STRATFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 June 1922, Page 6

STRATFORD.

STRATFORD AGENCY. Advertisements and items of news for publication in the Taranaki Daily News should be left at the office of our local representatatlve. Air. W. H. Humphrey, Broadway, Stratford. Orders for papers may also be left with him. BOROUGH COUNCIL. June 13. The general purposes meeting of the Stratford Borough Council was held last night. The Public Trust Office wrote with reference to the council’s application for a loan of £9OOO for the purpose of extinguishing the council’s antecedent liability, stating that the position since April 7 had altered somewhat, and the office' now had a limited amount of funds available. The matter would be reconsidered if application was made.—lt was decided to again apply for a loan. The State Advances Office wrote in reference to the same subject that it was not possible to carry out the suggestion that the Government should arrange for the repayment of the total indebtedness of all local bodies by means of a State raised loan. Mr. R. Masters, M.P., wrote stating that he did not approve of part of the loan, which was essentially a Public Works loan, being diverted for the purpose which the council suggested, and a, special loan should be raised. QUESTION OF EMPLOYMENT. Some discussion took place on a clause in the Works Committee’s report asking that the council consider the advisableness of employing only married men, otluu* than returned soldiers, on the street staff. Mr. Ward moved that the clause be j deleted. j In answer to a question the Mayor said the clause were adopted the single men at present en would be dismissed. Crs. Lawson, Cameron, Stewart, Ward, Jackson, and Hunter spoke strongly against the clause, Cr. Ruthcrfurd supporting its retention. The Mayor said he would not .suppox a resolution dismissing the single men. He thought it would be sufficient to instruct the foreman to give preference to married men. It was finally decided to delete the clause. ELECTRIC LIGHT. Commenting on the electric light balance-sheet, the Town Clerk stated, inter alia: Councillors will note that after allowing for .depreciation, sinking fund and interest on capital the figures show a loss of £1266. This is accounted for by the increased capital charges owing to the installation of new plant and the extraordinary repairs that had to be effected to ;the new Diesel plant. The total-of these two items more than accounts for the whole of the loss. A question to be considered is whether the repairs effected to the Diesel plant should have been debited to working expenses or to depreciation and renewals fund account. Should it ultimately be decided to debit the amount to the latter account the loss will be reduced by about £5OO. The proportion of actual working expenses to revenue shows a small decrease as compared with the previous year, but the proportion is still too high. The price of fuel oil has a big bearing on cost of working expenses, the cost all round being greater than the previous year. The figures showing the cost per unit generated and cost per unit sold includes the whole of the cost of the repairs to the No. 1 Diesel, otherwise the costs would be about the. same as last year.

STAFF REDUCTIONS. ’ The following recommendations by the Works Committee were adopted, Crs. Lawson. Jackson and Ward voting against them: That the staff be reducecd by two, J. Butcher and W. Schneider, and that J. T.Tocker’s wages be £5 per week, and that another junior be engaged. That the minimum wage for juniors be £1 5s per week. That the outside staff, with the exception of J L. Tocker, be given the option of receiving either annual holidays or payment for overtime That the half-yearly increments of 5s per week at present received by juniors cease when wage reaches £3 per week. REPORTS. The abattoirs manager reported for the month that the following stock had been slaughtered for local consumption: Cattle 151, calves 12, sheep 439, lambs 15, pigs 109. The librarian reported that 1781 books had been issued during the month, and 16 new books had been added. The total number of subscribers was 177. The inspector reported that 22 head of stock had been taken off the roads dur-ng the month, and there had been eight convictions in connection with breaches of the traffic by-laws. GENERAL. The Taranaki Education Board asked that the electric light poles in the Technical High School grounds be immediately removed as tenders for the laying I out 'of the grounds were being called — The letter was received, the Mayor stating that this was not a reply to the council's latest request, and the matter was held over. The Publbic Trustee wrote asking for information as to what portions of the loan of £129,500 had been raised and other particulars. On the receipt of this information the council’s application for a £ 10.000 loan would be submitted to the Investment Board for consideration.. The information is to be forwarded. •X. letter was received from Mr. J. | Sturrock, of Hawera, offering advice j regarding the maintenance of the tarsealed roads within the borough .--The letter was received, Mr. Sturrock being accorded a vote of thanks. The Taranaki Farmers Co-op., A ./>. Loan and Mercantile, and Newton King, ] Id. applied for permits to carry on the business of hide and skin merchants within the borough.—Deferred for a report by the health officer. It was decided to order 20 tons ot bitumen for street work, by direct steamer to New Plymouth, several conncillors pointing out the saving by s p • ping direct to that port* i

On the recommendation of the Works Committee, it was decided to call a general meeting of the subscribers to the library, and that henceforth a meeting be held annually. it was decided to allocate two machine gun war trophies, one to the Technical High School and one to the Primary School. it was decided that Air. J Sturrock be asked to confer with rhe Works Committee in regard to the allocation of the £lO,OOO loan The Minister of Justice wrote definitely refusing the appointment of an extra policeman for night duty. MR. VICARY’S RESIGNATION. ACCEPTED WITH REGRET. Tlie resignation of Mr. L. C. Vicary from Ijis position of electrical engineer to the Stratford Borough Council was finally disposed of last night, when the resignation was accepted with regret. It was pointed out that Mr. Vicary had been urged to withdraw the resignation, but had refused to do so.

A somewhat heated argument ensued as to the causes that led up to the resignation. Moving the acceptance of the resignation and referring to allegations had been made public that the resignation was due to t*he “pinpricking methods adopted by the Mayor,” the Mayor asked Mr, Vicary to recount the conversation and comments which had passed- between them and to point out in what respect his (the Mayor’s) actions could be regarded as pin-pricking.

Mr. Vicary then detailed his relations with the Mayor for some distance back, and the Mayor followed with his version Of the incidents. Among other things the Mayor said: “I cannot "understand my conversations with Mr. Vicary being construed by him as pin-pricking. I have differed with him on various matters, but never insisted that he should; accept my viewpoint. Our conversations have always been conducted in a friendly spirit. I have always been friendly disposed towards him. Under the circumstancecs I am forced to believe that the reason he has given for resigning is not genuine, and I emphatically resent the imputation of pin-pricking.” Or. Ward moved that the resignation be accepted with regret and that the council place on record its appreciation of J'.he services rendered by Mr. Vicary. The Mayor said he could not add regret to his motion in view of the charges laid against him. The council could do what it liked. Crs. Hunter, Ward and Lawson in turn spoke appreciatively of Mr. Vicary’s services. While Cr. Lawson was speaking the Mayor interrogated: Would it be advisable that I resign and . let Mr. Vicary stay on if he is such a valuable man to the town? Cr. Lawson: Perhaps it would be. I am not going to beat about the bush. Both the council and the ratepayers were sorry to lose Mr. Vicary. The Mayor had taken a lot on his own shoulders that should have come before the committee. The Mayor said he would like the council to move that the engineer’s resignation he withdrawn and that the Mayor be asked to resign. Addressing Cr. Lawson, he said: Don’t be afraid to say it. Cr. Lawson: I am not afraid. Cr. Jackson said he could not see anything in the Mayor’s remarks to cause the engineer to resign, and he thought the resignation should be simply accepted with the best grace. Cr. Ward’s motion was then put to the meeting and carried HOSPITAL BOARD. THE MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Stratford Hospital Board was held to-day. The Hawera Hospital Board wrote complaining of the regulations being imposed on Hospital Boards, requiring them to furnish the department with many statistical and other returns, which, it was claimed, imposed an undue burden on the boards and their officers. The Hawera Board asked cooperation in an effort to have these burdens removed.—lt was decided that the Hawera. board’s action be endorsed. The North* Canterbury Hospital Board asked support' to the following resolution: That the Minister in charge of prisons be urged to amend existing legislation so as to provide that defaulters in the matter of maintenance orders shall be employed on some form of remunerative work and their earnings be applied to the maintenance of their families.—The resolution was supported. The medical superintendent reported for the month that 42 patients were admitted to the hospital, 33 were discharged, and “2S remained at the end of the month. Nineteen operations were performed and there were no deaths. POPPY DAY FUNDS. BOROUGH SUBSIDY GRANTED. A deputation consisting of Dr. Steven and Messrs. E. H. Young and William Power waited on the Borough Council last night with reference to the disposal of the Poppy Day funds. Mr. Young said as a result of the poppy sales about £lOO was raised in Stratford; a quarter of this would be remitted to France, leaving £75 in Stratford. The District Headquarters at Palmerston North had asked that the funds be forwarded to them, and the Stratford branch of the R.S.A. was resisting this, because it had been understood that the funds would be spent in the district ‘in which they were raised. Mr. Power said it had been ascertained that there were 12 to 15 unemployed returned soldiers in the Strati ford district. The idea of the R.S.A. was to utilise the poppy funds for the relief of these men. They had come to I ask the Borough Council to subsidise the £75 £1 for £l. so that they could go to district headquarters with a stronger argument to retain the funds in Stratford. The unemployed soldiers could bo put on useful work, in the parks or elsewhere, at the discretion of the council. Cr. Steven said there were a number of married returned men with children in dire distress in the district. They were willing to leave the administration of the subsidised funds in the hands of the council provided the R.S.A. had some representation. Jlie deputation having withdrawn, the

council decided on the motion of the Mayor to subsidise up to £75, subject to the money being spent in the town.

MATERNITY HOSPITAL. The question of providing a maternity hospital at Stratford was again before the Hospital Board this morning. It was decided to adopt the amended plan? submitted to the council, subject to the approval of the department and the medical superintendent, and to take preliminary steps towards the establishment of a hospital.

It was further decided that the Public Trust Office be approached for a loan not exceeding £5500 and that the plans be placed in the hands of the local bodies for approval. The chairman said it was the board’s duty to estalish a maternity hospital in view of the high rate of infant mortality and the trouble experienced bymothers and expectant mothers.

GENERAL ITEMS. At last night’s meeting of the Borough Council the Mayor apologised for the absence of the Town Clerk, (Mr. P. Skoglund), who was indisposed, and took the opportunity of welcoming the newlyappointed foreman, Mr. V. Forbes. Miss Kelleher replaced -Mr. Skoglund at the council table. Those interested are reminded of the Frie=ian cattle demonstration, which is fixed for Messrs. Marchants’ farm at Cardiff at 1 p.m,.“ to-morrow (Wednesday). All interested aye invited to attend.

Country subscribers not receiving their Daily News regularly are asked to immediately notify our circulation manager, care Mr. W. H. Humphrey, Stratford. Complaints will receive-prompt attention. Have you seen the latest thing in Portable Typewriters? Call at W. H. Humphrey’s and see the new Portable Remington. No folding and unfolding. You simply open the case and the machine is ready for use. For nnvate correspondence it cannot be beaten, neither can the price, £l9 10s. English magazines, Fashion Books etc., posted to any address.