Borough Council

Tuapeka Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 6307, 3 November 1915, Page 3

Borough Council

The ordinary meeting af the Lawrence Borough Counoll wag held on Monday nigkt. 'Plcesent—His Worship the iiayor \Mr James Arthur, M'inn, Munro, , Christie, and McKinlay. An apology was received for the absence of Crs. Leary, Edie, Simpson, and Thompson. Correspondeaoe. From. John Harris, borough rangej, notifying that during the month oi Ojctober he had impounded cows and three horses.—deceived. From Lieut. R, C. Moore, applying for the use of Town 11*11 from 'luesday 26th inst. to Friday list, duting the hours of 7,.30 to i> or D.bb each evening so enable the Senioi Cadet Coifipany and the 14th Territorials to' carry "out their military drills.—l 1m action of the Mayor 111 granting permission was approved. Head Surfaceman's Iteport. The head surfaceman reported that i during the past two, weeks he had ! cleaned oul the. worst portions of the drains in Colonsay, Campbellton and Sohvay streets anc| removed the debris, repaired the footbridge in Lismoic street and/ the crossing an Hastings street. Keport received. : Accounts. The following accounts were passed for payment:— Debentureinterest £1 10 (I William Chalmers 6 15 6 Browne Bros 2 15 6 A.Z. Hallways 16 5 Total £l7 17 5 Acetylene Gas Consumption.. ihe clerk reported that the amount of gas generated during the month of October was 3,31)5 feat as against 3,671 feet for the previous month ; that the amount privately consumed was 2,575 feet, the revenue from same being £8 19s Ud (including twelve shillings for meter hires). Street Lighting. C'r. Winn, Chairman; of the Lighting Committee, rfiported that Mr Harris's contract for tiu> lighting of the street lamps expired on the 31st ult., and il now remained for the Council to arrange for the lighting that was required during the; ensuing four months also- to arrange for the bringing in of the lamps, many of which .were in a bad condition and required overhauling. The arrangement oi the matters referred to was left In the hands of tli<s Lighting Committee. Our Returning (Soldiers.

Cr. MciMnlay referred to the want oi arrangements for the proper reception of returning soldiers. He said lie did xiol wanL to criticise! anyone, uitv it hadf luxin brought homo to 'hem very forcibly that then; was ■ionielliiiig wrong, llu thought some teps should lie taken so that tile town would uot rest under the stigma of want; of hospitality to those who Had responded to tile country's call, and he referred to all instance (.hat day c>l a young mail who had relurned, after distinguishing himself at iim front. Liu had arrived at Lawrence with his parents and there was not a member of either the Patriotic Committee or Borough Council, to pvt. a handshake of welcome home and, in addition he had to stand about ii*. the' rain waiting for the mail conveyance to take him to his home. Ii proper arrangements had been mads there was no reason why this young mian and his parents should not have been given their hjuch in Lawrence and afterwards taken to their home by motor car. As a step towards ob- ■ iating further cases of neglect he suggested that tw Q or three members of the Council should 'be appointed to wor'i in conjunction with the Patriotic Committee and that on</ of ilv members should be appointed to act as deputy Mayor in the absence oihte 1 Worship.

The Max •or explained that the case lTii'i-n.d to In Cr. AlcKinlay had been mentioned at that night's meeting of of the executive of Patriotic Committee. He had received a telegram announcing the arrival of this trooper but it had come to hand too late to permit either of h,ls being present at the train or communicating with the l'alriotic Committee. It was, he Said, his intention next .morning to instruct the Postmaster to deliver any further telegrams regarding the arrival of returning men to Mr Browne, the secretary of the Committee, so that arrangements could be made to suitably welcome home any of their boys who came along in the future. i At the samei time he pointed out that he had done everything in his power to meet all the boys returning to this district from the front, hut, the dilliculty was to gH .definite information as to the Irain by which they were coming. He thought the arrangement suggested would be. step in the right direction and obviate any furthere reflectionsas to their want of sympathy or hospitality.

After some discussion it was resolved that Crs. IVlna, Munro, and Arthur be appointed to iwork in conjunction with the Patriotic Committee in this matter and that Cr. Winn l>e vested with the powers of Deputy Mayor.

((inscription. Cr. McKinlay said he thought the time. hiul arrived when it was the duly oi all local bodies to urge' on the Government t-ho necessity of compulsorv service. New Zealand had, he said, led the l way in many reforms, and he thought the/ Government would be acting in the liest interests of the Empire if it led the way in this movement. He moved—" Thatthis Council urge on the Government the bring.ng in of compulsory military service at the earliest possible date." tj Cr. Munro seconded the motions; Cr. AVinn said that unfortunate™ he was in favour of the motion thffligh for: so:ne time the was in hopes Ijfnat they would be able to carry thrajigh without resorting to this step, fe" Cr. Arthur also favoured theffi nO . t-ion us he' considered it was thefenhway to get at those who were Br]cing their responsibility. ft Cr. Christie while not opposingi&hc illation was not altogether in ff®,ur of so drastic a step. ft The Mayor said he had always Ken against conscription and firmlyi),elieved that they would yet get allShi men they required by voluntary Enlistment. He thought the bringing in of conscription would raise a considerable amount of strife. ' The motion on being put to the meeting was carried unanimously. General.

The Mayor drew attention to the spread of gorse and broom on the streets of the Borough and it -was resolved to draw the attention of the Inspector of Noxious -weeds to the necessity of talcing immediate taction.