TEMUKA BOROUGH COUNCIL

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVI, Issue 21325, 20 April 1939, Page 3

TEMUKA BOROUGH COUNCIL

Drainage Problem Discussed Annual Reports Received In answer to a letter from the Council, information was received from New Zealand Insulators Ltd., at last night’s meeting of the Temuka Borough Council, stating that it would not give an assurance that it would not claim damages from the Council in the event of the works being flooded as a result of the alteration in the stormwater drainage in Godley Street.

Cr Whitehead: We do not want to get up against Insulators’ Ltd., but if there is a watercourse there we should be able t<j use it.

In answer to a question the Mayor (Mr A. W. Buzan) said that stormwater had been turned into a vacant section owned by Mr Gale who had complained and said that he would be satisfied If the Council would fill it in. This had been done. Now the stormwater emptied in the river. Mr Gale had partly filled in the adjoining section and stormwater now banked up in Mr Hancox’s property. Insulators Ltd., was an extending enterprise and it was only a matter of time before it would fill in the depressions. Cr D. G. Hayhurst: That letter is a bluff. If we are liable for letting the water in, Insulators Ltd. is to blame for not letting it out the other end. Cr J. M. Ritchie: It does not alter the fact that we cannot turn water into private property.

Cr Whitehead: If it is not a natural water course we cannot turn the water into the property. It was agreed on the motion of Cr Whitehead that the whole Council inspect the site. Fire Brigade An application was received from the Temuka Volunteer Fire Brigade for permission to instal Fireman Phillips as station officer. Cr Whitehead: Is Fireman Phillips capable of looking after the engine? The Mayor: I understand that he cannot drive. Cr Whitehead: Then he is not fit to look after the engine. Cr T. N. Scott: He can learn like anyone else. Fireman Phillips was caretaker before and he proved most efficient. Cr McMillan: Certainly he is a fine caretaker, but so far as the engine is concerned he does not know much. It is a station officer that is required and not a caretaker. Cr Burns: If Fireman Phillips can look after the general work there is no necessity for his being a driver. Cr Scott: You cannot hold a caretaker responsible for anything that goes wrong with the engine. It would need the attention of a mechanic.

Cr Whitehead: Who is responsible for the engine? The Council does not seem to know. It appears to me that everyone has a buck at it. It was decided to refer the matter to the Fire committee to confer with the Fire Brigade. General The National Council of Physical Fitness and Recreation advised that the Minister of Internal Affairs was desirous of having a District Committee set up in Temuka, and suggested a committee of five, two from the Council and three to be nominated by the Minister.

The Mayor said that the Physical Fitness Committee had the matter in hand and that a Social Club had been formed.

Seeking information in regard to the re-laying of the water main at Winchester, the Winchester School Com-

mittee asked what the Council proposed doing in the matter, as the committee contemplated making arrangements for a supply of water for the school.—The letter was received.

Discussing an application for three building permits, Cr. Whitehead moved that the inspector of buildings be instructed to see that the buildings comply with the borough by-laws. One building had been completed, another was three parts up, and the other started. All plans should be submitted before a building was commenced. Cr. D. C. Clark: I do not think there is any need to worry. If the Health Inspector is half as strict as he is in the county you can be sure that the building will be all right. The motion was carried. The Audit Office advised that the matter of unauthorised payment of £3/12/1 would not be pursued further. It was decided that the Schools Agricultural Clubs be charged £1 for the use of the Drill Hall in which it held its show. A motion of sympathy was passed to the relatives of Mr J. Bremner. Annual Report The annual report of the Borough Council which was received at last night’s meeting, stated that under various Government schemes the Borough had the services of up to 80 men during the year, and the sum of £12,500 had been paid in wages for the period under review for street works, etc., under the control of the Council. The chief work undertaken had been the re-forming of roads and footpaths on the East side of the Borough, but their completion had not been possible owing to the number of men engaged being out of proportion to the transport facilities, and in most cases foundation work only had been carried out. It was thought that final topdressing and finishing work would be carried out later -when the available labour was curtailed. Roads reformed included the completion of High Street from Raynor Street to Murray Street, Shaw. Street north, Guise Street, Princess Street east and Terrace from Shaw Street to Guise Street.

Footpath formation was undertaken on all streets from Murray Street to the railway crossings and at March 31, 427 chains had been excavated and a solid foundation of shingle provided in readines for tar sealing. Storm water drainage works had been completed as follows: Vine Street, open drain filled in and roadsides graded, concrete culverts, sumps and watertables constructed to provide for the diversion of stormwater from King Street via Wood Street; Murray Street from North Belt to High Street watertables and roadsides regraded, concrete culvert and necessary pipe drains provided to discharge storm water to creek via Cross Street, pipe outfall at North Belt relaid; North Belt from Wilkin Street to Murray Street, watertables formed and graded to discharge at most suitable points; Sixty-six feet of concrete culvert at the intersection of Gammack Street, 74 feet of concrete culvert at the intersection of Princess Street and Hornbrook Street, to replace old pipe outfall. Household water supplies were laid, repair jobs on mains and services, six faulty joints on the Orari pipe line repaired, one main and numerous fire plugs lowered to conform with new road levels, had been undertaken.

The year’s topdressing of sealed roads completed work held over from last season, including portions of King Street, High Street, Wood Street, Wilkin Street and Ewen Road. Twentythree chains of asphalt footpath and extra width footpath was laid and topdressed, footpaths on King Street from Wood Street to High Street, also received one coat of tar and sand. All bridges within the Borough had been repaired and repainted and extensions to concrete work carried out in the Baths. Land adjoining the Fire Station was cleared and levelled to form a car parking area, shrubs at the approach to the Railway Station removed, and flower beds formed and roadsides trimmed. A complete cler. i up of all streets, stormwater drains and reserves had been completed during the year, particularly in outlying portions of the Borough. Town Clerk’s Report The Town Clerk (Mr A. G. Foreman) reported that the financial position of the Council should be considered satisfactory in view of the increases which had occurred during the year in wages and costs of materials. The year closed with a credit balance of £253/7/1 compared with -30/8/2 last year. The receipts, including the balance brought forward from last year, amounted to £24,937/17/9, leaving a credit balance of £253/7/1. The amount of rates levied was £5,536/10/7, and the sum of £5,134/7/11 was collected, representing 92.75 per cent. The balance outstanding amounted to £402/2/8. The position at the same time last year was as follows: Rates levied, £4,582, rates collected £4,214/11/9, representing 91.9 per cent, and the rates outstanding amounted to £344/14/1. Arrears of rates paid

during the year amounted to £325/18/7, compared with £243/2/7 in the previous year. FOOTBALL All grades of the Temuka Football Club will play friendly games with teams from country and town clubs on Saturday. The Referees’ Association is planning to send suitable men to instruct Temuka players in the rules. The committee of the local club decided to appeal to ex-players to referee matches. Thanks for the manner in which the Methven Football Club had treated the Temuka Club when it visited Methven last Saturday was expressed. NATIONAL PARTY The election of officers at the annual meeting of the Milford Women’s branch of the New Zealand National Party resulted as follows: President, Mrs E. R. Comer; vice-president, Mrs J. McCormick; secretary, Mrs J. T. Brown jun.; committee, Mesdames J. C. Brown, L. Prattley, J. A. Brown, A. Chester, D. Crossman, A. Caithness, Misses E. Macaulay and M. Macaulay. The annual report and balance-sheet were read and received. JUVENILE DRUIDS A very enjoyable card party organised by the Temuka Juvenile Druids’ Lodge was held on Tuesday. Euchre prizes were won by Mrs F. Walker and

Mrs R. Jamieson, and Messrs J. Goodman and McGillen. A competition was won by Mrs T. Scott. “SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS” If you have ever read Grimms’ folk tales—and who hasn’t?—there’s a real treat coining for you when “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” opens at the Elite Theatre to-morrow. Mor" ; important yet is the fact that “Snow , White” is produced in Technicolour by i Walt Disney in full length! It is an [ event in film history ranking in significance with the birth of the first talkie! It’s not only a delightful vision of Gnomeland and its wonderful Little People screened with marvellous beauty, and sizzling with rollicking comedy, but is dramatically appealing, j The story of the jealous Queen s attempted murder of the little Princess, who is valiantly aided b-» her ! tiny p&ls, the dwarfs, is a genuine thriller with trenchant appeal for young and old! The newly formed Temuka Harrier I Club will hold its official opening on i Saturday, at 2.30 p.m. Mr W. B. Bland. F.8.0.A. (Hons.), F. 1.0. (London), representing Procter’s the Premier Opticians, Christchurch, will be visiting Temuka, and may be consulted on the defects of eyesight at the Temuka Hotel, on Monday, Api ;1 24, from 12 noon to 4 p.m. Appointments can now be made by rineine th<