HUTT BOROUGH COUNCIL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2548, 24 August 1915, Page 8

HUTT BOROUGH COUNCIL

r There were present at this ordinary - meeting of the Hutt Council last evens uig: The Mayor, (Mr. H. Baldwin), and ■ Councillors Hodgins, Meldrum, Carver - Brassel, Clendon, M'Dougall, Ball anc j- Hobbs. ' * t - The _ resignation of Miss M'Leod f (librarian) was received, and it was re- - solved to call. for applications for the t position. t The council decided, in respect to the ■ council offices, to approach the owner with a view to obtaining a. reduction in. [ the rent. Considerable discussion arose in con- > ™ e 'j on a report submitted by the ! works and Finance Committee in respect to.certain increases in wages to ; the council's labouring staff. The report .recommended that an increase of one penny per hour (as asked for) bo grant- ; ed to seven of the men, that the services of six others be dispensed with, and that'the quest-ion of wages'be farther reviewed after the war is over. Councillor Meldrum thought the report should be referred back to the wliole committee, and that the financial position of the council sliould be made clear. . Councillors Carver and Ball did not favour increasing wages in some cases whilst the services of others were dispensed with. Councillors Clendon and Hodgins considered the increases were warranted, as the men Wore worth it. Councillor Brassel thought that men should be "got rid of wherever possiblo in order to keep down the overdraft." Eventually the report was' adopted, on the motion of Councillor Ball, seconded by Councillor Hobbs. ' ~ The engineer's report stated that the ' repairs to Wo'ourn Road, as well as a portion of Randwick Road and White's Line, had been completed. The cost of the work completed in Ludlam Crescent was £36.105. 9d.; the cost of the wall in Riverbank Street was £13 Is. sd. One connection, with the gas main and three .with the water, mains had been made, making the total number of connections to date 532 and 098 respective- . ly. One permit had been issued under the drainage and sanitary by-laws, making a total of 901. The expenditure for the fortnight onding August 14 had been:—District fund account, £220 16s. 2d.; gas account, £14 6s. 5d.; total, £235 2s._7d. ' Councillor M'Dougall gave notice to move as follows:—"That Mr. Ingram, the engineer of the waterworks, be instructed to submit a monthly report on the working of the station, sucli report to cover the amount of.-water pumped into tho reservoir, the amount of water consumed,.the amount of coke.and gas, etc., used, and any other matter,in connection with .the working of tho station.