HOKITIKA BOROUGH COUNCIL

Hokitika Guardian, 24 July 1920, Page 1

HOKITIKA BOROUGH COUNCIL

FUIDAY, JULY 23rd

Thu Council met at 7.45 p.m. Prcseni.—Messrs (1. A. Perry, (Mayor), (1. H. I!lank ,H ,M. Coulson, N. Warren, J. J. Breeze; .1. King, A- J’arki.ill and G. Wood. Apologies wer ennule for the absence of Messrs McGregor and Thompson. The minutes were confirmed and out. will'd correspondence approved. INWARD CORRESPONDENCE From Hons W. F. Massey, Wellington acknowledging letter and stating representatives re motor traffic will be considered; also stating matters connected with cement supply bad been forwarded to Hon Lee for consideration; that the protest of the Borough against inclusion in the Gi'ey Harbour area would be duly considered.—Received. From T. E. Y. Seddon M.P., acknowledging resolution re Grey Harbour Hoard rating area and promising information when available as to contents of Bill.— Received. From H. Cassidy, enquiring if a plot in cemetery is for sale.—Received; referred to cemetery committee to enquire into. From W. Gooch, asking for crossing into garage.—Received and granted nil. der usual conditions. From W. J. Marks, notifying sale of lease to Mr Little.—Received. From Health Department forwarding draft of proposed new Health Bill.—Received. From J. T. Timpson, asking to be relieved of offal contract- as lie was unable to procure a digestor.—Received and cancelled. The tender of Mr Staines was accepted. From Defence Office, Greymoutli, advising four machine guns bad been allotted to Hokitika.—Received. From T. W. Rarrowman, applying for a light to be placed at corner of Park and Sale streets when electric light was installed.—Received; no action taken. From A. IT. Lawn, Chairman southern Football Division protesting against complaint as to the management of the pavilion as it was not warranted, since Hie Division bad taken charge thereof. —Received. Mr Blank took exception to the letter, as the conditions of the pavilion were disgraceful at the time mentioned. It was resolved to write pointing out that the Council had merely written to ask for the co-operation of the Committee in keeping the pavilion in order. REPORTS. From 'Treasurer reporting: Receipts, e.J2 (,s Id; payments, .£B7 18s 8d; Dr. balance C 123 Gs Bd.—Received. Accounts amounting to £3"22 10s 4d were passed for payment. RATING PROPOSALS. 'Phe Treasurer reported as follows: “ I beg to submit for your consideration my statement ot rates and sani-

t;irv fee required to be struck and levied for the year ending March 3lst, 1!)21. Re General Rate.—l recommend that a General Rate of 5 pence in the £ be struck, this being an increase of 7-lG of a penny on the same rate last year, t may state that 5 pence in the £ is the maximum rate that can be struck in this Borough under “The Municipal Corporations Act,” on its present valuation. I had some difficulty in framing my estimates of receipts and expenditure to reduce the amount of the difference to a figure that would be covered by the General Rate recommended, and in view of this fact trust that the Council will recognise that the strictest economy is necessary regarding the expenditure for the current year if they desire to avoid having a large deficit at the end of it.

I would also point, out that in the year 15)1.4-1915 (the commencement of the Great War) the General Rate was 4®d in the £, so that 5d in the £ represents an increase of only 14 per cent, as against a very much higher increase in the cost of materials and labour.

If the present high cost of labour and materials continues, the Council will

have no alternative next year but to strike a Lighting, and, possibly, a Library Rate, intead of as at present pay-

ing this expenditure out of General Rates.

Hospitals and Charitable Aid Rate.— Tn view of the fact that the Charitable Aid Board have levied the amount of £1144 on the Borough for the current year, it will lie necessary to meet this demand by a rate of lid in the £, as against a rate 'of 3«d last year, being an increase of nearly 50 per cent. Tn connection with this rate I would point out that the amount required this year for Charitable Aid and for maintaining the various institutions under the control of the Charitable Aid Board is more than the whole amount collected jn each year by General Rates. Interest and Sinking Fund Accounts, Nos._ 3,4, and 5, Rates. The rates to lie struck in conectiou with these accounts arc the same as last year. Sanitary “Fee.—l recommend that the Sanitary Fee bo the same as last year.

viz.:—l3s pr pan, this being the maximum fee allowed in this Borough on its present valuation. I would point out that the amount required to meet the payments under the Sanitary Contract for the year is £336, and that the amount collected last year with the same rate as recommended was £317, so that presuming the same amount is collected this year there will be a small deficit at the end of the year, which will have to he met out of tlio General Account. —Received. The total rate would bo Is Id, as against lid last- year. PUBLIC WORKS REPORT-

“ T have the honour to report that, your Committee met last Wednesday night, and after very careful consideration decided on the attached plan of street lighting for the Borough. “It was decided to recommend that as the difference in cost between 100 candle power and 60 candle power lamps is only £1 per lamp, that all the lamps he 100 candle power. “Re Town Clock.—-Your Committeo beg to recommend that the Town Clock lighting be included in the street light-

ing scheme, the matter of the number of lamps and their candle power to be decided after consultation with the Kanieri Power Company’s electrical engineer.” Tile Mayor moved the adoption, seconded by Mr Couison and carried. Mr Blank (Chairman of Public Works Committee) reported the Rolleston-Weld street pipe crossing bad collapsed and it had been found necessary to open up the drain and relay with 18in. concrete pipes. This work was now in progress. Received and approved. The Council lose at 8.45 p.m.