MATAURA BOROUGH

Southland Times, Issue 22067, 14 July 1933, Page 9

MATAURA BOROUGH

MONTHLY MEETING OF COUNCIL. (From Our Correspondent.) The monthly meeting of the Mataura Borough Council was held on Tuesday evening. Present: His Worship the Mayor (Mr C. D. McConnell), Crs. G. McCaw, W. Piercey, J. Ingram, C. H Hargest, A. J. Cruickshanks, J. P. McErlean and D. A. Coster. Vote of Condolence. Prior to commencing the usual business his Worship made reference to the death of the late Mr George Barclay, who had at all times taken a keen interest in local municipal affairs and had sat on the council for a term. At his suggestion it was decided to forward a letter of condolence to the relatives—and the motion was carried in the usual manner, members standing in silence. Correspondence. The Southland County Council, writing in reference to extending the longitudinal planking on the Mataura town bridge, expressed the view that the bridge should be treated as a oneway bridge only and that the Borough Council should take steps to prevent its use as a two-way bridge.—Received. The Department of Health advised that it had no objections to the installation of a septic tank and drains at a residence in Culling Terrace. Permission should be granted by the council subject to the usual conditions.— Granted subject to usual conditions. The secretary of the Mataura Unemployment Committee, writing in reference to the Block VII. drainage scheme, advised that the committee had passed a motion “That as soon as we get the approval of the Borough Council to carry on with the proposed work, this committee will supply the necessary men to complete the job.” Permission was requested for the work.— Resolved that the engineer be requested to take the levels to enable the water to be drained into the Waimum u. The secretary of the Mataura Football Club, instructed by his committee, complained of the state of the football area on the Domain ground. It was suggested that if the council could see its way clear to grant the club loads of sand to top-dress the area it would be a great improvement. Several big games were yet to be played at Mataura this season. —Resolved that the request be granted. Reports. The foreman of works reported on the work done during the month as follows: Grading the sides of Exeter and Denbigh streets and carting off the large stones in End street; planting the trees donated by the Southland Frozen Meat Co., Ltd., in Denbigh street; opening up the ditch on the railway side, piping and filling same and levelling off the bank; levelling the foot- ■ path in Back street and carting the spoil to the Domain; delivering six yards of sand to the yard; re-plaster-ing the parapet of the wall at the fire station to keep out the damp on the south side; delivering 112 yards of gravel to the main highways and cleaning the decking of the traffic bridge; cleaning the channels in Bridge and Main streets and Wyndham road; digging four graves during the month; repairing a burst pipe in Culling Terrace. He recommended that the intake and the reservoir be cleaned out.—Adopted. The Works Committee advised that it had no recommendation to make in regard to planting of trees for relief works as detailed in the Unemployment Board’s circular of June 2. Satisfactory arrangements had been made with the occupiers of properties in regard to trees overhanging the boundary fences of the Domain. The meter at the fire station was over-read by about 400 units last reading and the matter would be looked into further after the next reading.—Adopted. The finance and lighting committee recommended that C. E. Rowe's tramway license be terminated as from September 30, 1933, on condition that gravel be restored to the road when the tramway is lifted and the surface left to the satisfaction of the council; that the Southland Electric Power Board be asked to appoint someone locally to attend to cases of emergency faults, etc., on the electric lines in the borough.—Adopted. Speaking to the report, Cr. Ingram stressed the necessity for having a local electrician with the authority to immediately attend to any faults such as broken wires, etc. Recently such a case had been brought under his notice and there was some delay in having it repaired. The Town Clerk gave a very comprehensive report relative to conversion of loans under the Local Authorities Reduction and Loans Conversion Act. He stated that the total borough loan indebtedness was £35,175, made up as follows: £l3OO at 4 per cent., £16,750 at 4J per cent, £3OOO at 4g per cent., £7OO at 5 per cent., £2600 at 5} per cent., £2600 at 5., per cent., £4OOO at 5 17-20 per cent, and £4225 at 6 per cent. Under the Rate Conversion Act the basic rate is set down as 4} per cent., at which rate conversion would mean a saving to the borough of £271 6/3. The recent 20 per cent. reduction had been the means of saving £260. He would point out, however, that in this latter case the term is indefinite—it might by a few years only but under the conversion scheme the term would be any period the council would fix as the date of maturity of the new (conversion) loan, say, 20 to 30 years from the date of conversion. Of the total public debt the State Advances Office hold £27,600, £l3OO is in the Treasury Loan, £3675 is held by the Public Trustee and the remaining £2600 by the public. If the council decided to convert, premiums to the amount of £5lB would have to be paid to debenture-holders. The maturity dates of the majority of the above loans could be extended, the rate of sinking funds adjusted and most loans consolidated. When the council decide what is to be done with money received from the Power Board, the whole question of conversion could be gone into fully. General Business. The formal resolution striking the rates for the ensuing year was adopted by the council. Cr. Cruickshanks introduced the matter of the old Dunedin Road. Members would have seen, he stated, where quite a lot of discussion concerning this road had taken place at a meeting of motorists in Invercargill and he felt this council should give the scheme its earnest support. Looking at the question from a broad aspect rather than from a parochial view he drew attention to the fact that the completion of the proposed road apart from providing considerable employment would also cut off some 9 or 10 miles of the journey to Dunedin. The danger of flood waters would almost entirely be eliminated and no less than seven railway crossings would be avoided. He urged the council to give definite support to the scheme. After several councillors had spoken concerning the proposal the following resolution was unanimously agreed to: “That with the view of getting the most direct route from Clinton-Mataura-Invercargill—the member for the district and the Southland County Council member, Mr F. Trapski, and the Motorist Association be approached to have the old Dunedin road made a main highway between Clinton and Mataura.”