TOWN COUNCIL

Southland Times, Issue 18835, 31 May 1920, Page 2

TOWN COUNCIL

COMMITTEE REPORTS. The following committee reports will be dealt with at the meeting of the Town Council to-morrow evening:— RESERVES. The committee reports: Having disposed of seven municipal town leaseholds which expire on May 31., at rentals amounting to a total of £54 Is, against a previous total of £39 os, and also having sold six Athenaeum endowment leaseholds at an annual rental of £593 3s, against a previous rental of £lB9 0s sd; having examined accounts amounting to £l9l 3s 7d and passed same for payment. PUBLIC WORKS. The committee recommends: That the increased wages of one penny per hour granted to all public works employees as from April 1, be made retrospective as from January 1, 1920. The committee reports; Having instructed the town engineer to have the King street drainage proceeded with, the County Council having consented to contribute onefourth of the cost, on condition that provision is made for a depth of not less than 2 feet 6 inches in the extension of the ditch along the County road eastwards; that accounts amounting to £965 3s 9d have been examined and passed for payment. GAS. WATER AND TRAMS. The committee reports: Having authorised a requisition by the Gas Department for stock, £1164 8s; having held over the matter of ordering tramcars for consideration at a special meeting of the committee on Friday, June 4; having been informed | regarding the shift engineers’ award in Dunedin, and recommend that the salaries of the shift engineers at the power-house be adjusted on the same basis as from April 1. The chief engineer’s salary will be considered later; having examined accounts amounting to £2400 5s 8d and passed same for payment. FINANCE.

The committee recommends: That appli- ' cation be made to the GovernorGeneral in Council for permission to obtain the authority of the ratepayers by a poll, to raise a loan of £15,000 under section 15 of the Finance Act, 1919, without specifically stating the nature of the memorial; that a copy of Mr ’William Curran’s letter be sent to the Prisons Department, and they be asked why the Department has again ceased work on the eastern embankment; that a remonstrance be addressed to the Minister of Justice pointing out that although the Prisons Department has been in possession for over five years of the 65 acres of reclaimed land promised them, the construction of the eastern embankment, which was to be done as part payment for the said land is practically untouched, and that the Council request him to give instructions to have the work carried on as a matter of urgency; that steps be taken under section 18, of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1913, No. 62, to sell the old Council Chambers and site, upon the expiration of the lease on January 31, 1921, for the purpose of devoting the proceeds towards the erection of additional municipal buildings; that the corporation provide a fence, estimated to cost £llO (half cost to be paid by Boyd Bros.), dividing the area reserved by the corporation at the pilot reserve from that leased to Boyd Brog., providing the harbourmaster agrees to pay 10 per cent, on the Council’s share of the cost as interest and sinking . and that subject to his agreeing to

this, he be allowed the use of the said reserved area during the pleasure qf the Council from year to year for grazing only; that the wages limit of employees who may be entitled to the baby bonus be increased from £IBO per annum to £2OB per annum; having considered the matter of subsidies to bands and recommend; (1) That the Bth Regimental, Hibernian, Dominion and Pipe Bands each give five municipal concerts during the year, subsidy to be £5 per cencert, and that the Salvation Army Band be paid a subsidy of £10; (2) the bands to have the right to give some of the concerts on Sundays; (3) the bands to be allowed to make collections at subsidised concerts on condition that no collection is made on the footpath or at the gate; having examined accounts amounting to £530 Is 2d and passed same for payment.