Borough Council,

Levin Daily Chronicle, 21 March 1918, Page 3

Borough Council,

• The fortnightly meeting of the • Borough Council was held on 1 Monday night. Present — The Mayor (in the chair), and Crs 1 Mackenzie, Ryder, Bull, Aifken, Lancaster, Broome, Matheson, and Dr Bryson. Leave of absence was granted Cr Parker. CORRESPONDENCE. The Prime Minister wrote thanking the Council for its motion urging the retention of Samoa. The Westport Coal Co., wrote agreeing to isugply the Council regularly with 50 tons of coal per month for the gas works. Mr A. J. Harding, hon. secretary of the swimming committee, forwarded the sum of £3 18s 9d and a receipt for £4 13s, work done at the baths, these sums being the credit balance from the recent swimming sports.—Received. WORKS COMMITTEE. Cr Matheson moved, his motion for the setting up of a Works Committee consisting of the Mayor, Crs Lancaster, Aitken, Parker and Matheson, to go into the cost of all works and review the year's estimates from time to time. He said he had no more to add to his previous remarks, except to point out .that the Works Ootamittee could have gone into tEe gas accounts], as..he had done with profit and interest. The Mayor said it appeared to him that the Council bad committees at the present time that would do the work of this committee, which also had the drawback that it contained a majority of the Council and could so force anything it liked on the Council. It had to be considered whether the Committee was an essential one. _ ' Cr Lancaster said while he had seconded the motion he was quite willing to withdraw because he now believed it would take away some of the usefulness of the present committees. Cr Bull said he would support the motion provided this committee was not going to over r ide the present committee#. Cr Broome said he would support the motion. This was a committee that could do a great deal of good work.Cr Matheson. admitted the weakness of having a committee that was a majority of the Council and accepted a suggestion of the Mayor that the Committee consist of the Chairmen of the Finance, Streets and Gas Committees only, ; in which form it was barried. GENERAL. A recommendation by. the Sanitation Committee that Mr P • i Cameron be granted half-pay ; from March' 1 till further notice, it being considered that his illness was probably contracted in the course of his duties, was agreed to.