THE EXTENDED BOROUGH.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14223, 14 June 1910, Page 2

THE EXTENDED BOROUGH.

STATEMENT RY THE MAYOR. , At the nu-eiingoi the lioroiigh Council last night. the Alayor made an iniportan*. >tateiv.ent. roneerning the posilion of affairs in regard to the extended borough. This lie said was tile first, meeting of the Council since the Horongli had been extended. and the greater area brought, increased responsibilities. One of thi' firsi things xo be grappled with would he the rating of the new area. I'nfortunateiy there liad been delay in bringing about the change, with the result that there would lie difficulty in adjusting the accounts as between the borough and county. Had the uhanjje been brought about by March 31st —the end of their financial year —there would have been little or 110 difficulty. Tin' County Council was striking it* rate new. and as it could not strike a rate on the part to lie annexed by the borough. it would appear that it might iose two months' rates 011 this area — April and May. The borough had struck its rate for the year, and before it could strike a rate on the new area considerable formality woidd have to he gone through—formalities which he calculated would extend over oi months. The .1? a tiny Act made it compulsory for the local body which was parting with any of its territory to provide a ratepayers' roll. The Levels Comity Couueil could not do that until it received the valuations from the Government, and it would take two months to cot these. Alter receiving the valuations, the borough would have to have the new area valued, and this would take at least a month. Then they would have to advertise for objections to the roll for a month, and about a fortnight's notice of the sitting oT the Assessment Court to deal with the roll would require tn be given. After the Court had done with the rrll the Council would hare to ; prepp.ro sunnlementarv estimates f or the new area, and then strike a rate accordingly. It. would be 5V months before they could to collect ;< rate. At the last meeting of the Finance Committee, a suggestion had been made that the Borough and Levels Councils should endeavour to arrive :it an arrangement whereby the Levels Council should collect the rate for the borough until December next —the end of the Borough Council's rating year — the borough to pay the Levels a small commission for so doing. If this were done, the Levels Council would not require to lose two months' rates, as it otherwise would do. but the solicitors to the County Council had some objection to the proposal, and so he supposed it would fall through Letters had been received from the borough solicitors, and from the county solicitors. on the subject. The Levels .solicitors suggested that the more convenient course would be for the Timaru Borough Council to take control and strike and collect a rate straight away. It would lie for the Borough Council rto decide that night what should be done in the matter.

After discussing the position in all its bearings. ihe following motion, proposed by Councillor Sinclair aiid seconded by Councillor Angland, was carried unanimously:—"That Hie letters irom tile borough solicitors and county solicitors be received, and tliat the necessary steps be taken to preoare a burgess roll and valuation for the extended area now part of the borough, and uh.iT m th& meantime the extra water charge be collected up to June lbt. the borough to get an Order-in-Council to strike and collect a rate 011 the extended area." Continuing his statement, the Mayor said they could not do much with the new area until they had the levels taken and a scheme for underground (irauiajre prepared. Thev could however

get oil with the lighting of the new urea at once, and they should also make arrangements for scavenging and keep faith with the promise made to give these people the benefit- of decent sanitary conveniences. The contractor for scavenging in the Borough was willing to extend the service to the new area at 8s lOd per house per anrujßi. and to remove rubbish at present prices. The borough engineer said he could undertake to supply the permanent levels and a scheme for underground drainage, by the end of the year. But in addition to this work, a survey should be made and poles erected to mark the boundaries or' tile extended borough. The borough engineer recommended that a surveyor be employed to do this work as lie would not have time to undertake it. Then there was the question of the duplication of the water works. For this, the resident engineer would have plans ready in two months, and tenders could then be culled. When Mr Dobion. of Christchurch, reported on this work, he recommended the use of spiral pipes, but Mr Beswick thought it better to stick to the east iron pipes, especially where connections had to be made: and the present borough engineer was of the same opinion as Mr Beswick. lie thought it would be better to have cast iron pipes right through. The difference in cost would be about £230, but he thought the Council should be on the safe side and have the dearer pipes—those of cast iron. The public, library had been a very great success, and whereby it was plain that it would have to be enlarged. The question was as to where tho money was to come from to enlarge it. Mr Carnegie liad told them to apply to him should the library require eni largement, and he thought they should do so.

Referring next to the underground drainage system, the Mayor said the -scheme had been carried out very successfully so far. The Council had £IO.OOO left with which to complete it. and tenders were in that night for ihe final contract. If it were done for something like the amount still left, the Council could congratulate itself upon the success of the scheme.

Tile question of a workyard and horse naddoek would also have to be

tackled. This 'h• thought- should Up situated as near tn the centre of Vim borough as possible. No doubt, there won If] have ra lie sub-yard.-:. one f°r the nori 11, and one for tlie youth end oi the town. Should anyone m the new area he desirous of i onnectig with the underground drainage straight, away—people living near the sewers —ho thought they should I>e allowed to do so, they to hp refunded Hie cost ol the pipes from f lie sewer to the fence, when the scheme was adopted in the new area.