LYTTELTON NEWS.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20490, 8 March 1932, Page 14

LYTTELTON NEWS.

borough council. * The Lyttelton Borough Council met last evening. Present: The Mayor (Mr F. E. Sutton), Crs. A. McDonald, D. E. L. Collctt, G. Halliday, D. J. Comer, A. G. Sinclair, E. H. Green, W. D. Gower, and A. T. E. Miller. An invitation from the Diamond Harbour Golf Club for the Mayor and Councillors to attend the opening of the club's season on March 19tli was accepted. A letter was received from Commander H. L. Morgan, of H.M.S. Veronica, informing the Council that the' Veronica would be in port at Lyttelton from March 24th to April Bth. The secretary of the St. John Ambulance Association forwarded a return ot' calls made by ambulance transport, in the different districts for the quarter ending January 31st. The return showed that 13 calls had been made to Lyttelton at a cost of £25 lis 10d, and that £1 5s had been received in donations. The Minister for Marine (the Hon. J. G. Cobbe) wrote acknowledging the Council's protest against the removal of the Superintendent of Mercantile Marine from the British Sailors' premis.-.s to the Post Office Buildings. The letter stated that the position was that the Department was paying a' rental of £B4 per annum to the British Sailors' Society while at the same time there was vacant accommodation in the Post Office building. Under the present conditions th*.* Government could not go on paying rental when it had accommodation available. The letter was received. The Diamond Harbour Burgesses' Association wrote stating that when the Association made its recent request for a deputation to be received in regard to a water supply for Diamond Harbour, the Association was not aware that tli<! Council had such a scheme under consideration. The Association asked for particulars and that the Council would give such a scheme its earliest consideration. If the scheme had been left in abeyance, the Association would !'*> glad to avail itself of an opportunity for a deputation to be heard. It was decided to reply that the Council had a scheme under consideration and would communicate with the Association before proceeding with it. On the motion of Cr. Collett it was decided to forward a letter of condolence with the Town Clerk of New Brighton (Mr C. T. Middleton) in the death of his son. On the motion of Cr. Gower, seconded by Cr. Miller, it'was decided to prosecute the owner of a property at Diamond Harbour for having erected a building without a permit. It was decided to regrade the water channel in London street, opposite Messrs Pitcaitlily and Co.'s shop. It was agreed that Kanner's- lane be attended to, making provision for preventing it being used for horse traffic. It was decided t» purchase a lifebuoy for Corsair Bay and to have the one on the Diamond Harbour ferry wharf repaired. The Unemployment Board informed the Council that the State Forest Service had a surplus of tree stocks, which would be made available to local bodies as the Unemployment Board directs. It was decided to accept the offer and ask for 3000 trees, tho class of trees to be planted to be left to the forester and Borough Engineer to select. A list of the outstanding accounts was placed before the Council, and the Town Clerk was instructed to give defaulters 14 days' notice in which to pay the accounts, after which the Council is to take legal proceedings against all those who have not paid or made satis ; factory arrangements for payment. Mr F. W. Collins complained of wandering horses and cattle at Diamond Harbour damaging private property. It was decided to advise Mr Collins that tho Council was talcing steps to stop tho nuisance of cattle and horses wandering on tho roads. Mr B. Carter asked the Council if it could sec its way to have the gas and electric light meters read earlier in the month. It was decided to inform him that the Council regretted it could not have the meters read earlier. Mr A. T. Small wrote regarding divining water, at Diamond Harbour. The Council decided to inform him that the Council's offer made some time ago still held good. Balance-Sheet Tagged. For the first time for many years the Lyttelton Borough Council has had its balance-sheet "tagged" by the AuditorGeneral. At last night's meeting the balance-sheet for the year ending March 31st, 1930, was received from the Audit Department with four "tags" attached. The first was in connexion with the sale by the Lyttelton Permanent Land, Building, and Investment Society of the properties known as "the stone houses" in Simeon quay. The accompanying lotter stated that the sale would have disqualified Cr. F. E. Sutton." As Cr. Sutton's term as a Councillor had expired, however, no further action was necessary. Tho second tag was because no depreciation had been allowed in the Gas and Electric Light Departments for the year ending March 31st, 1930. Tho Department stated that il, would be pleased to have the Council's assurance that the matter would be rectified. The third tag was because of the failure of the Council to sufficiently reduce its bank overdraft, and' tho fourth was a technical matter of showing assets and liabilities. The Mayor said the Council could see the difficulties which a : member of a public body was subject to. He had saved the Council a considerable sum of money. The Building So'ciety, of which he was secretary, had had an opportunity of selling -the property for a sum considerably in excess of the amount received from the Council. Had the balance-sheet gone forward ' 12 months earlier he would automatically have been disqualified as a Councillor. The Department, of course, had to guard against abuses in this connexion, but where it could be plainly shown that the action had benefited the local body and not the Councillor, some latitude should be shown. As regards the bank overdraft, he moved "That a reply bo sent that this Council is taking necessary steps to reduce its bank overdraft, but in view of the present depression, it has kept on as many men as possible and is assisting to relieve unemployment where possible. The only way j u which it could materially reduce the overdraft would be to put men off. The Council was doing its*.best under the circumstances." The motion was carried. Council Trading Departments. Criticism of the Council's Trading Departments was made at last night's meeting of the Borough Council, but an attempt to institute a different system of control was defeated. Cr. Green moved: That owing to the severe economic; depression, which we are passing through, a small committee be set up to go into ways and means of advancing the business side, and perhaps improving the organisation of our i two Trading Departments, namely. Gas and Electric Light, as the revenue derived from these departments, materially affects the rates, and so assist the ratepayers, and any benefits we are able to give should be our first consideratThe motion was seconded by Cr. A. G. Sinclair. Cr Miller said he was not in favour of the motion. They had managers in

charge oi' each department, and it was ii'jl, necessary to go further. Cr. Gowcr said, the departments could not be run any better. The proposed action was like throwing a dirty rag at the Town Clerk anTf Electrical Engineer. Any suggestions put to those officers always received the fullest con- | sideration. The Mayor explained that Cr. Green's t object was to have the departments i managed more economically than at ! present.- A small committee could be" set up to report to the Council, t Cr. Gowcr: Then that is the first step to going back to separate committees. l r ou might as well include water supply, which is a trading department. The motion was lost. Cricket. In a match at Officer's Point at the week-end a team from East Christchurch boat the Lyttelton Miniature Rifle Club team by 247 to 146 runs. Ladies' Oolf Club. The Diamond • Harbour Ladies' Golf Club held its annual, meeting in the club's pavilion on Saturday, when the president, Mrs W. Paine, presided over a large attendance of members. The report of the past season's activities was considered most satisfactory. One member resigned and two new members were elected. The election of officers resulted:— President, Mrs F. E. Sutton; vice-presi-dents, Mesdames Colin Cook, W. Cleary, and T. B. Bowring; secretary, Mrs W. Paine; captain, Mies M. Cookj deputycaptain, Mrs T. Archer;, Mesdames E. Cooper, E. Curtis, E. Budkin, and L. Blewett, and Misses W. White Parsons, and I. Cleary. Arrangements were made for opening day, Saturday, March 19th, and also for a card evening in the pavilion on Easter Saturday. ' Fapciers' Club Picnic. There was an attendance of 300 at i the annual picnic of the Lyttelton Fanciers' Club, which was held at Purau on Sunday. Although the weather in the morning was threatening the j day turned out fine, and all present had lan enjoyable time. There was a lengthy sports programme, with substantial I prizes, ltesults were as follows:—- ! Married women's race: Mrs J. Voyce 1 Mrs Newsome 2; duck's eye: Miss It'ona Gracie 1, Mrs T. Norris 2; members' challenge stakes: Joseph Garner 1, James Garner 2; members' wives: Mrs C. 11. Ferris 1, Mrs T. Norris 2; single women, 16 and over: Miss J. Gosney 1, -Miss Irene Hughes 2; members' daughters: Miss Evelyn Gillard 1, Miss Lucy Hughes 2; visitors' race: D. McCormick 1, Boy Lester 2; women's walking race: Lucy Hughes 1, Irene Hughes 2; men's race, 45 and over: P. Gillard 1, James Garner 2; women over 35: Mrs .Gobbe 1, Mrs J. Spoor under 5: Gordon Smith 1, James Wills 2; girls under 5: Naomi Garner 1, Jean Suggitt 2; boys 5 to 7: Neil Cave 1, P. Alpress 2- girls: Ira McCormick 1, Dorothy Morten 2; boys, 7 to 10: Andrew Stechman 1, S. Formal 2; girls: Rope Garner 1, Doris Nelson 2; boys 10 to 14: Harry Cave 1, A. Gosney and Smith (equal) 2; girls:'lvy Canning 1, Bessie Garner 2; boys 14 - to 16: W. Lester 1, L. Tissiman,2; jjirls: Elsie Garner 1, Chrissie Spoor 2; girls, under 14: Bessie Garner 1, Betty Morgan, Chrissie Spoor, Josie O'Conner (equal) 2; boys under 12: Angus Welsh 1, S. Forman 2; bun-eating, boys: „ Gosney 1, W. Muir 2; girts: Elsie Garner 1, Hilda Garner 2; women: Doris Garner 1, Lucy Hughes 2; three-legged race: Mrs Bamon and W. Muir 1, Mrs T. Norris and Keith Loader 2\ mixed wheelbarrow race: Mr and Mrs W. Conibear 1, Miss G. Gordon and Boy Lester 2; lucky lollie ticket: Marie Gillard 1, Baby Stechman 2. Public Presentation. The Council Chamber was filled last evening with yachtsmen and supporters, when a public presentation was made 'to Mr Fred. Dobbie, builder and owner of the Avenger, winner of the Sauderi Cup. "• The Mayor said it was his .pleasant duty to convey to Mr Dobbie thn appreciation of residents and yachting supporters of his efforts in building a boat which was successful in winning the Sanders Cup for Canterbury. By building the Avenger he had succeeded in bringing honour to Lyttelton. Canterbury yachtsmen had benefited generally at Mr Dobbie's expense, in having the use of the Avenger. As a result of t.he success of the .boat Lyttelton was again to have the honour of holding the contest in the port. At the last contest at Lyttelton visiting yachtsmen took away with them an appreciation of the hospitality of Lyttelton people and a respect for. the harbour as a yachting course. Supporters of yachting in Lyt-, teltou, the City, and *s far <uway as the Peninsula bays had thought it proper to show their appreciation in some tangible: from. He had pleasure therefore in asking Mr Dobbie's acceptance of a wallet of notes. He hoped it would assist Mr Dobbie in paying tho cost of building that famous boat, the Avenger. Mr E. A. Irwin said he was not a yachtsman, and had never been in a yaclit in his life, but nobody took a greater interest in yachting than . he did. He considered yachting one of the cleanest sports there was, and this was shown by the character and reputation of those engaged in-it.. He had been struck by the very apt remark, by a speaker at the official reception of the Sanders Cup crow at Christchurch in describing Mr Dobbie as a second Lipton.' The speaker thought that more honour was due to Mr Dobbie. Sir* Thomas Lipton would scarcely have missed from his vast fortune the sums He had spent in trying to win the America Cup. In Lyttelton they, had Mr Dobbie, a working man, who "out of his earnings , had , paid for the material and, built a boat which won. He was of the opinion that Mr Dobbie was'the ,saviour.of the Sanders Cup contest. Mr Dobbie, who was received, with applause, said he was pleased to accept the presentation. His ambition had been to build a boat which would win the cup, and this year he had ; succeeded. He hoped that the crew would keep up its reputation at next' year's contest. Bowling. Playing in the semi-final of the championship singles last evening, W. H; Duniop beat T. Mahar. Dunlop ' will meet T. Palmer in the final this 'evening.