BOROUGH COUNCIL

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 24 June 1924, Page 8

BOROUGH COUNCIL

FORTNIGHT.LY MEETING

The fortnightly meeting of tlie Timam Borough Council was held nod niglu. Present.—The Mayor (Mr G. J. Wallace). Councillors P. 0. Yinnell, T. W. Manchester. E. B. Hawkey, W. G. Irwin. E. R. Guinness. D. McNab, J. A. Hay. J. Anstey, A. M. 11. Sliirtcliff, and T. W. Satterthwaite.

WORKS COMMITTEE

Present— The Mayor, Councillors Hay (chairman), McNab. Anstey, Satterthwaite, Vinnell and Manchester.

War M .emorial and proposed avenue', Charles Street —Recommendation : That the proposed avenue be planted in accordance with the Curator’s suggestion, and that he be authorised to proceed with the work; and also that the Bov ough engineer’s report as to regrading, kerbing and channelling and tar macadam formation of street, be adopted. Councillor Anstey dissented as to tree planting. Caroline Bay Association. —Application to have kerbing and channelling work completed by Borough engineer s staff at the Association’s expense. — Agreed to. Caroline Bay Hall.—Application lor permit to AYestland Timber Coy., to demonstrate the work of a _ floor smoothing apparatus oil the kitchen floor. —Agreed to. Kerbing and channelling work. Recommendation : .That owing to frosty weather work bo carried out in King Street instead of Evans Street. The latter street to be put in hand alter the frosts. Maori Reserve, lien for rates. —Letter from the Borough solicitors, forwarding lien for rates for execution. By-law re motor car, motor bikes and traffic regulations. —Letter from Inspector of Police re South Canterbuiy Automobile Association’s complaints, and stating that the Department would give every assistance 'in carrying out tiie by-laws. From the Medical Officer of Health that local authorities employing a Departmental Inspector as sanitary inspector, do not thereby delegate then powers to this Department. Lckev’s Lane.—Letter from Mi Lukev re gorse, and promised interview with "Works Committee and adjoining owners on the ground. Recommendation: That Mr Lukev be informed that the Works Committee inspected the land somo time ago, and that the owners of the land on which gorse is grow-, in a- will bo prosecuted. Recommendation : That applications be invited for the position of black and shoeing smith, to carry out ordinary stableman duties in connection with horses at High Street stables; to do shoeing; to effect repairs to drays and other plant. Wages 18s per diem. Hours, 44 per week. Asphalt mixing plant.—Recommendation : That the Borough engineer submit a report to next meeting, as to the cost of a plant for making asphalt from quarrv screenings, and as to the cost of a plant for making shingle asphalt. Waterworks awl pipe laying.—Recommendation : That the Borough engineer be authorised to lure an additional engine and to employ an exti man in order to expedite this voik.

the REPORT DISCUSSED. Councillor Irwin asked if the commitiee had power to compel the ov uus of the native reserve at Maori Hill to clear the gorse from it. On being informed that the Council had powto do so. lie moved that the owners should be instructed to elcai mo gorse. —This was agreed to. Councillor Anstey said lie thoroughly opposed to wasting LUW on the proposed work m Chailcs ?t was wrong to say that he was only opposed to the tree-planting. He moved that the matter be held ovei .m twelve months, as the Council had no monev for that purpose. Councillor Guinness said he agreed that it was premature to spend so muea monev in that locality. There were plenty of more suitable places in <ne Park" whero the memorial could te placed, and where no tree planting would be required. The Mavor said the Council was already committed to the site chosen for ilie memorial and to the proposed tieeplanting. . . , , , Councillor Vinnell said he hoped that the -Works Committee’s resolution would be carried. There had already been too much talk and delay. Councillor Satterthwaite said the Soldiers’ Memorial Committee had been some years in existence. The Council had keen blamed for the delay m granting a site, and bad finally definitely promised that the site in Charles Street would be granted and the trees planted. It was their duty to make a fitting roadway loading up to the memorial. He hoped that the Works Committee’s recommendation would be adopted. The Town Clerk read the motion which the Council passed when it agreed to the Charles Street site Lathe memorial, this showing that Couneollor Guinness bad dissented from it. Councillor SbirtciilF said the Goum-il bad agreed to the site, but not to the conditions, and be had all along been opposed to planting trees on the street, on account of the danger winch it would involve. Councillor Hay said be thought the Conneii was committed to the planting of the trees. The only question was the extent to which they would have to spend money in improving die street. The planting of trees would only cost about .£9O. It seemed a good deal of expenditure, but surely rli-i Council was not going to refuse a little expense in making the approach to the memorial a credit to the town, especially as the Council had made no grant to the Memorial Committee. Councillor Manchester supported the views of Councillor Hay. The Mayor said lie fell strongly in favour of carrying the clause in the Works Committee's report. There would be no difficulty about traffic if the .street were planted with trees, for it would .still be of ample width. The lormaiiou of the street would have io be completed sooner or later, and ii, would not bo doing unnecessary woi k. lie would be very sorry to see die clause turned down. Councillor Ansiey's amendment wa; lost by eight votes to three. The Mayor said that Lukey’s Tarn.' was not in a creditable state, and C.e sooner something was done with it. the boiler. II was nobody’s property at present, and the Council should lake it over. Councillor Vinnell agreed with the Ala yor. Councillor Satterthwaite suggested that tin* owners of properties on this street should be asked whether they would agree to set back their frontages so as to make a half chain street. If this wore done the Council could make a good street of it. Councillor Anstey said the solution el the difficulty could be reached if the associated property owners lacing the Lane would agree io the Lane being closed, and a new street laid out in :> more suitable location. The clause in reference to inviting applications for the position of UlaokMiiitli was discussed at some long-h. ’f'be engineer, on being consulted, spoke against the proposal. Councillor Sattenhwaiie said ibn! the figures presented to the committee showed tlial the proposal would result in the saving of £IOO per annum, ami be thoughi. it should lie adopted. Councillor Shi it cl iff said the proposal inigiii be quite good, but there were six councillors who bail never been told the details, and |,o for one was not going to vine r-.ii a proposal of which be knew nothing. tie inov-d that the clause should be referred ba-..-l-:

to Hie Works Committee so ihat the figures -supporting the recommendation could be supplied. On a vote being taken. Councillor S-hirtcliff’s amendment was lost by seven votes to four.

The .Mayor then pin the motion that the Works Committee's report should he adopted. Councillor Shirtclilf objected on/-the ground that a number of councillors were opposed to the clause in reference to the blacksmith. The motion was put and carried by seven votes to four.

ELECTRI CAL KN GINEER' S REPORT.

The Electrical Engineer (Mr CL T. Wilson) reported that he had had iiie oil used in the transformers tested, and the test- showed that it would be necessary to treat the oil, as moisture was accumulating in it. Apparatus to treat, it would cost approximately ..£125, and he recommended that a filter press bo procured at once. The peak load had exceeded the output of tlie Council’s plant, and was growing rapidly. The total connected load added to tlie Council’s supply during the past -six months was 335 k.w., and the peak load was up to 500 k.w. The brick works and the Caroline Dairy Co , bad on order one 65 and 60 h.p motor respectively. This would mean an added .100 k\v. to the connected load, and at least- 75 k.w. to the peak load. There were inquiries regarding power, lighting and healing, from people who would take it if the Council could guarantee continuity of supply. He could now estimate with certainty the peak load to he 750 k.w. next winter, at least, if they could guarantee a continuous service. This opened up a big question for dec-trial development (continuous service). At the present time he could not guarantee a continuous service, as they depended on Lake Coleridge supply; and the experience ol 4 the past live months could not improve very much for at least twelve oi eighteen months, i.e., until a new line was constructed, or the present one reconstructed. lie had reported on a battery proposition, and this would avoid minor interruptions, which would help a great deal. This method was the cheapest way of overcoming interruptions of short duration, and was adopted in much larger towns than* Timaru. The Department constructed a line from Coleridge along a coast belt visited frequently by sen fogs, and adopted the same method of construction that had repeatedly failed lot years before-. Ho recommended that the Council endeavour ■ to make a definite contract- with the Department to give a continuous supply. Tlie supply could be made continuous within eighteen months hv the erection of a duplicate line with .suspension typo insulators. Failing this it would pay the Council to generate its own requirements by installing a modern plant oi their own. He had a confidential quotation for coal that would enable them to generate present requirements at J of a penny per unit, all charges including 5 per cent, interest and 2£ pel cent, sinking fundi in comparison with Coleridge at J of a penny per unit. The first mentioned would be entirely reliable and would enable the Council to sell at a cheaper rate than by purchasing Coleridge supply at present rates. He had during the past foui years fulfilled his aspirations of main taining and improving a reliable supply and had thereby succeeded in reducing the cost to the consumer. This had resulted in a much larger demand foi electricity, and unless they were prepared to continue to give a good and reliable supply, they would go back to where they were four years ago. On the other hand if the supply is as it should be, their load would be over 1000 k.w. by 1926. If the supply were maintained they rould reasonably expect to produce a peak load of 750 k.w. next winter. It was decided to call tenders for an oil filter press. Councillor .Satterthwaite congratulated the Electric Light Committee t n bringing down such a good report. Councillor Shirtcliff endorsed these remarks, and said that Air F. J. Rolleston, M.P., was going to’Wellington this week and would do his best to get the Public Works Department to put the transmission line from Lake Coleridge, in order as soon as possible. Councillor Anstey moved that a deputation, consisting of t-ho Mayor, Councillors Irwin and Shirtcliff, should wait upon Air Rolleston to explain the committee’s recommendations, and ask him to give them his support. Tlie 1 motion was carried, and the report adopted. THE LIBRARY. The Librarian reported for the month ending 31st May, 192-1, as follows: Estimated average attendance in newsroom 6504 persons, or a daily average of 240 persons. Book issues—B4l2 fiction, 856 class books. Juvenile, issue—--2194 fiction, 118 class books. Grand 1 total 11,580 volumes. Finos, sales and subscriptions amounted to £l7 7s 4d. Forty-six borrowers, .16 juvenile borrowers, 5 yearly and .12 monthly subscribers were added to tho roll, and 15b volumes were added to the- .shelves. The report was adopted. LIBRAE Y COMMITTEE. Present,—Tho Alayor (in the chair), Councillor Anstev, Airs Paterson and Air W. J. Cotterill. Recommendation : That the Council call lor tenders for tho bookcases foi the lending library. The chairman was asked to personally interview the headmasters of the various schools in connect ion with the proposed concert in aid of the juvenile library. New books io the valua of £lB 10s were authorised lor purchase. FI NANCE COMMITTEE. Present — The Alayor, Councillors Hay, Irwin, Guinness and Vinnell. From the Timaru Fire Board advising that the levy on the Council would be. £llOO for the year ending June 30, 1925-. £IO3O for the venr ending Ala rob 31, 1925. From the Timaru Harbour Board forwarding copy of their e,-.Li mates for the year. From (lie South Canterbury Hospital Board forwarding a copy of its estimates for the year. From Lite Auditor-General stating that no exception would be taken to the payment of the South Canterbury Power Board's levy. Rcconimendal ion : Thai, levy lie paid. The report was adopted.