BOROUGH COUNCILS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18362, 21 April 1925, Page 13

BOROUGH COUNCILS.

SUMNER. A meeting of the Sumner Borough Council was held last night. Present—The Mayor (Mr W. H. Nicholson), Councillors 11. C. Jamieaon, J. H. Thomas, P. Dick, C. M. Roswcll, F. C. Cooper.. Apologies Tor absence wero received from Crs. IS. Peek and H. W. Harris. The Standing Committee's report was as iollows: —The lighting manager has submitted tho following report:—iias manufactured in March amounted to 1,067,600 cubic iect, as against cubic teet in tho corresponding month in 19*24, being. an increase of 19,920 cubic feet. Tho main has been extended in Arnold street, and two new services laid. Five now electrical connexions have been made,' including one 7 k.w. cooker. A new stroet lamp has been installed at tho junction of Arnold, Sam, and Whitfield streets, also one at the corner of Denm&n and Duncan streets. The lamp at tho corner of Denman street has been shifted! tg the opposite side of the road. The supply tailed on the 15th inst. owing to line trouble near tho soap works in AVool6ton. The town clerk reported that the accounts for 1924-25 had been completed, and ho had aubmitted a summary o! the result of the general and separate accounts. The question of renewal of tho insurance policy covering members of tho fire bri gado had been considered, and it was recommended by the Financo Committee thai a policy covering a disaster limit of £3OOI be taken out. in the State office. It was re tommended that a progress payment of £3oi be made to the contractor for the No. i, lank at the riflo range. It was recommended that a permit be granted Mr* Wright to erect a dwelling on land in Bury street.

Tho report as a whole was adopted. A letter from thei Iter. E. C. W. Powell inviting tho Council to the Anzac Day ser.. vices was received and accepted. A letter from the City Council regarding the heavy traffic licenses was received, and Cr. J. H. Thomas was appointed delegate to attend the meeting. Correspondence from Mr F. I. Cowlishaw regarding fates waa received. A letter from the Domain Board regarding the levy of £7O ?a 8d wa« received, and it wa§ decided to.pay this amount.

ASHBURTON.

The fortnightly meeting of tho Ashburtop Borough Council was held last evening. Tha Mayor (Mr f B. G-ilbraith) presided. The financial statement showed receipts since last meeting totalling £631 18s 9d. Mr i\ D. Thomson, secretary to the Prime Minister, telegraphed sincere appreciation of the expressions of sympathy and good wishes extended by the Mayor and citizens of Ashburton. . In reply t:> tho Councils ' letter. askin? that the funds "from th<i Main Highways Board should bo made available for the maintenance of East etrect, the Hon. W. Nosworthy stated that he had placed the matter before the Minister <f Public Works, the Hon. J. G. Coatea. . The Minister of Pubbc Works acknowledged the Council's endorsement of the Riccarton resolution drawing attention to the action cf the Main Highways Board in refusing to assist cities and boroughs which have msin highways running through their districts, and stated thai the matter woaM receive consideration. , The lnvercargill Borough Council asked the Council to support the following resolution at the next Municipal Association Conference, to be held at tho travelling expenses of all tending Municinal Association Conferences be pooled, and the cost thereof b<. tween fill the local authorities taking part, in proportion to the number of their dele motion of Councillor K eir - " 1 «£ decided t> support the wMiution. lor Keir said the proposal waa Jg the conference equalisation, \r- tho Methodists, «nd which was considered to accept the invito iion of the E.S.A. to attend the various ceremonies, on Anzao l)ay* . .« * With regard to the Council's request tho posting boxes at the corner of Park and Wills street* and Wakanui ro»d »a<i South-east belt be removed to the otner side of tho posts, the PoatmaMcr (Mr J. Mulvey) riplied pointing out the and stated that if the Coun«l wa3 prepared to cover the water channel teiow the bciea their request would be It was «greed to reaffirm the necessity Brigades Committee wm inetructed to report concerning an appucation bv the Fire Brigade for financial a«Mtancc 'to connect the re»id»nce of Lieut. Kidd to the Telephone Exchange. Twenty-three ratepayers petitioned tp hava a culvert erected at the en* - 4 * Eton «tTr and Albert street to take off the stonn water The Council decided to have the work done, the cost being at £S. The Works Committees recommends won that the footjAth in Baring square east between Have lock and Cameron street* be kerbed with a flange m the meantime was financial position for the year endin" March 31«t, 1925, showed, that the yea*r was commenced ■with a debit balance of £*l3l Os Id, being debit on ths antecedent liability account £3OOO and debit on uapicsented cheques £336 3s 6d, less cash I amounting to £1205 3s 5d in the bank. The ! year ended with * debit balance of £226® I 18s Id, being debit on antecedent liability account £2340 0s lOd, Ims caah in the bask £74 Is lid. The revenue and payment® for tho vear exclusive of loan money was £19,367 1 0s 7d and £20,161 18s 7d respectively, while tho revenue and expenditure on the loans I wa 3 credit balance brought forward £ll7B lOe 10d, revenue £386 12a Bd,_ expenditure £1564 13s lOd, leaving a credit of 9a lid. The revenue from the Hampatead water loan waa £6502 7s Cd, expenditure £5069 3e 2d, leaving a credit of £1433 4s 4d. Tie public debt at March 31st, 1924, wes»£6*#ll "4s-2d and sinking fund £7427 2s, while the respec-

tivo figures at the end of 3late& laat war* £70,582 7s 6d and £8240 14« 3d. Tha total rato struck during the year ni X 10,239 16s 7d, and the amount outstanding at March 31st last was £194 13a 6d. Cr. Woods said that the statement showed that the Council had gone back £l3O, whereas it had, actually lived, within its man*.' This was very - creditable indeed and waa partly due to the Town Cleric and largely due to tho chairmen of the various committees. Cr. Bowden expressed the opinion that tha gcod position was duo chiefly to the keen interest by Cr. Woods (chairman of tha Finance Committee) in the finances e! tha borough. Cr. Dunlop added a tribute to the splendid work of Cr. Woods, lie considered thai , thero was not enough money Bpent on the Domain. Cr. Ferriman said the present petition was brought about by Cr. wboda' fiiiiini— Cr. McEirea also epoke and said Cr. Woods was the best fipance chairman the Council had ever had. Other Councillors having refered favourably to the report and to the chairman of the Finance Committee, th» report was adopted, the Mayor remarking that he hoped tho chairman of tho next Finance Committee would bo Cr. Woods. Cr. Woods thanked the councillors for tlicir complimentary remarks and aaid that ho could see at no far distant date that Aahburton would be one of tho best and wealthiest boroughs in tho Dominion. The Borough Inspector reported that be had issued 250 licensee to drive molar vehicles eince March 13th, making a total ot 825 in the borough. 4