MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS

Southland Times, Issue 19279, 25 June 1924, Page 7

MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS

MEETING OF TOWN COUNCIL. The Invercargill Town Council held its fortnightly meeting last evening, there being present the Mayor (Mr Andrew Bain), Councillors A. J. Geddes, W. H. Boyes, C. J. Brodrick, C. J. Broad, H. J. Farrant, A. Glass, John Miller, Hugh Ritchie, R. P. Meek, E. Sheehan and S. M. Macalister. Leave of absence was granted to Cr. Webb. FINANCE COMMITTEE. The Finance Committee reported as follows:—(1) Having gone through the annual estimates of the various departments, and decided to make the following recommendations:—(a) That the charge by the Electricity Department for street lighting be reduced by £350, so as to make the cost for the year the same as last year. This will allow the street lighting rate to remain as before, namely, .394 pence and will reduce the credit allocation in Electricity Department accordingly; (b) that the sum of £lOOO be estimated as the payment by the Fire Board in respect of the Waterworks stand-by plant; (c) that provision be made in the Estimates for the payment of £lOOO on account of the Tramways Renewal Fund; (d) that the amount transferred from the electricity account to the general account as at March 31, 1924, be £7,500 instead of £4000; (e) that £1,500 be transferred from General Account to Abattoir Account for assisting to finance improvements, said amount to be repaid as and when proceeds of the sale of land are received; (f) that the payment of interest and sinking fund charges on all Waterworks loans be provided for through the amalgamated special rate instead of including them in the water rate; (g) that with the above alterations the Annual Estimates be approved, and public notice be given that it is the Council’s intention to strike the following rates for the year commencing on April 1 1924, and ending on March 31, 1925 General 3d on the unimproved value; hospital, 4.653 d on the annual value; sewerage, .643 d on the unimproved value; water, .880 d and .440 d on the unimproved value; nightsoil fees 25/- and 35/- in unsewered and sewered areas respectively; refuse fees 32/6 and 7/6 per daily and weekly service respectively; street lighting, .394 d on the unimproved value; special, 4.040 d on the unimproved value; antecedent liability, .683 d or the unimproved value. The report was adopted. CORRESPONDENCE.

A. D. Paterson asked the Council to construct a kerbing along the front of his property on the corner of Bourke and Windsor streets.—Referred to Public Works Committee.

The secretary of the W.E.A. applied for the Council’s usual grant of £l5 towards the funds of the Association.—Granted. The Chairman of the Main Highways Board, in acknowledging the Council’s application for assistance towards the reconstruction of certain streets within the town area stated that the Board did not favour the declaration of any roadway within a city or a large borough to be a main highway. The application, however, would be considered at a meeting of the Board to be held on the 26th instant.— “If the position is as stated,” said the Mayor, “then an injustice is being done to the borough affected. To my nlind the roads within the boundaries Of a borough are portions of the main highways. Doubtless there are many boroughs in a really worse position than we are, and I think that something should be done to bring the present anomalies under the notice of the local members of Parliament, with a view to the matter being remedied. Apparently the Board has power to tax us just as it thinks fit without us receiving any benefit at all.”—The letter was referred to the Public Works Committee for further consideration. GENERAL. A petition was received from several residents of the eastern end cf Duke street, drawing attention to the bad state of the footpaths and crossing in that area and asking that improvements should be effected.—Referred to Public Works Committee. The reports of the Committees, which were published in Monday morning’s issue of the Southland Times, were adopted without amendment. The Estimates for the current year were considered in Committee and then adopted in open Council.