MATAURA BOROUGH

Southland Times, Issue 25363, 15 August 1935, Page 9

MATAURA BOROUGH

COUNCIL MEETING GENERAL BUSINESS (From Our Correspondent.) The monthly meeting of the Mataura Borough Council was held on Tuesday evening. There were present: His Worship the Mayor (Mr John Buchanan) and Councillors D. Coster, A. Bradley, J. McAllister, R. Hutton, J. P. McErlean, L. McKelvie, A. J. Cruickshanks, J. H. Clark and C. H. Hargest. Prior to the ordinary meeting a special meeting was held when the necessary resolution regarding the conversion of loans was carried. Before proceeding with the business the Mayor- stated that since last meeting Mataura had lost a noted citizen in the person of the late Mr John Taylor. The deceased had taken a keen interest in municipal affairs over a great number of years. He had served with distinction at the council table and was noted for his unbiassed mind and for his endeavours to do what was proper. His death would be deplored by councillors and he moved that a letter of condolence be forwarded to the relatives. The motion was carried in the usual manner. W. E. Bonney, F. M. Wards, Edwin Boyes and Ellen Bonney forwarded a petition asking that 30 hives of bees, kept in the middle of the Kana street block, be removed on the following grounds; (a) That four children have already been stung, the eldest aged four years, (b) That it is not safe to put an infant out in the open air. (c) That a person cannot work in the garden in spring or summer, (d) That only a four-foot hedge separates the bees from the grounds of two houses containing three young children in each, (e) That the bees invade the inside of the residences when windows are left up and soil washing and paintwork. It was decided that that matter be referred to the borough solicitor- for advice and if necessary to frame a by-law.

The Minister for Public Works acknowledged the council’s letter stating the urgent need for a new bridge at Mataura. The application had been considered by the board which regretted that the cost of a new bridge could not be accommodated on the current year’s estimates. The board still faced the urgent need of some 300 bridges which were not only too narrow for the highways but were also in an advanced state of decay. It was suggested that the matter be brought forward again next year.

The secretary of the Tuturau Maori Raid Centenary Committee wrote asking for the free use of the Coronation Hall on the odd occasions the committee assembled. The request was granted. Regarding the Mataura-Wyndham main highway and Bridge street sealing operations, the Highways Board’s representative on No. 18 District Highways Council advised that owing to defective workmanship in applying the original seal coat to Bridge street, two subsequent coatings had to be applied, in addition to the patching, to produce a satisfactory finish, whereas if the first coat had been satisfactory a total of two coats would have been sufficient. The Main Highways Board’s subsidy had been paid in full on the two final coats, and half subsidy was paid on the original coat. As the responsibility for the supervision of the work was entirely the concern of the council, he regretted that he could not agree to authorize any further payment on behalf of the defective work. It was re--solved that the engineer-in-chief of the Highways Board be written to pointing out the position as shown to him during his visit some twelve months ago. All his requirements had been complied with and he had then given his assurance that the subsidy would be paid.

The Water and Drainage Committee recommended: (1) That the matter of installing a two-inch main from Kana street to Culling Terrace be considered when next year’s estimates were being drawn up. (2) That the wooden coverings on the main pipe line from the reservoir at various places be tarred and retinned at the joints. The water supply was satisfactory. The report was approved. The Works Committee recommended: (1) That the Town Clerk be instructed to obtain all the necessary information on tar-sealing footpaths, and that the tenders received for concrete footpaths be considered by the council. (2) That the matter of obtaining a new lawnmower be held over in the meantime. The committee reported that new webbing had been bought for use at the cemetery and that the matter of the chimneys in Carter’s buildings had been discussed with Mr Carter who had made arrangements to have them raised another three feet with a view to overcoming the smoke nuisance. It was resolved that the Works Committee be empowered to proceed with work of tar-sealing paths.

Hie Town Clerk reported as follows: The sum of £l9l 2/8 has been paid to date in arrears of rates, £7B 15/10 having been paid during the past month. Judgment has been obtained in those cases where the 1932-33 rates have not been paid. To date the sum of £231 1/4 has been collected. As requested by the Works Committee I have made up the cost per chain of a tar-sealed footpath 4ft wide and penetrated to a depth of one inch. The cost works out at £1 19/- a chain using distilled tar at 9d a gallon. This method is better than just sealing the surface as a thin skin of tar or bitumen is liable to lift off in places, but using the penetration method, a lasting and solid job is obtained. The surface is finished off by spreading grit on the surface. This leaves the surface fairly smooth. The depth of one inch should be sufficient for the needs of a footpath under ordinary circumstances. The foreman of works reported as follows: The flanks of the main street and Kana street highway have been patched, also at the railway crossing. The bank at the saleyards corner has been built up and widened, 92 yards of filling and 12 yards of screened gravel being used. A hundred and thirty yards of gravel have been spread on the flanks of the highway. _ The contractor has commenced with the pea gravel contract and 35 yards have been delivered to the dump, while 28 yards of gravel have been spread on the side of the Kana street highway in front of the newspaper mill. The road and footpath-in Clyde street have been formed up and gravelled and a crossing installed. The channels have been cleared in Kana street and a new channel cut in Oakland street. Maintenance gravel has been spread in Dacre street and the footpath in Carlyle street has been trimmed up and gravelled and a mud bank installed in the channel. The sewer at the side of the Waikana stream at the paper mills has been attended to -where the foundation had been scoured out bj' the stream. Rocks were carted and placed under the sewer and concreted over. In accordance with notice of motion Councillor Bradley moved: ‘‘That the resolution appearing on page 314 in the minute book and passed by the council at its meeting held on June 12, 1934, permitting licensed drainers to open up the street and lay drains to connect the sewers be rescinded and that in future any person requiring a drain to be connected to any sewershall deposit with the Town Clerk the sum of £2 to cover the cost of the connection before a permit is issued, any balance remaining over and above the cost of the connection to be paid

back to the person who paid the deposit. In moving this motion Councillor Bradley said the old by-law had been departed from in favour of the existing one. It had been difficult to collect the payment wherever this had been left to plumbers and drainers to collect.

The motion was seconded by Councillor McKelvie and carried. Councillor Cruickshanks stated that he understood that the services of about 25 unemployed men would be available and he suggested that the Town Clerk consult the certifying officer.

A complaint regarding the state of the fences adjacent to the main highway and to the gorse growing on railway sections in the borough was voiced by Councillor Hutton, who urged that representations be made to have them put in order.