NEW THEATRE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 115, 28 February 1950, Page 2

NEW THEATRE

MINISTER’S LETTER BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETS A communication from the Minister of Works (Mr W. S. Goosman) concerning the new theatre project was received at last night’s meeting of the Ashburton Borough Council. It read: “I am asking the building controller to have the. proposal reconsidered by the building control advisory committee. I shall communicate with you on receipt of their report.” The communication was received by councillors with evident but silent satisfaction, the only comment being that of the Mayor (Mr E. c; Bathurst) who said: “This shows the project is still alive. We’ll get something done yet.” Other business before the council covered a wide range, from a recommendation to the - Ashburton Milk Authority that vendors be allowed to overlap zones, so that each customer could have a choice of at least two, to the Mayor’s report on the recent centennial deputation.

* Mr Bathurst announced that a'further meeting would be held on March 12, and the council appointed councillors McDonald, Mitchell, Richardson and the Mayor as its representatives.

Officers’ Reports 1 The borough engineer (Mr G. A. MacFarlane) reported as follows: Clarke Street, has been sealed for the Housing Department. Cox. Street is now sealed between Allens Road and Oak Grove, including intersections. A new concrete culvert to replace the old wooden one in Winters Road at Charles Street, and the flow in channels on the south side of the borough has consequently improved. The Health Inspector (Mr T. G. McPherson) reported that building in Ashburton since last meeting had comprised six buildings valued at £17,980, buildings other than dwellings, to a value of £409, and additions to existing buildings at a cost of £l4lO. Mr McPherson’s report also listed a large number of visits made to premises in the course of his health inspection duties. The Works Committee report included a recommendation that the council give its whole-hearted support to an application on the part of Webbs’ Passenger Service for. an extension of its passenger licence from Timaru to Harewood, with an extension to Christchurch, and from Christchurch daily leaving 12.45 p.m., Harewood 1.5, arriving at Ashburton 2.30 p.m. and Timaru 4.55 .p.m. Permission was granted, on the recommendation of the same committee, to give the Borough engineer authority to assist, with the County engineer, on the engineering aspects of the construction of the proposed swimming bath at the Ashburton Public Hospital. ■ 1 Ashburton East School Committee wrote requesting the kerbing and chartelling find sealing of approximately six chains of footpath in Wellington Street leading to the main entrance to the school. The committee recommendation was that, the work be carried out providing the school or the Education Department was prepared to pay £GO toward the cost.

There were present :The Mayor (Mr E. C. Bathurst) and councillors S. Mitchell, J. R. Richardson, C. H. P. Maynard, H. McElrea, T. L. Crooks, T. Phillips' and F. A. Coldicott.