GERALDINE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 10055, 17 February 1927, Page 4

GERALDINE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the above Council was held on Tuesday. Present; His Worship the Mayor (Mr J. Kennedy), and Councillors D. Paterson, E. H. Logan, A. J. Bell, E. R. White, W. Davison and the Town Clerk, Mr B. Hg-yes. An apology was received from Or. M. Campbell, who was granted leave of absence, while away from home. CORRESPONDENCE. The secretary of the South Canterbury Hospital Board wrote enclosing the estimates for the Board tor the years 1926-27,—Received. Mr H. Mitchelmore applied for permission to build a garage. Granted. Mr -C. Mackenzie askedi leave to put up a second petrol bowser. — Granted. Mr Geo. Evans, secretary Peel Forest Board, wrote asking the Council to appoint a representative to the 'Board. —(No representative required. ■Mr J. Adland applied for permission to nee his section next to Mrs Matins’- as a right-of-way, to enable him to garage his car in the building at the rear of Mrs Malins’ section. —It was decided to put the section up for auction. Mr C. H. Tripp wrote with reference to the recent attempt to burn.down the shops owned by him in Geraldine, It bad occurred to him that good use of the incident might he made for the purpose of carrying the drainage loan. Thirteen years ago lie wanted to build at that corner, and had taken several steps towards building, but had found it was utterly useless putting up a good building until he could connect with an underground drainage. He had therefore, postponed doing anything until .Geraldine had a proper ddnainage system .The present corner shop was an eyesore, and he had thought of pulling it -down, but it would probably look worse pulled down than it looked now, so he left it up though he got practically nothing for it.—The letter was received.

The Sahitary Inspector, (Mr J. Meuzics) reported having inspected the premises situated at the corner ot Talbot and Wilson streets on February 2nd. The shop at the corner was unoccupied, but the other premises were. The said premises were more or less defective and in a ruinous condition. The defects included no spouting or down pipes on verandah or on rear, of corner shop. Internal walls of corner shop were mbre or less borer infested. No door or back room of corner shop, -urinal floor in an unsanitary state; no splapge pipe provided and water pipe, leaking. Shed at rear of property used as a' store by butcher, weather boards, barge boards, and other timber rotting away and no spouting provided. He would recommend that the Council serve notice on the owner to have ’the above defects remedied, and that -the premises generally be renovate! so that no nuisance will exist. Cr. Bell said the building should be either repaired or pulled down— It was decided' to forward the report to the owner .of the premises with a recommendation that the repairs be carried out. The Department of Health wrote that they regretted that they have to ash the Council to make provision on their estimates for a larger levy towards the services of the Health Inspector. was intended that the local authority should bear 75 p.c. of the Inspector’s salary. The amount required worked out at 3cl per head of the population in the Council’s area. iCr. Paterson said they did not get a great deal of service. The Inspector did not live here, and did not come out often. The Council acquiesced. Mr G. 'A. Bridges, C.E., wrote re the cost of drainage, that lie estimated the cost at —one chain 4in. pipe £lO, closet fittings £lO, connecting bath,' sinks and sundries £lO, total £3O. This should cover the cost for an average house. Three-Inch steel tribes from stock would cost 2s per foot.—Received. .Mr W. Pyfe, acting secretary J.'0.0.P., wrote that Mr Len. Bennington had been appointed trustee on behalf of the Lodge, and requested that his name he substituted fof that of Mr W. Crimson on the Borough roll, as Mr Grim-son having left the district had resigned.—Request granted.

The Borough Hanger (Mr FFI Galiy) reported having impounded | 7 horses and 1 cow during the month. Miss .Stringer, Librarian, reported there had been 370 hooks issued during the month, am 5/- had been taken in subscriptions, and 2/:: in extras. Two new subscribers bad joined.—The report was adopted, TOWN HALL REPORT. Mr C. C. Knight, manager of the Town Hall, reported having shown 10 evening performances and one matinee. There had been two lettings of the Plall. The returns had been very satisfactory, considering' ■the number people away harvesting. He had just completed the paper stands for the Library, but had yet to put paper fasteners on. They would soon be into the winter months, and the matter of heating should be considered. He felt certain the / returns would be 5 0 per cent, better if the building were heated. Mr Knight presented a. balance sheet which showed receipts £l|3d 9s, and expenses £9 211 s 3d, leaving a profit of £3B 17s lOd.

The Mayor said they iiuist do something towards heating. Dr. Paterson said they ought to have a ji'ep’arat-e account for the Town Hall instead of their going in to the General account. They were using The money on the roads and general work. The' Mayor said t'he money belonged to #the Borough. If the.v had nob this mp-ney in their account, they would have io. get it from the Bank. They would have about £3OO from thhe Hall at the end of the year. Cr. Paterson said that it seemed that if they had not built the Town Hall they would: he in debt. The Mayor said the sinking .fund would have to be paid out of the General funds. If they did not make use of available cash, they would he very poor business people. It was decided to ask the manager to report on some suitable heating systems, and the report was adopted. ' OVERSEER’S REPORT. The overseer (Mr Hayes) reported the staff had carried out the customary street cleaning, etc. Topdressing of part of the cycle track in the Park had been completed. A section of Talbot street had another coat of tar and sand and the roadway repaired where necessary. Ashp'halt paths and concrete crossings had been- made, pipes rotten in Cox street were' taken up and new ones put in, and the culvert at Pleasant Valley Road, corner had been repaired. iCliana els had been cleaned thougihont the Borough, and drains on Waihi Terrace, Jollie, Nigh, Reel,, Wilson and Lewis Streets cleaned. Firp« plugs had been cleaned and the fence of the horse paddock repaired. Cr. Bell sal,di in regard to the top-dressing he did not think the> were getting the same old fashioned tar they used to get. tie thought a lot of the good was taken out of it, for it washed out. He did not think they ought to use any more of it.

t The overseer said he did not think the quality of the tar was as good as in former years, but it was the best they could, get.—The report was adopted. WORKS COMMITTEE REPORT The "Works Committee reported that a meeting had been held on Bth inst. aiid bad found many streets inadequate of water service, and to afford a good service and better protection from fire, they recommended that mains be laid in Waihi Terrace between Macdonald and Bridge streets 10’chains Sin pipes, in Peel street between Lewis and Wright streets 19 chains Sin, Crowe’s Hill grass road between Peel street and lower corner of Bruce’s 14 chains 3iu, on Cox street between Hayes’ and south belt 19 chains Sin., and in south belt and south terrace 20-| chains Sin, and linking up mains north and south terrace io Cox street 20 chains Sin., and continue 2in pipes along south belt to Gresham’s Road, a distance of 10, chains Mayor’s Road between Valley Road and Talbot streets to connect with mains 2in -pipes lor a distance of 21 chains, High street between Jollic and Shaw street 6 chains of 2in pipes. The estimated cost was Sin pipes £4OB, 2in £B4, labour £2lO a total of £754, to which must be added for interest and sinking fund if raised £SO, or in all £BO4. The Committee recommended that a poll be taken on a loan for this purpose on the same day as the Borough elections.

Cr Paterson favoured doing the -work out of revenue. They had been making a good profit out of the water for some, time, and were saving £IOO since the old pumping engine had been done away with. , Even with a Gin pipe they would never get sufficient pressure at the high levels to put a fire out. They should do the work gradually as the water money came in. It was not right that the water money should ho used for general purposes. The money had boon frittered away, and they did not know where it had gone. Mr Hayes said that in addition to last year’s profit on the water 'works they should make £IOO extra profit this year. Or Logan said when they had their own gas they were making a-profit out of it. Now they were making nothing To a question the Clerk replied they had lost nearly £IOO from rates which were formerly paid by those, who had gone out of tbs Borough. Cr Paterson said they should have a water plan of (he Borough prepared as apparently they wero trusting to i memory. The'Clerk was instructed; to prepare such a plan. I

FIFaKCK KiSL’OET.^ Ci’ Baltu'son, chairman Finance Committee, reported that receipts lor the mouth had been XolM 17s ml. Tlicvb was a debtor balance at [the Bank of Foi lls (>cl, and accounts lor pay incut that night amounted to X2oo j Os Id, leaving a deficit ul F7‘di is ’id. j The Domain .Board had a credit bal- , aiice of £157 Os Id—The report was adopted. The Borough balance-sheet was re- . turned from the Audit Department ] ceititled correct. The Auditor drew ! attention that no sinking iund had' been established in connection with the Town Hull and Library loan. It was stated that the total indebtedness of the Borough was £7IOO. DOMAIN BOARD. The Council sat as a Domain Board the same members present. Mr White brought up the matter of thp lilter box at the swimming baths. The Clerk stated that something had been done to the lilter which was being attended to. .