BOROUGH COUNCIL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 137, 10 May 1940, Page 5

BOROUGH COUNCIL

HOSPITAL LEVY CRITICISED. The monthly meeting of the Feilding Borough Council was held last evening, the Mayor (Mr T. L. Seddon) presiding. Also present were Crs A. C. Buist, It. Burne, P. B. Desmond, IP. G. Guy, A. C. McCorkindale and H. J. Dewe. Leave of absence was granted Crs McClure, Smith and Andrews. Advice was received that the council’s contribution to the Palmerston North Hospital Board was £2308 10s Bd, the levy- having been reduced by £47 14s 7d compared with last year. Cr Guy complained about the smallness of the reduction. He said that last year the council paid £3OO more than in the previous year, and this year the reduction was only £47 14s sd, whereas in other hospital districts reductions up to 27 per cent, had been made. He considered that further information regarding the Hospital Board’s estimates should he secured. The contributions by local bodies were excessively high, and the reduction represented only 2 per cent, as against 27 per cent, in other districts. The Mayor regretted that the council's representative, Cr V. E. Smith, was unable to lj,e present to explain the position, and he felt that the council should hear Cr Smith before referring the matter back to the Hospital Board. Mr Seddon added that it was unfair to make a comparison of any accounts over one year, and he pointed out that last year there had been a reduction of £67 in the council’s levy and not an increase as suggested by Cr Guy. Or McCorkindale agreed with Cr Guy regarding substantial reductions made this year by other hospital boards, in the light of which the Palmerston North Hospital Board’s reduction was very small. Cr Buist: We as councillors are very disappointed with the small reduction. The Mayor: So am I, hut there must be a reason, and no doubt the council’s representative can supply the information we require. We have to pay the amount levied, and I am not going to allow this council to default its commitment. After a further debate it was decided to secure an explanation from Cr Smith at the next meeting of the council. . BOROUGH REVALUATIONS. Regarding the borough revaluations, the Mayor said the council was sat.sfied with the revaluations of its properties. It was stated that there had been an over-all reduction in the unimproved value of properties of 32 per cent. The rate roll was available for perusal of ratepayers who had been given an opportunity to lodge an objection to the new valuation. WEST STREET FOOTPATH. In the event of subsidised labour under scheme No. 13 not being available to enable the council to surface in concrete West Street footpath, a restricted programme involving an expenditure of £3OO would bo carried out, it was stated. In reply to Cr. Dewe, Mr Seddon said the whole matter would not be abandoned. BAILEY STREET RATEPAYERS. In regard to a petition from rateI pavers in Bailey Street urging the council to tar-seal the street, and pointing out that the street is used extensively as a stock route, it was stated by the Mayor that if the request were granted it would mean that some other street selected for sealing I out of loan money would have to be withdrawn. The programme had been completed. It was decided that no action be taken. The engineer, however, was instructed to investigate the complaint re stock using the street. Cr Dewe said he had knowledge of stock passing down the street. The Mayor said that Bailey Street would eventually receive attention, GENERAL BUSINESS.

The Feilding Jockey Club was granted a furthci-lease of a portion of the Kowhai Park Domain tor a period of 21 years. . The town clerk’s action in arranging for an overdraft limit of £IO,OOO was confirmed. The payment of accounts amounting to an aggregate of £2582 2s Id was approved. In regard to a request by the g.P.C.A. that a water trough in South Street be enlarged, action was deferred pending an investigation by the works committee. An application for improvements to Lethbridge Street, at the Makino end, was referred to the engineer. ~ It was decided that portion of the West Street footpath be re-surfaced with concrete, the work to be put in hand only if labour can be obtained under Scheme No. 13. The appointment of Miss 0. Sporle as caretaker, of the municipal baths for the remainder of the season was confirmed. That the roadway at the cemetery had been widened to permit parking of cars was rex>ortcd by the engineer. Reference to the condition of entertainment buildings in the borough was made and it was decided that tlie matter of granting renewals of licenses be considered finally at the next meeting. The proprietors of tlie halls concerned had been advised that repairs were necessary in the interests of public safety, and the council would have to bo satisfied that the buildings were suitable before the licenses were granted. In consequence of the death of Cr. A. J. Humphreys, the Mayor announced the appointment of the following committees: —Reserves. Crs. Andrews, fluy, McClure and Buist; finance, the Mayor and Crs. McCorkindale, Smith, Desmond and Buist; water, streets lighting, etc . Crs. Smith, Guy, Desmond and McClure; works, Crs. McCorkindale,' Seddon, Burne, Andrews and Dewe; abattoir, Crs. Guy, Andrews, Burne and Dewe The provision of additional street lights in South, West and Beattie Streets was approved and consideration given to • a suggestion that a further unit be erected in Kimbolton Road. CRUSHING PLANT. Cr. Dewe made an exhaustive report on the council’s metal-crushing plant, which he regarded as not producing chips i£s economically as was desirable. He considered (and supported bis statement by figures) that hv purchasing a new plant costing £730 a saving of 2s G£d per cubic yard was possible. In. a year the saving would amount to several hundred pounds. He liud checked his figures with the borough engineer and he felt the money should be raised by some means, because the saving to the ratepayers would be so great. At present the inetal had to be handled twice, and the cost of wages i was very considerable. He understood that a suitable crusher was for sale, and he felt that if possible a purchase should be made.

Crs. Buist and Desmond supported

Cr. Dewe. They said they felt that the matter deserved serious consideration. On the motion of Cr. Buist, it was decided that the matter of purchasing a chip crusher be referred to the works committee for consideration at a special meeting, and that the town clerk be instructed to go into the question of financing the transaction. The Mayor, supporting the motion, said that it was obvious that sonic saving would be effected and was therefore deserving of support. There were, however, likely to be increased commitments for ratepayers in connection i with the war effort and the tendency 'was to reduce rather than increase expenditure. I Cr. Desmond suggested that tlio ! council might be able to avail itself of ia section of the Main Highways Act which made plant available for purchase by local bodies. The engineer (Mr T. K. Hay) submitted a statement showing the cost of running the machinery plant, the figures showing that one truck used exclusively for carrying metal from the crusher did only 4 to 4-J miles per gallon petrol, the cost per cubic yard of metal being Is 3d. Another vehicle consumed a gallon of petrol "every seven miles, another every 6j miles and yet another every 4-J- miles. The Mayor said that sooner or later the council would have to ask the ratepayers to sanction a loan to purchase new plant. It would be capital expenditure, and he pointed out that the machinery would not last for ever. He appreciated the fact that a new chip crusher would result in a saving and pos,ibly the cost of a crusher could be included in a loan for the purchase of plant. Having regard to the age and the type of work the trucks were engaged in the mileages were satisfactory. Referring to the crusher, the engineer stated that 7257 cubic yards of metal were crushed at a cost of 2s ltd per cubic yard; 618 cubic yards were sold. In order to obtain a satisfactory chip it was necessary to recrush the tailings or oversize stones obtained from the first crushing. This necessitated the damping of tailings and later carting them back for recrushjng. The quantity dumped for recrushing this season amounted to 1597 cubic yards, and be again drew attention to the saving which could be made by the installation of a chip crusher to deal with the tailings before removing them from the bins. Not only would the cost of producing chips be almost halved, but tlie output would be considerably increased. OFFICIALS’ REPORTS.

Mr R. E. Hepworth (abattoir manager) reported that in April 3111 head of stock passed through the abattoirs, compared with 2661 head in April, 1939. Fees amounted to £366 19s 2d, as against £3Ol 15s 4d. That the number of subscribers to the library stood at 220, while books changed totalled 2685 and additions to the shelves totalled 31 during April, was mentioned in the librarian’s report submitted by Mr R. \V. H. Wood.

In his report the engineer 6tated that owing to wet and cold weather road sealing operations had ceased, and Lytton, York, South, Wellington, East, Nelson Streets and the approaches to the Iviwilea Stream bridge, which had been primed, would require to bo carefully maintained during the winter months. Ranfurly Avenue, Queen. Warwick and Sandilands Streets and Ifighficld Road would be prepared for sealing after the winter. The treasurer’s statement showed that April commenced with a credit balance of £5669 and ended with a credit of £3653 0s 7d. Receipts amounted to £IBO7 and payments to £3823. There was a not debit in the district fund account of £1420, while in the streets loans (£6000) account tlic balance available was shown as £1713.