STRATFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 36, 12 October 1915, Page 3

STRATFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Stratford Borough Council was held last night, when there were present: The Elinor (Mr .1. W. Boon), Grs. A. J". Davey, E. W. Hancock, T. Law son- (i. \V. Mills, A. I). Stanley, W. H. H. Young, S. B. Hunter, J. R. Thompson. ,]• Fredric wrote stating that owing to the work promised to be done by the Council to section 8, of 4041, Hamlet Sueet, not being put in hand it was causing great inconvenience to bis tenant. The writer also stated that broom plants were overspreading the road and were covering the adjoining section. The Mayor stated that the work was being attended to. Elizabeth Evans wrote applying for an extension of the water main to her property in Hamlet Street, between Regan and Seyton Streets.—Referred to in Works Committee's report. ~ H. K. Lawrence wrote on behalf of H. I). Lewers stating that he had.no object ion to the Council enclosing electric wires in pipes running along the wall abutting the right-of-way alongside the new Municipal Buildings, provided a nominal rent of CI per annum be paid. The Mayor moved that Mr HValy be authorised to fake wires to the back of the building by means of a chase. Seconded by Cr. Davey and carried. .. . A petition was received from is. JPeters and J. Petrie, watchmakers and ( jewellers, asking the Council to fix hours at which their shops should be; Hosed on the evenings of working days as follows:— Monday, Tuesday, W ednesdav and Friday, with the excepts of Xinas week, 5.30 p.m.. Saturday. al ,d from the 17th to 20th December inclusive, 9 p.m., Thursday 12.30 p.m December /21 and 31, 11 pm.-Craut- \ letter was received from the Minister of Railways stating that, m reference to the need of widening the entrance to the Stratford Railway Station, he was having the matter looked into.—Received. M Moloney wrote asking permission'from the Council to let the fence across Ariel Street South remain, as same does not interfere with the road i„ anv way. If permission were granted he was willing to pay £1 per year rent.

Cr. Hancock moved that the request be declined. Ho stated that ho hud seven sections on the road and had crops in part of tins, and if the request be granted it would cause liim a great ileal of inconvenience. Cr. Hancock said il was a wrong procedure to allow any mad in the Borough to be fenced. Cr. Hancock's motion was seconded by Cr. Mills and carried.

T. C. Fookes wrote as follows: Re Stratford .Electric' Light license. On behalf of the Borough Council, I have perused the license.fpropo'ked to be issued by the Government, as altered by the Public Works Department, and they have evidently adopted all my proposed amendments, excepting the proviso inserted by me that it was to be a condition of the said license that in the event of the local authority or authorities exercising the right to purchase the Company's undertaking, the Company should receive no payment whatever for the goodwill of the said license. Evidently the Department will not consent to the insertion ol this proviso, and are not willing to go further than protecting the rights of local authorities under the deeds of concession and the Stratford F.loctrie Lighting Act. At the same time i think that the Government should, if possible, put it out of the power of the Company to charge any sum to the local authorities in respect of the goodwill of the license now proposed to he issued, in the event of the local authorities exercising their rights ol the purchase of the Company's undertaking, and would suggest that the Government be again asked to do so. • The Mayor moved and Cr. Thompson seconded that the matter be referred back to the Lighting Committee with power to act. —Carried. The Stratford Electrical Supply Co., Ltd., wrote asking the Council to take some adequate steps to prevent any future recurrence of the disaster to (■"heir plant as occurred on July 21. The letter further stated.:• "The culvert under Swansea Road was, a« usual, blocked, and could not carry the water. The Company strongly suggest a channel along Swansea Road from Cloton Road to the Patea Aiver as being the direct and most natural; course for this water. and x then no piping culvert would be needed, and the source of a similar disaster winch caused my Company considerable loss, and the serious inconvenience which, unfortunately, had to be passed on to our clients. The Borough Overseer. Mr T. I). Sullivan, reported on the matter as follows: —I have made a thorough investigation of the position re the complaint of the Electrical Supply Co.. which asks your Council to take some adequate steps to prevent any future recurrence of the disaster as occurred on 21st July last. I am aware that the water• overflowed Swansea Road on tlit* date mentioned, but am at a loss to know how that could be the means of causing water to How through ventilators of the power house. The position is as follows: The height of ■ insert 01-ventilators at •the power house is 54.30 ft. Height of Swansea Road where overflowed is 52.0T1't. ..Levels show that the water, while overflowing Swansea Road, should rise to a height of Ht. oin. above.. the road before it could possibly reach the height of the ventilators. 1 am quite 5 satisfied that the present culvert is sufficient for requirements." ' ! ,!i-'' i '..:•**'•■! On the. .Mayor's motion, jit was;*'(lecided to reply to the Company enclosing the context of the Borough Overseer's report. His Worship stated that it was practically impossible to flood the Swansea Road above the metal. The whole trouble was that the Company did not have drains hud on.

LIGHTING COMMITTEE. The Limiting Committee reported as follows : A letter has; been received from the Klectrical Supply Company objecting' to saddle their staff with the duties required by the> Council in connection with the street lighting. Tour Committee therefore beg to recommend that the conditions-:-be modified in the direction of 'notifying the Company Unit'on certain nights.itt each month the lights are not required. For the current, month the lights will not be' required from 19th to 23rd iust. inclusive.—Adopted. Cr.V.Lawson said it was ridiculous to put.out the street lights on the dates suggested, for the reason that it may 'be wet and dark. 11' they did that they would leave the town in darkness. "I object to the jolly stated the .speaker. i O. Hancock: "If,, there were no liykbtsr.it would make*no 'difference.y ■The'lights are I 'so'few,-but what' there is are good."' (Y. .Mills said he agreed with Cr. Dawson. Sometimes on alleged moonlight, nights it was 'very dark. Cr. Hancock; "And the lights at any time arc not much good. There are so low. Cr. Young said he did not agree with Cr. Lawsou. Cr. Lawsott: "You would, if you went out at nights." Cr. Young: "1 do and the lights are no good." Cr. Lawson: "It is very awkward feeding one's way home. I am often oiit at nights, and occasionally after the lights are out"." (> Hancock: "You ought, to ho ashamed of yourself;" (V. Lawson: "I attend patriotic functions, and it is a man's duty to do that." The Mayor: "One can see better on moonlight nights without the lights." (Y. Thompson asked, in the event of tl'ieni extinguishing the lights on moonlight nights could they revert to 'the old system if though advisable. ||is Worship: "Certainly." KKSKKVK'S COMMIT! KK, The Reserves Committee reported as follows : Having considered the conditions

under which it is proposed to lease the shops and offices in the new Municipal Buildings wo recommend as iol- . lows : ' I That Council dispose of the leases by tender. '2. That tenders be called forthwith. :i. That conditions submitted by the i Borough Solicitor be adopted. 4. That advertisements he inserted in the following papers once in each week for three successive weeks: Tamil aki Daily News, Wellington Times, Auckland Star, and the statutory advertisement be inserted in the local paper.—Adopted. In regard to clause 1. Cr. Thompson moved as an amendment'that the Council dispose of the leases by auction. —Seconded by Cr. Young. Cr. Thompson said it was in the host interests of the Borough to auction the leases. His Worship stated that if Stratford was a big centre the ma iter of auctioneering the leases would be different, but in a small town there would be no competition. He favored calling tenders, but would not object to selling them by auction if bigger money could be commanded. Cr. Thompson said that if two men wanted one shop the best >vay would be to dispose of the lease by auction. as then one could bid a few shillings more than the other. It would be a very fair way. Cr. Hunter said he favored auctioneering, but after consideration he thought tendering would be the best way. There were good arguments in favor of both. The best results could be derived by tendering, and it would cost less. Ho would favor the way which would cost less. Maybe four or live people would tender for one shop, but if it wore put up to auction two might not bid for it. Cr. Mills said tendering was the fairest and best method of disposing ol* the leases. Few business men like others to know what "price they are paying for their shop. If the leases were put up to auction few men would journey from Auckland to Stanford to bid. In tho speaker's opinion just as good results could be derived from tendering as by auction.

Cr. Thompson, in reply, stated that lie did not agree with Cr. Mills: the Council was not there to work in the interests of the business men. If the leases were sold by auction there may be two men bidding against one another and one was sure to offer a few [shillings more than the other. ! *On a vote being taken the 'ainend--1 4. men! was lost. GENERAL. Cr. Hancock said that nobody should, be allowed to break- in horses, in* Broadway, as it was dangerous to the public.— it was. decided to call the attention of the Borough Inspector to the fact that young horses were being broken in on the streets. The Mayor moved, and Cr. Mills seconded, that, the Library Committee, in conjunct ion with .Mr Healy, bring down at the next meeting a schedule of whal is Yetpiired it! the matter nt shelves, etc.. for the new Library. Carried. The'Mayor moved:.' "That the Reserves'Committee, in conjunction with Mr Healy, bring down* a report to the next meeting relating) to the furnishing* of "the room's in the new Municipal .Buildings. Seconded 'by Cr. Davey and carried. On the Mayor's motion, seconded by Cr. Young, it was decided that the Heserves Committee 'make arrangements for the laying of the foundation stone. His Worship stated that the contractor would be ready for the stone in a weeks' time. Cr. Lawson ptoved that when any function i s being held in the Town Hall the Town Clerk be authorised to notify the Company to leave the lights on tilf 2.3o.—Seconded Cr. Mills. .-'Cr, Lawson said that a function of the kind lie mentioned would not he held every night in the week, mayhe only once a year.- Cr. Thompson said lie would vote against the motion, i - if tliev asked the Company to turn the UghtsYout iii 2.3 U the Council would, not know when to'finish. Hf 1 would opp it. The larger towns in New Zealand did not require lights all iiight, and Stratford did not.—The ' motion was lost on n show of hands. ' Accounts amounting to £046 lbs Id were passed for payment. rjgr+j*" ./•;, ~ ,;,... _,.,,:•',"