WINTON

Southland Times, Issue 23768, 16 March 1939, Page 13

WINTON

BOROUGH COUNCIL FINANCIAL POSITION OF BAND DISCUSSED A discussion on the financial position of the Winton Band took place at the monthly meeting of the Winton Borough Council. Cr G. W. Walters asked what assistance the council was giving tile band. Previous to this the Mayor (Mr T. Walker) had mentioned that he had noticed that the band was playing and that it brightened up the town. Replying to Cr Walters’s question the Mayor said that the council provided the band with a free room and free light. In the past it had been the custom of the council to give a certain amount to the band if it turned out so many times a year. Cr Walters: Surely it is worthy of something more. The members are very keen and something should be done to see that that keenness exists. I am willing to give £5 to the band if the council does something. Cr Metzger: The council should subsidize that donation at least £1 for £l. Cr Tilley: The band has made good progress since it was reorganized. New music and stands are wanted, but the band has certain liabilities to pay off. Cr Eastlake: If we give money it should be for music and stands.. The money would have to have nothing to do with the past history of the band. Also the band should supply us with a balance-sheet each year. This is a new band, with some of the members of the old band. , Cr Tilley: This band would have to take over the liabilities of the old band. The Mayor: The instruments belong to the council. No one has a claim on them.

Cr Tilley: When the band went to the contest at the Dunedin Exhibition it was £25 short and a citizen came to light with the money. He has not yet been paid back. That is <?ne of the liabilities. The Mayor: Everyone knows the band became defunct after the exhibition. Uniforms and instruments were left lying about and in the end the council had to collect them. There has been a lot of money spent on the band and it has had good support from the public in the past. I hate to discourage them. It is good to see the members turn out like they have tonight. Cr Eastlake: We should get representatives from the band along and discuss financial matters with. them.

The Mayor: We could never get any statements from the band in the past. ' Cr Eastlake: If the band members know of the liabilities they will perhaps not be too keen to raise money to pay off debts. ' Cr Tilley: They are all aware of the situation. The Mayor: The suggestion of a conference may clean the matter up. I think we all know their position, but we have not been notified of it.' It was agreed that Cr Eastlake should discuss the matter with the bandmaSter - . , r xv x A letter was received from the town clerk, Milton, asking for the council’s views on a proposal to form an association of the smaller boroughs of Otago and Southland. “I am sure,’ said the letter, “that you will appreciate what could be done in the interests of the bodies concerned by such an association. I feel that a more localized association of bodies with interests more in common and proportion would be distinctly beneficial to the furtherance of the activities of the smaller boroughs and I should be glad to receive comments so that a meeting may be arranged to discuss the proposals at the municipal conference. It is also intended to form a local association of town clerks concerned.” The Mayor: I suppose the problems of small boroughs are identical. There is always a certain amount to be gained and I do not think there would be any harm in joining up. Cr Tilley suggested that a conference of delegates from small boroughs be called to discuss the project, the meeting to be held preferably at Winton. The suggestion was adopted. The District Highways Council advised that the tar-sealing of the extra width of the road near the Old Athenaeum, to which the attention of the council had been drawn when representatives visited Winton last month, would be carried out at an early date at no expense to the Winton Borough Council.

The District Highways Council also wrote stating that the Winton borough section of the Queenstown-Invercargill main highway would now be under the control of the Winton Borough Council.

The Southland Electric Power Supply wrote asking for details, if any, of the work • which remained to be done to complete the reorganization of the street lighting system. Cr Eastlake, chairman of the lighting committee, said that in his opinion the work which the Power Supply had arranged to do in the agreement made three years ago had now been 'completed. It was mentioned that the price agreed upon for the reorganization of the street lighting system was £302 and the final instalment of £lO2 was passed for payment. The Southland County Council wrote stating that for many years it had been paying the annual rental for the pound at Winton, the rental being £5 a year. It was understood that the Winton Borough Council ranger impounded stock in the county pound and it was asked that the council should bear onethird of the annual rental. It was agreed to pay the amount requested. Cr Metzger, chairman of the Works Committee, reported that all work was progressing favourably. The waterways at the south end of the town had been improved and the hedges at the cemetery had been cut. The Mayor remarked on the improvements made in Park street and said that the" committee deserved credit for it. Cr Shaw, chairman of the Reserves Committee, reported that the trees along the north road had been knocked about by the high winds and some badly needed staking. The frames around some of them also needed fixing. It was decided to attend to the matter when labour was available". A suggestion was made by Cr Walters that the band rotunda was badly in need of a coat of paint and it was de-

cided to call tenders and that the work be done immediately. The town clerk reported that 96 per cent, of the rates levied had been paid before March 1, the last day for payment before the penalty was imposed. The rates levied were £1450 and the amount paid before March 1 was £1390. There were present:—The Mayor and Crs T. N. Eastlake, N. Metzger, F. Tilley, G. W. Walters and W. H. J. Shaw.