WIINTON BOROUGH

Southland Times, Issue 21658, 21 March 1932, Page 9

WIINTON BOROUGH

MEETING OF COUNCIL. STREET IMPROVEMENTS. (From Our Correspondent.) At the fortnightly meeting of the Winton Borough Council on Friday evening last, Councillor W. Hamilton occupied the chair in the unavoidable absence of the Mayor, Mr J. A. Broom. Councillors A. Watson, R. C. Stenhouse, W. Balch, J. L. Lilico and A. Baird were also present. The secretary of the committee of the Winton District High School wrote asking the council to consider forming a footpath on the west side of the school grounds in Clyde street. "Ridiculous,” “Impossible,” “No funds available,” were remarks made when the letter came up for consideration and it was finally agreed to hold the matter in abeyance until funds were available. Following the receipt of a petition signed by twelve residents requesting the council to complete the tar-sealing of a footpath in Queen street, a lengthy discussion took place on the question whether such improvements should be carried out in this area. As the work had previously been passed for completion Councillor Lilico took a firm stand and declared that it was no time to discuss whether such improvements should be carried out in this area or not and contended that the work on the street in question should have been completed. After the chairman of the Works Committee (Councillor Hamilton) had explained why the work had not been carried out, he brought forward the question of the ratepayers of the inner area paying for the street improvements for the outer area. A loan had been raised some time ago by the ratepayers of the inner area in order to carry out street improvements, and he was of the opinion that by tar-sealing such footpaths it was not fair to the ratepayers of the inner area of the borough. He asked how long would it be until the outer area could be rated the same as the inner area.

The question was further discussed when an argument ensued between the chairman and Councillor Lilico, the latter expressing the view that the work on the footpath should be completed or'the previous motion rescinded.

“You are getting us into trouble,” remarked the chairman to Councillor Lilico. Councillor Lilico: Why? The chairman: By making us spend money in the outer area. Councillor Lilico: It was decided to do this path and I don’t see why it should not be carried out. Further argument followed and caused Councillor Lilico to remark that the people in the back streets were expected to plug in the mud.

Councillor Balch expressed the opinion that the street in question should be completed and that no more tar-sealing be carried out in the outer area until it was brought into the inner area. “It is only fair that this portion of the borough should pay its portion of street improvements,” he added. When it was mentioned that the outer area should raise a loan in order to carry out street improvements, Councillor Hamilton said that on a previous occasion the council tried to raise a loan for street improvements and drainage in the outer area, but it had been turned down point blank. After further lengthy discussion it was agreed to complete the work of tar-sealing the footpath in Queen street. In connection with the proposal of the Central Bowling Club to erect a pavilion on the Rrailway Reserve alongside the club’s green, Messrs F. Tilley (president) and H. A. Pierce waited on the council in connection with the site of the building. In outlining the club’s intention Mr Tilley said that last November the club applied for permission to erect a pavilion on the reserve and that matter had not yet been finalized. He mentioned that it was considered that ths best place to build would

be on the west side alongside the stone wall and if necessary remove portion of this. A lengthy discussion followed on the question, and after the deputation retired it was agreed to meet the club on Wednesday on the reserve and discuss the question of the erection of the pavilion on the west side of the reserve.