WORK OF BOROUGH COUNCIL

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19474, 26 April 1933, Page 13

WORK OF BOROUGH COUNCIL

REVIEW BY MAYOR. AN ARDUOUS YEAR. At the final meeting of the Timaru j Borough Council, which was held on . Mondav night, the Mayor (Mr T. W. j Satterthwaite) gave a lengthy resume j of the year’s operations. j The Mayor said that Councillors < would notice that they concluded the ; year with a deficit of £2472. As the re- : venue from water and general rates : was £2499 less than the estimates, it ; 1 was obvious that if times had been normal the usual amount of rate revenue would have more than absorbed the deficit which closely approximated the deficiency in rate collection. He pointed out that by reducing the rates Id in the £, they had, whilst affording much appreciated relief to the rate.payers, deprived themselves of revenue during the two years amounting to £11,569. He thought, therefore, that considering the extraordinarily difficult times they had passed through, they could congratulate themselves upon the financial result of their two years

works, which had been achieved without any curtailment of the ordinary activities of the Borough. During the year they made certain reductions in water charges to the Railway Department, Harbour Board and schools. The first two were forced upon them and although there was naturally a loss of revenue at first, he thought that they should find, particularly in the case of the Harbour Board, that the result in future would be an increase in revenue. Apart from the ordinary road works, certain important works had been undertaken. The Quarry Road extension, the widening of Arthur Street at its low lying portion by the erection of a concrete retaining wall, the widening of Hobbs Street, the drainage of the Luxmoore Road area and the Otipua lagoon outlet, which was still in hand, but the major portion of which had been completed. Considerable work had also been done in regard to water reticulation, which was particularly necessary as regards fire fighting. Further useful works which had added materially to the town were the grassing of Craigie Avenue under the trees, the provision of croquet grounds at West End Park, and the enlargement of the Ashbury Park croquet grounds, which had been undertaken by unemployed labour. The acquisition of a small piece of land and the rounding of the dangerous corner by the Gas Works, and the widening of Evans Street at Beverley Road, were very necessary works undertaken. Caroline Bay. Referring to Caroline Bay, the Mayor said that the expenditure of the balance of the loan on the new tea rooms was successfully carried out, and he was sure everyone would admit that it was an improvement upon the suggestion to attempt to add tea rooms to the Caroline Bay Hall. The entrance to the Bay was the subject of considerable discussion, but he was sure the Council took a wise course in closing the Viaduct except to pedestrians, and to ext,end the motor road to the Bay. After dealing with loans, regarding which the Mayor said no further burden had been inflicted on the Borough, the Mayor dealt with the important work of town planning which he said had received a considerable amount of attention during the past two years, and a special Town Planning Committee of the whole Council had been appointed to deal with the matter. Thanks to the very valuable assistance given by Mr Mawson (late director of Town Planning), who made several visits to Timaru, they were able to complete their town planning scheme which was now before the Town Planning Board. He thought that Timaru was the first Borough to deal with this matter which should have a great and beneficient influence upon the future development of the town. He also thought the Borough was due for a revaluation. Not only were values at present too high, but the distribution was inequitable, and he hoped that as a result of their endeavours, a commencement would be

nade this year. ♦ The Mayor then reviewed the posi- : ion regarding the town clock along ♦ ,he lines of recent statements, and ♦ proceeded to deal with reserves. He : >aid that during their term, they were ♦ infortunate to lose the services of the ; jurator, the late Mr David Harper, X who had served the Council faithfully i ;or many years. The work, however, ♦ was being ably carried out by his sue- : lessor, and though with the addition i >f a small area adjoining the Post Dffice, there had been no additions to the reserves, yet the laying out of further playing grounds in the existing reserves, such as that in Ashbury Park * and West End Park, all added to the I work and consequent expenditure of I the reserves. Trading Departments. Referring to the activities of the trading departments, the Mayor said that the Electricity Department had shown an increase of business; certain reductions in charges had been made, and it was hoped that next year it would be possible still further to reduce the charges to consumers. Serious attention was given during the year to the omnibus department, and every avenue explored whereby the loss which they had sustained, in common with all other boroughs on the transport service, could be minimised. As a result of certain curtailments of the service, it had been possible to reduce the cost without any serious inconvenience to the public. The Mayor added that he had mentioned under the heading of “works” several important works they provided for unemployed labour, and there had been no difficulty in absorbing the unemployed. In addition the Council had made grants to the Central Relief Society, and was now giving them firewood from the Briggs’s Gully camp. It provided them with quarters free of rent in the Old Council Chambers, and had also given the unemployed the use of the Foresters’ Hall. During the first year of office, moreover, they provided a sum of money in order to provide work for the stand down week, and they agreed that the proceeds of the Caroline Bay Carnival be devoted to the Central Relief Society to which the Mayor’s Coal and Blanket Fund, and the street day in connection therewith, were also handed over. Referring to the library, the Mayor said that there was no doubt the ratepayers greatly appreciated their excellent library, which had been very favourably commented upon by visiting librarians and other experts. He did not think that there was any town in I New Zealand in which the library was I more highly valued, or in which the facilities were utilised to such a great extent by all classes of the community. Conclusion. In conclusion, the Mayor thanked the members of the Council, particularly the chairmen of committees, for 1 much valuable assistance given him. Their term of office had been entirely free from that friction which had such a retarding influence upon the work and deliberations of a Council, and thus they had been able to give their attention wholly to the work of the borough. During his association with the Borough Council extending over twenty years, he had not experienced

kucVl a difficult and anxious time as that through which they had They should all sincerely trust that, there would soon be a turn for the better, and that the anxieties of the next Council might be materially lessened. As a portent, he might mention that arrangements are on foot for reopening the local woollen mills an industry of which they were in the past very proud. He was sure the town would unite in the desire that success might attend these efforts, and that the mills might have a prosperous future and amply reward the enterprise of those engaged in it.