GORE BOROUGH

Southland Times, Issue 21177, 2 September 1930, Page 8

GORE BOROUGH

MEETING OF. COUNCIL. The fortnightly meeting of the Gore Borough Council was held yesterday afternoon. The Mayor, Mr D. L. Poppelwell, presided over • the following: Councillors Baldey, Hamilton, Pearce, Young, McLachlan, Davidson, Wallis and Hay. ’ Correspondence. A letter was received from Messrs Smith and Dolamore, solicitors, stating that in regard to the leasing of the Southland Woollen Mills site Mr J. ,A. Brown had signed as lessee, this having also been consented to by the Liquidator of the Southland Woollen Mills Ltd.—Referred to the Finance Committee. Mr G. L. Gerken, secretary of the Gore Returned Soldiers’ Association, wrote stating that regarding Poppy Day relief work his association had decided upon the following hours and pay for those employed: Married men to be employed full time; single men to be employed four days per week. All were to' be paid at the rate of 14/- per day. Mr Charles J. Burrows, East Gore, wrote stating that on his rate notice an extra £1 sanitary rate, had been added, and drawing attention to the fact that at the present tinie there were 20 residences in Hamilton and Maitland streets which had neither water for fire prevention nor sewerage of any kind. Their rates were increasing each year and as that part of the town was amalgamated to Gore long before the western part he considered that they should have the same privileges. They had to pay the same rates on the West Gore loan for drainage.—Referred to works committee to deal with.

Mr W. Pearce, assistant engineer, Public Works Department, Invercargill, wrote stating that between June and November, 1927, the Gore Borough Council had expended the sum of £414 6/6 on relief works. Of this sum £162 was provided by public subscription and £BO by way of a Government subsidy. Representations were made on behalf of the Gore Council to have the Government subsidy increased to £162, that is £1 for £1 on the public subscription money, and after certain information had been supplied by their office the increase in subsidy was apparently approved of by the Minister, but unfortunately the additional authority was not issued to him. This oversight was only recently noticed when the question of certain outstanding balances was under review. The additional sum of £B2 was being paid to the council’s fund account.

The manager of the Vacuum Oil Company, Dunedin, wrote stating that they had been advised by their solicitors, Messrs Smith and Dolamorc, of the terms under which a license covering their pipe line in Bury street would be granted by the Gore body, and would like to voice the opinion that it was considered that the annual fee mf £5 was very high.—The cost of license 'to be reduced to £3 per annum instead of £5. Mr W. Boyd, Ontario street, Gore, wrote requesting the council to give immediate attention to what had become an intolerable state of affairs: he had had no drain connection with the main sewer for some two or three weeks. This was caused by a blockage in the drain pipe. A change in the sanitary system had resulted in considerable inconvenience to him, as now he had no efficient drain. —Referred to the works committee.

The foreman of works, Mr A. Richardson', reported that Duke, Halton, Irwell, Norfolk, Orsdale, Canning, Ashton, and Medway streets, and the railway esplanade had been patched with gravel. Irvine, Elizabeth, Joseph and Afton streets had been cleaned. Eight and a-half chains of 3in water mains had been taken out at the Baths and carted to Oldham street. The Lawrence street ditch had been cleaned out. Four water services and two crossings had been put in. In regard to the tar-sealing of footpaths, he would recommend that Fairfield street_ from Irk street to Traford street, cast side, and Irwell street, south side, Ardwick street from Eccles street to Crombie street, west side, Crombie street, both sides and several old asphalt footpaths required top-dressing.— Referred to the works committee to draw up a schedule. Mr D. Campbell, pump attendant, reported that the pump was running well and advised that in regard to a vibration and noise that had started in the building about a fortnight ago, he had now located the seat of the trouble.

The Town Clerk (Mr D. Harvey) reported that the net borough rates collected for the period from April 1 to August 30, 1930, amounted to £7,443 17/1, as compared with £7,017 18/1 for the same period of 1929. The Power Board rates for this period, 1930, were £397 2/4, as compared with £504 4/8 for 1929. Power Board Proposals. A letter was received from Mr C. Campbell, secretary of the Southland Electric Power Board, stating: “I have the honour by direction of my board to respectfully request your council to agree to confer with members of the board on the following matters: (1) Questions arising from the settlement reached as between the board and the Invercargill City Council at a recent round-table conference, particularly the provision which requires the board to raise an extra £4OOO per annum from outside of Invercargill. The board’s proposal is (a) to make the meter rent 1/per month per meter instead of 6d per month per meter as at present; (b) to charge 5-8 d per unit for meter-reading instead of Id as at present. These increases would give, in the board’s estimate, the required £4OOO. (2) The question of the monthly reading of meters in‘ Gore. The board desired to have a meter reading every two months. In order to give the council an opportunity of hearing the pros and cons of the Power Board’s proposals, a deputation from the Southland Electric Power Board consisting of Messrs Charles Campbell, A. W. Rodger, L. D. Hutton, A. A. Mac Gibbon waited upon the meeting. Mr Rodger said that the first matter upon which he would like to speak was that of meter-reading. Recently the board had attempted to get country consumers to have their meters read every four months instead of every two months. In Gore he would like to see them accept a twomonthly instead of a one-monthly reading of the meters. The country consumers had always had their meters read every two months, and their proposal would bring Gore into line. The matter of meter rent was then explained. The Invercargill Borough Council, after a conference with the board, had agreed to contribute £3600 in addition to what it paid for the supply of power in bulk. The condition was that- the Power Board by additional charges or other means secured a sum equal to £4OOO per annum. For this purpose it wished to increase the meter reading charge by 6d per reading and l-8d per unit for water-heating. These two additional charges would help to raise the £4OOO and he wanted to know if Gore would be agreeable to the proposals. Messrs Hutton and Mac Gibbon added further explanatory remarks. Mr Campbell thanked the meeting for its attentive hearing and made a strong plea for support for their proposals saying that they wished meter reading to take place every two months instead of every month. In regard to raised charges apparently 199 consumers would be adversely affected, but not more than to the extent of £l6. The scale of charges' for power in Gore was 7d per unit for the first 21 units used each month. They could not increase the charges beyond this without the consumers’ consent. For this reason they would appeal to the consumers direct if possible.' So far they had been able to get 2000 consumers to agree to their proposals. Economies in the board’s travelling vehicles would save £5OO. It would scarcely be fair if the meter rent were not put on in Gore. Mr Hutton remarked. that there were only four towns in New Zealand which depended solely on the country for support and one of these was Gore. He thus hoped that the council would give the fullest consideration to their proposal.

Tht deputation then withdrew. Mr Poppelwell said that an increased rate ,voukl mean an additional burden which he considered was not justified. The increase of sixpence altered the aspect of the agreement considerably. The meterreadirg was a different matter. Personally le did not care greatly whether his meter was read monthly or every two month and he thought that was the general v.ew. Comcillor Wallis said that he would like to krow whether Invercargill was paying as rnrch as Gore. Mr Poppelwell explained that Invercargill wls on a different basis from Gore as Invercargill consumed more power. A notion was finally carried to the effect that while the council sympathized with :he position of the Power Board it did rot see its way clear to deviate in any vay from the deed already agreed upon.! ___________