WYNDHAM TOWN BOARD

Southland Times, Issue 21000, 5 February 1930, Page 9

WYNDHAM TOWN BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING. (From Our Correspondent.) The ordinary monthly meeting of the Wyndham Town Board was held in the Town Hall bo'ard room on Monday evening, the chairman, George Hunter, presiding over the following Commissioners, Robert G. Carson, William H. Johnstone, Henderson Hunter, Andrew W. Crosbie, William Richardson and D. Bogue (Town Clerk). The chairman reported that the Highways Board had visited Wyndham and had met the local board, but there had been nothing of importance to. bring before them. Correspondence. Mr F. Bedford, secretary of the Wyndham Amateur Athletic Sports Committee wrote asking for a quote for the rental of the hall on Mondays and Tuesdays each week for six months for the purpose of holding practices. Commissioner Crosbie said that the board would need to be careful and not commit theinselevs for the lease of the hall on these evenings in case a travelling company were to come along with larger rental. Commissioner Johnstone said that Wyndham was only visited once in a very long time by travelling companies. There should be no trouble in granting the hall to the parties concerned. Commissioner Richardson said that provisions should be made so that they would have to forego the hall if a company came along. It was finally decided that the matter be left in the hands of the Hall Committee to look into. The Town Clerk, Invercargill Borough Council wrote regarding applications for the establishment of motor omnibus services.—• Received. The Corporation of Invercargill wrote advising that they were not in a position to supply chips, as they were not able to supply their own needs. —Received. W. F. de Roo, Inspector of Health, Gore, wrote advising that he would be relinquishing temporarily his duties in the district as from the 20th inst. for the purpose of annual leave. During his absence Inspector E. Sinclair would attend to anything of an important nature. —Received. The Feilding Borough Council wrote regarding Urban Farm Land Rating, and advised that a committee consisting of the Mayor and Town Clerk, Wanganui, the Mayor and Town Clerks of Feilding, Masterton and Stratford had been appointed to inquire into the incidence of rating on farm lands and obtain all necessary information from local bodies concerned in New Zealand. The Mayor of Feilding was appointed convenor of the committee and the inquiries were to be made the subject of a report to be forwarded early in February to the emergency committee of the executive, which committee was empowered, if necessary, to call a special meeting of the executive to consider the report. The letter further mentioned that in view of the urgency of the matter and its vital importance, that the board would supply the necessary information as soon as possible. The chairman said that a special meeting of the board had been called for the object of discussing the matter but the meeting had lapsed for want of a quorum, but the clerk had replied to the letter advising that the board rated on the letting value, and supplied any other information that was necessary. On the motion of Commissioners Crosbie and Hunter the action was approved of. Messrs Wright, Stephenson and Company, Limited, wrote advising that the board’s order of twenty-five drum of Colfix would be going forward from the works at Christchurch immediately. They also mentioned the forwarding of several catalogues and booklets in connection with the use of the material. Commissioner Carson said that some work had been done in Ferry street at the Mimihau River end and it had been a complete failure. At the other end of the street some had also been done without much success and cars going across it simply therew it out. It did not seem to set and apparently the work was not done, properly or the material was no good. The chairman said that the Colfix representative had been out and had promised to come back any day he was required, Commissioner Crosbie said that the portion of Ferry street past his residence that had been done was a big improvement he thought and was certainly much better now than it was previously. Commissioner Carson said even so he did not consider that it was a job. The chairman mentioned that in Gore the streets had been done with the same stuff and it had proved to make an ideal job. Commissioner Carson said that they must have used better material by way of gravel there. In Ferry street they were using the sand off the side of the streets. What they required was nice clean shingy gravel to ensure a perfect job. The chairman said that exactly the same Colfix had been used in Gore and he thought if Commissioner Carson waited until the job was finished there would be nothing to complain over. Commissioner Crosbie said that the Gore streets were certainly well done, but so far he could not see the same results locally. The chairman said that they were now getting good gravel and was confident that the work would prove satisfactory. Commissioner Crosbie said that if a man had promised to come out and instruct the surfaceman to lay the stuff then it was the board’s place to accept the offer. The chairman said that the matter had been arranged for. Commissioner Carson said that apparently the gravel would not adhere to the tar. It looked as if the gravel was not suitable, or something was wrong. Chairman: Wait till it’s finished. Commissioner Carson: What is done is enough. It was finally decided that the action of the Works Committee be approved of. Mr. Charles Bain, Alma Street, Wyndham wrote giving a reminder again regarding drain leading from his house. The hole had proved absolutely unsuitable, and in recent wet weather it had overflowed under the house, and was continually making the ground bogged. The Chairman said that he did not understand why the hole was not put well away from the house. Commissioner . Johnstone said that the board had no money to do any drain work in the meantime. The Chairman said that it would cost £6O or £7O to collect the drain. If it was only a cost of £5 or so then the matter could be entertained. If it was done then others would be applying for drains and the board did not have the money to spend at present. The best plan perhaps would be to secure £l5O later on and put the drain the way it should run. It would be foolish to spend money in taking it the wrong way, as would be the case at present. ■ Commissioner Crosbie said that this drain was mooted some time ago, but was never done. Cardigan Road Drain was discussed freely and finally carried out, but Bain’s drain was left. Commissioner Richardson said that the finances had run out. Commissioner Crosbie said that may have been so, but what he objected to was that the matter was mooted along with Cardigan Road and other places. Bain’s drain was freely discussed at the board table and it was practically understood that it would be done, but the matter was' shelved or something and never done. The Chairman said that the matter had been gone into very fully and it would cost a large amount to bring the water the right way so as to collect the drain. It would be foolish to spend money bringing the water the wrong way and then in a few years have to change it. It was finally decided that the matter be held over in the meantime. The Feilding Borough Council wrote acknowledging receipt of information regarding Urban Farm Land Rating.—Received. Inspector’s Report. The Inspector (Mr. T. M. Strang) forwarded his monthly report which stated that he had occasion to inspect a drain at Mr. D. Blackburn’s residence in Redan Street, which had never been connected i with the new drain set down by the board.

There was only a hole dug at the mouth of the pipe, which was full to overflowing just alongside the footpath. The hole was smelling very badly and the dirty water was going back the drain to the gully trap at the back door. Something would have to be done at once, as at present the drain was a menace to the health of the public. There was another cottage belonging to the Raymond Estate not connected in the same street. Another drain in the same street had been blocked but the parties concerned had promised to look into the matter. The chairman said that at the time of the drain being laid, the connection was left all ready to be connected, and the surfaceman had served notice to all the residents in the street to have the drains fixed up according to the new installation. He understood that Blackburn intended fighting the matter, and it was just a point who was in the right. These people were advised that the board would do the drain and that they would have to connect their own drains up at their own cost, and although everything was left ready to connect, nothing had been done. If the board put one in it would be just a matter of time until all the residents wanted treated the same way. Commissioner Crosbie said he understood that the drain had not been connected from the footpath to the resident end pipe. It was just a matter who was right. He thought that they should get a solicitor’s advice on the matter, before taking any action.

The chairman said that it had not been coupled in accordance “with the health regulations and he did not think that the offenders had a complaint. Commissioner Johnstone said that Blackburn had spoken to him and had maintained that the drain was there at the time of the installation and that it should have been connected at the same time.

The chairman: And bring it up to date for nothing? After some discussion it was finally decided that the Health Inspector’s attention be drawn to the matter, it being considered that it was a subject for the Health Department to deal with, to bring finality to the matter. General. The chairman reported that he had inspected the Band Instruments that evening and although the instruments were in fair order, the clothing was practically useless, having been badly eaten by moths. Commissioner Carson said that some of the instruments were lent out and he thought that they should be called in. The chairman said the Mataura Band had the use of some of them, and Mr. Smith of Mataura had promised to look the ones on hand over and come to some agreement with the board in regard to the instruments. Commissioner Johnstone said that the Inspector should be asked to clean them up and then the board could endeavour to have them leased. He felt sure the present generation would not strike up a band, and the board was paying insurance for nothing. Commissioner Hunter said it was just a matter whether it would not be a better idea to clean them up and sell them and put the proceeds in trust until such time as it was required. On the motion of Commissioners Johnstone and Hunter, it was decided that the instruments be cleaned up, and ones out be called in and that Mr. Smith’s services be secured to inspect the instruments and see what they were worth. Commissioner Richardson asked if any more gravelling was to be done, as there were some bad pot holes in Redan Street. The chairman advised that these were to be attended to as soon as more gravel was procured. Commissioner Hunter introduced the matter ,of a letter appearing in one of the local papers regarding traffic signs. Commissioner Johnstone: Nobody looks at them. Commissioner Richardson: They should be pulled down, and in any case it is not a matter for us to take on. The speed of eight miles an hour is absolutely unreasonable. Commissioner Hunter mentioned that he noticed that a casual labourer had charged fifteen shillings a day, and was under the impression that the usual thing was fourteen shillings, but was advised that fifteen shillings was the award rate. Reserve. The members then sat as members of the Recreation Reserve Trust, Mr. G. Hunter presiding. An application from the Wyndham Racing Club for permission to erect a loading bank for horses was granted. The caretaker reported that all the buildings and grounds were in good order, and the present time was being spent in cutting gorse at the back of the pavilion. The tansey was fairly bad on the reserve and he thought it should be cut very soon. The seats had been repaired and put in suitable places on the Reserve and at the Soldiers Memorial. The report was received. It was resolved that paint be procured to paint the out houses on the Cricket Grounds. Domain. The only matter coming up for consideration was the fencing of a section at the Domain leased by Mr. W. H. Johnstone. This matter entailed a long drawn-out discussion, Commissioners Richardson and Hunter maintaining that it was a waste of money to erect a fence, while Commissioners Carson and Johnstone were strongly in favour of having a fence erected. After a long discussion, leading nowhere, in which it was maintained that the engineer’s fee of £5 5/- for simply supplying the board with the position of pegs on the section in question was excessive, it was resolved the engineer be asked to supply a plan of the section, , and give a report on the whole position.