TEMUKA MINOR STORM IN COUNCIL

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23258, 20 July 1945, Page 3

TEMUKA MINOR STORM IN COUNCIL

Question Of Clearing Streets Divergent Opinions Expressed i The question of whether work should have begun on clearing snow from the streets and pavements by the Borough staff at the week-end immediately after the snowstorm was the subject of a minor storm at the monthly meeting of the Temuka Borough Council on Wednesday evening, councillors holding divergen' views on what action should have been taken. Discussion ensued following a question by Cr. R. L. Stokes as to why the clearing work had not begun on Saturday morning. The Mayor 'Mr CL A. Harris* said that Cr. Stokes had raised a pertinent question. He had inspected the streets on Saturday. Traffic was getting through without difficulty and he had come to the conclusion that it was better, in view of the safety of the public, to leave the snow in its natural state rather than have it piled upon the side of the road by the grader. If this had been done in King Street, it would have blocked the entrance to shops and prevented cars from parking on the sides of the road. Weather i reports predicted more snow. Whether they had taken the right decision or nor. councillors should take a reason- 1 able attitude. They would know better what to do next time. The foreman (Mr T. Devine* said that, since Monday morning, a twoway track for traffic had been cleared in many streets in the Borough and snow cleared from many footpaths. He had no apology to make and would take the same action again under the same circumstances. Taking into consideration the extra expenditure involved. he considered no major inconvenience had been caused. Cr. Stokes said that the foreman's reply was not satisfactory. He had admitted that if snow came next week-

end the same thing would be done. There was not one councillor who had not received complaints. Voices: I have heard none. Cr. Stokes: I am not worrying about King - Street but about people at the other end of the town who could not get in to do their shopping. Cr. C. D. Hayhurst: The matter is not the responsibility of the foreman. It is not fair to make him the butt of any complaints. The foreman should get his instructions from the Works Committee or the Mayor. The Mayor: If the grader had been out- on Saturday, the driver would have been nothing but. a target for small boys with snowballs. Some people have been inconvenienced, but I found it impossible to please everyone. Cr. T. N. Scott: If anyone is to blame, it is the Council. Cr. E. G. Hancox said the public considered they had been let down by the Council. In Timaru and Christchurch, borough staffs had worked Saturday and Sunday clearing snow. Crs. Stokes and T. N. Scott had hosed snow off the main street themselves. Cr. D. C. Clark said it. was a debatable point if grading the snow from the centre of the road was a success. In Timaru they had put snow on to the sides of the roads and then bad to cart it away with lorries. The Borough bylaws required property owners to clear the snow from the pavement in front of their properties. Cr. M. S. Ansford said that the main road from Timaru to Christchurch had been graded with the exception of small portions at Temuka and Hinds. The Mayor: That is not correct. Cr. Ansford: We should at any rate decide what to do next time. “Many people are critical.’’ said Cr. L. F. N. Ward. “The Council, the Mayor and the foreman are made the butt when the least inconvenience occurs, but there arc two sides to the question.’’ e On the motions of Crs. E. G. Hancox and Ansford, it was agreed to send a letter of thanks to the Temuka staff of the South Canterbury Power Board and the Post and Telegraph Department for the good work done by (hem in restoring the lines. Resurfacing King Street “Are we prepared to accept this reply?’’ asked the Mayor, when a letter was read from the Public Works Engineer at Temuka >Mr R. McIntyre) stating that, as insufficient funds were at present available, it had been necessary for the Main Highways Board to defer the matter of reforming and sealing King Street in the meantime. Members: No! Cr. Hancox: We cannot swallow this excuse. The Highways Board is collecting money from motorists all the time. Motorists are being heavily taxed and are getting little for their money. The Mayor: There is money available to make speedways of two corners on the main highway north of the town. Cr. Ansford: There is money available to tar-seal the highway from Invercargill to Christchurch, but. it seems not enough to do one and a half miles in King Street. It is the worst stretch on the Main South Highway. In view of the fact that the visit of the Minister of Works 'the Hon. R. Semple) to the district had been postponed, it was agreed to communicate with him direct and that the Mayor take the matter up with the Main Highways Board Engineer in Christchurch. No Benefits “Although the Temuka Boroungh Council is a contributing body to the South Canterbury Catchment Board, i it seems that we are not going to get any benefits in the near future from its operations,” said the Mayor, when reporting on a meeting with the chairman and engineer of the Board 'Dr. < P. R. Woodhouse and Mr G R. Mil- ; wa rd). “Upon inquiring what we were likely j to get, in thv way of river protection ' work in th-.- Temuka district for our rates. I was told that we could expect practically nothing as the South Canterbury Catchment Board did not operate in a River Board district.’ said the Mayor. “Evidently the Board is more oncerned in preventing floods and in afforestation of the watersheds. As I sec it. the position is not satisfactory, but I have assured them that every assistance required will be given to their engineer.” Grants Approved A request, for an increase of £lO in the grant of £1 made annually by the Council toward the upkeep of the Rest Room to make the room presentable after damage by the recent flood was received from the secretar.v of the W.C.T.U. 'Mrs A. Douglas). It was agreed to make the usual grant and that the Town Clerk (Mr p. G. Shave) advise the Union to make application to the Slate Advances Corporation for a subsidy to cover the flood damage. An application from the Plunket Society for its annual grant of £25 was approved. Record Frost Many laps were frozen and waterpipes burst bj a h-o.st of 22 decrees experienced at Temuka yesterday

morning. This is the heaviest frost since regular recordings nave been taken at Temuka. Although the sun shone brightly, temperature did not rise above 39 degrees throughout the day. Rugby Temuka seniors v. Celtic. Fraser Park, at 2.45 p.m. The team will be as follows: L. Brosnahan. J. Chapman. P. Scott. N. Palmer, M. Murphy, E. Leary. W. Edgeler. A. Cross. W. WakeJin. D. O'Reilly. A. Smith. O. Birt. D. Taylor, W. McCullough. Emergencies W. Teahen. D. Goodman. K. O'Connor. W. Dippie. M. Boocock. Conveyances leave at 1.30 p.m. sharp. Hockey The following is the team to represent Temuka against Stafford B on Saturday, at 1.30: D. Smith. M. Young, N. Clinch, C. Thomson. J. Magee. G. Bolton. D. Stringer. M. Monk. S. Monk. J. Stringer. L. Leathern. Personal "We note with regret (he death of | the wife of a fo”mer member of this Council. Mr A. E. Smith.” said the Mayor 'Mr G. A. Harris) at the monthly meeting of the Temuka Borouah Council A motion ol sympathy with the relatives of r r rs Smith was passed, members standing in silence.