LAST TWO YEARS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20095, 30 April 1935, Page 11

LAST TWO YEARS

WORK IN BOROUGH REVIEWED STATEMENT BY MAYOR At a meeting of the Timaru Borough Council last night, the Mayor (Mr T. W. Satterthwaite) made a statement in regard to the financial position of the borough, and he also reviewed the work of the Council during the last two years. The Mayor said that the statement made out by the town clerk (Mr E. A. dealing with the financial position covered all the salient points, find there was therefore no need for fiim to traverse the position in detail. It was satisfactory to note, however, that owing to an Increase in revenue, they were able to carry out their programme for the year, and conclude with a cash balance, and the increase in revenue points, he trusted, to a more buoyant state of affairs than they had experienced during the dark years of the depression. It was proper that at that, their last meeting, he should refer briefly to the principal events of the last two years, and the progress and improvements in the town effected by the Council during its term of office. General Financial Administration. The Mayor went on to state:— “Loan Conversion—Timaru’s was, I think, the first proposal placed before the Loans Board and one of the first to be brought to completion. The result was to convert and consolidate the existing loans and by paying approximately the same annual amount of interest and sinking fund as previously we have been able considerably to shorten the life of our loans, and to show a definite date on which the borough will be free from debt. Previously the annual sinking fund provision for many of our loans was not sufficient to redeem them at maturity necessitating the expense of renewal from time to time and the uncertainty as to when they would eventually be paid off.

“Omnibus Loan —After a most careful consideration, we have taken the initial steps towards a new omnibus loan of £IO,OOO to renew our fleet on maturity of the present loan, which amounts to £12,200, and I trust that the policy we are pursuing in regard to building up a renewal and depreciation fund will obviate any future borrowing for the purpose of buses.

“Electricity Loan.—Our two electricity loans amounted to £96,300 of which £50,000 matured on March 31 last and being redeemed in full, will not need renewing. As a result to a great extent of the saving in interest and sinking fund of £3106 per annum we have for the ensuing year made a reduction in electricity charges to the extent of £4700, and I am pleased to say that during my four years’ team of office a reduction to consumers has been made approximately of £10,400. In some of our rates we are already lower than Christchurch, which is purchasing its current kt a cheaper rate from the Government than ourselves, and any suggestion that we should supply current at a cheaper rate than it costs us is, of course, absurd and unbusinesslike. In connection with our trading departments, I would point out that if you turn to your estimates you will find that they have for the first time been prepared on an income and expenditure basis instead of merely on a receipts and payments basis. Improvements to the Town. “Among the various works that have been undertaken to add to the beauty and dignity of the town during the past two years, I would more especially mention the new clock tower, the new Park gates and the new scenic drive, which was acquired from the Harbour Board and other owners, and supplemented by the generous gift of Mr George Bowker. The work in this drive will proceed apace when the scheme of planting therein (concerning which we have recently been in consultation with Mr Tannock) is decided upon. Other improvements to the town are the better lighting and layout of the Post Office Square by the V/reck Memorial, and the reserve at Chalmers Church, the additions to the Caroline Bay Hall in which we cooperated with the Caroline Bay Association and I take this opportunity of thanking them for their valuable assistance; the vesting of the Arcade in the Borough Council, which will enable it to undertake needed improvements therein. Considerable repairs and improvements have been effected at the abattoir, and the Council is carrying out a policy of annually concreting further portions of the water race, which should have a big effect in improving the quality of the water. We have also let the contract for the completion of the fencing of the race, and when this is finished the reconditioning of the balance will be put in hand, and arrangements have already been made for this to be done. Another much needed improvement was the heating of the library, which is now uniformly heated electrically by radiant heat to the added comfort both of the staff and the public. Town Planning Scheme. "During the past two years the town planning scheme of Timaru has been completed, and for some time has been waiting the approval of the Town Planning Board, representatives of which will shortly visit Timaru. Though no doubt in some of the details it may be modified, yet in its main outline there is little doubt in my mind that it will have a tremendous influence upon the future development of the town. As far as the Council is concerned the clauses of the scheme have been made as elastic as possible so as to avoid hardship in cases where peculiar circumstances exist; as for instance in the configuration of the land or pecularities in the surroundings. The principal aim of town planning, so far as I can see, is by a sensible zoning of the borough to ensure that certain areas are preserved for residential and others for industrial purposes, and the amenities of life preserved in such areas.

“There are two important matters which are exercising the Council at the present time, one is the immediate provision of a suitable airport towards which, I trust, we have now made considerable progress as a result of the report of Mr Beck of the Public Works Department. It is indeed time that Timaru was provided with a first class airport. The second is the matter of the water supply, and consideration of what further steps require to be taken to improve still further the water supply of the borough are now under review. Both these matters will receive the attention of the new Council, which will no doubt give them the careful consideration they deserve. Timaru Milk Supply. “This matter has been very fully considered by the Council, as may be gathered from the fact that during its

present term of office it set up a milk committee specially for the purpose of ensuring that the best possible milk supply was assured. This committee held no less than 12 meetings following a special meeting by the Council as a whole, and also held a conference with the Milk Suppliers’ Association. The Director .of the Division of Hygiene of the Health Department, and the Medical Officer of Health, Christchurch, also attended a meeting of the Council, the result being that the Council was of ophiion that all that Is claimed that would be effected by the passing of a Bill similar to the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Bill, could be effected by the Council itself, without the municipalisation of the milk supply. Although there was some delay on the part of the Department of Health in dealing with the matter, and although the Department changed its decision to permit the whole of the milk samples to be undertaken by the Council, and the analyses to be made in Timaru, yet I consider that the activities of the Council and its Milk Committee have resulted in assuring a clean and wholesome milk supply for the borough. Briefly stated the following are the steps now undertaken before a milk license is issued: All vendors’ premises are inspected and the regulations which ensure cleanliness and purity of the milk, are strictly enforced. These have been considerably tightened up. Our inspections and requirements also extend to the vehicles used for the cartage of milk and here again we have ensured that a suitable type of vehicle Is used. The Health Department is undertaking a regular systematic sampling of milk, and, in addition to the general analyses for the purpose of obtaining butter fat contents, etc,, and care against added water, a bacteriological examination is also made for the purpose of ensuring cleanliness. I do not think that there is anything in regard to the Timaru Milk Supply that requires further investigation. We are concerned only with the assurance of a regular supply of pure milk to our citizens and this is assured mainly by the activities of those producer vendors who winter and summer keep up a regular supply and whose premises both as regards milk storage and selling are acceptable, and subject to regular inspection. Unemployment. “The Council has not been neglectful of the necessity of doing all that they could to relieve distress caused by unemployment, and by direct grants to the Central Relief Society and also by the supply of firewood has spent nearly £IOOO a year in this direction. Last year the total grants for all purposes was £1727. “Last, but not least, we have endeavoured to keep Timaru upon the map, and to attract our fair share of visitors. We have given the necessary assistance to enable a publicity campaign to be launched the organisation of which is undertaken by the Railway Department. In the past we seemed to have been somewhat neglected in the matter of conferences, but we have made up for that recently having had the Band Contest, the Libraries’ Association and Rotary conferences, and we are promised the next Hospital conference, and we hope the next but one Municipal conference at Timaru. Such pamphlets as ‘Sunny Timaru’ and the band contest programme, to which the Council liberally subscribed, have also been of considerable value in attracting visitors to the town. We have a beautiful town, which I hope soon we shall be able to speak of as a city, and one that I am sure it has been a pleasure and a labour of love to have served.

Thanks and Appreciation. “As this is the last meeting of the Council, I wish to take the opportunity of expressing my thanks and appreciation to you all for the help you have given, me during the past two years. The work that has been accomplished has been accomplished by the Council as a whole, for it is only team work and by working harmoniously together that the ratepayers are going to benefit by our deliberations. To the chief executive officer (Mr Killick) I wish to tender my best thanks for his courtesy and assistance at all times, and to the heads of all departments and to the general staff both inside and out, I wish to heartily thank on behalf of the Council for the way that they have carried out their duties.”