BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Timaru Herald, Issue 170268, 13 July 1920, Page 5

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

FORTNIGHTLY MEETING. [ The fortnightly jiieotiiur 0 f |j lc Ti _ | iru.ru Borough Council was held lust * night. Present: The Ma vol' (Mr William Raymond), Councillors G. J. : bealey, T, AV. 'Satterthwaite, H. All- i church, A. AYasher, P. C. ViamVfl, J. ■ JJonne%, J. 1* Murphy, M. J. Doyle, ! ■A. M. 11. iShirtcliff, and A. G. Foster, j COLERIDGE POWER, The Mayor reported that ho had •written to the Minister for Public .Works with a view to getting a contract, as between the Government and the Council, for the supply of current-1 from Lake Coleridge. Ho had also written to Mr Lawrence .13irks and to ■Mr Craigie, M.P., on the subject. A reply had been received from the Minister for Public "Works -staling that ho ■would have inquiries made, and would communicate with the Council as soon as possible. A telegram had come from Mr. Craigie yesterday stating that ho had seen Mr Dirks oti the subject, and he had promised that he would give a definite reply after a consultation with • the .Minister in Christchurch. Mr Craigie said ho would advise Inter as to : what Mr Birks had said.

ej;ecitj.c poaver and light. Tho -Electrical Engineer (Mr G. T. AVili-on) reported for -Tune ns follows: — Total units generated, 81,470; total units fold, 3!),330.* The power-house staff, especially Mr Mownt, had beau very busy, and excellent work had been done there. The plant was very mucin more reliable now than when taken over by him on June 1. The producer bi longing to tho gas engine had arrived from Scott Bros., and was being installed again. One cylinder : of the gas; engine had been thoroughly overhauled. The Belli*) Morqom directcoupled unit had had nl! bearings overhauled and renewed, and w;;s now running 100 per ce;it. more reliably than it was provioul to the overhaul. The nir circulating pumps qF the horizontal engine condensing unit had been overhauled. Nearly all main steam pipe joints had been remade and were stlj steam tight. The Itoiler feed pipes had all been rearranged, and .several bad bends and elbows eliminated, and the town water supply direct conr.-.'cted to the injectors. This would prevent a. grejit. deal oT water being waste'l. Also tho boiler feed pump had been reinstalled, so that skould the town supply of water be turned off at any time the boilers could be worked off the deep well. This pump had been, put out of use for some considerable time, and h«d the water sui>ply been cut. off for fifteen minutes, tho boilers would havo had to shut down for wnnt of water, but nil was well in this direclinn now. General maintenance work r.np being carried out on transmission and distribution, and on this branch of work he would submit a special report at next meeting. The total number of new connections to the supply during the month

of Juno were twelve lighting consunil'rsn.£!"c'- onc power consumer. With regard to the private installation he had not had sufficient time to uevoto tho necessary, supervision, lie would like to in this branch of tho department, -Ho was ta,king stock, and when this was completed JlO would bo able to report' fully at next meeting. Jt would bq necessary'to have a show--100111 and if a suitable shop was now available it should be procured. Then the whole business could be kept mot e distinct and run as a, separate busir-f-is on £Ollll d commercial lines; otherwise •-he Council might deem it wise +0 abandon this branch of the department. '

A PROPOSED SHOP. : 1 Councillor Doyle said the committee was in favour of getting a shop for the electrical fittings near the main street, but not in it because one in tat-alrord Street lvould be too expensive. Councillor Donnelly said thev should be able to have a shop of their own and run private enterprise off. Councillor Satterthwaite said I hey should use part-of the buifdiug they had bought for n ladies' rest. Councillor Murphy spoke to the same eliect, and said it was a shame that so much of the ratepayers' money should be lying idle for so long in the'building referred to. It was decided thai; the conimittee suitable shop, Councillor Satterthwaite objecting to a show room being got in any other than the building owned by the Council at tho corner of the Arcade. PAEIv Ax\ T D GARDENS. Recommendation: That applications be called for the position of assistant gardener at lys 8d per diem, with a 44-liour week. GENERAL BUSINESS.

At a mooting of tho "Works Committee on July 7 (Present —Deputy Mayor (chairman). Councillors "Washer. Satterthwaite, Vinnell and Foster). ' Officers' reports were considered, and tLe following otlier business done:— Recommendation: —That the police be asked to prosecute the person who recently stole rose trees from tho Park. The secretary, Floral Fete Committee, wrote asking the Council to coll lor tenders for erecting a-tea kiosk at the Park. Recommendations:—That tenders be invited for the work on the distinct understanding that if tho cost exceeds the amount to be received by the Council from the Fete Committee the excess amount will be refunded out of tho proceeds of the fete to bo held next year. That tlie. curator submit a report to next meeting as to the cost of necessary work which should be undertaken at North 12nd Park to preserve and improve the existing trees and si:rubs, j and also as to tree planting which might be put in hand.

That the curator be instructed to' plough and put down the south end of, Anzac Reserve in English grass. I Recommendation: —That the ntten- ■ fcion of the Minister of Public Health, be drawn to. the very casual manner in which the inspection of milk is tarried out, owing to the dearth of inspectors, and that ho be urged to employ more inspectors so as to have a, more satis-; factory system of inspection. 1 Recommendation: —That tenders be! invited for "the supply of 2000 bushels | of oats. j The Department of Industries and( : Commerce (Board of Trade) advised; that regulations had been framed to • restrict buildings .to those of a purely essential nature in order not to exceed the available supplies of cement, i bricks and timber, and that the Board had delegated it's powers to tlic Council ; in respect of dwelling houses. j Recommendation That this Council ! co-opera.te with tiie Board in dealing with permits for dwellings ana 111. taking ami forwarding to it applica- i tions for other classes of building. j Mr G. S. Spowart applied for a per-' mit to erect >v garage in front of Ins house in Elizabeth Street. —Held over pending obtaining consent of Board of Trade. i Hecommendation :—That the Govern-' ineni l;e urged to remove the duty on. cement. ' j

FINANCE COAISIITTBE. The Finance Committee (the Mayor and Councillors Murphy and 'Washor present) recommended that accounts amounting to £1284 10s Gd be passed for payment. The ißank of New Zealand advised that interest on overdraft had been increased to six per cent. The W.E.A. aske'd for financial assistance. Recommendation —That sill Is be passed for payment. _ The Employers' Association gave notice of an industrial dispute—clerks' demands. Recommendation:—That the representatives of the Christcliurch City Council be asked to represent this Council at the hearing. Recommendation:—That the salaries of Messrs Wilson and Mow at (Electric* Rower an'd Light Department) be paid as from Juno 1 last. Councillor Donnelly said he presumed that Councillor Doyle was unavoidably absent from the jnectjiiir on Friday last. Councillor 'Doyle said yes, ho was at tho power-house 011 electric light business when the Finance: Committee wel'e holding their meeting. Tho report was,, adopted. STRAY STOCK. The Borough ponudkeeper (Mr .J. Gould) reported having impounded during June 0-cows and 2 horses. THE ABATTOIR The Abattoir manager (Mr A. M. I\a torso 11) reported that there were slaughtered at the abattoir during June 256 cattle, 1447 sheep and lambs, and 15 calves. Of these, 4 cattle and 2 sheep were found diseased. The killing for June last year - was:—l 97 cattle, 1387 sheep and lambs, and 7 calves; and the revenue was £lO9 14s, as against £129 18s Cd for June this year.

SANITARY AND TRAFFIC • f INSPECTOR. The Sauitary and Traffic Inspector (Mr A. H. Dickinson) reported in detail on inspections made and nuisances dealt with. Fourteen complaitit'3 had been made and all had been satisfactorily dealt with. Ticket inspections were made on the omnibus service on various routes at regular intervals. Ho recommended tho Council to have placed in conspicuous places in buses, tho necessity of passengers keening their tickets while on the bus. thus giving a more efficient means of checking the tickets, also to have printed on tickets the ' words: —' 'Anotiier fare must be paid if ticket is not. produced for inspection when demanded." Since last reporting traffic inspections had been made at regular intervals and seven cases reported, five for - xcessivo speed and two for not having lights. BUS AND ELECTRIC LIGHT; COMMITTEE. This committee (Present —Councillors Doyle (chairman), Murphy and Hughson), reported as follows: —. . Recommendations: That tho purchase of tools and plant for the powerhouse workshop, authorised at previous meeting, bo left to tho chairman and Engineer. ' i That a room in tho Council's building or in some other suitable locality be procured for the display of electrical , fittmgs. j That tenders be called for the sup- I ply of private installation stock". j That requisition for coal and oil to i the value of £4Ol I2s 3d for the powerhouse bo approved. That arrangements being made with) the railway for the use of tho sidine at an annual cost of £SO p.a. be confirmed.

That tlio- general manager, Canterbury Farmers' Co-operative Association be thanked for allowing the Council to use tho Mill Street siding Mr C'raigie, M.P.. wrote with reference to his interview with the chairman, Board of Trade, re. supply of cement for the power-house, and stating that the chairman had approved t'lie supply. Recommendations.: That Mr Graigis be thanked for assistance. That the Council approach the ratepayers for a loan of £IO,OOO to provide an Bartended bus service, to provide additional buses, and to increase the oarage accommodation and plant. In reply to Councillor Foster, Councillor Doyle said the committee would have been_ pleased to have given concession tickets for the buses if it had been possible. But tho losses were £IOOO last year and they would loso about the same this year, so concessions were out of tho question, at present. The bus fares were as low In Tmiuru as in other towns of similar size, and with the present price of petrol no concessions could be given. Ji petrol fell materially in price the committee would at once recommend a. reduction in fares.

Councillor Allcliurch said that everything else had advanced in price, and those who had the benefit of the buses must expect to pay more. Councillor Shirtcliff said they Lad to face increases in- every class of business, arid the bus fares must be increased unless the service was to go to the wall. He was in Christchurch last week and found the tram fares increased substantially there. Councillor Donnelly thought it would be a paying proposition to give concession tickets.

Councillor Sealey said that he would like to see concession tickets if possible.

Councillor Doyle said the loss was increasing, and it must be stopped. Th© only way to stop it was to raise the fares. •

The Mayor said he thought that- concession tickets 'should be issued if at all possible. It was important to keep _np ■ a good and popular service in order to get people to settle here.

Councillors Foster and Donnelly proposed that the clause in reference to concession tickets be referred back to the committee.

Councillor Doyle said the committee had given tho inatteravery full consideration.

It wins decided, on the casting vote of the Mayor, to* refer tile clause bacl" to the cqmmitfea

TRAMS FOR TIMARTJ. At a, meeting of the -same committee, held the previous night '(present —-The Mayor, Councillors Doyle (chairman), Shirtcliffe, Murphy and Hughsor,). Mr Black's report on trams for Tlula.ru was fullv considered, and it was "resolved that no recommendation b» mado on this report as tho capitr 1 cost* and consequent high interest charges made it prohibitive. Letters from the- Town Clerks-, Invereargill, Napier, New Plymouth, and tho general manager, Christclmrch Tramway Board, relative to fares, were considered", and it was decided to recommend that the fares at Timaru ha altered to the following:—(a) 2d for the first section, (h) Id" for each subsequent section. (c) Childveu under twelve, half fare, (d) Children under three Years free, (e) Picture bus (1.0.10 p.m.) 4d any distance, (f) Parcels 3d, and that the position be reviewed if requirel in six months' time. councillor Muglison desired to havi concession tickets added to the above schedule.

The above adjustments are estimate! to produce additional revenue to the extent of £lO3-5

Councillor Doyle made a ljrief statement in regard to trams for Timaru. For a service extending over 3A- miles the cost was estimated at £~51,,000. At New Plymouth the cost was £55,000 for o-V miles. This meant that the interest charge in Timaru would be £I3OO more than at New Plymouth, where a loss-of £4OOO had been- sliown. On tine same basis Timaru would lose £S3GO per aiururti. But as the population of New Plymouth was 870U against 12,200, the proportionate receipts at Timaru should he about £15,000, as compared with New Plymouth's £IO.O-50. 'This increase of £4950 over New Plymouth's receipts, taken irora the loss of £5300. would show an approximate loss of £350 at Timaru. U> running two motor-buses as feeders—one from the viaduct to TVainiataitai, and the other from North Street Corner along King Street and Ofcipua Eoad, and perhaps down Woodlands lioadj might increase the loss to a total of £l5O0 —not much more than they were losing now on the "buses. This loss would pay from an advertis- i ing point of view. The Council, however, did not seem to think the time j opportune at present to consider a T.-ropesal for a loan for this purpose, but he thought they should give it consideration in the near future. i

"WORKS A.XI) SANITATION COMMITTEE. This committee (present—the deputy Mayor and Councillors Sattertihwaito, Washer and Donnelly) reported that tiiey had inspected the following streets and approved of proposed improvements : —(a,) Part Stafford Street north and Evans Street, proposed widening, (b) Proposed new street between llathmore and Preston Streets, (c) Proposed widening BCassell Street from Girls' High School to Craigio Avenue. (d) Proposed improvements at Messrs Wallace and Cooper's corner, Latter Street and North Street. Recommendation: 'Thiis committee considers that the above works ar<? : necessary, and recommends that "steps be taken to acquire the requisite land) and that the Council enter into negotiations with _ the owners thereof, subject to obtaining the sanction of the ratepayers to a loan to purchase the land and to reform the roadways and provide the necessary footways, kerb and channelling, drains and other necessary incidental work, and failing satisfactory arrangements for the purchase of the above- land that n loan proposal .of £BOOO be submittci to the ratepayers, and if sanctioned 'ay them, that the land be taken under the Public "Works Act.

Proposed new street between Rntlv more Street and Prest'on Street. —Mr J. L. Dale offered section 62 fronting Kathmore Street at £IOO.

Recommendation: That the offer l>e accepted Mrs Hertnon -offered parti of lot 35 Preston Street, aifc £3OO.

Recommendation: That the offer be accepted.