TIMARU BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18200, 26 February 1929, Page 6

TIMARU BOROUGH COUNCIL.

ORDINARY MEETING. The ordinary meeting of the Timaru Borough Council was held last night. Present:—The deputy-Mayor (Mr A. L. Gee), in tlie chair, Councillors T. W. Sacterthwaite, P. C. Viimell, H A. limes-Jones, AI. Thompson, G. ]). Virtue, P. 13. Foote, F. IS. Hawkey, A. Kennedy, J. Mutcnison and J. R. Hart. FINANCE COMMITTEE. Tho report of the Finance Committee was as lollows: Pay Sheets and Accounts:—The following accounts were passed for payment : —District Fund Account, £17,267 2s 6d; E.P. and L. Department, £1,04.6 3s; Omnibus Service, £742 8s Id: Waterworks Loan No. 6 (£3100), £l7 10s 3d. Depreciation Charges on Omnibus and Electrical Reticulation :—Resolved. —That the matter of depreciation charges be held over until the next meeting of the Committee. Letter from Timaru Floral Society re rental of Bay Hall:—Recommendation.

—That the timaru Floral and Horticultural Society’s application for the use of the Bay Hall on February 28 and March 1, 1929 at a rental of £5 10s for the own days be acceded to on the same conditions as previous years. Conduct of halls :—Recommendation. —That Councillor Gee be asked to report on the question of by-laws for the conduct of halls and that the Caretaker of Caroline Bay be asked to report to the Works Committee on the facts of the disturbance, if any, at the Caroline Bay Hall on Saturday last. Referring to the amount of rates outstanding, namely £2723, as against £3179 last year. Councillor Foote pointed out 'that this amount referred to the rates struck this year, and not to previous amounts outstanding. Referring to a recommendation that a strip of eight feet on the western side of Section No. 25 be accepted by the Council, Councillor Satterthwaite said that the Council should not accept it as a riglit-of-way until it had been pronerly formed. The deputy-Mayor: The recommendation is that it be accepted as a re-

Councillor Satterthwaite: Is that, fair? It is not fair that the Council should accent the land as a reserve, knowing full well that it is to he used as a right-of-way. I vvill move that the matter be referred back to the Committee for further information and report.

The motion was seconded by Councillor Yinnell, who said that he had no desire- to hold the 'work up, but it was better to be sure than sorry. Councillor Foote said that the present Council had already taken over a naiTower strip of land as a reserve, so there was no legal bar to tlie position. Ho considered the present proposal was in the interests of the Council and the lesidents in the particular locality. Councillor Hart also considered that the arrangement was an excellent one. Councillor Satterthwaite : Is the case on all fours with the previous cast!? Tlie deputv-Mayor: The cases are practically tho same. Councillor Satterthwaite: Did you buy it Y The deputy-Mayor: Yes, we bought it. The motion was lost by seven votes to four. Councillor Foote moved that the following be added to the Committee’s, recommendation: “That, subject to tlie Borough solicitors advising 'that there are no legal objections to tlie course proposed.” The motion was carried. Councillor Satterthwaite: “It is going to cost us another guinea. Councillor Foote: It will cost more than that before we are finished. The report was adopted. OMNTBUS COMMITTEE. Tho Omnibus Committee reported as follows: Omnibus shelter at the George Street and Stafford Street terminus :—Recommendation.—That the question of providing Omnibus shelters at the George St. and Stafford St. terminus be referred to the estimates. The report was adopted. AVORKS COMMITTEE. The AVorks Committee reported as follows: Timetable for .school children at Century and Oldway Baths.—Recommendation.—That the timetable for school children at Century and Oldway Baths as submitted be adopted. Reading, Ataahua Park.—Recommendation. —That the Committee’s recommendation that the width of the southern loading, Ataahua Park be increased by two feet, and that the grass edging adjacent bo reduced to a width of six feet and tho footpath seven feet bo approved and that the Engineer be asked to confer with the Borough Curator and report on tho advisability or otherwise or increasing the width of tho northern road by twenty feet, thus reducing tho centre plot by two feet and further to report on the layout generally. Tennis Courts. Ataahua Park. Curator’s Report:—Recommendation.—That the report he held over and that the representatives of the S.C. Lawn Tennis Association ho asked to attend the next: meeting of the AVorks Committee and that a copy of the report he sent to the Secretary.

Coiner Stafford Street and Sefton Street: —Recommendation. —That the offer of the Hydro Grand Ltd. to dedicate a strip of land at the corner of Stafford and Sefton Streets ho accepted in the terms of their letter of tlie 20th February, 1929 and that a letter of appreciation be forwarded to the Directors of the Hvtlro Grand Ltd. Letter from ‘Air 11. AVebb re pie cart:—Recommendation. —That the request be not entertained. Letter from Mr J. Johnston re korbing and channelling in Terrace :—Recommendation. —That the Engineer he instructed to proceed with the plan as adopted by the Council. Councillor Satterthwaite asked why the tar grouting of the centre of the tramline in Otipua Road had been delayed. The Engineer said that he pointed out to the AVorks Committee, when on its round of inspection, that certain portions of tlie Inc were out of alignment, and that if the grouting was done, it would have to be torn up at on early date. Councillor Satterthwaite asked why the matter had not previously been reported to the Council. AVlien they wore on their tour of inspection. Conn cillor A'innell, Councillor Kennedy and he. had seen the track in a had state, and lie had asked Councillor K. nned.v to hail the other members. Tt was then that the question was asked, lie considered that the acting-Town Clerk should immediately write to the Harbour Board on, the matter. The deputy-Mayor: Will you move that? Councillor Satterthwaite: Will you vote for it? (Laughter I '. The deputy-Mayor: Councillor Satterthwaite, T ask you to treat the chair with n certain amount of respect. Councillor Saterthwnito : T will. sir. Councillor Satterthwaite then moved that the acting-Town Clerk bo instructed to write to tho Harbour Board, drawing tlmir attention to the matter, and po’ning out that the Council desired to tar crout between the rails. The Engineer, in reply to Councillor Hart, said that if the tar grouting \vo* to be done this season, then it would have to be done within the next ten weeks. The motion, which was seconded hv CouncilV<- A'innoM. wn« W b v cix votes in five. Tho —For: Counc : ’’ Sail ' Vinnoll. Virtue, Hawkey, and Kennedy.

Against: Tho deputy-Mayor, Councillors Innes-Jones, Thompson, Foote, Hutchison and Hart. Councilor A'innell said that the work in Otipua Road was being paid lor by the Harbour Board. Councillor Foote: I know that. I voted against the motion, not because I did iot want the work done, but because I objected to tlie bear-baiting of the Engineer across the table. Councillor Satterthwaite: AVliat a ret you going to do when you have an expert who doesn’t do his job. The Engineer: Expert or no expert. 1 object to spending the money of tlie Council, or the Harbour Board, on work which would have to he torn up in a few weeks’ time.” The deputy-Mayor: This matter has already been settled. There was no further discussion.

Councillor A’innell suggested that the Engineer’s attention should be drawn to the state of Church Street AVes’t. H something was not done before the wet weather set in. then it would cost the Council a lot of money. The report was adopted. LIBRARIAN’S REPORT. The Librarian (Aliss Al. E. Oulverwell) reported as follows: “The estimated average attendance in newsroom for January was 6564 persons, or a daily average of 211 persons. Book issues :—8963 fiction and 990 class books, making a total of 9953 volumes. Juvenile issues:—ll9o fiction and 61 Class books, making a total of 1251 vol- “ Fines, sales, subscriptions amounted to £2l 8s 5d Thirty-nine new borrowers, 4 student borrowers, 3 yearly and 17 monthly subscribers were added to the Roll and 298 volumes were added to the shelves. I have to acknowledge:—The New Zealand Statutes for 1928 from the Government Printer. The Tour of Commerce Train. Auckland Province, from New Zealand Railways Publicity Branch. I would recommend that a sheaf catalogue of the clss hooks in the lending library be prepared for the use of the public; the catalogue to be arranged by subjects and to be typewritten. This work could be undertaken in April and would take about a month to complete. I would estimate the cost of about fifteen pounds.” The report was adopted. ELECTRICITY DEPARTMENT. The General Manager of the Electricity Department (Air E. F. Hollands) reported as follows : “Bulk Supply:—The supply from Grant’s Hill Sub-station has been satisfactory, only one interruption having occurred since my last report—l4th January from 5.13 p.m. to 5.15 p.m.— 2 minutes. All plant and equipment is in good order and condition, no trouble being experienced on our own reticulation during the same period. “Street Lighting The street lighting in the AVaimataitai area has been overhauled and the circuit considerably shortened, the result giving better illuminative effect by the carrying out of this work. New street lignts have erected as instructed—lrvine Street two lights; Hcrtnon Street one light; Otipua Road north end one light. Extra lighting has been effected in the Perth Street parking area, a further light boin gerccted in Sophia Street opposite the Alemorial. An extra light has been erected at the parking area in Banks Street opposite the AVoollen Alills.” ENGINEER’S REPORT.

The Borough Engineer submitted the following report:— “Road AVorks. —The formation of North Street prior to metalling has been completed as far as Bank Street and the next block to Craigio Avenue is now in hand. The metalling, spraying and grouting is completed to Latter Street. King Street has been sprayed with bitumen from Park Avenue to a point five chains north of Queen btreet. “Water Race. —The flow in the race is still sufficient to meet the demands of consumers, and the Reservoirs are full, but with the continued dry weather, and the falling off in the quantity of water in the Pareora River, 1 would suggest that Consumers be again warned that it is an offence under the Bylaws to leave garden hoses unattended. AVaste of water to such an extent that it flows across the footpath has bee a noticed in several premises and man.v Consumers have been cautioned Experimental Concrete Roadway.— In connection with the proposal to lay ian experimental strip of concrete roadway, the cement for which has been offered by Air Bryan-Kmg ? I would suggest that this strip be laid in King Street at its junction with Craigie Avenue. Tn this position the roadwav would not be to be disturbed for sewer or water mains, and would carry the whole of the traffic on the Alain South Road, as well as a certain amount of cross traffic. The quantity of cement ,offered is sufficient to lay one chain of roadway eighteen feet wide and tho cost to the Council is estimated at £27 10s. „ Timaru Trotting Club —Old AVator Cart. —The above Club offers the sum of one pound for the old water cart at present lying in the Omncil’s yard. The cart is in a very had state of repair, and T am unable to suggest any use to which the Council may put it now or in the future.