Feilding Borough Council

Feilding Star, Volume VII, Issue 37, 5 September 1885, Page 2

Feilding Borough Council

An ordinary meeting of the Council was held in the Council Chambers on Thursday evening last. Present — Councillors Goodbehere (in the chair), Thompson, Richardson, Bartholomew, Eade, Nicholas, Worsfold, Fowles, and Bishop. The minutes of the previous ordinary meeting were read and confirmed..

A report of the Finance Committee, recommending payment of' accounts amounting to £31 3s lOd was read,

and adopted. .'"' An account from Messrs Kirton and Curtis had been held over for i Some arrangement to be made with reference to discount. ' 'I'

A return of the Borough'Poundkeeper was presented, showing Hthat 66 head of cattle had been impounded, and that the amount due to the Council was £4 7s. i ..... COKBESrOKDMMIM.

A telegram to the Town Clerk in ! reply, re the question of Mr Macarthur's position in the Council, was read as follows from Mr Travers, solicitor, Wellington. "Yes, he in a Councillor by virtue ef his office. See section 54." , The following letter was read from Mr Macarthur :— .. . . Wellington, September 2, 1885. The Town Clerk, Feilding. Deab Sib, — I see that yon are advertising for the Mayoralty. I find on looking more carefully into the Act, that although a Councillor is disqualified if he is absent for four consecutive meetings of the Council, this provision does not apply to the Mayor. The Mayor is a Councillor by virtue of his office, it is true, but this does not bring bim under the eperation of the disqualifying clause, as he must be disqualified as Mayor before he ceases to be a Councillor. I have no wish to retain the office, but as the annual election will soon be here, it is a pity to put the Borough to the expense of an election, especially as the status of the new Mayor would be very doubtful, unless the old one wereclearly proved to be disqualified. Aek Or Goedbehere's opinion on this. Yours faithfully, D. H. Mao-J-B-B. Or Goodbehere said he had gone very carefully into the Act, and gave as his opinion that Mr Macarthur had not forfeited his position as Mayor. Several other Councillors were of the same opinion. - Resolved, That the Chairman of the Finance Committee and Or Thompson interview the proprietors' of the Stab with a view of obtaining a discount on their ordinary charges. The Public Works Committee submitted the roadman's report of maintenance work doiw during the past month. A repert was read as follows :-— miIPOBT OF PUBLIC WOBKS OOMMTTT-JE. Your committee have td report that they have inspected the. large culvert and bridge at the junction of North street and the Railway line, and recommend that a few panels of fencing be erected by the roadman at the ends of the culvert, but that ao action be taken re the bridge. The following accounts have been passed for payment; — Pope and Pearson, Borough Pound deposit, £51 2s; A, Honnet, carting, 6s; B. Bowler, do., lis; J. Belfit, do., £2 Bs. W. D. Nicholas. Chairman. Cr Thompson thoughtthat tike Pound had been an expensive piece of work. Or Nioholas thought it very cheap. After further discussion the report^ was adopted. Mr Hattie wrote asking for some compensation for certain work done by him in front of his hotel, and pointing out further work which required to be done in front of his property near the hotel. Mr Staite, solicitor, wrote on behalf of Mr Ourran applying for aome compensation for the injuries sustained by his son through the latter falling into an unprotected gravelpit on the Ma* kino road. Or Thompson said it was tho fourth bad accident that had ocourred at the same place, and thought the pit ought to have been protected long: ago. Mr Eade spoke to the effect that the application should be favorably considered. Or Goodbehere said there could be little doubt of the Council's liability. Cr Richardson thought there could be no doubt about the matter. at all. Cr Goodbehere moved, and Or Thompson seconded, That Crs Thdmpson and Eade see Mr Ourraowith reference to Mr -____»'_ !____» _J_ii_ing compensation on the part «f hifem, and ascertain 'the - particular* oPjis claim, also report the drov-h-tanose connected with the accident, a^od report to the Council at its next mft-tiag. Or Bartholomew said that from all he had heard, the young ' man was sitting carelessly on the load, and holding the reins in such a way as to have no command of his horse. Gr Fowles objected to entertaining the application in any shape or form, Or J_ade recommended entertaining the application on the ground ef the probability of saying heavy legal expenses. He drew the Council'- atten-

tion to their hitter experience in the late Blackmore case, in which heavy law costs might have been prevented by some such course as that contained . iv the motion. The resolution was then passed. Mr Hastie's application was then discussed, after which it was resolved, That Mr Hastie be informed that the Council regret that they are unable to comply with his request re culvert and ; footpath in front of his premises. The following report of the Cemetery Committee was read and adopted : . REPORT OF CB-DSTEBT COMMITTEE. | The committee visited the Cemetery • and beg-to' recommend that about '25 chains of road be formed, and that a -* new-gate be placed on the railway line; • That Mr Hill be instructed to, chain " the said Toadway-, and-prepare specifi- * ; iea&oi_r and' advertise for tenders for said work. It. is believed that the funds in hand are -sufficient for the work: recommended. ; ' • " - ' _V 0. Thompson. •• • .-;■" One of the Committee. Resolved, That His Worship the Mayor be requested to communicate with the Manchester Highway Board re the formation aud metalling of the remaining portion of the road to the . Borough Cemetery. REPORT OF POUND COMMITTEE. Your committee beg to report that in accordance with a minute passed by the Council on the 28th of July last they have appointed a ranger and poundkeeper, vis., Mr John Turner : on. the folio wing "terms:— Mr Turner, to pay the Council £4 per year for the use of the pound, and to receive as his remuneration all driving, trespass, and notice fees, &c, allowed by the impounding Act. Tho coinmittoo have left it to the Council to determine the conditions on which the engagement should terminate. W. Nicholas, Chairman Public Works Committee. Or Nicholas proposed, and Cr Worsfold seconded, That the Town Clerk be Instructed toj withdraw the advertisement . relative to election of Mayor, the Council being of opinion that the present Mayor has not forfeited his position as Mayor. A discussion followed en the matter •• . ■ of the Pound Committee's report and the question of trespass and poundage fees, &c., also on .the poundkeeper's duties, and the subject of impounding generally. Resolved that -the Pound Committee be instructed to draw up an engagement agreement with -the ..ranger and poundkeeper relative to his duties, Ac., and submit the same to next meeting of the Council. Resolved also, That the poundkeeper be informed that he. has no power under the Act to charge trespass fees for cattle on the road, but must sue the owners. Mr J. Whisker waited upon the Council with a complaint with reference to the poundkeeper having unjustly impounded some of his cattle and made excessive charges. The general feeling of the Council was that Mr Whisker had been charged excessively, and it was resol- ■ red, That the ..10s. charged to Mr Whisker for trespass fees on 10 head cattle on the T7th of August be refunded. Resolved, That Or Thompson "be placed on the Public Works..Committee, vice Cr Richardson resigned. Or Bishop moved, and Cr Eade seconded, That no works involving expenditure of money, other than the labor of the roadman, be ordered by the Public Works Committee, except in cases of emergency, unless sanctioned by the Council. Several Councillors spoke strongly in favor of the motion, as they thought the Council ought to know beforehand what work was going to be dene. Cr Nicholas in reply to Cr Eade, explained under what circumstances certain small works had been done, which explanation was so far satis-: factory. After further discussion the resolution was carried. Or Nicholas said he should now resign his position as) chairman of the Public Works Committee. Cr Worsfold said he would resign toe. Cr Fowles said he would also resign. Cr Eade thought the Public Works Committee had shown a very petty spirit in resigning, as they surely could not consider their actions to be above criticism. Cr Bartholomew spoke in sympathy with the resignations. Cr Thompson moved, and Cr Bishop seconded, That the names of Crs Eade .. and Bishop be added to the Public ; Works- Committee instead of the " names of Crs Nicholas, Worsfold, and ■ " Fowles, resigned. — Carried. £ i:.V Senders as follows for the post; jk, ( ps ;; . -Borough. Engineer were then ."^openecl:—.. , '" i ' : "" R:Mackesy Pemberton, CX., dated r"' -fromHastie's hotel, Feilding, Three . and' a half per cent. or a lump sum of . J825. If. the lump sum is accepted, payment to be made as soon as plans are approved by the Council. ' Charles Bray, Feilding, 4 per cent. on the cost* of the works. Along conversation followed on the .specifications, expecially as to whether they included the supervision and passing of the 4 work, after which it was resolved, That Mr Bray's tender for the position -of : -_-gineer be accepted. --' V'"" The Council then adjourned.