BOROUGH AFFAIRS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17526, 22 July 1931, Page 10

BOROUGH AFFAIRS

MEETING OF COUNCIL

There wore, two vacant chairs at last overling's mooting of the Gisbomo Borough Council. The Mayor. Mr, I). W, Coleman, presided, and those present were: Crs. H, E. Maude, R. V. Beaufov, J. W. 11. Holmes, G. Bradley Smith, A. S. Muir, D- S. Thompson, and 11. It. DeCosla.

Messrs. Nola'ii and Skdet, on behalf of Mr. 11. (t. Tucker, wrote inquiring the terns ori which the. council would consent to accept a dedication of an extension of Ranuirly road for a distance of Z!j chains from the present end of that street; and a dedication of a proposed street to join the proposed extension of Ranfui'ly road with Crawford road, a distance of 6 chains, this being what was now unofficially known as Barton street.— The matter was referred to the work's committee.

It- was resolved to forward to the. municipal solicitor a letter from, the borough solicitors. Messrs. Chrisp and Chi'isp, in reference to the non-payment of rates on properties which were handed hack to 1110 Sta.ie Advances Department. Messrs. Burr and Mirfield sought permission to erect a smoke hoil.se in connection with the remodelling and erection of tlie rear portion of premises in Gladstone road belonging to the J. W. Matthews estate.—The application was nj (proved. Intimating that it was proposed to erect a police residence at Makaraka uhotit 80 yards from the hotel. Inspector O'lTalloran applied for an extension of tilt, present water trough connection to the- house, a distance of about- ftCyds.— The application was refused. WORKERS* AWARD The abattoirs committee reported :•-- "Consideration was given to the matter of a new award for abattoir workers, when owing to scarcity of awards in the Xorfh Island, the, Mayor submitted one from Christchurch, under wjn'ch slaughtermen received .C 6 per week. 'J'he manager asked that' the hours of work oil Thursday at least should be lOi as at present, as on the Fridays they would probably only work, SJ,- hours. It was eventually decided that the committee could not accede to the demands, and that the union ho recommended to apply to the Arbitration Court."

In-a- later "report the' finance committee stated :

"'The Mayor reported that he had 1 ascertained that rents received by private owners ran from about 17s 6d'to £1 for 4-roomed cottages, and from 20s to 25s for live rooms'". It was agreed to rcvomnumd thai, the council reduce the rents of its collage properties by 10 per cc'iil., as from next rent days.

"The Mayor reported that the. engineer was inspecting the hospital property will) the board regarding right of easement' in connection with the balancing tank. It was decided to recommend that the New Zealand Insurance Co.'s trust department be offered, without prejudice, the sum of £75. and failing acceptance f that the land be taken, under, the Public Works Act.-" The reports were adopted. Ill'connection with, the abattoirs workers' award it was resolved that conferences should be held with' the Master Butchers' Association and the employees concerned.

REPORTS ENGINEER'S DEPARTMENT Thri engineer, MrV' G. E. Darkm, re ported inter alia:—

"Spawls supplied l>y Mr. W. Wilson arc being crushed, and the material plhcdd on streets where the traffic warrants it. Maintenance works comprised street; cleaning, cleaning stormwater drains and .sumps, crushing metal at the grannlator crusher, repairing roads and foot paths, and minor repairs to plant. .Streets have heen repaired as follows,— With metal : .Stanley and Childors roads. With gravel: Awapuni. Stanley, Aberdeen, Ghilders, Chalmers, Lytton, and Hospital roads; railway reserve, and Atkinson,- .Stout .and .Sheridan streets. With old. concrete: Disraeli street, and Roebuck and Ormond roads. The work of cleaning and trimming up footpaths has been continued. The wedging of loose planks of Ihe decking of the Wm I.'ettie bridge is in hand.

"Unemployment relief .works.—During the fortnight employment has been provided for 200 men per week. The works comprised : Regracling Kaiti creek, removing concrete from old'Taruheru freezing works, excavating a trench and laying water pipes in Lytton road, tidying up the Botanical Gardens and river banks, cleaning out drains, and cleaning and trimming up-footpaths in various localities, replacement of a. culvert in Richardson's avenue, planting trees in Score road.

! "Stormwater drainage loan works.— Rutene road : The laying of a storm water . drain in Rutcne road on the north side- from Harris street towards deLautour road has been Kaiti creek:; The regra'dhig of Kaiti crqclc froin Dickson street to the Kaiti school is progressing satisfactorily. Richardson's avenue: The old wooden culvert is being replaced with- 64ft. of 48in.* reinforced concrete pipe, the borough and Cook .County sharing the cost of material'. Labor is being provided under scheme's." WATERWORKS Reporting jn connection with the waterworks, the engineer stated that the highest gauge reading during the fortnight was 1201 lis and the lowest 85lbs. The top line had been maintained in - working order, the two damaged crosslings having been repaired. The quantity of water-that passed through the meter 'for the- weeks ended duly 6 and 13 was 5,290,000 and 5,530,000 gallons respectively. A pipe line trench for the balancing tank had been excavated from the intersection of Gladstone and Lytton roads f> the south alignment of Stout, street, and pipes had been laid along Lvtton road as far ar. the Taruheru River. ~-.,•,. . .... WORKS OOMMITTEE The works committee reported inter alia: — "A list of contemplated 'works for the fortnight, wns submitted by the engineer. The main works comprised the reinstate, nienl of a large culvcrl in Richardson's avenue, works under scheme 5 ami 'general street maintenance. "" "Owing to earthquake damage certain repairs and alterations were necessary in Hie council chambers, and after considering a. report, it-was agreed to rccom,mend (hat the- canopy and pediment in .front of the building be removed,, and the roof .strengthened' with diagonal bracing ; also strengthening of building with iron rods, the work to be undertaken by the council's staff. ''Offers were received from several (irins quoting for metal lorries, varying from U tons upwards, and a report from the bus manager and engineer was considered. 'lt- was agreed 1 that one of the lighter vehicles was the class required, and it- is left to the council'to decide the FINANCE COMMITTEE

The finance committee reported:—i , "The niatfer of tho council carrying its own insurance received consideration, and ;.details (if amounts paid by the council' itndcr the various headings wore submitted, and it was finally agreed tliat no recommendation could be made. "fii connection with tho proposed 1.0 per cent, reduction on rents for tho

council's cottages, the town clerk submitted a. report giving! names of tenants and rents paid, and after consideration it was agreed that the matter stand oyer i.n order,that the Mayor could interview the land' agents to ascertain what rents were being received for similar houses by private owners. "A letter was received from the New Zealand Insurance Co. in regard to compensation for a reservoir srio on Willan's hill, and it was agreed to hold the matter over until Monday next."