MATAURA BOROUGH

Southland Times, Issue 20619, 18 October 1928, Page 3

MATAURA BOROUGH

MEETING OF COUNCIL. (From Our Correspondent.) The monthly meeting of the Mataura Borough Council was held on Tuesday night and attended by Messrs C. D. McConnell (Mayor) and Councillors J. Heslin, W. Piercy, J. Walker, L. McKelvie, J. Ingram, A. N. Mac Gibbon, J. W. Aitken, and C. E. Rowe. Prior to commencing the business the Mayor made reference to the death of the late Mr C. Illingworth, who was at one time town clerk at Mataura. Out of respect to the deceased the council stood in silefice for a minute. Correspondence. R. S. Green, secretary of the Eastern District Rugby Football Sub-Union, wrote stating that with the approval of the council the union had made a charge for admission to the recreation grounds on July 25, and had given notice of the closing of the grounds through the paper. Despite this, on the day in question one person refused to pay for admission. As the controlling body in charge of the grounds was the council his committee desired information as to the position in view of the above facts.—lt was agreed that the sub-union be advised that the council’s permission to close the grounds and charge admission was in terms of the advertisement. Miss Curtin, secretary of. the Mataura Ladies’ Hockey Club, wrote asking for a lock to be put on the ladies’ portion of the pavilion at the recreation grounds, the key to be left with the club secretary. In view of the fact that the pavilion and ground were public property, it was thought inadvisable to grant the Hockey Club the sole use of the room, but that the room be reserved for its use during the season. Mr Robert Pryde, Mataura, drew the council’s attention to the fact that the roadline along his boundary fence was being used as a dumping ground for all manner of rubbish.—Referred to the Works Committee with power to act. In connection with a communication forwarded by the council anent the Mataura town bridge, information was received from the Main Highways Board stating that it would receive consideration.—Received. A communication was received from the District Highways Council stating that the question of tar-sealing main highways in boroughs was considered at a recent meeting and it was decided that in future the board would subsidize in the business area up to a width of 66ft and on the remaining portions u;j to a width of 30ft. Each case would be dealt with on its merits.—Received. The main highways estimates stated inter alia that that portion of a main highway passing through the borough, and consisting in part of the Invercargill-Dunedin main highway would be subsidized to the extent of £390 at 30/- for each £l, ’ while the Mataura-Wyndham highway passing through the borough and for tar-sealing Bridge street the subsidies would be at the rate of 30/- per £1 up to £35 and £l3B respectively. The Mat aura-Waiarikiki highway would be subsidized at a similar rate up to £93.—Received. The Town Clerk, Wellington, wrote asking the council’s co-operation in protesting against the following provisions contained in the motor regulations brought down by the Government: — (1) 'Every local authority shall upon every road crossed by a railway or tramway, whether public or private which crosses a road after crossing land that is not a road and on each side of such crossing erect a traffic sign of class A. (2) Regulation requiring local bodies to erect signs in streets to indicate the areas in which speed limits are reduced below those mentioned in the regulations. If the council was in favour of making a protest it should communicate with the Minister for Public Works.—lt was agreed to support the protest. . Reports. The foreman of works reported that during the month the following works had been carried out:—Patching had been done in Kana, Hull and Carteret streets, Wyndham road, Selbourne street east, Gore road, Main street and Back street, while the footpath in Back street had been gravelled. One water and one sewerage connection had been installed in Kana street south, and pipes put across the footpath in Seibourne street west. Seibourne, Main and Denbigh streets t have been graded, the tennis courts have been top-dressed, the hedges in the recreation grounds trimmed and the trees in the same grounds would require to be topped in the near future.—Received. The Works Committee reported that the cricket pitch had been laid in concrete on the recreation grounds to its satisfaction, and it recommended that the council obtain from the Cricket Club an assurance that it would be held responsible for any accidents which might arise during play in the adjoining fields as a result of the pitch being of concrete. It further recommended that the Saleyards Company be approached with a view to making arrangements to have the pound situated in the saleyards.— Adopted. The Library Committee reported having held its quarterly meeting. The number of subscribers now stood at 71, 22 being new subscribers since the committee was appointed. Owing to the increased number of subscribers it recommended that the library be opened for one hour on Tuesday nights in addition to Fridays, while it further recommended that the minimum subscription be fixed at 7/6 for any period not exceeding one year, and that a further 20 new books as suggested by the subscribers and the committee be procured.—Adopted. General. On the motion of Councillors Mac Gibbon and McKelvie the Works Committee was instructed to procure blue metal for filling in the potholes on the main roads in the town. Cr. Aitken requested that a few loads of gravel be put down in Bristol Street where potholes were forming. Cr. Mac Gibbon contended that the end in the Square of the drain was a danger to motorists as in laying the drain down the centre of the road the traffic had been .restricted to the west side and when the drain had been filled in the bump was left down the centre of the road, the traffic in consequence being confined to the same side. Cr. Ingram moved that the surfaceman be instructed to clear the council’s portion of the drain in Bristol street, and that the Railway Department be asked to clean its portion. Cr. Mac Gibbon said he had been approached by visitors to the town with reference to a public convenience, and he thought that this was a matter that should be considered. The Mayor considered that something should be done in the matter, but it was a matter of finance. It was resolved that the matter of the erection of a convenience be referred to the Sanitation Committee for a report to a later meeting. Cr. Piercy referred to the matter of grading Albion street, and this was referred to the Works Committee with power to act.