SHANNON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Shannon News, 1 July 1927, Page 3

SHANNON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

FORTNIGHTLY MEETING. The above meeting was held in the Council Chambers on Tuesday evening. Present: The Mayor (Mr E. Butt) and Crs. W. H. Gunning, T. C. Thwaites, A. E- Hyde, R. Downes, Jas. Richardson, J. Curran, Junr., J. Curran, Senr. CORRESPONDENCE. In respect to the state of the road and gateway leading into the school, the secretary, of the School Committee wrote asking if the Council are prepared to put in a culvert and gravel approach from the main road to the gate leading into the schoolgrounds, if the School Committee gravel the road on the school property.— ‘On the motion of Cr. Cui* ran, senr., it was resolved that the roadman be instructed to put in the approach as requested. . , Mr H. Hook wrote agreeing to erect the fence on the boundary of his section and' the Council ’s property when he completes his building, in consideration of the Council erecting the fence to meet their present requirements.— On the motion of Cr. Curran, jun., seconded by Cr. Downes, it was decided to erect the fence on the boundary and that Mr Hook be called on to contribute his half share of the cost. Also, that, if the fence is removed when Mr Hook rebuilds, that it shall be replaced by him. The Taiiranga Borough Council wrote asking the Council to support the following resolution: —‘ - That the Government,be approached to increase the minimum allowance of £SO for unauthorised expenses to £IOO and that the member for the district be asked for his support in the matter.” The letter pointed out that the present limit of boroughs up to a population of 5000 of 1 per cent, of the General Rate, with minimum allowance of £SO, was fixed many years ago, when the value of the pound,sterling was much greater and it is found to be quite inadequate at the present time. —The Council were of opinion that £SO was a fairly big limit and the letter was received. Mr D. O’Donohue replied accepting the position of pound keeper. The ranger (J. Swmdlehurst) report ed having inpounded only two*head of; cattle since his last report. —Received. '. A letter was received from Mr A. E. Burling re cleaning Stansell’s drain, stating that Mr. Bryant authorised him to fulfill the.original agreement and. maintain .drain from the concrete culvert near his woolshed to' the. Otaura stream. If the above mentioned work is what the Council are alluding to, he will get the same completed as soon as possible.—Mr. Burling to be informed that the drain he mentions is the one the Council referred to. A leter was received from Mr. A. E. Sands, who waited' on the Council, protesting against the Ranger’s answer as to the latter did not prosecute the owner of a cow, impounded off his property. The Ranger had replied that, according to paragraph 58, page 21, of the Borough by-laws, the owner pf the cow is only liable for poundage. Mr.

Sands contended that the cow was wani dering and the owner should have been prosecuted. —It was pointed out to Mr Sands that as the cow was impounded off his property the Ranger could not . go into the box and give evidence that the cow was wandering. The opinion expressed by the Council was that when Mr. Sands handed over the cow to the Ranger, he should have put in his claim for damages, if any. —On the motion of Cr. Downes the letter was received. Mr. J. Liggins wrote agreeing to pay £ls per year for a term of five years for the town water supply to one of his properties; providing he was in possession of the property for that term. — The Council agreed, the understanding being that should Mr Liggins sell the property the matter be re-opened with the new owner. " ~ ROAD TO CEMETERY. At the special meeting of the. Council last week it was decided to go into the questioon of forming a road to the cemetefy, also that the Horowheriua County Council be asked to tent they would help in the matter and if they would, agree to their Engineer submitting cost of the road. At Tuesday night’s meeting it was reported that the Horowhenua County Council -would not be meeting until next week, so with a view of expediting the matter, with the idea of giving relief to ' local unemployed, it was resolved that Mr. Ronayne, of the Public Works Department, be written to asking him to allow one of his engineers to give an estimate of the cost of the road. If a favourable reply is received the Horowhenua County Council is to be notii fled accordingly.

A special committee consisting of the Mayor, Grs Gunning and. Ilyde and the Town Clerk was set up to attend to the matter of loans and subsidy in connection with the work. FINANCE COMMITTEE.

Cr. Gunning, chairman, reported that the Committee had gone into the \ question of the advisability of placing the money now lying to the credit of • the Building accoount. They recommended that the sum of £lls 12s 6d be placed on fixed deposit at 5 per cent., for a term of two years, and that the remainder of £197 be left as at present in the General Account, thus saving 7 per cent., on the overdraft.—-The recommendation was adopted.

PROPOSED METAL PIT. Cr. Gunning seated that he and Cr. Spencer had been authorised to meet the Public Trustee to endeavour to make arrangements to open a metal pit on Mr. Hennessey ’s' property. They had not yet met the Public Trustee, but they had made themselves acquainted with the position. They found that the river has cut in and carried away a portion of the terrace; and they felt sure that if the Public Trustee had formed the same opinion as they had, he would not agree, as the risk of losing ground was too great. They were of opinion there was a lot of soil in the gravel and thought holes should be bored to ascertain what metal was there. Both agreed that the Public Trustee would not assent as circumstances appear. Cr. Curraq, sen., contended that if they got the pit, they could not get gravel cheaper than at present. The Mayor agreed, stating that they

had plenty of metal for some time to come. The matter then dropped. ■ GENERAL. Cr. Curran jun., was authorised to purchase the necessary fire fighting appliances for the borough. A suggestion from Cr. Hyde that a small fee be paid to an elderly man to keep the borough plots in Plimmer Terrace in order, was referred to the Beautifying Committee. REPAIRING THE ROADS. The method of dealing with the potholes in Plimmer Terraco was again referred to by Cr. Thwaites. He said the present method was hopeless. At previous meeting the Chairman of the Road Committee liad stated that the use of the grader once a fortnight .vould meet the situation, and it was resolved that the roadman be instructed to this effect. Metal had since been put on Plimmer Terrace and now it is all wasted. He asked if the roadman had ben instructed to use the grader. The Town Clerk stated that the roadman had received written instructions that the grader be used on the road once a fortnight- He pointed out that the fortnight was not yet up. Cr. Curran, sen., suggested that, a light coat of metal should be spread all over the rooad. He said that if the surface of the road was the same .ill over, there was not the likelihood of potholes forming. The grader could be used afterwards.

Cr. Downes said the Council’s trouble was that all the roads were in the same state. Have we the finance, he isked, to metal the whole of the borough roads. He estimated that to give them a light coating it would take 200 yards of metal. If it can be managed a contract should be let for the work. At present they were asking their roadmen to do an impossibilty by expecting them to cart the metal and work the grader. The only solution of the trouble was to let a contract to put a screen of’ metal a yard to the chain over the whole of the Borough

roads. It was no use the Council growling about, the men, they could not do two things at once. The present arrangements were no good and as a result the roads were going to pieces. Cr. Hyde moved that it be a recommendation to the Hoad Committee to let a contract of about £6O for screening the borough roads with metal. This was carried.

The accounts were then passed for payment.