SHANNON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Shannon News, 7 September 1928, Page 3

SHANNON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

PQRTNIGHTL Y MEETING. Tlie above meeting was held in the Council Chambers on Tuesday evening. Present: Crs T. C. * awaites (in the chair), A..E. Hyde, R. Downes, Jas Curran jun., Jas Curran sen. hospital management.

Advice was received, that arrangements had been made for the deputation concerning hospital adminstratio* to wait on the Prime Minister and Minister of Health at Wellington on September 13th at 10.30 a.m. It was also stated that it had been arranged for the deputation to meet in the Town Hall the previous evening to discuss 'matters. The letter asked that the Council be represented on the deputation.—The Town Clerk was appointed as the Council’s delegate. HOSPITAL BOARD’S FARM. A letter was received from the I almost on North Hospital Board, stating that the Board intended to purchase 108 acres from the Waldegrave estate to extend its farm at Awapuni. The proposed addition consisted of 15 acres of high land and 93 acres of river flat. The purchase money of £ISOO, £750 of which would be levied on the local bodies, would be provided for in next years’ estimate; so an increase in the present capital levy of £3BOO would not be necessary next year as the present levy would enable this amount to be included.

•the Council decided to reply approving of the scheme. TAR BARRELS. ,

The secretary of the Shannon School Committee wrote offering 20 empty tar barrels for sale.—The Town Clerk to reply stating that the Council are not requiring any at present. WARNING TO CONTRACTORS.

The Telegraph Engineer (Mr D. T. Allan, ( of the Post and Telegraph Department, wrote .seating that a case had come under notice of a contractor who was engaged in excavating a roadway for a sewer connection and accidentally put a pick through one of the Department's underground telephone cables. Although the local authority had been supplied with a plan showing the position of the Department’s cable, the local authority did not specially indicate to the contractor when the permit was issued that such plan should be carefully examined by him before any'excavating work was put in hand. The" letter stated that the Department Would be pleased to have the Council’s assistance in the matter of ensuring that drain layers and others obtaining permits have specially brought under their notice the necessity for examining the Departments cabling and duel plans before commencing any work which might interfere with the underground telephone system. —Received. INSURING BOWSERS AGAINST . ACCIDENTS.

Arising out of the Council’s request that owners of petrol pumps should ‘insure against third party claims arising out of accidents which may occur through their installation on the kerbside, Messrs Franks and Christie wrote to the Council as follows: —“Admitting that the Council is within its rights in enforcing this regulation, we, however, desire to bring under your notice the additional overhead expense incurred to this firm and hereby request the Council to earnestly consider a reduction of the annual license fee ‘on each pump from £3 to 10s. The pump system has been adopted by us at considerable expense to improve.our service to the public and more for its individual benefit than our own. Since the installation of the pumps vve have erected a free air and water plant, met the Council in greatly improving the pavement in front of the whole of our property and by giving such service have lessened the risk of accident to, pedestrians by eliminating much of the motor traffic formerly directed across the pavement. We consider that the system has assisted the progress of the town as a whole and has not detracted from its beauty. Citizens can now procure first grade petrol at three pence per gallon cheaper than they 'aid formerly. In view of the above and also of the low level business has reached iir the town, we trust that the Council will grant the reduction asked and so assist us in lowering an overtaxed department of our business.”

The Town Clerk stated that he had interviewed the owners of bowsers on the matter of taking out a third party claim cover, and in each case he had been informed by the owners that they would remove the bowsers on to their property sooner than pay the insurance.

Cr. Hyde was of opinion that in these small communities, if local bodies continue increasing taxes on small concerns, they will eventually make the burden too heavy to carry. He did not think there was enough in benzine to-day to meet these charges. Cr. Thwaites said the Council could not look at the matter from the garage proprietors’ point of view. They had to consider it in such a way that the Council would be protected against liability in case of claims for damage caused through the bowsers. He thought the difficulty might be overcome by the owners giving the Council letters indemmiying the latter against damages. Cr. Hyde: We are here to serve the interests of the whole of the community and we should meet these people if we can. / Cr. Curran', jun: The bowsers are erected subject to the borough by-laws, and if it is then necessary to take out a cover to protect 'the Council against claims for accident, then evidently they should take out a cover against accidents caused by collisions with water troughs and telegraph posts in the borough streets. In his opinion there was no excuse for any person colliding with them. He moved that the matter stand over until March ,31st, 1929. ■> This was agreed to. ROADMAN »S REPORT.

The roadman (F. Haley) reported

that 94 yards of metal had been carted on to Margaret, Ballanee and Brice Streets, East. Road, and the footpaths in Ballanee Street. The grader has been used on the main road from the borough boundary in Margaret Street t.o the Police station and from the Albion Hotel corner 'to the northern end of the borough. New decking has been put on the bridge at the south end of Pliimner Terrace, also repaired bridges in Nathan Terrace and Thompson Street. The new footpaths in Venn and Ballanee Streets are now ready for carting clay on to for foundations for metal. Have inspected the pipe line ar.d galleries and scoured water mains. Rubbish has been collected and carted to the dump. The "report was adopted. / Arising out of the report CT. Hyde said lie would like to say that the roads in the borough were in a disgraceful condition and that he had come to the conclusion that there was something wrong with the Council’s 3,ystem of carrying out. maintenance work. They were not using the grader enough. The back streets in particular were full of pot holes with the gravel pushed out on to the sides of the roads. With the small mileage to maintain and the. plant they had the results should be better. He was quite satisfied the grader should be used more.

Cr.. Downes: Our men have more mileage to piaintain and less up-to-date machinery than any other two men on similar work.

Cr. Hyde: Our methods want to be overhauled from A to Z.

Cr. Curran, sen: The only work done is that by the two men and three horses. It is a waste of money the way we are going on. Hundreds are paid out and wc have nothing to show. For the past ten years the only work done is that by the two men and the horses.

.'Cr. Hyde said that it was not, the men and horses who were at fault, but the men who sat around the Council table. ‘‘Our system,” he said, is at fault. A special meeting should be held and the matter, gone fully into.” From a layman’s point of view 'he would suggest that the grader be used more and the metalling be done by contract.

Cr. Curran, sen. said lie thought, that if the Council could see their way to place three to four inches of metal on the road and keep the grader at Avork, they would got better roads.

Cr. Downes said there was a foot of metal on the main street, but the Council’s light grader would be of no use on it. It was the biggest mistake when they bought such a tin pot grader. Cr. Thwaites: Why not scarify it? Continuing, he said, he agreed with Cr. Hyde' that the matter should be dealt with at a special meeting.. Cr. Hyde then moved that at the next meeting of the Council, one hour from 9 p.m, to 10 p.m. be devoted to considering ways .and means of improving their road maintenance. This was carried. RANGER’S REPORT.

The ranger (J. Swindlehurst) reported having impounded three head of stock and two horses had been returned to their owner.