it was decided that a letter should be sent to Cr Marlow congratulating him on having the surcharge on gas and electricity removed.