BOROUGH COUNCIL

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20535, 29 September 1936, Page 11

BOROUGH COUNCIL

COMMITTEE REPORTS CONSIDERED ORDINARY MEETING Committee reports were presented at last night’s meeting of the Timaru Borough Council. Present—The Mayor (Mr P. C. Vinnell), Crs. A. S. Kinsman, M. H. Richards, F. B. Hawkey, A. G. Foster, H. J. Mathers, W. G. Tweedy and P. B. Foote.

Library Committee

The report of the Library Committee was as follows:

An application from a retailer in Stafford Street for the loan of the case of stuffed birds for window display was declined on the grounds that the Council property could not be loaned for private purposes. The report was adopted.

Milk Committee

The Milk Committee reported that the question of co-ordination between the Borough Council and the Agricultural Department in regard to the issuing of milk licenses and inspection of premises was discussed. The Agricultural Department officers pointed out that there was no necessity for the Council to take any steps in connection with the inspection of producers’ premises, which were being administered by the Agricultural Department, which registered the dairies after inspection. Applications from any vendors received by the Borough Council should be referred to the Agricultural Department for report as to the source of supply. The Council’s sphere, therefore, would cover the method of storage and delivery of the milk after it left the producers’ premises. As the Agricultural Department officers pointed out that the standard set by them was a high one, it was agreed that the Council should proceed on the lines indicated, licenses to sell milk within the borough to be Issued by the Council. It was also agreed that the Council should encourage to the fullest extent a system of bottled delivery as tending greatly to decrease the danger of contamination.

Details for ensuring co-ordination were thoroughly discussed and Mr Grant, principal district Inspector for the Department, promised to supply copy of the form in use tn Christchurch. A vote of thanks was passed to the Agricultural Department officers for attending the meeting and for the assistance given. The report was adopted.

Omnibus and Electricity Committee The report of the Omnibus and Electricity Committee was as follows:

The Electrical Engineer (Mr A. E. Watkins) was instructed to prepare and submit to the Committee information and suggestions to consumers in regard to the advantageous and economical use of electrically heated water. It was agreed, on the Electrical Engineer’s recommendation, that two Metrovlck transformers be purchased at a total cost of £3OB.

Finance Committee

The Finance Committee reported having discussed the matter of unauthorised expenditure. A letter was received from the Minister of Internal Affairs stating that he was agreeable to legislation being promoted for the purpose of validating expenditure in regard to the supply of milk to schools, and in connection with the death of His Late Majesty, King George V. A letter was received from the Commissioner of Patents stating that Patent Designs and Trade Marks Act was not applicable to the Borough Coat of Arms, the only protection for which was at common law. It was recommended that the Council purchase £lO worth of Health Stamps. A letter was considered from the South Island Travel Association suggesting that the Council should make at least a token payment towards the Association, and stating that a deputation was waiting on the Government asking for a subsidy and also for legislative authority for local bodies to contribute to the Association from their ordinary revenue.

As the Council had already decided that the matter stand over for six months it was recommended that the letter be received.

The Town Clerk reported that he had received quotations for bunting for the Coronation celebrations,' and the matter of decorating the Municipal Buildings was referred to a committee consisting of the Mayor, DeputyMayor and chairman with power to act. Speaking on the matter of the purchase of land adjoining Ashbury Park, Cr. Tweedy reported that Allan’s trustees were agreeable to reduce the interest rate to 34 per cent, provided the term of payment was reduced to 5 years.

It was recommended that this be agreed to and that an amount of £2OO per annum purchase money be paid together with any received from the North End Association, the balance to be handed over at the end of five years. The Town Clerk asked for instructions regarding the payment of electric light in respect to the Central Relief Depot, which had been authorised to the end of the month.

It was recommended that authority be given to continue this payment until the end of January. The Mayor spoke of the fine work that was being accomplished by. the Health Camp organisation and commended the appeal to the public. The report was adopted. Works Committee The Works Committee reported as follows: Traffic Inspector Newcome reported that following instructions, pedestrian crossing lines had been painted across the street in various parts of the town. The crossing In Stafford Street, opposite the Arcade was held in abeyance. The president of the Automobile Association informed him that the Association was in favour of the crossing being placed at that point. The Committee recommended that a pedestrian crossing be made immediately facing the Arcade across Stafford Street.

WaS read fr ° m the AutOmobUe Association conveying its apprewbhOn k, r he manner and Promptitude Bav ■m h rt Ch . th ® nettin 8 fence at the Bay Viaduct had been erected. nn a , H , e J bert Hall made application ° n K U.U Of the owners for permission to build a shop between the Commercial Bank and Craigle’s Building.

It was resolved that the application be declined as not being in compliance with the coverage requirements of the scheme.

Mr Herbert Hall also made application on behalf of the Woollen Mills for permission to make additions to their premises. It was agreed that this matter should be brought before the Town Planning Committee at its meeting in Timaru. The report was adopted.

Town Planning

The Council dealt with nine further objections to the town planning scheme and Its comments are to be referred to the Board when it sits in Timaru shortly. The Mayor congratulated the engineer (Mr T. O. Fox) on the manner in which he had handled town planning matters.

Cr. Foote spoke in appreciation of the Mayor’s attitude in permitting the engineer to attend the ' recent public meeting as a result of which the air had been cleared considerably.

Reserves Department

The curator (Mr A. W. Anderson) reported that his attention had been drawn to the fact that the estimated expenditure on the Scenic Reserve had already been over-spent by £3l. With the exception of a contract all other planting was immediately discontinued and costs were being kept as low as possible although the expenditure of about £3O would be necessary for cutting grass during the season. Street tree planting had also been over-spent, but a certain amount of this would be recovered by subscriptions from residents of Cain Street, and others. In this case work which was originally intended to have been carried out by Poppy Day men was done by the Reserves staff. The result was that although this item was over-spent, Maori Park had an equivalent amount in hand, as the Council did not have the time to do so much there as was intended. There should be no more expenditure under this heading during the year. A careful watch was being kept on all expenses and although the above items were over-spent economy had been observed in others, and the aggregate had not been affected.

Accounts for treatment amounting to £3/17/- were ■ received from Mrs E. Watson as a result of an accident owing to holes ■ being dug for tree planting. It was recommended that the account be paid by the Council. Cr. Foster reported that he had Inspected the electric light wires at the Scenic Reserve, and discussed the matter with the curator, and suggested that no action should be taken in regard to the removal of the trees which were not growing immediately under the poles. The recommendation was approved. A letter Was received from a resident in Matilda Street expressing appreciation of the work being carried out and suggesting that the section between Elizabeth Street and Church Street be tar sealed. It was recommended that the matter be considered again towards the end of the financial year when the position regarding the expenditure on that class of work was ascertained. The engineer (Mr T. O. Fox) reported that the Labour Department had ruled that in future all men engaged under Scheme 5 be paid 2/an hour or the award rate, which ever be the higher; but in the latter case no worker would be permitted to earn more than he was now receiving on the 2/- an hour basis. As the new award was 2/li an hour, this would necessitate men working an odd number of hours each week, and the original proposal of the Department was that the Council should work each man to the next half-day and pay the extra wages earned On the basis of last week’s pay-sheet, where 53 men were engaged, this extra cost to the Council would have been slightly over £7 for the week. An amended scheme has now been put into operation which, if enforced last week, would have Involved the Council in an additional expenditure of only 7/5, but necessitates a slight reduction in the allocation of work to men in classes E, G and I, while giving men in the other classes small increases in wages per week ranging from 1/3 to 3/4. It therefore followed that if no more men in the latter classes were allocated to Council jobs the increased cost to the Council would be very little more than under the 2/- per hour basis. The report was adopted.