ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.
The ordinary meeting waa held last evening. Present— The Mayor, and Crs Williamson, Tucker, Roberta, Thomas, Reid, Scott, Scaly, Bird, and Friedlander. mayor's statement The Mayor said that the debit balance at the Bank was £1431 Is 6d. The amounts whioh had been received since the previous meeting were:— Earth gold, 13s ; Library aooounfc, 13s ; stamping leaße, refund, 16* ; lioenaea, by-laws, £2 ; licenses, dog, £1 IO?; rent of pound, £5 ; rent of Reserves, £49 ss; rates, 1887, 15s ; rates, 1888, £25 6s ; total, £85 18s. CORRESPONDENCE. Letters' were read (1) From Wairarapa County Council, m reference to Charitable Aid payments, and enclosing copies of resolutions passed at a conference called to consider what steps should be taken to resist the present unjust demands made on country districts. — | It was deoided to reply that the Counoil was moving m the direotion of obtaining separation from the present Charitable Aid distriot ; , (2) From the Railway Department m reference to tree planting on Reserve opposite Baring square ; (3) From the same stating that no planting, beyond that already authorised, oould be undertaken. — Reoeived; (4) From Messrs P. and D. Duncan m regard to tbe reduotion of rent on a Borough Reserve held by them. — Cr Williamson said that there was a Fair Rent Bill now before the House, whioh was likely to beoorae law, and he thought that nothing should be done till it had been seen whether that measure was carried or ! not. A motion to that effeot waa carried ; (5) From Mr G. Hioks applying for culvert. — Granted subject to the usual conditions ; (6) From Selwyn County Counoil asking the Council's co-operation m urging upon Government the advantage which would resuit from the triennial elections of licensing committees, and tbe eleotion to be held on the days on wbioh the looal option polls are taken, — Cr Thomas moved that the matter be brought under the notice of the members for the dißtriot, The proposal had his entire oonourrenoe. — Cr Soott seconded the motion whioh was carried ; (7) From Fire Insurance Association stating that the Association oould not alter the conditions under whioh they made the grant to the Counoil for the purchase of a steam fire engine, — The Association had promised a subscription provided a Shand-Maaon engine be scoured, but the Counoil had subsequently asked that it might . be allowed to make a ohoioe, after trial, between a Shand-Maaon and a Merewether engine, the Association to be represented at the ! trial. — Cr Roberts suggested that the Association should be again written to, pointing out certain advantages claimed by the Mere- ■ weather engine, and urging that the Council I should be allowed to make a choice after a i trial bad been made.-— After some disoussion, ' Cr Friedlander, who ia going to Christohuroh i m a few days, undertook to explain mat' era to the Association, and the matter waa left m hia hands ; (8) From poundkeeper, aßking for ! a new book. — Left m the hands of tbe Mayor; ( (9) From Christchurch Oity Council asking Council's co-operation m urging upon Parlia- , ment the desirableness of abolishing the totalisator. A petition for signature was forwarded.—Several Councillors thought it was hardly a matter for the Counoil. — The Mayor i asked the presa representatives to draw atten- : tion to the matter, so that if the publio ' wished it taken up they could api proach tbe Counoil with a view to a meeting . of burgesses being called to take the question into consideration — Or Roberts thought the matter was one for the Counoil to consider, ' but m the faoe of the generally expressed [ opinion of Councilors he would not move. — 1 Cr Friedlander moved that the letter be acknowledged and the matter be deferred. — The motion was carried, Or Thomas dissenting. TOWN GLBRK AND ENGINEER. A letter waß read from Mr Braddell, stating that Mr Fooks had no inclination to aot aB Engineer except by direct appointment from the Gouuoil. Under these oiroumstances Mr Braddell desired to make the offer, without prejudice, to acoept the offioe of Town Olerk at £125 a year, abandoning that of Engineer at £75, when the Council might appoint Mr Fooks as Engineer. Mr Fooks also wrote stating that m the engineering work for the Borough the principle of paying a definite salary for an indefinite ' amount of work was not a right one. He ' thought the fair way would be to allow a retaining fee as before, to give the offioer a standing, and to pay a commission on work 1 exeouted. 1 The Mayor said that upon receiving Mr | Braddell's letter he had made it his business to see Mr Fooks. That gentleman was not prepared to acoept a salary of £75 a year for 1 performing the engineering work, but might take the position under the old arrangement of a retaining fee of £25 per annum, and a commission of 7 per cent on works executed. The Counoil's estimates this year showed £700 to be expended, and upon this ■ basis the retaining fee and oommißsion combined would make a aalary of £74. Or Scaly aßked if tho Counoil waa bound by • the estimatea ;if they were oompelled to spend ' the exact sum specificd — no more and no less. The Mayor said that was not the oase. i The estimates were simply framed for the guidanoe of the Counoil. Cr Scaly said that there was then no guarantee tbat the salary might not exoeed £75. Or Soott moved that the matter be postponed till the Works Committee report had been reoeived. It oould then be seen if there had been any inoonvenienoe oaused through there being no engineer. If there had not then they might be able to rub along, and only oall m the assistance of an engineer when there was oooasion for professional assistance. Or Reid asked if there was any Works Committee report. In reply to the Mayor, tho Town Olerk said there was none, and the Mayor then stated that Cr Scott's motion was unnecessary. Cr Soott wished to know if any engineer besides Mr Fooks had boen asked. In reply to the Mayor the Town Clerk said that be had spoken to no other. Cr Soott moved " That the offer Bubmittted by Mr Braddell be accepted." Cr Bird asked if the motion were carried how long would it bind the Counoil before they oould make fresh arrangements as to engineer. The Mayor said that hitherto the Council > had given three months' notioe, though he believed the law only required one. Or Friedlander aßked m oase the Council could not get an engineer to do tho work for £75, where did the retrenchment come m. Cr Williamson suggested that aa the dis. cussion might be rather embarraasing to the Olerk, he should bo aooorded permission to withdraw. Permission was granted and the Olerk left the room. Cr Scaly said that Mr Braddell had been appointed to the combined offioea of Town Olerk and Engineer. He had now deolined to carry out one portion of hia duties, and he (Or Scaly) would ljke to know what position the Council was m. Cr Thomas thought that Or Scaly had misstated the oase. Mr Braddell had not refused to oarry out any portion of his dutiea, but tho Counoil at its last meeting had said that if expected the sej.*vioe3 of a qualified engineer. The Mayor thought the question a wise ' one. Thoy had appointed Mr Braddell to the two offices, but the dutios were not being fulfilled to the satisfaction of the Counoil. Seeing the trouble they were m, he thought it best that thoy should upset the present arrangement and then start on a new basia. They had already fixed the terms upon whioh thoy could elect a Olerk and Engineer, and ho thought thoy should oanoel the present appointment, whon they could re-appoint the Plerk to that ollioo or oall for applications for both ofiioes £}s tljoy thought fit. ' Or Soott waa astonished tp hoar tho Mayor state that Mr Braddell waa not doing his work satislaotorily. Ho did not know of any work that was not done satisfactorily. The Mayor said that he had been misunderstood. What he hsd meant to imply was that tho position m regard to tho offioo of Engineer was not satisfactory to Councillors. Or Williamson said that tho position was porfootly clear. They had oalled for applications for tlfo offiooa. thoso had oomo m, and that of Mr Braddell had been rtcqopted on the understanding that ho should provide an Engineer to oarry out the Council's work m tho terms of the aohedulo of duties. The application was mado a month or six weeks ago, but the Council still had no Engineer, and Mr Braddell m his letter told them that he had failed to $take arrangements, and that he was prepared "to abandon the position of Engineer. The Counoil was in' tho position, if they accopted Mr Braddell's lotter, that if j Mr Fooks or porno other Eo^inoor did not
ohooae to undertake the work at £75 they i must exoeed the limit of £200 they had fixed aa the aalaries for the two offices. They might revert to the old applications if the ' applicants were still willing, or thoy might call for fresh offers, but he did not think any other method would be satisfactory to the Council or to the ratepayers. With regard to the present appointment, they could terminate that either by paying a month's salary or giving a month's notice. Other gentlemen were prepared to do tho work for the sum specified, and the Counoil were not justified m exceeding it, As regarded an Engineer, they could not do without one. There were many things whioh the Works Committee could not take the responsibility of, and with whioh they oould not saddle the foreman. A very important matter was attending to the water supply, the Counoil now having the custody of the intake of the mill race, a matter which was of immenao value to the Borough, and whioh oost it very little. If the Counoil decided on having no Engineer, the County Counoil and the mill owner, who were also interested m that supply, might possibly take steps whioh would cause the loss to the Borough of a good deal of the advantage now enjoyed. Or Friedlander thought that they should aonsider this matter impartially, and .m the best interest of the ratepayers. Some time ago the Counoil adopted the Retrenchment Committee's report m whioh was embodied a ! olause whioh stated that the position of the Borough did not warrant the then expenditure on salaries, and if the Oounoil went behind that now they would be undoing the work ot eoonomy that had been commenced. Mr Braddell now offered to retire from the ' position of Engineer and oontinue that of Town Clerk at a salary of £125, but the Counoil had to oonsider what it would cost ' them to seoure the services of a professional engineer. They knew that the estimate of works was seldom adhered to, and that probably 60 per cent more than specified would be expended, and if they paid an engineer a percentage they would exoeed the £200 whioh had been fixed as the salary for the joint offioea of Engineer and Olerk. They must not lose sight of the faot that they had had applicants able and willing to do the work for the salary fixed. He would ask if Councillors Bitting there m the interest of the burgeßseß would be justified m increasing the salaries when there was not the slightest necessity for suoh a step. However hard it waß on the servant — who had served them well m the paat everyone would admit— still they could not keep his plaoe warm and saddle the burgesses with expense there waa no oooasion for. Or Reid thought that Ors Williamson, Scaly, and Friedlander had stated the oase dearly, and he did not see how they oould do anything except what had been suggested. At the laat meeting of the Counoil they had given the Clerk every reasonable ohance of finding an engineer, though to hia mind the Olerk . should have had one before he put m his application. He was altogether opposed to the percentage system, and he objected to it when he first oame on the Oounoil. He was then told the Engineer's commission would only come to about £50, but at the end of the year he found that it was more than double that amount. He took it they would be m the Bame position if they adopted the same system again. They had fixed the salaries at £200 and there were gentlemen willing to do .the work for that money. He thought the only thing they oould do now would be to oanoel the present appointments and make fresh ones. Or Roberts said that the gentlemen of whom they had been hearing might be good engineers but awkward clerks. In suoh a oase if they made an appointment they would find themselves m exaotly the same diffioulty as they were now m. Or Thomas was not at all Borry for the Counoil. He had previously pointed out that they were not treating their officers m the manner they should. The Retrenchment Committee he considered had not gone into the matter thoroughly at all but had jumped at conclusions, considering the work oould be done for a oertain amount. The Town Clerk had been receiving about £180, and the Engineer about £130, or m all about £300, whioh had been out down to £200. The mistake made by the Counoil was m not giving their officers a chance of accepting their respective positions at the altered salaries, before calling for outside applications. Ho pointed this out at the time, but the Counoil were determined on calling for applications, with the possibility that they might get a oheap and nasty man. Cr Roberts had touched on the . weak point. If they got a new man he might prove a good engineer but not be able to look after the books- In addition, an old seryant always had a great deal of experience and could do great deal m the interests of the ratepayers that oould not be done by a new man. A muoh had been said about the necessity for an engineer, but he would affirm that Or Williamson oould " run " the town as well as the best engineer, after the work already done by Mr Fooks, for most of whioh, however, he had not been paid. All the work at the intake could be done by any man of common sense. All that was required was a consult* ing Engineer m reference to the building by-laws. Gr eaid tbat the question was not what they had (paid for the work m the past, but what they oould get it done for now. If the Oounoil had chosen to be mean and stingy, and had only offered £175 for the two positions, he was sure they would have had the same applicants. He was oertain all the clerical work m connection with the Oounoil oould be done m 52 days m the year. There was nothing difficult about the work, and yet councillors who were men of business expressed doubts as to whether a man oould be got capable of doing a work. He had been lov a long time oonneoted with that Oounoil and with the pounty Oounoil and Road Boards, and he know there waa more work on the Road Boards m one month than there was on that Council m four, and yet the work of both offices was done for*£lso and m some cases for less. Cr Scaly denied that the Oounoil had wished to get the work done for less than it was worth. They had themselves fjxed the salary and had not called for oilers, condemn* ing that principle as a bad and vioious one. The faot that they had reoeived fourteen applications Bhowed that tho salary they had fixed was fair and reasonable. No one denied that some of the applictns were capable of doing the work, and if that was so would the Counoil be justified m giving a larger salary when that whioh they had fixed was proved to be reasonable ? If the Oounoil did suoh a thing they would be the laughing-stock of the town. Cr Thomas j They are now. Or Williamson : Are they ? Or Scaly oontinued that he thought the proper thing would be to revert to the original resolution Jbef ore any side iasuea had been introduced. The salary had been fixed at £200, which waß a reasonable one, and tho Counoil could get their work done m a proper manner for it. Cr Roberta said that, after hearing some of the expressions of opinion, what puzzled him was that Mr Braddell had been appointed Engineer at all. Or Friedlander said those who voted for him did so on the understanding tbat the services of an Engineer would be always available. Of Roberts said that puoh wfis not the oase. Ho and other Covjnoillors understood than ap engineer would bo oalledin when required. Or Williamson said that although Councillors had adopted the schedule of duties, some of tbem did not appear to reoognise it when making the appointment. Or Thomas, said that he reoogni3ed the schedule of duties, but he read it differently to Or Williamson. After a disousaion of a desultory nature Cr Friedlander . moved " That Mr Braddell reoeive one month's notice of the termination of his engagement." In speaking to the motion he took' oxooption to tho wording of I\fr Braddell's letter, whioh was not m tho spirit suoh a communication should' be. Cr Roberts said the Mayor had already explained under what circumstances the letter had been drawn up, and that there was no intention on tho writer's part of* being impertinent. The Oounoil should be just. Cr Thomas said that thoy should also oonsider tho way m whioh tho master had troatod tho sorvant. Cr Reid seoonded Or Friedlander's motion. Or Thomns maintained there waa nothing m the lotter whioh oould o#end the dignity of the Council. What was there m 'the worka «' without prejudioe " wbioh were taken exception to ? Mr Braddell had been treated badly thoroughout, Or Williamson said that he had every respeot for Mr Braddell as Town Olerk, and a >p.o of the Oounoillors would remember hui saying before tho applications were called that it would bo a pity if' they lost $bt}t
gentleman's services, He had no persona I feeling against Mr Braddell whatever. 1| has however, ridioulous to say they could got nobody else to do the work. Why m the applications they had received, they had to go no further than that of Mr Fooks whose firm oould fulfil the duties satisfactorily. I Those gentlemen had been doing their work for Road Boards for many years past — and Cr Friedlander who had had experience stated the Road Board work was heavier than that of the Oounoil— and it was evident thoy did the work satisfactorily or they would not continue m that employment. He had nothing against Mr Brad 101 l but it was a question of whether the Council's interests should not be considered before those of its offioers. Cr Soott thought they were treating Mr Braddell harshly. If the proposal didn't suit, them they should refer it back' to Mr Braddell. He knew that that gentleman had been misled, and he knew Councillors Bitting at that table who at the time the appointment was made agreed that an Engineer was only to be called m when required and now said they understood differently. (Or Friedlander t Name them. — Or Soott : Oh, I oan name them, and prove it, too.) He began to think there was an undercurrent at work, and not m Mr Braddell's favor, but m somebody else's. Or Friedlander having addressed the Oounoil, the motion wbb put and carried as follows — "That Mr B_.addell reoeive one month's notice of the termination of hia engagement." The voting was as follows :— For : Ors Bird, Williamson, Friedlander, Roberts, Scaly, snd Reid. Against: Ors Soott, Tucker, and Thomas. It was resolved, on the motion of Ct Tuoker, seconded by Or Bird—" That applications be invited for the combined Offioea of Engineer and Town Olerk, applications to be m by 12 o'olook on llth June, 1888, tha salary to be £200 per annum." WORKS. Gr Williamson reported on the worka that had been done during the past fortnight. The formation ot a portion of Kermode street was authorised. IN3PECTOR OT NOISAKC3S REPORT. The Inspector of Nuisanoes complained of persona who loitered on the footpath opposite the Courthouse on Court days. Pedestrians had to either elbow their way through -the orowd or retreat on to the road. It wbb deoided to oall the attention of the police to the matter. The Inspector also drew attention to an iron pipe on the footpath m Burnett street. It was deoided to aßk the owner to remove the pipe. TIBS). The Fire Brigade reported on tbe recent fire at Hampstead, and enclosed acoount for expenses incurred thereat. The aooount was passed, and it waa deoided to apply to the Hampstead Town Board for a refund. FIRE INSPECTORS. Cr Scott asked if the Fire Inspectors aaw any inflammable material m close proximity to a building, oould they order its removal.; It appeared from the reply that suoh a matter came within the scope of the Inspeo* tor of Nuisanoes. I PAYMENTS. Acoounts were passed for payment, xaiioel* laneous business transacted, and the Oounoil adjourned.
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Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1853, 29 May 1888, Page 2
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3,619ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL. Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1853, 29 May 1888, Page 2
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