SUMNER BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 53, 8 April 1914, Page 3

SUMNER BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The Sumner Borough Council met last evening, when there were present the Mayor (Mr G. W. C. Smithson), Crs Boulton, Preston, Lill, Wood, Brewer, Stuart, Rankin, and Barr. The financial statement showed receipts to the district fund account amounted to £IBO4 17/9, and expenditure £724 17/10, leaving a credit balance of £92 1/-. Other accounts showed balances as follow: Gasworks Loan Aecount, credit, £36 6/2; Gasworks Revenue Account, debit, £324 2/5; Creek Outlet Loan Account, credit, £1307 15/5. Accounts amounting to £366 were passed for payment. The Works Committee's report recommended that during the winter months, the baths be kept open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on week days, and on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The committee considered that another hydrant should be procured for Redcliffs fire station, and that the work of protecting the Estuary Island with timber should be proceeded with at once. The report was adopted. The Town Clerk reported that the caretaker of the town hall and offices desired to be relieved of his duties. The resignation was accepted. The Town Clerk was authorised to make arrangements for the appointment of a successor.

The matter of revising the by-laws relating to use of water on gardens, which had been held over from the previous meeting, was referred to the By-laws Committee. J. S. Atkinson forwarded the plan of the sub-division of his property on Clifton for the council's approval. The >plan was approved subject to lot 4 of the sub-division having a minimum frontage of 50 links. E. G. Rawnsley asked for permissionto put a gate in the Scarborough Park fence on the boundary of his sections, and take some stone from the park. The letter was referred to the Works Committee for report. Miss J. Crosbie applied for a refund of half of her water rate, amounting'to £1 0/1, as her house had been empty for a considerable period. The request was granted. The Christchurch Tramway Board wrote in connection with the tramway causeway that it accepted the council's first alteration in the deed of arbitration respecting the supply of stone, but could not agree to delete the reference to the matter of the possibility of the council widening the road at the same spot. It was decided to agree to the suggested alteration. A. C. Wilson and twelve other residents of Clifton petitioned the council to widen and regrade Clifton and Alexandra Terrace. It was decided to reply that the matter would be considered in the next year's estimates. An application was received from a resident asking for a reduction of the dog registration fee, as he intended keeping several dogs for rabbiting purposes. The request was granted. The manager of the Bank of Australasia wrote in reference to the I adjustment of the council's account at the end of the financial year, and asked for a copy of a fresh resolution to bor- j row. It was decided to apply for, £3OOO, the same amount as the previous j year.

In accordance with notice given, Cr Barr moved that the permission granted to two residents to fence and enclose part of Monck's Bay Spur Road be withdrawn.

Cr Barr spoke at some length to the motion. He contended that it was a mistake that permission had ever been granted. It should never have acceded to. All other boroughs adjacent to centres of population were to get as much land for streets as they could, and Sumner should do the

same. The fences were making unsightly what should be a beauty spot. He had been in parts of the world where such a thing would not be tolerated for a single day. The people would have broken through the fences as a protest, even though there was plenty of room on the road. The council would be forced some day to compel people to take away their fences, and it was better that two people should be inconvenienced to-day than half a dozen in a few years' time. In conclusion, he said the erection of the fences was a violation of a most important principle, that no local authority should allow private individuals, except in urgent cases, to take away that which belongs to the general community. The motion was seconded by Cr Lill, but on being put only the mover and seconder voted for it.