MATAURA

Southland Times, Issue 23537, 17 June 1938, Page 4

MATAURA

BOROUGH WATER SUPPLY RESCISSION OF MOTION Cr Ingram, who had previously given notice of motion, moved at the meeting of the Mataura Borough Council that the resolution passed on March 22, 1938, to make application for a loan of £3OOO for water supply improvements and baths and to take a poll of the ratepayers on the proposals be rescinded. Cr Ingram reviewed the steps leading up to the time when the old council carried the motion to apply for the loan. Cr Ingram said he realized the difficulty of carrying the rescinding motion as there were still councillors at the table who were there when the first motion was carried. He was, however, quite prepared to leave the issue to the ratepayers. In addition to supplying most of the town, the present scheme also supplied several industries. Since its inception the sale of the water to industries had brought in over £lOOO in revenue. The problem would not be solved by spending only £2OOO. By asking for £2OOO they were asking for only a part. As for the swimming pool, as far as he was concerned, not one penny of loan moneys would go into it. The pool was of community interest, and the community would have to pay for it. Cr Hutton had said that the rates could be raised to meet the cost. The council was now £2OO in arrears and within the last 12 months had added over £3OO to its pay roll. The gross indebtedness stood at £30,000, with an annual charge of £1 6/8 for each man, woman and child. This included the hospital board rate. In addition to that, the council required £2OOO for a new bridge and £lO,OOO for water supply improvements. This would bring the gross indebtedness to £42,000.

“On top of that you want to ask the ratepayers for an additional £lOOO for a swimming pool, which not 5 per cent, of the people will use,” said Cr Ingram. At a public meeting held some months ago, Mr J. Swale had given an estimate of £250 for a pool. Gifts were freely offered, but the council preferred to leave it to the ratepayers to carry the burden. Cr McErlean seconded the motion.

Cr Hutton explained that after a debate on the water supply improvement question, an engineer had been consulted and had advised the council to relay the pipe line with a 6in pipe, instead of the present 4in one, the work to be done in sections. This would give a gradual increase in the supply as the length of 6in pipe was increased. Cr Hutton said he was disappointed that Cr Ingram had not given a substitute to replace the motion he wished to rescind.

Cr Ingram explained that the resolution did not allow him to present one. Continuing, Cr Hutton said that conservation of the water during the summer had been practised by both industries and ratepayers. Speaking of a swimming pool, Cr Hutton said that gifts would probably still be forthcoming. Plans of the proposed baths were now in the possession of the council. He hoped councillors would not support Cr Ingram’s motion. There was nothing to prevent the council from going ahead on a plan which would be completed in a few f years time. “We are not rated high,” continued Cr Hutton, “and the citizens are entitled to baths and a greater supply of water.”

It was not necessary to treble the supply and the overflow from the reservoir, under the scheme approved by the old council, would flow into the baths and thus keep the water in the baths pure. Cr McAllister, as the seconder of Cr Hutton’s motion, said he had seconded the motion provided it went to the ratepayers..’

The Mayor (Mr C. D. McConnell) said he only supported a scheme which would cover the whole job. In the scheme suggested by the old council, a reducing valve would be necessary and he had it on good authority that a reducing valve would cause discoloured water. He had also been informed that there was a continual overflow from the reservoir from 11 o’clock at night till 6 o’clock in the morning. This meant that 20,000 gallons of water were going into the river. He contended that that amount of water going into another reservoir would prove sufficient for the wants of the borough. The cost of an additional reservoir would be about £3OO. After discussion Cr Ingram’s motion was put to the meeting and was carried by five votes to four. MATAURA REST ROOM The right of the Rest Room Committee to a building site in McQueen avenue was discussed at the meeting of the Mataura Borough Council. The matterhad been left for the new council to decide, but because of an oversight had not been brought up at the last meeting of the council. The discussion arose from a letter from the secretary of tire Rest Room Committee requesting assistance in the erection of a room to be attached to the rest room, tenders for which would be called at an early date. Cr Brayley: Where does the Rest Roome Committee intend to build the rest room?

The Mayor: On the McQueen avenue site.

Cr Bradley: When was this section given to the Rest Room Committee? The Mayor: About 12 months ago. Cr Bradley said he was not aware the McQueen avenue site had been given to the Rest Room Committee and he wanted to know why the matter had not been brought up at the last meeting. Cr Ingram finally moved that the matter be left to a committee consisting of Crs Hutton, Ingram, McKelvie, Bell, Swale and the Mayor to report. The motion was carried. FIRE BELL The Works Committee recommended: (1) That a new bell-tower be erected on the north side of the fire station, and the present bell erected at an approximate cost of £7O and that the brigade be authorized to procure two helmets and six overalls, at a cost of £7 10/-. (2) That the sum of £5O be placed on the estimates for fire prevention. The committee reported that the Bradford system of disposing of rubbish was being considered. (3) That tenders be called for 700yds of gravel. The clauses were adopted.