NAPIER MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3612, 8 February 1883, Page 2

NAPIER MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

Wednesday, February 7

The Council met at 8 p.m. Present: His "Worship the Maj r or (chairman), Crs. Mon- . tcith, Wall, M'Dougall, Price, Margoliouth, ■ k Cotton, Ellison, and Graham. CORRESPONDENCE. The following inward correspondence was read:— From Mr W. Miller, enclosing,' the accounts of the Napier and Spit Tire Brigades for the quarter ending 31st December, also reporting that the brigades arc efficient, and the plant in fair -working order. From Mr A. Lasoelles, stating that the seed of the Vitis Califoniica sent him last year by the Town Clerk had produced two well-grown plants, from which cuttings could be obtained after the autumn. The plants had withstood the frost and floods at Clive, and might therefore be considered hardy. If any more seed was left Mr Lascelles would be happy to raise it for the benefit of those wanting plants.—The clerk said the seed in question had been received some time ago from the Colonial Secretary for distribution. From the Under-Secretary for Railways, in reply to the Council's application of 10th November last, stating that steps had been taken for- increasing the passenger rolling stock on the Napior railway line. From Mr J. Buchanan, MJI.R., forwarding- acknowledgment be had received from the Under-Sccrctary for Railways to a communication sent respecting additiona to the Napier railway station. From the Colonial Secretary, acknowledging receipt of By-law No. 'li, recently passed by the Council. WATERING THE STREETS. • The officer apppointed to make enquiries t into the matter of watering the streets reported that he had called upon about ono hundred ratepayers whose properties fronted on the streets watered by the Corporation water-carts, and found that the majority

were against any further charge being made for street watering. The Town Clerk said 8G ratepayers had answered in the negative, 16 in the affirma- . tive (provided the rate was made general), seven reserved their answers to the put. Cr. Graham said this was " a kind of a shelve to get rid of the question." "It was a very one-sided thing altogether." It was not likely that the people who received the benefit of the watering would agree to pay for it so long as they were relieved of that responsibility by the"ratepayers of the borough generally." The people only wanted fair play, and he hoped they would get it. Cr Cotton was in favor of the watering of the streets being continued, and suggested that £50 should be voted for the purpose. Cr Monteith moved that the report be received. Seconded \>v Cr Margoliouth and curried. Cr Price then moved that the report be referred to the Public Works Committee. Cr Margoliouth seconded the motion. Cr Graham moved as au amendment that a canvass be made of the whole of the ratepayers throughout the borough as to the watering being continued, in the first instance. Cγ McDougall seconded the amendment pro forme, and enquired whether the borough would send an official round to personally question the ratepayers on the matter, or if a poll would be taken.- In the latter event who would bear the cost ': On being put to the meeting the amendment was lost, and the original motion carried, the only dissentient being Cr Graham. PETITION. Cr. Margoliouth presented a petition from residents in Burlington-road praying that water pipes be laid in that locality in conjunction with the present waterworks scheme. On the motion of Cr. Price, seconded by Cr. Monteith, the petition was received and referred to the Public Works Committee. public works committee's EEroirr. The Public Works Committee presented the following , report: — Your committee having met pursuant to order, beg to recommend the Council to give effect to the following:— 1. That Mr David King be appointed to tlie office of engine-driver for the new water- """ works engine and plant. 2. That the report of the municipal engineer be adopted, except clause 4, the consideration of which is recommended to be postponed. 3. That the draft regulations re "catchpits" herewith forwarded be adopted and printed, and plans thereof lithographed. 4. That the overseer's report be adojitcd, and the engineer requested to report on the state of the bridge near the Union Steamship Company's office at the Spit. 5. That the report of the Inspector of Nuisances herewith forwarded be adopted, and that he be instructed to take proceedings against all persons failing to comply with the regulations re the pan system within a week from date of notice, and that the Council give its earnest consideration to the inspector's suggestion as to a sanitaiy rate. G. That the vouchers for expenditure, £ ISIG Is, be passed and ordered to be paid. Cr Wall moved, and Cr Margoliouth seconded, the adoption of clause 1 of the report. Cr Graham moved, and Cr Cotton seconded, tliat Mr J. 13. Vemon "bo uppointed instead of Mr King. The former was a local man and well known, while Mr King was a stranger; and, although his testimonials seemed to be very good, it was well known that paper never refused ink. Cr Cotton supported the appointment of Mr Vemon, adding that ho was almost indispensable to the Napier Fire Brigade. Cr Margoliouth said he failed to see the force of Cr Graham's argument. Because Mr King happened to be a stranger, and Mr Vernon a local man, was no vaild reason why the latter should receive the appointment, provided the stranger was a better workman, which he was believed to be. Cr Cotton's remarks were against himself. If Mr Vemon was indispensable to the Fire Brigade it would interfere with his duties k as engineer to the Council should a fire break out. There was no doubt about the genuineness of Mr King's testimonials, which were those of a certificated engineer. The amendment, on being put, was lost, on a division of 5 to 3, Crs Graham, McDougall, and Cotton alone voting against it, and the clause was adopted as read. Clauses 2, 3, and -1 were adopted without discussion. Cr Wall moved, as an amendment to clause G, that the accounts be paid so far as the legal limits of the bank overdraft will permit, and that the balance be paid as soon as funds are in hand, the receiver of rates meanwhile to take legal proceedings for the recovery of all rates due. Cr Ellison seconded the motion, which was lost on a division, Crs Wall, Ellison, and Cotton voting for, and Crs Monteith, McDougall, Price, and Graham against it. Some further discussion then ensued, the original clause being ultimately adopted. In moving the adoption of clause o, Cr. Wall said the report from the Inspector of Nuisances was the most able one on the subject that had been received for a long time past. If the suggestions contained therein were adopted it would do away with a great deal of the trouble about the adoption of the pan system of closets. The report showed that but a very small proportion of the residents of the town had complied with the regulations, and the sooner they were compelled to do so the better for the health of the place. Cr. Margoliouth desired to draw attention to the total inefficiency of the present service. He doubted very much if the night-soil contractor could attend to more houses than he was at present required to do. In the event of the Council being able to pass a by-law such as that suggested by the Inspector of Nuisances, it might be foiuid desirable to divide the contract in sections. The contractor certainly could not overtake the work with his present staff. Cr. Ellison said there woidd be a serious difficulty in the way of dividing the contract as suggested by Cr. Margoliouth. The contractor had made his contract for the whole borough for a year, and might reasonably object to any interference with it. That, however, could be discussed on some future occasion. The matters disclosed by Mr Black's report reflected great discredit on the previous Inspector of Nuisances, and on the Council too for having allowed such a state of affairs to exist unuoticed for so long. The clause was then put to the meetingand adopted. REPORT. Iv connection with clause No. 2 of the Public Works Committee's report the following report from the Municipal Engineer was read:— 1. Waterworks Extension. —The contracts in connection with this work are ~ rapidly approaching completion, and the pipe-laying and fixing of machinery arc well advanced. 2. Engine Driver.—Applications for this appointment will be laid before you this evening. 3. House Drain Connections.—Herewith I beg - to submit a draft of regulations proposed to be issued in connection with catchpits, ice. •i. "Waterworks Telegraphic Communication. —I shall be glad to receive instructions in connection herewith, as the works arc now sufficiently advanced to allow of the work being undertaken, and in connection Avith this work I have the honor to suggest that it might be desirable to go to the extra expense of fixing such an apparatus as would indicate at the engine house tiie depth of water in each reservoir at any time. 5. Contracts. —I have the honor to report that the contracts for cartage of pipes, I Petaiie bridge approach, and Upper Have-lock-road are completed, and that the contracts for the sea wall and Enneld-road arc progressing satisfactorily. NUISANCE INSPECTOR'S REPORT. The following report was received from Mr W. Black, Inspector of Nuisances, _ and was read iv connection with clause 5 of the Public Works Committee's report: — I have the honor to report that during the past month nothing unusual in respect to nuisances has occurred worthy of mention. The few complaints made have been of a trivial character, and iv all cases they have been attended to. The old building in Emerson-street, damaged by the late five, 1 understand has been sold, and it is to be taken down and removed in a few days. The sooner this is done the better, as in its present state it is dangerous iv many respects as regards fire, juul also a public eyesore iv appearance. The silt traps in connection with the storm-water sewer have been cleaned weekly since the commencement of the summer, and the sewer ventilators, urinals, and places likely to create smells dismfwtcd

daily with carbolic acid. No complaints from these sources—as far as lam awarehave been made. I have to report a nuisance existing on the swamp alongside Hyderabad road,_ near Onepoto Gully, and which forms portion of town sections Nos. 1, 2, 3, -1, 5, E.R.. 28 and 29. The condition of this swamp a subject of well-grounded complaint on the part of the residents in this part of the town, as being disagreeable and dangerous to the general health. I would here respectfully point out in respect to this matter the advisability of ascertaining the present position of the road to that shown on the survey map of the town, as it is not improbable that a considerable portion of this swamp is Corporation property, and if so could be dealt with in _ the widening of the road, now under consideration. I have also to report sections 49 and 50, Carlyle-street, and the Harbor Board reserve fronting- the Royal Hotel as in a. similar condition. With reference to the pan system I am unable from the cursory inspection I have made to report it as working satisfactorily. Within the district set apart for its compulsory operation 1 find there are about 013 buildings requiring its use ; of this number 200 are "attended on by the contractor for the removal of night-soil, and 408 retain it on the premises, some by the use of cess-pits, and others—that have pans—by some mysterious way of disposal, in all probability equally objectionable. Thin evasion of the regidations by about two-thirds of the inhabitants is a most serious defect, if not an utter breakdown to the system. It (•(institutes a legitimate) margin for serious discontent on the part of those who comply with the letter and spirit of the bye-laws without receiving any adequate advantage or protection therefrom, and suggests the advisability of a reconsideration of the arrangements under which it is worked. The present arrangements, I would respectfully point out, aresomethingas follows, viz. :—The contractor tenders for the removal of night-soil and yard refuse at a certain price per month, and deposits in the hands of the Council a specified sum to be held as security for the proper performance of the work. * He attends on the householders by whom he is employed, and to those he looks for his payments. In making out his tender he has to calculate on the distance to travel between houses to obtain his load. He has to calculate on the time and trouble in the collecting of his money, and has. also to make considerable allowance for bad debts. These taken together make a margin of contingency which I am in a position to say is from 2-3 to :\~h per cent, on the cost of" the work, and is" a most disagreeable burden on the shoulders of the willing householder, when supplemented with the probability of his neighbor burying the night soil on the other side of his fence, nullifying in a great measure all that he docs in the matter. The cleansing or abolishing of cess-pits, and the establishing of a uniform working of the pan system within the district, whereby the advantages to the publichealth calculated to arise by its strict observance will be secured, is a. matter of the utmost importance at the present period of the year, ami to effect which strong measures require to be adopted. I would therefore respectfully suggest for the consideration of the Council the following as effectual measures to meet the requirements of the case, viz.: —(") The authorising by resolution of Council of ii general entry" l>y the contractor upon all premises, within" the district ordered tnCouncil, and the clearing out and abolishing of all cess-pits, the construction of pans, and the periodical removal of the night-soil at the expense of the householders as provided for in bye-law No. 2. (b) The striking of a sanitary rate at per pan on all houses situate within the district, the contractor to attend on all houses within the district, and to receive his payment at the municipal office. Of these two measures I would respectfully venture the opinion that the latter is the more preferable, both as regards cheapness and efficiency of working , . The former at present rate of cost, 2s per pan, or Gl3 houses with GO3 pans, amounts to £79-3 12s per annum. The latter at Is Gdi)cryan (as offered by Mr Miles on account of receiving his payment monthly at the office) will cost .Co'jg" being £198 18s less cost to the district, with the advantage that the contractor will lie more under the control of the Council, while numerous lawsuits with their technical breakdown and consequent losses will be avoided. PKK3IITS. Cr Price moved without notice by leave, "That from and after Thursday, the Bth instant, all permits for the purchase of gas tar, and for all Corporation services whatever, be obtained from the Town Clerk, and that all moneys paid for the same shall be paid to that officer. Further, that all moneys now in the hands of officers of the Corporation received on account of gas tar, or permits of any kind, be handed over to the Town Clerk forthwith." Cr Margoliouth seconded the motion, which was carried without dissent, His Worship the Mayor saying that he heartily approved of the motion, and that had it not been brought forward ho intended to draw the attention of the Council to its necessity. NOTICE OF MOTION. Cr Monteith gave notice to move at next meeting, "That the resolutions giving the price and terms upon which the borough reserves and reclaimed swamp sections are open for lease and sale to the public bo rescinded, and reconsidered by the Public Works Committee." The Council then adjourned.