Feilding Borough Council

Feilding Star, Volume IX, Issue 59, 5 November 1887, Page 3

Feilding Borough Council

An ordinary monthly meeting of the Council was held on Thursday evening last. Present— The Mayor, and Crs Worsfold, P. Thomson, Bartholomew, Haybittle, Nicholas, Powles, J. C. Thompson, Lethbridge, and Chamberlain.

The minutes of the last ordinary meeting and of the two special meetings respectively, were read and confirmed.

There was no correspondence. A report from the Finance Committee, recommending accounts amounting to £1S 13s lid be passed for payment, and a report from the Public Works Committee, recommending accounts amounting to £78 to be passed for payment, were read, and both reports were adopted. The Mayor proposed the following motions, of which he had given notice r

That the resolution for taking steps to raise a loan of £1,500 passed at the meeting on October 17 be rescinded. That the necessary steps be forthwith taken for raising a loan of £800 under the Government Loans to Local Bodies Act to be applied as follows : £500 for the erection of a new bridge with requisite protection works across the Kiwitea stream in the Kimbolton road, and £300 for the erection of a new bridge with requisite protection works across the Makino stream at the southern end of the Kimbolton road.

Cr -Lethbridge seconded the metion for rescinding the said resolution. The Mayor said his object in moving that the resolution be rescinded was that it was irregular, it having been ascertained there was no necessity for the Council to borrow under said Act.

Or Haybittle seconded the second motion pro forma. The Mayor said his reason for this motion was that the Council could borrow this amount and pay it back from the ordinary revenue, and there was no doubt of the Council being able to get this amount from the Government.

Cr Lethbridge suggested naming a larger amount in the motion for the Kiwitea bridge. It had been found that £1,500 was necessary, and the circumstances had certainly not altered since the last meeting. Cr J. C. Thompson said that getting £800 would be only patchwork, and the burgesses would be disgusted by having to be called to the poll twice in order to vote for sufficient money to do the works. The Mayor thought that probably the motion was a little premature, and perhaps the best tiling would be to withdraw it. Cr P. Thomson said it was out of the question to do the proposed werks with £800, and they had better go in for the £ 1 .500 if for any. Cr Nicholas opposed the motion. He should certainly abide by the resolution for raising the £r,500. Cr Haybittle also expressed himself as opposed to the £800. They would find it would not be carried. The works were necessary, and must be done, and such a sum as £800 was utterly inadequate. He suggested putting all the special works together, and getting enough money for the lot. The motion was then withdrawn. The following notice of motion, tabled by the Mayor at last ordinary meeting, was then read: — That the Engineer be instructed to take the levels from the Makino stream along Keid's line to the Kiwitea stream, and furnish an estimate of the cost of carrying the flood water from one stream to the other if the levels permit it. A report from the Engineer on the practicability of the scheme was read. In reply to Cr P. Thomson, the Engineer said his estimate did not include cost of land and fencing. The resolution was seconded by Cr , Haybittle, and carried.

A desultory discussion followed. Or P. Thomson asked that those Councillors who advocated the scheme should put their views definitely before the Council, so that they might have something to work upon. He was afraid they would find the channel would want fencing, and also protection against its banks being carried away by scouring Cr Chamberlain said if something wasn't done, people would be frightened out of the town, as the floods were getting worse every time.

Cr Bartholomew said people would be tumbling off the road into the trench if it wasn't fenced.

Cr T. C. Thompson proposed, and Cr Haybittle seconded, That a/committee be appointed to consider and report at a special meeting of the Council to be held on the 17th instant on the Makino diversion and raising a loan, the committee to consist of the Mayor, the Public Works Committee, Cr Chamberlain, and the mover.

On the motion being put, there were an equal number ef votes for and against. The Mayor gave his casting vote in fayor of the motion, which was then carried. The Council then adjourned.