SOUTH INVERCARGILL

Southland Times, Issue 20941, 26 November 1929, Page 3

SOUTH INVERCARGILL

MEETING OF BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The South Invercargill Borough Council met last evening when there were present his Worship the Mayor (Mr W. McChesney), Councillors A. V. Hope, T. W. Richards, W. Young, G. Smith, E. McNeil and C. Dickson. Reports. The borough foreman (Mr J. A. McMillan) reported that Boxal road, Moulson street, Bluff road and the north end of Chesney street had been surfaced. Ditch cleaning had been carried out on McMillan and McQuarrie streets. The foreman also recommended the ordering of some gravel for the two highways,and incidental repairs. —Approved. The foreman was authorized to order the necessary gravel. The Inspector of Nuisances (Mr G. E. McDermott) reported that he had not had much trouble with wandering stock during the month, and stated that the nuisance was well on the down grade. Most of the property owners advised had cleared their land of noxious weeds and those who had not done so had been given final notices.— Approved. The finance committee reported having received tenders from Mr J. McMahon for the formation of Ball street at £9O 12/6 and of Dipton street at £53 19/6 and recommended that the tenders be accepted.— Approved. Correspondence.

Mr F. H. Tucker wrote confirming a verbal promise made to the Mayor that the writer ahd Mr F. Rawstron would contribute the sum of £25 towards the cost of a road to be constructed in Ball street along the front of their property. —Contribution accepted with thanks, the town clerk being instructed to advise Mr Tucker that a tender had been accepted for the work. A letter from the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward) stated that a communication had been received from the council protesting against the passing of the Urban Farm Lands Rating Bill and promising careful consideration of the objection. t The Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. P. A. de la Perrelie) wrote in reply to a similar communication, and promised careful consideration of the council’s views.

The secretary of the Southland Electric Power Board (Mr C. Campbell) wrote advising the council.that the board had passed a resolution regarding an additional charge of 10 per cent, on unpaid rates at the expiration of six months and 14 days from the time of demand.

The Town Clerk, Invercargill Borough Council (Mr C. L. Grange) wrote giving notice that applications for authority to establish motor omnibus services had been received from James Crozier (Invercargill to Riverton), Hugh Mclntosh (Winton Invercargill) and Andrew Brown (Tokanui to Invercargill). The letter further stated that the applications would be considered at the Council Chambers on December 2 at 8.30 p.m. The Town Clerk, Invercargill, wrote stating that his council was not prepared to deal with individual persons in the matter of supplying water service and suggested that application should be made to the council.—A petition signed by 12 ratepayers asking for water service was read by the town clerk. The council resolved to support the petition and decided to make request to the Invercargill Borough Council for service to the ratepayers as set out in the petition. The' secretary, Southland Employers’ Association (Mr G. R. Cooper) wrote regarding the returning of an account for £3 3/for attending the Conciliation Council on behalf of the borough on October 7, 9 ami 11. He had informed the council on June IS that he would be acting for all local bodies in Southland and as the council had not advised him not to act he had acted on its behalf. The association could not be run for nothing, but if the charge of £3 3/- was considered too high, he was prepared to consider a reasonable reduction. The Mayor said that, the council was not a member of any Employers' Association. They had had no voice in the appointment of Mr Cooper and he did not know -who was in the association. He moved that Mr Cooper be written to and asked to inform the council when the council became a member of the association and also the total fees charged by him for appearing at the sitting of the Conciliation Court, and the basis of apportionment between the local bodies, t

In speaking to the motion the Mtxyor said that it had always been the custom to charge local bodies on the basis of unimproved value. If that was the basis, and they were to be charged £3 3/-, Mr Cooper’s total fee must have been a high one. Moreover, if the council had wanted to appear at the sitting, they would have employed their own counsel. They would not repudiate any liability, but they did not know how the charge had been arrived at and they wanted information. Councillor Hope seconded the motion and it was carried unanimously. The Mayor said that the meeting would be the last of the year and wished councillors and the town clerk a happy festive season. Councillor Hope and the town clerk replied.