ST. KILDA BOROUGH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22286, 12 June 1934, Page 13

ST. KILDA BOROUGH

MEETING OF COUNCIL A meeting of the St. Kilda Borough Council was held last evening, and was attended by the Mayor (Mr John Beattie) and Crs H. H. Leary, J. Robinson, J, A. Carman, ,G. Glue, W. G. Baird, R. J. ,B. Griffitlis, E. W. Hunter, N. D, Anderson, A. D. Edgar, and A. J. Morison. CORRESPONDENCE. The Otago Hospital Board requested payment of the board’s levy at the same rate as fixed last year, pending approval of the board’s estimate by the Minister. The Maj'or said that he did not know that the council' could agree to this because their 'rates ’had been struck, and if they gave way to the board they might have to pay £2OO-extra, and they might never get that, back, while, next year ‘their Pates would have to appear ou the rate forms as the same as this year. “ Have we any option but to agree? " a councillor asked. The Mayor: I think so.

Cr Leary, said that it was not safe to pay anything; until they heard from the Minister of Internal Affairs. ’ They could receive the letter and let it lie on the table.

Cr Edgar: If they are going to ask for more, where are we going to get the money from? If we are asked for a larger contribution then our rates arc levied for it is going to be a very serious thing for us. The Mayor said that the hoard could not claim the levy until it served them with notice under the Act. The letter was received. The town clerk, Dunedin, advised that under the agreement between the St. Kilda and City Councils that the cost of lighting all boundary roads or portions of roads be borne equally by the two councils, the St. Kilda Council bad paid half the cost of 19 lights in Bay View road and £8 10s per annum for the lighting of Forbury road. The number of lights in the various boundary streets had been found to be:—Bay, View road 20, Forbury road 16, Musselburgh Rise 4 —a total of 40. In the terms of the agreement St. Kilda would -be charged henceforth for, half the cost of 40 lights, £63 10s —The letter was received.

A telegram was received from the Unemployment Board agreeing to pay a subsidy on renovations to 'the hall as a relief measure providing the two men engaged were paid full time at award rates. -Received,

The secretary of the Dunedin Fire Board advised, in reply to correspondence and a deputation from the St. Kilda and Green Irland Councils concerning the formation of a united fire district, that at a recent meeting the board - had decided that it was not in favour'of such a formation at present, having in view the many insuperable difficulties in reference to the suggested united fire district. —Received.

The Valuer-general, W’ellington, advised that no advance on account of subsidy on rates for 1932-33 (as applied for by the council) Would be made, but the full amount payable would become due after June 30. —The letter was received, and it : was decided to write to the Valuergeneral demanding a revaluation this year.

The town clerk (Mr Griffin) said that he .would like to see a protest made to the Valuation Department. They were the largest borough in the South Island rating on the unimproved value, and they should have their valuations first instead of last. It meant delay in making ,up their estimates and jn striking the rates. They had over 2000 demands to send out, and they had to be out by the end of August. The town clerk was empowered to enter a protest oil the next delivery of valuation notices.

The borough engineer advised receipt of a letter from the city engineer :with reference: to the council’s water meter. The meter favoured’registereda maximum 0f'40,000 gallons an hour,, which would give an accuracy of plus or minus 3 per cent. The position wUs that "the higher .the-maximum-discharge was :fixed the greater .would be.the inaccuracy oh the smaller range. ■ • Grp Baird; Glue, and the town clerk were appointed a deputation to wait' on two: members' of the Water Committee of the City Council. . The town clerk,..Dunedin, wrote in connection with the new agreement between the St. Kilda and City Councils under which Forbury road carriage way whs- to be maintained •on a 50-50 bu'sis, stating that 1230 had been included in the City Council’s estimates‘for the current year (now under consideration), being half the cost of paving the-carriage way over its full width between Bay View road and Victoria road.' In the event of the roadway being paved this financial year -t.he estimated cost of-maintaining the..existing macadam surface for the. year, was £9B, of which,St. Kilda-would ue-required-to contribute hiflf.—The matter was held over for consideration at a-special meeting) to consider estimates on Wednesday, June 20. v - ■ •• GENERAL. The borough foreman : reported that during the month ended June 2 streets and footpaths had boon patched and formation work had been done.on the flunk of Victoria, road. For the ensuing fortnight he suggested the patching of streets thatwere going to be sealedpmaiutenance work, etc. There, had been 110 unemployed, men working for the past month building kerbs, grassing streets, etc., The report was adopted. The borough traffic inspector reported that 550 motor drivers’ licenses nud nine heavy traffic licenses were issued during the past four weeks. Four building permits were also granted. The town clerk reported that during the four weeks ended that day the water consumption of the borough was 8,071,000 gallons, at a coat of £216 15s Cd, .is compared with £l9O 10s 6d for the previous four weeks.

Accounts amounting to £1839 2s 4d were passed for payment.