MARION BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLII, Issue 11447, 29 January 1918, Page 4

MARION BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The ComicU met on Monday evening. Present : 'I he Mayor (F. C. Wilson), and Crs, J. Hunter, J. A. Bush and J. H. Miles. Mr E. Fletcher, caretaker, applied for an increase of 5s per week and a war bonus of 5s per week, on account of the high cost' of living and extra work —Held over till next meeting. Mr A. Ooblmn, Marton, wrote, -.in reference to the 2-i hours’ notice to bo given fgr burials in the Mt. View public cemetery, asking whether it was option<l with iho Council or their representative to grant or refuse such a request at their pleasure. Recently ho was unable to procure a grave at less than ‘ll hours’ notice although it was urgently needed. The Clerk.stated that it was a very urgent case, but that the sexton had refused to dig the grave. The Mayor moved and Or. Miles I seconded—That a written explanation be obtained regarding sexton’s refusal to bury a body at short notice ; explanation to bo in before next meeting of Council. —Carried. From Marton Citizens’ Band, stating that the baud would render its first municipal concert in the Park on Thursday, 17th January. Received.

The Health Inspector’s report showed a clean sheet for the Borough of Marton. Mr N. Crofton Staveley. 0.K., forwarded an account for £27 7s for inspecting and reporting on the new dam. —Passed for payment. Tbo forem m reported th;t the footpaths at the swimming baths have been cleaned and 55 inches of screened metal and two coats of tar and sand put on at a cost of,£ 20 2s. There is sixteen feet six indies of water in the dam, a drop of ten inches for the fortnight. The foreman estimated that it would cost £8 15s (id to repair the public pound. In company with the Worts Committee he had inspected the footpaths, and recommended tiie following work:—Patching Stewart and Follett Streets; High Street from Blackwell Street to Pukepapa in ashplult; Oxford Street tirred and sanded;- Morris Street from Wellington Road to Stewart with screened metal, tar and sand; Blackwell Street from Cuhbabballa Street to High Street, screened met-1, tar and sand; Hereford Street from tennis court to swimming baths, screened metal, tar and sand; Wellington Road footpaths screened metal and two coats of tar ai:A sand.

Referring to the coal supply for tho gasworks, Or. Bush reported that the .State Mine was umhlo to snpp'y any more sin-11 co ;1 for six mouths on account of the breakage of tho coal bins. The prices had raised 3s per ton for small and Ts tor large coal. He had got into communication with tho Munitions Board, and they had received 50 tons of coal from the Wanganui Gas Co., which had arrived tli it day. The. foreman hid also received advice that 100 tons would arrive from the Westport Goal Company (luring the week, the price being 33s pbr ton, which was sufficient for two months. Cr. Bush proposed, and the Mayor seconded, That a letter be forwarded to the Munitions Board, stating tint tho Council appreciates their promptness |in dealing with the Council’s telegram of loth iust. ” Carried.

Cr. Bush stated that in company with Cr. Hunter, he had interviewed Mr Koek,' District engineer of the Now Zealand Railways, and they Had discussed the price of gss for cooking purposes at the refreshment rooms at tiie Marton Junction, and after due consideration they had come to the conclusion that they could not make any reduction in the price of gas. they recommended to the Council: That in viaw of "the recent increases in price of coal and railway freights the Committee recommends that the price of gas for cooking purposes to the Railway Department he maintained at 7s 6d per 1000 feet, and that a letter he written to the District ' Engineer, and Mr Farrish of the Refreshment service, explaining the position. The recommendation was adopted by the Council on the motion of Ors. Bush —Miles. Cr. Bush’s notice of motion was seconded by the Mayor, and carried as follows:—ihat a committee he appointed of three members to report to the Council: — 1. On the advisability of _ separating the gasworks, undertaking from the general borough work, with the view to running it as a separate business on a commercial basis with the object of supplying gas to consumers botli inside and outside the borough boundaries at a reasonable price, which-will, after payment of all costs incidental to production, enable provision to bo made for the maintenance ami upkeep of the works, and for the establishment of a sinking fund sufficient to repay the capitalcosVwithin twenty years. 3, As to the advisability of profit derived from the gasworks being devoted to the general purpose of the borough. 8. As to the advisability of the control and management of the gasworks being vested in a separate committee.

4. To inquire into and report to the Council on tire present system of g*s reticulation and any other matters affecting the gas supply ■which may be considered necessary. The Mayor moved, and Cr. Miles seconded; “That Crs Basil, Sutcliffe and Hunter he a committee to report on the above recommendations.—Carried.