HOKITIKA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 November 1923, Page 1

HOKITIKA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

FRIDAY, NOV. 23rd. The Council met at 7.30 p.m. Present— Messrs- 0. A. Perry (Mayor), Coulson, Wood, King, Evans, Jeffries, Perliam and Heinz. The minutes were confirmed and outward correspondence approved. I NAY AR D CO R B ESBON DEN OK. From J. B. Milliter, thanking Council tor message of sympathy.—Received. From Knnieri Electric Ltd., replying to request to alter angle at -which some street lights were hanging and promising attention ns early as possible.—Received. From ]. Brown, asking for attention to street in front of premises. Bevell Sirec-t. — Received, to receive attention. From District Engineer of Railways. Oroymouth, confirming offer of £875 to i Council.—Received. From Medical Officer, Health Department, asking for attention to a tenement. —Received ; already attended to.

.From Hokitika Fire Brigade, asking for use of Cass Square for Dec. 1 for demonstration. Received and request granted. From Public AVorks Department, stating they were unable to place an engineer at disposal to report on the proposed drainage scheme, as requested by the Health Department.—Received. Mr Evans said that the Health Department had misunderstood t heir request. It was for them to supply a scheme at a reasonable cost. After discussion Mr Jeffries moved i bat the letter be referred hack to the Health Department with a request that a complete scheme ho supplied if p-'ssible.—Seconded by Mr Coulson and carried. From J. Lloyd, apologising for ah--ciice.—Received. Front Same, tendering resignation as member of the Public Works Committee.—Received. Mr Jeffries moved ike resignation he accepted.—Seconded b v Mr Heinz, pro forma. Ho thought i lie let ter should he referred hack for reconsideration. Ho moved to that effect.--Seconded by Mr Coulson. The latter motion was agreed to. From Hokitika Swimming Club, staling the buildings had been renovated and a new motor pump involving a debt of £(>(); asking for assistance in completing suggested improvements and asking for a grant on C for C tip to Cill . —Received. The Mayor moved that the request be granted, stilting the C'luh deserved to be sttp-i-orted.—Seconded by ATr AVood. ATi Evans supported slating that if the water supply had previously been available the baths would have been a paving concern. Air Coulson said if iho season proved a payable one then they should refund portion of their profits. Air Jeffries said the position of the finances of the hath should be placed before the ratepayers. An oiler had previously been made for a lease of five years at C 25 nor year Init that had been turned down. After further discussion the motion was agreed to. REPORTS. From Treasurer, reporting receipts c 1 "2 Ills ltd. payments £230 (is lOd, debit balance £-17 os lOd. Loan at > count receipts ClOt.’O: payments ADD (X Iftd : credit balance A Aid 13s 2d.— I D- -••-d From Finance Committee, mint mending payment of accounts amounting i„ £7S 10s -Id.—-Deceived. PUBLIC AVOBKS COM AHTTEE. I have the honour to report that at a meeting of the Public Work- Commit tec held last, night to consider the quo-lion of the reorganisation of staff, ii was decided after very careful consideration to make the billowing ieeoni meiida t ions t.o the ( otiueil. viz. ■a) That the permanent stall lor Street. Drainage, and AA tiler AAorks consist of Overseer, leading man, and one permanent labourer, and that to give effect to this Clause (I) Overseer Milluer's salary be increased to C 22 par a calendar month; (2) ’I hat one month's notice of tin- termination of tl.eir appointments with the Couneil lie given Pi the present two permanent labourer.-, but that they both be eligible to apply for the positions under paragraph .3.) : (J) That applications ! invited for the positions of leading man, and of permanent labourer at Hilaries of CL) and of £l7 lbs per a rak'iuliir month respectively. !,) That casual labour be paid at the rat.- of les tier a day vl " lours.

(~) That a!! the conditions of the winking stall' appointments in ivtercnco iai tin l hours ol working; be auiciidod as follows (a) The hours per week to ho worked he -is instead of 11. the making no of the H hours per Meek to he mutually arranged hot woe u the Overseer and the staff. Mr Heinz moved that the report he iereived. — Seconded hy Mr PerlmiU, who eoiisidored it was necessary in the interests of the Council. Mr Jeffries said if as the Chairman staled that there was nothing against the two men affected, then to ask them to resign was to do them an injustice. lie would oppose the report. Mr Heinz said they wanted eflieieney and they iiiii't have an alteration if it,... y ,ei|iiired Hits. -Mr ( outsell could not see any necessity for the proposer, alteration. Mr Kvans said lie did not think the Conned approved'ot the report as it was now brought down. He would move that that- portion of the report affecting the resignation of the two men he deleted and the other portions of the report he retained. Mr Vcrunni said it would pay to have an efficient man to lead the work in the absence of Mr Milliter at other work. Mr King thought that one of the two men sj Id lie advanced and placed in charge under Mr Milhicr. Mr Heinz said they were only wasting nionev hy their present system. Till they had scientific organisatior they would not obtain full value for their money. The Mayor differed with the criticism of the past work of the Council. After a number ol questions to Overseer Milhicr. it was resolved that Overseer Milhicr he requested to select a suitable man for temporary appointment, subject to the approval of the Public Works Committee. Clause 1 was approved, subject to the above proviso. Clauses :2 and were deleted . The remaining clauses were then adopted and the report as amended rvas approved. It Mas resolved on Mr T',vans’ sttg-

gestion to have the spring cleaning of the streets carried out at once. CEMETERY COMMITTEK. I have the honour to report thai the above Committee vi-ited the Cemetery yesterday and subsequently met and decided to make the following recommendations, . viz :—- (I . That the practice of allowing the Sexton to keep plots in order in bis own time be discontinued, and tn future this work be carried out by the Couneil tit a charge to he fixed for different periods and to he paid in advance. The Sexton io refer all persons requiring plots kept in order to the Town Clerk. That to compensate tlie Sexton for the financial loss he will sustain by not being allowed to keep plots in order in his own time his salary he increased by the sum of £1 IBs |iei calendar month. ■J) That the Borough Overseer he placed in charge ol the Cemetery and that the Sexton take his instructions from him. (3) That the Sexton he instructed to keep a diary to he entered up daily showing all the work carried out by him and the time taken, and lo forward a report of the work done and the time taken each day for the month to the Town Clerk on or before the Till day of the succeeding month ( I i That as the tarring plant, at the Cemetery is beyond repair, the Town Clerk make enquiries with estimate of cost of an up-to-date tarring plant, with a view of the Council procuring one anil sending the present street plant up to the Cemetery. (r.) That your Committee he authorised to (a) procure about £ chains of earthenware, suitable pipes (2nd band if possible) lor necessary drainage works at the Cemetery, and (b) -AO (fifty) loads of grit for asphalting footpaths.

Be Borough Reserves.—Your Committee beg to recommend that as soon ;is possible after the Town Clerk returns from his annual holidays it Committee meeting of the whole Couneil ho held to deal with the matters of tenure, rent, etc., of the Borough Reserve-. Your Committee also beg to report that large quantities of sand have been removed from AA’hiteomhe Square without the authority of the Council, and beg to recommend that the lessee ho given writ ten notice that if any more sand or soil is removed without the written authority of the Council his lease will be immediately terminated. Received ; considered clause by clause and adopted. Air Evans moved: ‘‘That for the convenience and information of the increasing number of visitors to the town, the Town Clerk report ns to the costinvolved in having the names of the streets notified at the corners ot Die. mine important thoroughfares.” Seem ii led by the Mayor and carried. EXHIBITION VOTE. Mr Jeffries said nothing had been done bv the Borough Couneil to make any display or exhibit. He moved that in view of the approaching Exhibition the Couneil vote a sum of £IOO towards the funds of the Exhibition.—Seconded by Air Perham, feeling sure the Council would see eye to eye with the proposal. Air AVood thought the amount was 100 large. He would support- a smaller amount. The Mayor said the Council could not vote it stun of less than. £IOO. Air ( ot:!..mi said the finances were somewhat .- trained but. the Couneil ‘.dimii.l do their pait. lit supported Hie motion. Tile motion was then put anti agreed to. Air AVood took exception to a remark at last meeting in reference to his non-attendance at meetings. He asked to lie relieved of bis place in flu' Reserves and Public Works Committees. The Afayor said consideration shouli be deferred till next meeting, Air Jeffries stating he would then have something to say it Messrs Lloyd and AVood were present. The Afayor refused further discussion on any controversial matter without notice of motion. Air Coulson asked leave to move in connection with sanitary matters, but the Council were not unanimous and the Couneil rose at 0 p.m.