BOROUGH COUCIL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3012, 19 February 1881, Page 3

BOROUGH COUCIL.

Friday, February 18. The Council met at 8 p.m. Present: His Worship the Mayor (in the chair), Councillors Monteith, M'Kay, de Lisle, Ellis, Cotton, M'Dougall, and Leonard. correspondence. The following letters were read : — From Messrs W. Ellison and Son, forwarding copy of letter from them to Mr W. Amner, in which they stated that bis buildings fronting Chaucer-road were erected in rccordance with a survey made by them, and that they would take upon themselves the onus of supporting him in possession of the ground. From the Inspector of Nuisances, forwarding a printed copy of a report from the Melbourne Town Clerk on the subject of the disposal of night soil. From Mr Waterwortb, complaining that after his tender for asphalting had been accepted, Corporation employes had been engaged in doing the work.

From Mr D. Mole, complaining that an air ventilator connected with the drainage scheme was within six feet of the line of fence in front of his sections.

From Mr G. Kemsley, Fire Inspector, reporting the purchase of lanterns and belts for the use of the Volunteer Fire Police, and forwarding an application from the secretary of the company for a further grant of £4, as the £6 previously voted was not sufficient.— lt was ordered that the grant be made as requested. From Messrs Stevens and Hiller, Invercargill, pointing out the advantages of the celebrated alpha gas. PETITION. Cr. M'Dougall presented a petition from a number of ratepayers, praying that a standpipe be erected at the top of the Spencer-road in connection with the high pressure supply.—The petition was received and ordered to be referred to the municipal engineer for his report. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE'S REPORT. The following report from the Public Works Committee was read : — Your committee having met pursuant to notice beg to recommend the Council as follows :— 1. That tenders be invited for tho supply to the borough of closet pans according to the municipal engineer's specifications at per 100 at a time j samples to bo Bent with tenders. 2. That the tender of Messrs Barrett and Berryrnan for works on the Havelock-road for the sum of £56 5s be accepted. 3. That Emerson and Tennyson-streets, bo connected with the low-pressure, and that thirty 4-inch pipes be procured for tho purpose. 4. That arrangements be made by the engineer with the night soil contractor to empty the silt traps periodically. 5. That the final payment on Uo. 3 contract be withheld.until enquiries havo been made ag to" the alleged sub-letting thereof.

6. That tho report of the clerk of works be adopted, and that tenders be invited for the supply of not less than 100,000 bricks, as per specification of the municipal engineer. 11. Monteith, Pro. Chairman. Clauses 1, 3, 4, and 4, were passed without remark. In connection with the fifth clause a report was read from the municipal engineer, from which it appeared that a portion of No 3 contract had been sub-let by the contractor, Mr John Griffin, to Mr William Clarke, and that a dispute had arisen between them as to the quantities. Mr Griffin had, however, consented to give an order for the payment of the balance due to Mr Clarke, £129 9s 4d, provided the latter countersigned the order in the usual way. This Mr Clarke refured to do because the order stated that the amount was paid subject to his liability to Mr Griffin for the amount of any penalties that might be enforced, and that he (Mr Griffin) reserved his right of action against Mr Clark for penalties. The matter was complicated by orders having been given to workmen by Mr Griffiu for the payment of amounts due to them, but those orders could not be paid in the face of the order given in Mr Clarke's favor for the whole of the balance due on the contract. Or, Monteith said that some complaints had been made by the men employed on the contract to the effect that they could not get wages due to them. It was with a view to protecting the men that the money bad been withheld. Cr. McKay asked if it wis within the provence of the Council to take notice of complaints of men employed on these contracts. He did not see that the Council could take any steps in the matter. The Mayor said that Mr Griffin was the contractor, and the Council did not know anyone but him in tbe matter. Cr. Ellis said it was agreed in committee to protect the working men as much as possible. Unless this was done a contractor might receive pay for the contract and walk off without paying any of bis men. The Mayor could not see that the Council had anything to do with the arrangements between a contractor and his men. Cr. McDougall said the clause proposed what the Council was unable to do, to withold money from a contractor after his work was finished. He would move that the clause be withdrawn. Cr. McKay seconded the motion. Cr. de Lisle Baid there was a clause in the contract against sub-letting, but unfortunately there was no penalty attached. The motion was then carried. On clause 6 being read, Cr. M'Kay Baid that, in reference to the tender for bricks, he thought a substitute better and cheaper than bricks could be had. The culvert could be built stronger and cheaper with concrete. Concrete would resist the encroachments of rats better than soft brick. Cr. Monteith said it would be the dnty of the engineer to see that the bricks were of a proper quality. Cr. Ellis said if concrete was used about half of the money would go away for cement, but if bricks were used all the money would remain in the place. The clause was then passed. THE SWAMP SECTIONS. The Mayor stated that on the 7th instant the Corporation had bought hi the swamp sections, and it now bec?me a question how they could be best dealt with. His opinion was that a road should be opened at the back of Monroe-street and the land divided into allotments, to be disposed of at a reserve of, say, £4 per foot frontage. That would realise about £7000. The allotments could be open for selection at the office of the Town Clerk, and the terms fixed at three-fourths cash, and the balance payable in three, six, and nine months. He thought it would be well to get the municipal engineer to draw out a plan of the allotments and then the Council could arrive at a decision.

Cr. Ellis thought there could be no objection to that being done; it would not cost anything, and might result in the sale of the land. The Mayor said he would instruct the engineer to draw out such a plan. He might mention that the last payment on the swamp drainage contract, £400, was paid a few days ago. WATER SUPPLY FOR THE HILLS. Cr. McDougal moved, " That the standing orders be suspended," and when that was agreed to he moved, " That the engineer be instructed to prepare an estimate of the probable cost of the drainage contracts remaining to be let and also prepare a plan and estimate of a scheme for extending the water supply to the hill portion of the borough." He said he had framed his motion in that double-barrelled" form because he believed it was in some way a stipulation that the surplus from the drainage scheme should be devoted to a water supply for the hills. He had a lively recollection of a public meeting held in the question of raising the loan, and though he did not vote for it, still as the money was borrowed he considered the stipulation should be carried out. It would be of course easy enough to ascertain what had already been expended on the drainage scheme, and then an estimate of the cost of what remained to be done being added the Council would obtain a knowledge of what would remain for the water supply to the hills. He was afraid unless something was done at once there would not only be no money left for the water supply, but there would not be enough to complete the drainage scheme. Cr. de Lisle seconded the motion. He thought that the sooner the hills were supplied with water the better. They had been told that no part of the loan could be used until the drainage scheme was completed. In the meantime this estimate and plan could be made, and tbe time would not be waßted.

Cr. McKay said he had gone to the last meeting of the Public Works Committee with a strong feeling on this subject. The time had arrived when the Council should take active measures. The necessity of having a good water supply on the hi!! ci wbi great, and he thought this work and the drainage scheme might be carried on simultaneously. After the completion of No. 5 contract the work under discussion Bhould be commenced. Cr. Monteith heartily agreed with tho motion, but it had better be finally settled by the Council if they were in a position to spend the loan money for this work before giving the engineer a lot of extra work. He thought the Council ought to define the drainage scheme. He would give every assistance in his power of his power if tbis water supply could be gone on with. Cr. Ellis did not think the drainage scheme would ever be finished. It was quite competent for the Council to finish it any time. Cr. Cotton endorsed the opinions of Cr Monteith. They ought to have a clearly defined idea of what the drainage scheme was. He intended to move that the rates be returned to those residents

on tbe hilla who paid rates without receiving a supply of water. Cr. Leonard would give a hearty support to any scheme which would give a plentiful supply of water to the hills. The Mayor said he was quite as favorable as any one else to the people on the hills having a water supply, but when the loan was raised it was distinctly understood that it was to be applied first to carrying out a drainage scheme. The words " and for general purposes " had been inserted, but they were taken out because the municipal solicitor had advised that they were not sufficiently definite and would lead to the loan not being sanctioned. He was satisfied that they could not go on with a water supply for the hills until the drainage scheme was completed — unless, indeed, they were willing to go against the law. However, there would be no harm in getting the municipal engineer to draw out the estimate and plans asked for in the motion. Tbe motion was then carried unanimously. A NUISANCE IN THE PUBLIC STREET. Or. McDougall said he wished to bring before the Council a custom which had become a public nuisance. A number of persotfis*from the country were in the habit of leaving their drays for the night in the public streets, and the vehicles were an obstruction and a nuisance. The Mayor said that the Inspector of Nuisances would be instructed in the matter REFUNDING OF WATER RATE. Cr. Cotton asked for a return of the number of residents on the hiils who were paying the water rate without receiving a supply. The return wa3 promised. The Council then adjourned.