Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 - 1953), Monday 13 April 1931, page 3


Borough Council. ---------x--WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 1931. Owing to Tuesday being a public holiday, the fortnightly meeting of the Borough Council was held on Wednesday night last, when there were present:-The Mayor (Cr. F. Marshall), Crs. Wilson, Anderson, Pumpa, Hogan, Wyatt, Wiltshire & Patterson. Before commencing business, the Mayor welcomed Crs. Wiltshire .and Patterson to the table. He hoped their terms would be happy ones and that they would lhad much to interest them in their municipal duties.-Cr. Wiltshire said he intended to do his utmost for the advancement of Portland and the ratepayers generally, and to submit to thile ruling of the chair in everything which he thought proper.-Cr. Patterson said it was with pleasure that he came amongst them. He hoped they would always work harmoniously together, and he saw no reason why this should not be so. Correspondence. From City of Melbourne, inviting co-operation in- the celebration" of Flag Day :on ,Friday, 22nd' May, to mark the occasion:of Empire: Day, which this year falls on Sunday, 24th May.' It 'was considered that' in the present difficult ?times the community .desired ;an opportunity for"-the expression of its l-oyalty and i;patriotisi. !, Flags suitable to be worn in the lapel of .the coat would lbe available on application; '.proiieds friom.? the s"ijale * of -which would be- devoted to the·district, hospital" or other local' 'charities. Left in the h'inds of theMayor., From Municipal Associationi, re the 'lethaP chlamber for:.the painiss dess?rdeuctioni of dogs .'and cats. The cost;, without connection to, gas maini, was?'igiven: as nbeing fromi. £8 to £12. a:Lady Lyle, ;the originator, had .,offered to ipayi hlf? the: cost of installation ein eac h city.Z-Received Froni saime, bringing. under notice the ,incequity of the proposal to divert money raised from; motor car regis: tration" from :.the' Country Roads Board to ,!consolidated; revenue; Last yean~- the fees; amounted to £1,100, 000, and it. was considered: that a great injustice iwould 'be ,-dohe to irad users if this was :takedn' from ioad maintenance, ias originally pro. Vided for.--The,: City. of-a; Ballarat wrote ielative to ?the same mattei'Support giveni, and Parliamentary mncmbers to be approached.

From same, stating that application for a 10 per cent. reduction in salaries and wages of municipal officers had been granted by the Court on 30th March.-Received. From G. Salthouse, reporting that he had carried out disinfectant operations at certain places after diphtheria.--Received. From Lord Mayor, asking for supply of flowers from the district for Flower Day, to be held on May 6th. -Left in the- hands of Mayor, and councillors to be asked to assist. From J. McDonald, West Portland, asking permission to cut overhanging timber on Oak Park road,The town clerk said this did not concern the Borough, as the road -referred to was within the Shire boundlary.-To be informed iceodrdinigly and advised to writoe to;the Shire.?, From Victoriani Railwayys, intimat. ing that a tour to Centrhal Northeri Australia, limited to%' 1 persons, had been arranged foM Maiy 20th.-Re. ceived. -From Noyes Bros, stating they' had been inable to obtliin the remis-i sion'of £15/3/8 duty on certain electric light equipment,' and therefore the amount inust: be: debited -to the Council.-Received, From IHamilton District! Hospital, forwarding uuaccoufntt fofr £1/0l in coninection wvith thet Itratment' of :a diphitherii patient fromin the Borough. -Amount passed for payment.: :. From :curator, 'acknovledging £2 towards "specialties" .in seeds and plants for the gardens from the Croquet Club, and load of mainure from the freeziing works.,: The buffalo grass was making :good progress 'in the Coronation Triangle. Owing' to the recent rains, however, the weeds were coming through freely, but the Scouts hadi promised., to. attend to this matter when they returned from camp i;in -Melbiourne. W?hen this wits done, he suggested that the flower beds be laid out and dug, and planted: at 'the earliest opportunity. -The ttown clerk said' the' curator appeared `to' think that the work of the Scouts coul'd be done b'etter, and action "in 'eradicating -the: weeds was needed :: promptly.-Recomhuendations?- adopted. and .donors to be thanked: ' -:From Dr. Sleemnain reporting 'everal icases of diphtheria.-Roceived,. : From caretaker,: Centenary' Park camping 'area;, reporting thatl during Easter 10 cars containing-70 persons, had been 'accommodated `at the area. Fees 'received from the beginhing of the year: to. date were" £41/8, de-. rived from :112 cars.-Received. : General.` The agenda paper for-the Western District' Munlelial: Association-: conference, to be held -it Portland on April 28th, .wais perused, mind the Mayor, who will represent ,the Borough, was given instructidons, in certain 'cases '; in others he was authorised to. use- his owi discretion.-Cr. Wyatt spoke strongly on' the motion submitted to reduce the cost of auditing fees, and instanced the case of, the Borough, which 'last year paid £27 for ditdays. Thiu, he said, was ridiculous. ' -He also hoped that the Mayor would' opPose a suggestion to6 hold the conference at some central place oeach year, stating that every centre should have its turn in :such a limited irea., The towi clerk read the: section"of the Act referring: to closed roads, which made it. clear that 'the Coincil could prohibit traffic over =any road if so desired.-Cr. Pupnpa moved'that the regulations be alplied to the new roads just "completed, but on a suggestion, he. agreed ito refer the matter to the: Public Works Committee. The town clerk said the cheque, for £25, being half the proceeds of the concert held at Portland in aid of theunemployed relief fund, had not -yet come to hand, which was serious, as local funds were getting very' low.It was decided that'a'request be made for immediate payment., It was resolved'to place the matter of the disposal of:street lamps-in; the hands bof :.the Finance - Committee, with' power to. act,:the town clerk stating' that several eniuiries -had already been' received; In answer to the Mayor, the town clerk said instructions had been given the gas manager to attend to lights in' the band rotunda, The Mayor said that some twelve months ago it had been decided that the old tennis court in the gardens should be taken up and replaced by a rosary. Now iwas the time to take rction, and he asked that something be done. The work 'would not cost very much andt several persons had

promised £1 to provide for a bed. The curator of the Ballarat botanical gardens would come down and supervise the work, and perhaps voluntary labor could be secured to do the caith work. That would be the greatest expense, and as regards the roses, he had an idea which would prob'ably result in getting these free of cost.-Cr. Wiltshire suggested a working bee between the Borough Council and the Progress Association, asd Cr. Wilson thought the. latter would be only too pleased td take the matter up.-Cr. Hogun moved that the question be referred to the Finance Committee, the town clerk to submit a repoit as to the cost of removing the court aind re-:1 filling , with earth.-Cr. Anderson seconded, and said a motion. was obi the 'books that anything .other than ordinary expenditure must - be referred to the Finance' Committee. If the town- clerk submitted an. estimate of the cost, then they could go" to the public and ask if they would assist. The Council had no money, and:- had : been living: beyond its means,; having already, spent £164 more., than their income.-The motion was carried. Cr. -WilsOn:said some time ago it was decidledio secu d re_ notices with the ?worids; 'Ratepayeri protect youi property" thereon;, . but the, town clerk' replied .that the matter had not yet been attended to.-Cr .Wilson thought action should be taken to detect those., breaking street lamps.-: The town clerk : I can't stop them. -Cr. Wiilson : But you might in-' struct someone else.-The' town clerk said he 'had spoken to the police. ' There, seemed an inclination at the present time among a certain section. to smash things up.-Cr. Wilson : It's a" pity the police can't detect them. Cr. Wiltshire enquired if there was any bylaw'. prohibiting the erection i of . hoardings in the streets.-The c town clerk : Not in Portland.-Cr. Wiltshire : It is "imperative( that i there should be. We don't know what: might be put up in the future. I don't'wiint to see the streets plac- r arded: with all sorts of hoardings.Is there no way to make a bylaw ?-The town clerk: I think so. r I will t look' ~it.. up.--The Mayor : I don't think hhoirdings are very prevalent. -Cr. Wiltshire': Andl we don't want them to bd.-The town i clerk was listructed to :make enquiries as to the ' necessary procedure. . Cr. 'Wiltshire :asked if there was a?ny truth ;iii the report that there hadi been three or four cases of diph- t theria iti thg-townv at present, and that.:at:least two of the children at- c tendinig the :State school had died.- t The town clerk replied that it was correct that the deaths of two school children had occurred-one from dijihtheria lnd the other from heart failure.-Cr. Wiltshire : Has there a been Vany attempt to close the school? -The - town- clerk : The -medical of- t licer says, there is' no epidemic, and-:until there is he won't move.: Even if he does,' the Education 'Depart-,, ment 'is' totally opposed to closing schools on that account. , 'The t school has:'been closed for over a week :and no new. cases of diphtheria n (which devevlops ain one to live days) b haye occurred, showing there is no epidemic: It is universal right t through the State at present.-The tl Mayor. said they.could not'take much f' notice of whatithey heard outside, as ?., there were : always some alarmists. tc The Council must be guided .by' its a health olficer. w The town clerk' repoted that the cl cost of crushing the mnetal and reinstating the road past the 'old cricket , ground 'would be about '£260 'or r £270.-On theinmotion of Crs. Pumpa tl and" Wiltshire, the work was held it over ,indefinitely. . s ' 1 : ?., R:: eport.' : ti Fi'omi Cr.. Wyatt, as follows:-1 beg to report that the Council sitting as at oanmmittee of the 'vhole met on the te Ilst ult, tp deal with severall mltters, 't as under. The following councillorsn wore present: Cr. Wyatt) in the chair), Ci Ord.- Anderson; Hill; i-logaln, Pumpa, i Wilson,- Wiltshlre, -Patterson. Before taking their seats, Cr. Willtshire and w patterson made and subscribed the e" statutory declaration, and were wel- ` comed by the chairman.

Accoullts wcere paused us under: No. 7 Loan Account, garnisllhee order in the case of J. C. Robb and Trask nnd Sonl, £15/7/i; I'rcelghit on coal, £50/2/17; Commlnnlons Account, £10/12/0; Bench Caretaker and Ladies' Attendant It 13aths.--A. M\.oLood 'was upIointed. to the formler' osltion, alnd Mrs. fllckilng tle latter, during Easter weekl. 13aths.--The town clerk was autiorised to empllly I'. .T Smith on work of reImoval of lamp pillars until next meeting, 1an1 ft wns t, cided to remit to the Fillnllce Committee the mattler of the future enretaking of tie .baths, &c. I-tlurd Street lhallway pates:--A complaint regnrdlng the continued closing of these gates dutl'ing the day iand night and the incollnvenince caused thereby was receivelid, and1 it wvasndecided to write to the t ltallway Commissionel'rs regarlding the same, requlesting that s0111o! arrl'lllngeltent be0 made to hlave the gates Olpoleld. Tri'nglllgle,-The work of attendillg to, tile 'l'riangle by the Scouts was again menltioned, and as It appeared that this was not at all snjlsfatol'y, tile' town clerk was r'equtllPted to obtalln a report thll'eon 'lfront the curator for. presenLation at next meeting Po the council. Tilhe report was adopted. .- , r'lolln Cr'. II1 , as foliows:' I beg ill clreport that CI's. .oganll, Wilsun, Wa?ult anld myself met on thoe 2nd i1st., and dealt with the undermlntioned matters, as a li'lllnce 'Committee:- -ielephocne at Power Ilouse.---Uplon thp recolmnendation of the town clerk, pPllnorted by tihe electrl'ical engineer in eharge,we woull suggest that tie telopllonoe at the Iower 'house-be placed in it cabinet to' be erected at the northwiwst\tloor' of the power house, with door into it from such and so arranged that the telephone will be within reachl for bullti gUlt and power house olnffcias, at call bell on the Hannle circuit being arranged in gas and electric light buildings. tLtillsLttion of Itttoot at North-\West Corner of Powe liottuse.--ln order that the assistant inl tihe power house mny to some. extent reolieve the englincer flolmI conestaiiil attendliance at the powler house, we would rle'cpllend that tlte roonl referred to above, which was nlltended as a gns oflice, be made avalilable on a c sleeping upurtment, which can be occupied by the usstait, a. Who will be'thus withll easy reach of the engines .durling the night. Street Lights.-After considlel'atilo of the hours for lighting up, we would recommend that lallmps Ilo Inot llghted for five nights before the1 full moon, thel night- of full moon and two nights after, and that the manllalger be aluthorlised, to declde whether tile lamps thould be .lighted on dark nights orl not, during, the period tl bove referred to. -) Gui W'Vorkis.-Thle reduction lln thoe consumption of gas, which is even now atlPttrent, will conslderably Incl'reus as more electric lighting Is installed, and consiquently- the work of manufacture will Ihe greatly curtalled, Ill llltlcipiation of the redutioll of this work, we would recommend tihat notice to dispense .with their services be given to the manager and stoker, to operate on May 9th. In the meintlime your com

mlttee to 'onslider the positlon and 'report thereon as soon as practicable. 1iaths.-Tn on(Ier that consideration may be given to the matter of attending to the baths, your committee would suggest that full details of receipts and expeplditulre at the baLths be pI)opared bY the town clerk and such made available to the Finance Colnmittee when doalitlg with the future management of the IthsI. In the meantllm we would sulggest thatt the caretaker, who h.as acted, as hulmplighter, be employed to atrsst the gal manager in removing lamp pillars, &C. from the streets. We accepted tlhe offer of .1I Johnston to renew spouting aling front of gasworks at £2/18/0. Down piping to be repaired only. The report was atdopted.