GERALDINE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20668, 5 March 1937, Page 4

GERALDINE

THE HOUSING ACT COUNCIL DISCUSSION At the monthly meeting of the Geraldine Borough Council on Wednesday evening a letter was received from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Mr J. A. Lee, acknowledging receipt of the Council’s application for total exemption from the provisions of the Housing Survey Act, 1935, and the Regulations gazetted thereunder in December, 1936. In reply, Mr Lee stated that the general purposes of a housing survey were to provide information as to the number of dwelling houses which were over-crowded and which fell below a desirable standard of fitness for habitation, in order to determine the number of new houses which were required to be built adequately to house the people. It was only by such a survey that the housing requirements of the Dominion could be ascertained. and a satisfactory housing programme undertaken. He regretted that he was unable to recommend to the Minister of Finance to grant total exemption for the Geraldine Borough Council from the provisions of the Housing Survey Act, 1935, as the Minister has no power to grant such exemption. He wished to point out. however, that such areas in which it was definitely known that the dwelling houses did not fail below the standard of overcrowding and fitness as set out in the second and third schedule of the regulations, might be omitted from the survey. He would also be prepared to recommend approval of a plan showing only those sections with dwellings thereon which the Council consider were below the standard of overcrowding and fitness as set out in the second and third schedule of the

regulations.—lt would be necessary, however, to define these sections by a blue boundary line.

Cr. P. H. Davis: It does not seem a fair proposition that we should have to point out which houses do not comply with the conditions of the Housing Act. The Mayor (Mr B. R. Macdonald): It seems that we will have to go on with it, and we will have to bear the expense of any inspection. The Town Clerk explained that after an inspection had been made a detailed report on any dwelling which did not comply with the regulations would have to be forwarded to the Department concerned, and the Department would decide what action was required. In reply to a question the Town Clerk remarked that if the Council did not comply with the legislation it could be taken to Court. Cr. A. J. Bell: Let them! The Mayor: Oh, no!! The Town Clerk: I am afraid we will be compelled to submit the information reouested. Cr. Davis: Ido not see why we should be compelled to forward the information and inflict hardship on the owner or the people living in these dwellings. Cr. Z. O. Sherratt: There is nobody on the unemployed who would be competent to carry out this inspection. Cr. Davis: I do not agree with that idea. He would be pitched long tales by the occupants, and the result would be that people would expect thousands of pounds to be spent on new dwellings. Cr. Sherratt: Yes, we would all want to live in a £1250 house. Cr. Bell: I am quite prepared to “receive” the letter. Let the Department concerned do its own inspection. Cr. Davis: Conditions here are totally different from those in a crowded The Council agreed that a list of dwellings which did not appear to comply with the requirements of the Housing Act should be compiled.

HIGHWAYS BOARD

BOROUGH REPRESENTATIONS Advice that members of the Main Highways Board would visit Geraldine to-day was received at the meeting of the Geraldine Borough Council in a letter from Mr F. Langbein, the Board’s representative in Canterbury. The members would arrive at 12 noon, and would depart at 1.45 p.m. after lunch.

A letter from Geraldine County Council invited the members of the Borough Council to lunch with the Main Highways Board. The Town Clerk read a letter to the Highways Board Intimating that the Council desired to make representations urging the declaration of that portion of the present main highway within the borough as a State highway.

Cr. A. J. Bell: We should push for it for all we are worth. With the completion of the new highway deviation, we will find that we will have to bear the cost of maintenance of our section of the present highway if we do not look out.

Cr. E. B. D. Logan: It will saddle our Council with extra expense. Cr. Bell: If the Ashburton County Council had done its part as well as the Geraldine County Council the Hinds Road or the Maronan Road would have been sealed long ago. Wc are part of New Zealand and why should we allow the Highways Board or anyone else to cut us off the main highway? In the past there has not been enough co-operation between the business men of the town and the Council. The Council ought to make a firm stand. The Mayor (Mr B. R. Macdonald): We have decided to go before the Main Highways Board and protest.

On the suggestion of Cr. J. R. Lack, it was agreed that the Council should assemble half an hour before meeting the Highways Board in order that the Council’s representations might be adequately prepared. The Town Clerk was instructed to write thanking the County Council for the invitation to luncheon. THE CORONATION LOCAL CELEBRATIONS At the meeting of the Geraldine Borough Council on Wednesday evening Cr. A. J. Bell inquired what arrangements were being made in regard to the Coronation celebrations. The Mayor <Mr B. R. Mqcdonald): I have been watching to see what other local bodies will do, but they all seem to be waiting on each other to take action. Cr. A. J. Bell: Why not take the lead, and set the example? The Council agreed that the Mayorshould confer with the chairman of the Geraldine County Council (Mr K. Mackenzie) in regard to the calling of a public meeting under the auspices of the Borough and County Councils to decide what action should be taken in regard to celebrating the Coronation. BOROUGH COUNCIL MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the Geraldine Borough Council, held on Wednesday evening, was attended by the Mayor (Mr B. R. Macdonald) and Crs. J. R. Lack, P. H. Davis, Z. O. Sherratt, A. J. Bell and E. B. D. Logan. An apology was received from Cr. H. Russell. The financial statement showed that the receipts totalled £436/15/1, including rates (1936-1937) £350/12/1. There was a debit of £905/10/11.

In his report the Mayor intimated that a local body member, who had been among the delegates to the master builders’ conference who had visited Geraldine the previous Friday, had complimented him on the state of the gardens and the neatness and general appearance of the Domain, which was most pleasing. Mr Macdonald mentioned that Mr E. H. Marriner, organising manager of the South Canterbury Industrial Exhibition and Winter Show, had requested him to convene a public meeting at Geraldine at which all organisations and individuals willing to assist at the forthcoming show were invited to attend. The show had been a wonderful success last year, and it was hoped to excel it this year. The librarian <Mrs K. E. Pierce) reported that 624 books had been issued during the month. Three new members had joined for three months. Some of the older members complained about the scarcity of new books. Subscriptions totalled £2/11/6. The Mayor remarked that perhaps it would be well to put the library on some other footing; it did not seem to be satisfactory. Cr. Z. O. Sherratt remarked that the library committee had agreed to go into the matter of new books, but the chairman of the committee (Cr. H. Russell) had been away on holiday. They would soon be entering a new financial year, and the matter could be gone into then. On the suggestion of Cr. E. B. D. Logan, who referred to the difficulty of securing suitable books, the remainder of the discussion was taken in committee. No decision was announced when the Council resumed in open meeting. General The Main Highways Board representative, Mr F. Langbein, intimated that approval had been given to the laying of a concrete stormwater pipe near the Waihi traffic bridge. It was decided to set back the fence at the Town Hall corner on the piece of land given by Mr Robert Morrison. The Minister of Transport noted that the Council had requested that attention be drawn to the excessive speed at which cars proceeded along the main highway passing through Geraldine. He would be pleased to place this matter before his Department for attention, and he trusted that the nuisance would be quickly eliminated. Mr A. L. Brenton (Shaw Street) offered to contribute up to £6 towards the cost of improving the drain through his property.—lt was agreed to carry out the work in the new financial year. Cr. Logan said that a word of praise was due to Mr W. J. Grindell for the excellent work he had carried out during the absence of the foreman on holiday. Mr A. M. Hamlin, wlto wrote in

regard to the suggestion that a children’s playground shov.l'i be equipped at the Domain as part of the commemoration of the Coronation, asked the Council to consider his application for the position of caretaker for the playground and motor camp. The clerk was instructed to reply that nothing was being done in that direction at present. AMATEUR ATHLETICS The following are the results of the Geraldine Amateur Athletic Clubs sports meeting on Wednesday evening:— 220 Yards—R. Johnstone 1, C. Eathorne 2, L. Allan 3. 440 Yards—L. Allan 1, C. Eathorne 2, Burt 3. 880 Yards—L. Allan 1, Burt 2, C. Eathorne 3. Shot putt—C. Eathorne 1, L. Allan 2, R. Johnstone 3. CRICKET The following will represent the Geraldine Cricket Club to-morrow: Seniors v. Old Boys B, at Geraldine: D. Mackay, J. Stone-Wigg, F. Stack, E. Scott, G. Webb, T. Campbell, A. Vincent, E. Schnack, H. Morrison, A. Wordsworth, G. Vial. Juniors v. Old Boys at School Park (cars leave at 1 p.m.)—E. Polhill, J. Claydon, C. Williams, W. Payne, K. Wallach, J. Lysaght, R. Crotty, A. Ford, C. McNichol, H. Davis, J. Coursey. ‘THIRTEEN HOURS BY AIR” Paramount’s “Thirteen Hours By Air,” a thrilling drama of romance and excitement on a transcontinental passenger plane, will be screened at the Municipal Theatre to-night at 8.15, with a cast headed by Fred MacMurray and Joan Bennett. A large cast supports the two principal players, among them Zasu Pitts, John Howard, Bennie Bartlett, Grace Bradley, Alan Baxter, Brian Donlevy, Ruth Donnelly and Fred Keating. Mitchell Leisen directed the picture.