GONVILLE TOWN BOARD.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15836, 5 June 1919, Page 9

GONVILLE TOWN BOARD.

The Gonville' Town Board met last evening, when there were present: Commissioners J, C. Arnold (chairman), N. P. Svenson, H. Thayer, G. G. Bullock, W. J. Gilberd, and C. Pearce. COAL.—The Runanga County Council wrote asking support of a resolution urging the Government to develop and work* as a State concern the new coalfield at Nine Mile Bluff.—Agreed to. LICENSE.—The N.Z. Refrigerating Company was granted a renewal of its meat export license.

PEACE.—A letter was received from the Minister of -Internal Affairs stating that the peace celebrations would be held on the second Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday after the signing of peace, unless the Imperial Government directed otherwise, of which due notice would be given The Minister also wrote notifying a Bill authorising local bodies to borrow, after sanction" by a, ratepayers’ poll, for the purpose of peace memorials.—Received. TOWN HALL. Reductions- were granted for hire of Town Hall for the Stevens relief concert, and to the Gonvillc Fire Brigade. GAS.—The Borough Council wrote that the Board’s complaint about the poor quality of gas had been referred to the Gas Committee. —The chairman and other members remarked that the gas had lately been considerably improved.

OVERDRAFT.—The usual annual formal resolution was passed authorising the Board to borrow by way of overdraft. CONFERENCES. The Town Clerk was appointed one of the Board’s delegates to the Municipal and Chambers of Commerce Conferences, the appointment of the second delegate being left in the hands of the chairman. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The Engineer, reporting for the past, month, stated that the staff - was repairing Puriri Street, and that 30 chains of Queen’s Avenue had been metalled with Belmont metal and blinded, at a cost of .£241 5s 6d. Workon the Recreation Ground was suspended owing to the repairs to the roads. The sand stripped from the metal pit at Castlecliff amounted to 650 yards, at a cost of .£lB 5s 4d.

GONYILLE WATER SUPPLY. AGAIN DISCUSSED BY TOWN BOARD. INTERFERENCE AND UNFAIRNESS. The matter of water supply was again discussed by the Gonville Town Board last evening, consequent upon a letter from the Borough Council declining to reopen the matter, and stating that the price (Is 3d per 1000 gallons) and conditions must stand. Among the conditions was one stipulating that the Council have the sole right to supply for extraordinary purposes as defined by the borough by-laws. This, in particular, was strongly objected to by the Board, the chairman (Cmr. J. Arnold) pointing out that the position was that while the Board would have to supply the water through its mains, the Council could charge any price it liked, and also collect it, leaving the Board nothing. The chairman considered this not only unfair, but an unwarrantable interference with tire rights of the Board. Cmr. Svenson likened the position to that of a wholesale merchant supplying goods to a retailer and then claiming the latter’s profits. The Council was composed of business men, but they could not have given duo consideration to the matter when they asked the Board to sign such an unfair agreement. The Board bought the water at a price, and, provided the borough had sufficient, the Board should have the right to distribute its own supply as it chose. Even if the Board chose to charge 2s per 1000 that had nothing to do with the Council, as the distributors shd'uld have control, and were entitled to any profit there was. Cmr. Bullock pointed out that while the Council required the Board • to contribute towards future extensions of the head works, it said nothing about contributing towards the upkeep of the Board’s mains through which the extraordinary supply must pass. The Chairman further characterised the proposal as a “take down,” and considered the matter should be re-opened. Cmr. Gilberd said the matter had been rushed through the Council without proper consideration, and the Board was entitled to refuse to sign an agreement containing such unfair conditions. Cmr. Pearce also considered the agreement unfair. The Council were not only increasing the price 26 per cent., but were now asking 150 per cent, above value. The proposal that the Council should collect the profits on extraordinary supply was a piece of impertinence. The Chairman said the Mayor claimed that the Gonville residents had the use of the borough’s parks, bands, and other things for nothing, and this charge seemed a way of ‘getting it back” on to Gonville. Cmr. Bullock said the argument referred to was absurd. How many thousand town people, for instance, used the Gonville streets to get to Castleclitt? How ’many used the Town Hall, or came to the Gonville baths because they liked them better than their own/ He was surprised at the Mayor putting such an argument forward. It was finally decided that the chairman and Cmr. Svenson wait upon the Council with reference to the matter.