WYNDHAM TOWN BOARD

Southland Times, Issue 21101, 5 June 1930, Page 12

WYNDHAM TOWN BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING.

(From Our Correspondent.)

The monthly meeting of the Wyndham Town Board was held on Tuesday evening, the chairman, Mr. George Hunter, presiding over the following: Commissioners W. H. Johnstone, R. G. Carson, Andrew W. Crosbie, Henderson Hunter. Correspondence. The secretary of the Southland League, Invercargill, wrote advising that the annual general meeting of the League would be held in the League Rooms on Wednesday, June IS, and asked for information in regard to the appointment of delegates from the board, also particulars of any remits that the board desired to put before the meeting. A further letter from the league stated that following the usual custom it was being arranged to convene a conference of Southland members of Parliament and representatives of local bodies to take place on June 18. Commissioner Carson asked if it was necessary to appoint a delegate to attend the meeting, and was advised that it was not absolutely essential but as they were entitled to send a delegate, they should do so, in the interests of themselves and the board. It was finally decided that the chairman be appointed to the board’s delegate. The Public Works Department, No. 18 District Highways Council advised that an examinatin for certificates of competency under the Main Highways Board would be held in July-. The letter stated that it was necessary for intending candidates to make application to sit, such applications to be forwarded at the earliest posible moment. Commissioner Crosbie asked if it was necessary for the board’s surfaceman to go through the examination. The chairman said it was not compulsory’, but it was an examination that would help in connection with Main Highway work that the board carried out, in as much as the board’s surfaceman would be able to supervise the work without a highway official. In time he thought that the surfacemen would have to pass the examination. t The letter, was referred to the board’s surfaceman for consideration. The Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, wrote advising that the Department of Internal Affairs was prepared to supply to local bodies calico notices drawing public attention to the provisions of the Animals Protection and Game Act with respect to the protection of native birds; these notices to be displayed in the various public domains throughout the Dominion. The letter asked whether the board would be prepared to display the notices in some conspicious place in the domain, and if so the number of copies required. It was decided to accept the offer, and apply for four copies of the notices. Mr. Henry Perkins, Titiroa, wrote advising that he was not prepared to pay the cost of erecting the footpath in front of his residence in Wyndham. _ The Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington, wrote advising the board that the proportion of fees consequent upon the issue of acutioneers' licenses up to May 22, 1930, due to the Wyndham Town Board, under Section 42 of the Auctioneers Act, 1928 was £77. Immediate payment was being arranged through the Treasury. The office of the Minister of Internal Affairs, Wellington, wrote advising that the Town Planning Board had carefully considered the evidence tendered at the inquiries recently held at Invercargill, Dunedin, Oamaru, Timaru, Christchurch, Blenheim and Greymouth, and was prepared to re- J commend to local authorities concerned the adoption of the regional boundaries described in the schedule and illustrated on the map forwarded under separate cover. The map and attached documents were carefully reviewed by commissioners and it was finally decided that the boundaries as submitted be approved of by’ the board. General. Commissioner Crosbie introduced the matter of charging a Town. Board license for petrol bowsers: He said lie noticed that in other places the owner of the bowser had to pay’ a fee, and he thought if they were getting a fee, there was no reason why the Wyndham Board should not. get the same. He understood 'that the Southland County Council received a fee from this source. When the board had granted the last application to instal a bowser, the chairman had mentioned the matter of a fee, but nothing had been done. He thought the time was ripe _ when a charge should be made. He did not know how the board stood as regards having the right to charge a fee. He had mentioned the matter to the Town Clerk, and he had written to the Mataura and Otautau Boards for information, but so far a reply had not been received. It might be a case of having to frame a by-law, but .he considered that the matter was worth going into, as there were about a dozen bowsers in the town. - . The chairman said that in other places a charge was made, in some cases up to £lO. He had mentioned the matter before when application had been made. Now that the board had granted the applications »he Mid not know how the board would stand. At present there was a fee payable to the Government under the Dangerous Goods Act! He was of the opinion that if a uniform charge was not made throughout, the Government might step in and take the matter up, as he considered there should be some fee payable to the local boards. Commissioner Johnstone said that if a fee was payable it would only increase petrol another penny a gallon, and he thought that the matter could be dropped. “There will be so much taxation directly that one cannot live,” concluded Com,missioner Johnstone. On the motion of Commissioners Carson and Crosbie the matter was held over till the next meeting. Commissioner H. Hunter asked if any more word had been received in regard to the new by-laws, and on being advised that so far nothing further had been received, the Town Clerk was instructed to write inquiring when they would come to hand. Commissioner Johnstone said that they were in a big enough hurry to get them, and it was a pity they were not in such a hurry to send them out. The chairman said that the gravelling contract was going ahead satisfactorily, and the material being used was of the best quality eo far used on the road. Commissioner Carson said that the work was getting on exceptionally well considering the weather, while the material used Was indeed good. The chairman said that some of the paths about the town could do with some gravelling, and he thought it might be as well to do them while the gravelling of Ferry Road was being done. Commissioner Carson mentioned Alma street, which he stated was in, very bad repair. It really needed a new path formed, but in the meantime if it was gravelled it would do for some time. The chairman mentioned the Cardigan Road path, which also was in bad repair, and after some discussion it was decided that the matter of*repairing the footpaths be left in the hands of the Works Committee with power to get the works carried out if it was considered necessary. Commissioner Carson again introduced the matter of the poor lighting facilities of the town. Edendale, he said, was considerably better lighted than Wyndham. A good deal of the trouble locally was that the lights were turned down too much instead of out, with the result that the light was thrown directly down instead of outwards. Then again there were stretches of footpaths with too few’ lights. From Burns’ skin depot to Burns’ house was a very dark stretch of path, as well as the path from there on to the police camp. He considered that Wyndham was the poorest lighted town in the countryside, as in several cases there were seven and eight chains without a light. Commissioner Crosbie said that the portion of footpath from Ferguson’s to the Showgrounds was also a badly lighted stretch.

It was finally’ decided that the Works Committee carry out an inspection, and if considered necessary to have the work of erecting new lights carried out, and the present lights attended to, and as the bulbs burnt out to have installed 100-watt bulbs instead of the present 70-watt. -The chairman said that they had carried out an inspection of the hall that night, and the stage and scenery was badly affected with borer. The caretaker had suggested having it repaired with beaver or plaster board, and had asked for. permission to carry out the work. It was decided that the old scenery’ be dispensed with, and that inquiries be made for scenery, also that estimates be obtained from the caretaker for the repairing of the borer affected portion. Commissioner Crosbie was appointed a member of the Hall Committee in place of Commissioner Lindsay. The Town Clerk tabled the annual balance-sheet up to March last, and it was approved of subject to audit. Commissioner Carson said he considered that there should be a strict speed limit for heavy lorries going through the town. He had noticed lorries full of gravel going through at 30 miles an hour. They tore the road up badly. Recreation Reserve. The members then sat as the Recreation Reserve Trust.

The Wyndham Girls’ Hockey Club wrote acknowledging receipt of the board’s permission to charge on three, days at the Recreation Grounds, and nominating Wednesday, June 18 as the first day to charge. A further letter changed the date to June 11, and advising that other dates would be furnished as soon as the second round was drawn.

The Eastern District Rugby Sub-union wrote advising it wished to charge on June 11 and 25. The letter stated that the hockey girls had been consulted and the dates would not clash. Both applications were granted.

The Wyndham Tennis Club wrote asking permission to repair the tennis courts, and as the work required an experienced and competent man, it asked that the board’s surfaceman (Mr T. Broom), be allowed to do the; work. The club would pay for the material, etc.—Granted, the club to pay for the material and the surfaceman’s time.

The same club wrote asking that a trench be again dug on the west side of the courts to prev&nt the roots from damaging the courts. —The caretaker’s attention to be drawn to the matter.

The-caretaker’s report stated that he had impounded one horse during the month. He had just about completed the dog tax collecting. He had built a new ladder for the reserve and put a new gate on the section opposite the police camp.