SHANNON BOROUGH COUNCIL

Shannon News, 5 April 1928, Page 3

SHANNON BOROUGH COUNCIL

FORTNIGHTLY MEETING.

The above meeting was held iu the Council Chambers on Tuesday evening. Present: The Mayor (Mr E. Butt) and Crs. T. C. Thwaites, A. E. Hyde, R. Downes, Jas. Curran jun., Jas. Curran, sen., and E. J. S. Spencer. CORRESPONDENCE.

An application was received from the Horowhenua Rugby District Council for the use of the Shannon Domain for the football season,. 1928, on the same terms as last season, viz., £8. —-It was decided to increase the rental to £lO, explaining that last season the Council had erected a fence on the line to keep the crowd back, and if the charge is higher, the Council can spend more on the ground. The secretary of the Shannon Football Club asked for permission to play two matches on the Domain —a senior match on Easter Saturday and a junior match on the following Saturday. A request was also made that the lights at the Domain be connected so that the players may have the use of tho same for practices. —Both requests were granted. L. H. Richardson wrote notifying that he does not wish to renew leas& of Council’s section in Nathan Terrace. —lt was decided to call applications for the lease of the section.

The ranger reported- that since the last report he had found only one horse at large, whieh he returned to its own-er.-—Received.

KERBING FOOTPATH IN PLIMMEE

TERRACE,

Referring to the footpath in Plimmer Terrace' from the Club Hotel to Yance street, which the Council is about to tar-seal, Cr. Downes stated that the Road Committee had come to the conclusion that the path should also be. kerbed, and that a concrete kerb should be put iu, but owing to the cost they had not gone on with it until they had place'd their recommendation before the Council for its approval. There is a length of about five chains and the cost is estimated at’£6 per chain; this included the first cost for boxing and channeling. It was suggested to reduce the path to a width of seven feet, which would bring it inside the telegraph posts. If the kerbing was carried out to the full width," viz., 12 feci, it would come into the middle of the drain and cost a lot of money.

The Mayor considered that as the path was in the main street the kefbing should be kept in line with the other paths in that street. Jle would not approve of any irregularity in the width of the paths in the main street. If it was a side street it would be a different matter,

Cr. Spencer said that it was going to cost a good deal more than £6 per chain if they had to put tho kerbing where the water runs.

Cr. Curran, sen., contended that concrete flags were best for footpaths. In reply to Cr 1 . Curran, jun., the Town Clerk stated that the concreting of the footpath at the cemetery had cost £:.• 7s per chain for a path 6 feet wide.

The Mayor said it wa* too expensive to concrete the paths. Continuing, lie said that in years to come he felt sure the Council would be pleased if they kept the width of the path at 12 feet. Cr. Downes said it was not a matte; of tarring the path they had to discuss, but whether it should be kerbet. and how. He pointed out that if they carried it to the drain, the latte; would have to be filled with boulders and clay, which ivas going to be cost-

ly. Cr. Spencer pointed out that the ful. width could be tarred and then tin kerbing could be done at some futur* time. At present it would be too doai to experiment. To test the feeling of the meeting Cr. Hyde said he would move “Tha the path be kerbed to the full width.’ The motion lapsed for want of a seconder. ’

It was decided only to tar-seal th* path as agreed upon at the previous meeting; the question of kerbing the bath was dropped. GENERAL.

Cr. Curran, jun.. asked if the Roaci Committee would instruct the Roadman to put in the pipes at the hollow in Plimmer Terrace, as soon as he wa? available.-—This was agreed to. Cft Downes- reported that the Town Clerk had received a complaint frim Mr Coley, in Sheehan Street, that the water pipe leading to his property was blocked. He had sent a man to fine the cause and it had proved a long job, as several lengths of pipe had ti be lifted. Cr. Curran, sen., stated tha a full supply was now available. The Town Clerk stated that da soon as he had time he intended to prepar. a tabulated schedule of costs of. different works undertaken by the Council, which, he said, would be useful to th( Council for reference.

In connection with a request from the Fire Brigade for a pilot light on the firebell, the Town Clerk stated that Mr Smith, the Power Board’s engineer, had made an inspection and rocom mended removing one of the street lights nearer to the bell. The members of the Brigade were of opinion.that by doing this there would be too large a span between the two lights that are nearest. It was resolved that the Town Clerk make enquiries regarding the cost of a pilot light. The accounts were then passed for payment and the meeting terminated. STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS. The Town Clerk produced the balance sheet for the year ending 31st March, . 1928, he being congratulated On his expediency in presenting a statement of 'the accounts for the past year. The report showed the borough to be in a healthy financial position, when one considers the tightness of the money market at the present time. The Town Clerk reported that the outstanding rates for last year were £263 18s 6d.. The previous year’s outstanding rates were £275 3s Bd, showing that the rates had come in slightly better during the past year- He said he

was making every effort, to have last year's rates settled and in some case;. Ik- had already applied to mortgageestor nayment. Lust year, he said, tilt Council had expended necessary' money, which would not recur again for some years, amongst, which was £lO5 for fire brigade appliances; and plant and office requisites £l3O. On the receipts side of the general accounts £4O Os 7d lining 10 pm- cent, on overdue rates had been collected; licenses £220 8s bd, heavy traffic fees £79 13s Id, subsidy from Main Highways Board £lB4 ss. The Council also received from the public Works Department £125 subsidy on road maintenance to Mangaorc. The general account, stood in credit on 31st-March £O2 4s lid; the library account, which at the commencement of the year had a debit balance of £o3 2s lid was now square; the cemctciy account was in credit £l4 8s 9d, but work is now in progress, which would absorb this amount; the hospital levy account £23 7s 8d ? and the water loan interest account £sß> Us 2d were in debit, but outstanding rates would cover this deficiency. The Workers Dwelling Working Account was in credit £305 5s 8d; and the water supply loan account showed a credit of £6 3s 4d.

The Mayor said lie was pleased to see that the borough finances were in a sound position and was sure that in the coming year the committees would expend the amounts allocated to them to the best advantage. .