TIMARU BOROUGH COUNCIL

Timaru Herald, Volume CVI, Issue 16229, 27 March 1917, Page 9

TIMARU BOROUGH COUNCIL

FORTNIGHTLY MEETING^ : Tho fortnightly meeting of the Timaru Borough Council was held last nighty Present—The Mayor (Mr E. ,R. Guinness), Councillors Green, Souter, Currie, ; Hcrrell, Maling, "Wallace, Raymond, Chiles, Hurdley, Murphy, LeCren, and MoDuff. v MAYOR'S STATEMENT. .1 The Mayor said the overdraft stood at £13,167. The bus reoeipts for the past twelve 1 running days amounted to £135 ISs 6d, a daily average of £ll 5s fid. The bathing receipts for the same period amounted to £8 4s 4d, and the total "oathing receipts for the season were £OO3 4s 4d. The tennis receipts during 6ho past twelve days amounted to 16s 3d, the total from this source for the season from this sources being £44 los 63. He and tho Deputy-Mayer h&d appointed Mr "Washer, auctioneer as the Council's assessor in the claim by Mrs Gow for compensation for setting back the frontage of the land in Trafalgar Street which she ,is subdividing for sale. A METAL CONTRACT. Sir Hay waited on the Council with reference to his claim for compensation in respect of his metal contract with the Council. The Council discussed tha matter with Mr Hay in committee, and it was afterwards decided that special meeting of the whole Council be held to go into the matter. FINANCE COMMITTEE. From the acting chief postmas+er, urging tii© Council to provide for houße numbering.—Recommendation that the work be put in hand by t!he Council's staff. From the Minister of Munitions relative to coal trade control and asking the Council to furnish a schedule of the requirements for 1917.—T0 be supplied. . It was decided to defer consideration of painting buses. The appointment of conductors Hosie and Haynes was_ confirmed. From the engineers in the electrical j department applying for a holiday of j two weeks each per annum.—Recommendation that the application be ani3 foremen "Winterbum and Miller toe placed on the same footFrom Messrs Rush and applvmg for increased pay.—Held over. The report of the Finance Committee •was adopted. WORKS AND: SANITATION COMMITTEE. ■From the Inspector, Public Health,' regarding a nuisance caused, by a fowl run.—Receiving attention. I /1 om Secretary, Patriotic Society,' ptahng that the Council's letter of the T. u'-kimo had not reached hi-m and that he had no returned soldiers on his hooks with any knowledge of quarry work. _ From the secretary, Timaru Fire Board, That & number of defective buildings had been built in Timaru and recommending that a building inspector be appointed, and that his duties be to inspect all houses in course of erection. > —No recommendation. [ 'Chester Street. —Recommendation: That tne Borough Engineer construct a storm waiter drain from west end of 'Chester Street at an estimated cost of £7 per chain for seven chains. Oat Sheaf Chaff.—Recommendation: That the Mayor be authorised to purchase a supply of oat sheaf chaff. j ■ Councillors Hurdley and Wallace,, membens of the^Fire Board, said the ' building inspection. in the Borough was a faroe. People when building had to: pay a fee and that was the end of it so far as inspection was concernel. I The Mayor and other Councillors Faid they had very good buildings in Timaru and there was no necessity to apr>oint another inspector, i The report was adopted. | ■ e j LIBRARY COMMITTEE. The Committee recommended the purchase of books at an estimated cast • of £lO 9s sd. Tenders for furnishings, etc for newsroom were referred to tho Council lor consideration. CAROLINE BAY COMMITTEE ''■ ■ \ The proposed plan of additions to Caroline Bay bathing sheds was considered, Messrs .Cray, Pearson and KevelL .representing the Caroline Bay Association, and Mr Hall, architect were also present, with the Mayor and l/ouncillors LeOren and Green. Mr Hall estimated the cost "at £6OO, ancl stated that the plan provided for increasing the" accommodation by 145 per cent. Recommendation: That-the: plan be approved subject to minor alterations, ! and that. tenders'be. invited for the; work in time for nest meeting. The caretakers report was considered.' reported that it cost (labour and maintenance) aToout'lßs for lining the tennis courts each time and tliatTthey, were lined twice a year. From Mrs Morrison applying for a' renewal of her lease of the tea iooms for another year, and offering £lO4 per annum. Recommendation:" That effpr bo accepted. Proposed sanitary conveniences, north wall. —Consideration held over. Councillor Hurdley said that insufficient provision was made in the pliaais for the children, and he proposed that the engineer be instructed to convert the concert hall into a bath room for hot and cold salt water baths.

The Mayor said that the Counoil! could deal with the plans that night if Councillors unanimously decided to suspend the standing orders which required, that the plans Should lay on the Council table for six days. All ' the Councillors . agreed except Councillor Hurdley, and this being so the plans could! nob be dealt? with last night. i

Councillor Wallace said that no one had run the tea rooms at the Bay so satisfactorily as Mrs Morrison, and he thought her lease should be extended for another year. The Mayor endorsed this view as did Councillors Murphy, Hurdley and Currie, aiud the proposal was carried unanimously. AN OUTLET WANTED.

■From Rev. T. Stinson and Mr AY'. G. Irwin, on behalf of the ratepayers I in tlie vicinity of Russell Square, ask-; ing the Council to provide an outlet to Kose. Street. —Recommendation: i That Mr P. Pallesom be offered £BO for i bis leasehold interest in section 243, and in the event of acceptance that a I strip nob exceeding 20 feet in width along the north "boundary be set apart for the use of residents of Russell £jquarc : but not for the use of the | public generally, balance of section to j be leased. Councillor Wallace said it would' be an utter waste of money to coimplv with the inquest of tho Rev. Mr fstinson and Mr Irwin as such a. road, would be a benefit to nobody. I Councillor Souter said the cost was out of all proportion to any value the outlet might be.,' and he was certainly Against it. Councillor Murphy said the recommendation seemed to him a silly oneCouncillor Green said the proposed outlet would bo. very useful to the people living 111 that locality, of whoin there were about 100. It would provide a short cut to the Catholic Church

and schools and to the Century Baths. Moreover it would improve the property. Councillor Souter said that at the most, the outlet would only save these people a walk of a few chains, aaid the Council would not 'be justified in spending £BO on such an undertaking. Oorunoillor Wallace expressed a similar opinion aind said that in addition to the £BO an expenditure of about £SO would have to be incurred for formation. Councillor Hurdley'said the Council' should graisp the present opportunity and form a road from Russell Square to Rose Street. It would be a great mistake if they did not. Councillor McDuff said they should not countenance anything in the shape of a lane; they had had enough trouble with sudh plaices in the past, and he was opposed to the proposal. On the motion of Councilors Wallace and Malms it'was decided that the request he ajot granted. The baliance of the , ; .-report of the ' waterworks amd reserves committee was adopted. THE SCAVENGING CONTRACT. The report of the committee set up to consider the taking over of the plant wed by the retiring scavenger reported I that after inspecting the plant it was decided to recommend the purchase of plant at £77 10s lOd. The plant comprises three horses £35, 1 spring cart £ls, 1 trailer £2, 2 carts £B, ; 3 sets harness and chains £7 10s, steel girders a hut on beach £5, 2 bells £1 10, 2 forks and two shovels 7s 6d. 140 bags £1 3s 4d, 2 horse covers £2. I The committee also recommended | that the borough engineer arrange to I rUn the service as from April 1. In reply to Councillor Green the Mayor said that as soon as information was obtained concerning a motor plant to take the place of the present horse pervice it would be laid before the Council. • The report-was adopted. . TENDERS . : Eight tenders were received for furnishing one of the - rooms at the library, the tenders ranging from £99 to £ll3. Councillor Green, as chairman of the Library Committee, .said the committe did, not think it prudent to incur, this expenditure at the present time. The Council decided to accept no tender. GENERAL. It was decided to authorise the laying down of a concrete, sewer, as an extension to the George Street sewer, under a store to be built on Fraser Street 'by the N.M. and A.' Company, the Tiniaru Harbour Board paying hklf tho cost of construction. , Councillor Hurdley said this sewer would be a continual source of expense, and be thought they should ask their engineer for a report on the possibility oE diverting the sewage so as to discharge nt Pa.titi Point. Councillor "Wallace expressed a similar opinion. Councillor Maling said he thought that instead of the inspector threatening to prosecute people for leaky taps he should take a man round, with him and put a tap right wherever he found it leaking, a small charge to cover the time thus spent, being made on the ratepayers concerned The Mayor said the present system was working quite satisfactorily, and people who could not get water before I were getting it now. ANZAC DAY. The-'acting Prime Minister wrote asking the Council to observe Anzac • Day this year on April 23 instead of on April 25 as the _ latter date would, clash with the municipal elections. | The Mayor said that returned. soldiers objected to any diversion from the proper day, and he agreed with, them. He had asked the Hon. W. D. ft.. Mocaonald whether those boroughs that so (Wived could hold the celebration on the proper date, April 25, but up to last night the Minister had not received .a reply from headquarters where he had wired The reply would lie to hand this morning, he supposed. The Government's objection to hold ing the celebration on April 25 was that it woxild interfere with the municipal elections, but he did not think it would do SO. Councillors Hurdley and Murphy said they did not think there should be any departure from the "proper date April 25. _ Councillor Murphy said the Government would be altering Christmas Day next. Councillors Souter and Green proposed "That this Council is of opinion that Ansae Day should be celebrated on April 25, a copy of this _ resolution to 'he sent to the acting Prime Minist<?The motion was earned unanimously. NATIONAL EFFICIENCY. A long letter was received from the National Efficency Board asking the Council Ico obtain ifor the use of the Board a special report from their engineer dealing with matters which wouid tend, to increase efficiency in tho district, / 1

The Mayor said lie had received a letter from the chairman of che Efficiency Board expressing regret that Timaru Borough and Levels County -were the only par us of South Canterbury which had not elected commitees. Thevhad tried (to appoint a committee in Timaru but the farmers at the meeting would not allow any Timaru men to be elected to the commitloee. The Efficiency Board's letter was received without discussion. PICTURES ON GOOD FRIDAY. The picture theatre proprietors applied for permission to show pictures on Good Friday. Councillor Hurdley moved that the requests be refused on the ground that Ig was not right for picture theatres to be making money on what to many ■people was the most sacred day of the year, especially in these times of sorrow and trouble. The Mayor said he was in favour of refusing the request. On t the mdoion of Councillors Hurdley and Chiles the applications were refused, the votes being: For the motion, the Mnjvor and Councillors Currie, Horrell, Maling, Wallace, Raymond,. Hurdley, and Chiles. Against, Councillors Green, Stouter, McDuff, Murphy and LeCren. ACCOUNTS. Accounts were passed for payment as 1 under r—lnterest £382 12s 6d, Sinking Funds £595, General £1330 6s Sd, Waterworks £76 8s sd, Caroline Bay ~40 33s sd, Park and Reserves- £65 l<fe lid, Abattoir £23 7s 9d, Librarv £B2 19s 10d, Omnibus Service Account Quarry Loan Account £282 14s od, final payment (engine house) £47, timber £l3 la sd, sundries £lB 2s 4d, Recreation Reserve Account £25 Is 2d, Drainage and Sewerage Works Account allowances £ls 10s, Electric Power and I light Department £2387 6s 8d: total £5395 18b 6d. RULED OUT. Councillor Murphy moved his notice of motion "That the resolution, passed at the Council meeting on March 12, granting Mr Callaway leave of absence for three months, bo rescinded." The Mayor said lie must rule the motion out of order. The resolution had been passed on March 12 and the Town Clerk had . written to Sir Callaway informing him of the arrangement which the Council had agreed to. ■This being so a contract had been ■entered into with Mr Callaway and it could not now be rescinded, "if the Council were to rescind the motion ' they would be committing a breach of contract, and he must therefor© rule the notice of motion out of order. Councillor Murphy, speaking with some_ warmth, said the matter would certainly go further. He would have to submit t3i&t night to tho Mayor's ruling, but Eo questioned it, and would not submit to it. He questioned the Mayor's right to rule the motion out of order, and would certainly get further advice. The Council had been hastily forced into committee at the previous meeting to deal with, a man holding a public position, and- the ratepayers had alright to know whaifc was being done with their money. There was some hidden purpose behind the whole thing.

Councillor Wallace said that this remark should be -withdrawn.

Councillor Murphy said it certainly looked l as though there was some hidden purpose.

The Mayor eaid Hi© was quite indif•fereirut to Councillor Murphy's insinuations. H© had always done what he cdnoeived to be his duty; ho would continue to do that, itnd . "Councillor Murphy was welcome to say or do \~liat he pleased- I Councillor Murphy reiterated that he would not submit to it. The Mayor might think that he was going to browbeat him, but he was not. . The notion had really been passed by a Minority of the Council, four Councillors _' being absent, and he had no intention of submitting to the Mayor's ruling. He would see it through. Councillor Souter saiid that Councillor Murphy had raised no objection to going into committee at the previous meeting. The Mayor said tihat was so; if any Councillor had objected the Council could not have gone into.committee. _ The Mayor then announced that this concluded the business, and the Council i rose.