BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3228, 3 November 1881, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2. The Council met at 8 p.m. Present—His Worship the Mayor (in the chair) Councillors Monteith, Swan, Wall, McKay, deLisle, Cotton, Renouf, and Graham. CORRESPONDENCE. From the Returning Officer informing the Council that Mr J. T. Renouf had been elected to fill the vacancy in the North Ward. From Mr Rochfort on behalf of Mr Tabateau's trustees asking for permission to form a way through some sub-sections in Emerson-street. Referred to Public Works Committee. From the Colonial Secretary in reference to the occupation of Government offices by the Corporation.—The Mayor said it was desirable that the Public Works Committee should take this matter into consideration. It was necessary that they should have some suitable offices in which to transact their business, and they could not retain the use of their present premises much longer.—On the motion of Cr. Swan seconded by Cr. Wall it was resolved to refer the matter to the Public Works Committee. From the Inspector of Nuisances, agreeing to continue the duties of Inspector,— Or. Monteith said he was glad to bear that the Inspector had discQYere<J tbit by

a little he was able to do a little more work than he thought he waf able to do.—The Mayor did not agree with the tone of Cr. Monteith's remarks; he considered the Inspector bad a very considerable amount of work to do, and hitherto it bad been done to the satisfaction ot the Council. . . V*"" PETITION. Cr. Monteith brought up a petition from a number of residents in the South Ward praying that the Beach road might £ be continued from Sale-street to the rail- ' way crossing, and moved that the matter be referred to the Public Works Committee. Carried. REPORT OP PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE. The following report was read:— 1. That with reference to Messrs W&rdrop and Co.'s application for permission to raise the footpath in Station-street a reply be forwarded that the Council can grant no concession in the matter of altering the levels of streets. 2. That with reference to the application of the Hon. J. Johnston re the making of a new street between Dalton and Stationstreets he bo informed that the Council will take over and form the road when necessary on the following conditions, viz., that the Hon. J. Johnston pay the sum of dB2O towards the cost of forming the said road, and also pay the expenses of conveying the same to the Council. 3. That With reference to Mr Colenso's application, permission be granted him to make the road connecting Milton-road with Napier-terrace, and to convey the same to the Council when completed ; the Corporation will, then take over, the road. 4. That the engineer's report be adopted with the.exception of. clauses 2 and 4, tho consideration of which is deferred to the next meeting of the committee. Si That with reference to clause. 1 of the engineer's report, re a,nuisance- from Mr Wardrop's house, permission be r granted to that gentleman to make a drain across Clyderoad, leading intoßrewster-street, at his own COSt. "• T . 6. v Thatwith reference to olause 10 of the engineer's report, the laborers in the employ of the Corporation be paid fortnightly in- ' stead of monthly as heretofore, 'as recommended by the engineer. 7. That with reference to the drainage scheme, the present contract, called " No. 7 drainage contract," be regarded as the definite conclusion to the drainage scheme for which the loan was raised. 8. That with referenco to. the report of the Inspector of-Nuisances, that officer he instructed to carry out and enforce the pro* ■visions of bye-law No. 2j clause 2. 9. That the present condition of the law in relation to charitable ttid is faulty, and ••■- Urgently demands attention at the hands of T the Government. ... .*•■-. 10. That the vouchers for expenditure during October be passed and ordered to be paid. ; Anots M?Kay, Chairman. In reference to clause 1, Cr. Swan said that he was sorry any obstacle had been thrown in the way of the raising of the footpath. The street had not yet been taken over by the Corporation, and he believed that Messrs Wardrop and Co. had a perfect right to raise the footpath in any way they liked. He thought he was right in saying that a fence would shortly be put across the street from the store to the hotel opposite, enclosing the ground, which was a Government reserve. He did not wish that the public should be inconvenienced, but he thought extrsme measures bad been taken by the Engineer, and.a want of discretion shown. Cr. Monteiththought that, if what Cr. Swan was correct, he ought to move for a committee of enquiry into the matter. He thought the least that could have been done was for- Messrs Wardrop and Co., to havcapplied to the Council before proceeding. in the way they had done. He considered the officers of the Corporation had acted very properly. Cr. de Lisle said that the Engineer had informed the Public Works Committee that Messrs Wardrop and Co., bad applied to him for permission to raise the footpath ; he had agreed to raising the path six inches, and afterwards found that it had been raised eighteen inches. Cr. McKay-said, if the Engineer had allowed the path to be raised as proposed, a great inconvenience to the public would have resulted. It was absurd to say that the Corporation had nothing to do with the road. It would be folly to think that a fence would be thrown across one of the busiest thoroughfares in the town. If the footpath was raised eighteen inches it would seriously interfere with the drainage in the neighbourhood. ! The Mayor said they ought to know •" exactly how they stood in reference to this road. Cne half of the road had been handed over to the Provincial Council by the late Mr Watt, and the other half had been dedicated to the Corporation by Messrs Neal and Close. He did not think for one moment that the Government would do anything to inter fere with the arrangements of the Borough. What had been done by the Council he considered right, and should be adhered to. Messrs Wardrop and Co. should form a recess and have steps like other buildings in the town. -^ Cr. Swan said the Loan and Mercantile Company had been allowed to encroach upon the footpath, and also Mr H. Williams. Cr. McKay said he knew something about the Loan and Mercantile building. *• The step was no encroachment upon the Corporation boundary. It was only four inches high, and was actually within the Company's proper boundary. The clause was then adopted. - Clause 2 was adopted without discussion. On clause 3 being read, Cr. Swan said he was sorry that the Committee had not seen their way to give a grant in aid of making this road. Mr Cotton said it was clear that the owner of the property was bitching to cut it up into sections for sale. The value of bis property would be greatly enhanced, and the road would only be a convenience to a few residents on the hills. He would strongly object to any grant in aid. The clause was then adopted. In connection with clause 4 the following report was read : — BNOINEKe's REPORT. 1. Clyde-road. —According to instructions I have examined the nuisance complained of , from Mr Wardrop's premises, and find that this arises from the want of some means of carrying off the waste water from his washhouse and bath room. This can be remedied by constructing a drain across the road leading into the channel in Brewster-street. By providing a grating and silt trap at the commencement of this drain it could be made to serve also as a drain to carry off the storm Water from the side of Clyde-road. I estimate this work could be done at a cost of about £6. 2. Petane Bridge.—l have examined the, approach to this bridge from the Napier side, and beg to report that this could be improved and rendered more safe by widening it out on the right hand side. The cost of this work I estimate at about £15. 3. Spencer-road.—The work in connection with this road has been commenced, and is proceeding satisfactorily. 4. Stand Pipes.—l have the honor to recommend that the taps be removed from all the stand pipes except those in the Chaucerroad and Craven-street, the inhabitants in these localities having at present no other means of obtaining the town water. 0, Waterworks. JEfctenifon,—J forr m

. honor to lay before the committee the specifications and schedules required for ordering the whole of the plant and machinery in connection with the Waterworks extension scheme. 6. Storm Water Sewer.—At present the covering of the we'll at the terminus of. this drain isliable to be covered up to sdrde depth with shingle when the sea runs high, and as the percolation of the storm water into the shingle is very slow, this interferes to some extent with the efficiency of the drain. I beg therefore respectfully to suggest that a dry stone wall be erected round the margin of the well on the beaoh to protect the cover from being silted up. This would enable us to open the trap-door in the cover and allow the storm water to have free exit in case of a sndden and heavy rain storm. The cost of this I estimate at about £5. 7. Drainage Contracts Nos. 6 and 7.—The works in connection with these contracts are proceeding satisfactorily. 8. Paradise-road.—l beg to report that this contract has been completed in a satisfactory manner. 9. Inspector's Report.—Herewith I hare the honor to submit the report of the Inspector. 10. Laborers' Wages.—l beg respectfully to recommend that the wages of the laborers in the Corporation employ be paid fortnightly instead of monthly as at present. Bobt. Lamb, Municipal Engineer. October 31,1881. In connection with clause 1 of the Engineer's report, Cr. Wall said that if it was proposed to send the water from Mr Wardrop's house down Brewsterstreet he objected. The water was from the wash-house and bath-room, audit would create a nuisance. It was absurd to say it was clean water ; if it was clean it could be no nuisance where it was. He moved to refer this clause back to the Engineer. Cr. Monteith seconded the motion. / Cr. Swan said it was highly necessary that Brewster-street should be connected with the drainage system. There were '. a number of houses in the street, and it was necessary that they should have some means of carrying off their refuse water. He thought the sooner it was connected . with the drainage system the better. Clause 4 of the Public Works Report was then adopted. Clause 5 was referred back to the Committee, and clause 6 was adopted. On clause 7 being read, Cr. McKay said the Committee thought it desirable that it should be definitely fixed where the drainage scheme ended. Unless this J were done they might go on indefinitely. Cr. Swan objected to the clause. It was very necessary that Brewster-street should be drained. It should never have been left out of the soheme. The Mayor . thought it very desirable that a termination to the scheme should be clearly defined, or the water extension fcbeme might suffer. Clause 7 and 8 were then adopted. . On clause 9 being read, the Mayor said that he did not think the Council understood their position in the matter. They had really nothing to do with the matter; '. they had only to pay what was required by the Charitable Aid Committee, and '. the Government repaid them. , Cr. de Lisle thought this was a matter which required ventilating. There was i a want of system in dispensing aid, and ] a great want of judgment had been displayed in distributing aid. He instanced ; the case of a young man at Hastings who ; required to be brought down to the Napier Hospital, a most deserving case, I )**- and it had to be done by private persons, i Against this there was a case where they S ranted £3 10s, the passage money of a ; isreputable character, simply to get her < out of the town. It appeared to him that i aid was not given according to the neces- ] sities of a case, but according to the per- 4 son who recommended it. 1 . . The clause was then carried. 1 , Clause 10 was adopted without discuslion, and the Council adjourned. < I The following abstract of receipts and < expenditure in the general account of ( the Borough of Napier, for the half-year « ending 80th September, 1881, was laid ' before the Council last night:— RECEIPTS. ' £ s. d. £ s. d. I Bates, general, to ' 24th April, 1881 913 0 9 Bates, general, to 24th April, 1882 294 1 6 1207 2 3 ' , ... Water Supply — J Consumers' rates w - to 24th October, 1881 284 0 11 To Shipping ... 25 15 0 To Permits water 315 0 313 10 11 Bints—Reserves 77 10 0 Licenses—• Cabs ... ... 45 0 0 Carts 61 0 0 Drivers 24 0 0 Borough Stages 4 0 0 Auctioneers ... 360 0 0 Publicans ... 671 5 0 Public Amusements ... ... 12 0 0 / Hawkers ... 4 0 0 Building ... 1 15 0 Cab Transfer Fees 012 6 . HB3 12 6 Dog Registration 10 0 0 Pound Fees 4 15 0 Beclaimed Land—Sections Deposit 36 0 0 Grants in Aid—lnsurance ComT pany 29 6 9 Fines—R.M. Court 9 16 0 Refunds, Advances General Government Charitable Aid 85 3 5 Contributions to Streets ... 41 17 4 Tar—Sale of 8 3 0 Miscellaneous 6 16 6 Balance Union Bank 6867 16 11 Less Petty Cash in hand ... ... 2 4 8 '■ 6865 12 3 £9879 5 11 EXPENDITURE. £ s. d. £ s. d Balance, Ist April, 1881 6868 1 6 Salaries 250 2 0 Bent—Engineer's Office 13 0 0 Advertising ~. 46 4 3 Printing 74 11 7 Stationery ... 18 11 8 Telegrams ... 24 2 I Stamps —Postage 4 9 7 j „ Duty... 87 0 I Furniture ... 6 13 0 I Gas Account ... 1 5 6 424 8 Wf Streets — m ' Labour ... 280 5 4 Eoad Metal ... 207 15 3 Carting ... 292 3 4 Eoad Contracts 103 8 6 Sundries ... 59 911 Levels and Surveys ... 12 12 0 Lighting ... 211 5 4 Tools 16 14 7 Tree Planting 28 14 11 Timber ... 10 15 11 , 1223 5 1 W Waterworks—Maintenance .?. 383 15 8 / Grants in Aid— Fire Brigades 282 8 6 Insurance on Fire Brigade Premises ... 15 0 283 13 6 Botanical Gardens—-Labor, &c. 102 17 D Election Expenses , 10 5 0 Land Purohases—-Interest ~, 718 1Q |wj»mp F ee fj^

Auctioneer 17 17 0 Miscellaneous 43 13 5 Advances—General Government Charitable Aid 142 15 8 Deposits Refunded 55 0 0 Dog Begistratiori — Expenses Collecting, &c. ... <.i 25 16 0 Tar Account 27 5 10 Reclaimed Land—Section Stiri veys &c 6fl 0 0 i Nuisances—Expenses 3 17 6 Interest to date, 30th September inclusive ... ... 203 1 2 £9879 5 11 The following is the abstract of receipts and expenditure in the loan account of the Borough of Napier, for the half-year ended 30th September, 1881 :— RECEIPTS. £ s. d. £ s. d. Balance, Ist April 7037 6 5 Loan Rate, ending 24th April, 1880 58 17 1 „ „ 1881 1225 14 10 „ 1882 441 2 3 1725 14 2 From Deposit Account, Union Bank 10000 0 0 Interest on above 975 0 0 10975 0 0 Interest on Current Account ... 182 17 3 £19920 17 10 expenditure. £ s d £ b d. Salaries ... ... 438 18 0 Advertising ... 718 3 Printing ... 34 18 2 Stationery ... 8 14 0 Labor 409 16 9 Metal 316 15' fi Carting 298 16 11 Timber 7 12 7 Drainage ... 282 18 7 Miscellaneous ... 4 14 6 Deposit refunded 10 0 0 Tar account ... 31 3 6 Bricks 876 3 0 Iron Work, &c... 38 3 6 Kerbstones ... 67 10 11 No. 5 Contract... 4034 3 8 No. 6 Contract... 129 12 4 No. 7 Contract ... 15 6 0 7003 6 1 Interest on Loan forwarded to London ... 4200 0 0 Charges on above 81 3 8 4281 3 8 Balanoe 8636 8 1 £19920 17 10 M. N Bower, Town Clerk and Treasurer. Audited and found correct, 27th October 1881.