Feilding Borough Council

Feilding Star, Volume X, Issue 69, 8 December 1888, Page 3

Feilding Borough Council

The ordinary monthly meeting of the above was held on Thursday night. Present—Mr Goodbehere (Mayor), Crs Hnybittle, Monckton. W. E. Chamberlain, T. R. Chamberlain, Rutherford, Lethbridge, and Fowles. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE. From E. Young, asking the Council to pay half the cost of footpaths opposite his premises. From Secretary of the Charitable Aid Board, enclosing cheque for Jgld. From 2«lr Hubher, asking the Council to metal 12 chains of road fronting Rink's. From J. Bishop, reminding the Council the time had now expired for refunding the money advanced by him for making Stafford street. From J. G. Thompson, re Mrs Galvin'e allowance of 5s per week, recommending it be increased to 7s 6d. From W. L'l F/Fetch, asking his name to be put on the -burgesses 1 roll for section 199. From the Clerk Manchester Road Board, re damage done to the Oroua bridge on the Feilding-Ashurst road. From the same, re metalling Cemetary rond, asking the Council to pay half the cost of the work. From Colonial Secretary, re space at the Paris Exhibition in 1889. Report of Finance Committee was read. Report of the Public Works Committee, with schedule of accounts, was read, as follows : — " In accordance with instructions notice boards have been placed at each end of Kiwitea bridge. "The Committee have inspected the road called Pharazyn street, and have received a verbal ofter from a resident named Palmer to form the road and make it viable by filling up the bog holes, and digging the raised side 9 by the ditches, and throwing the earth on the centre, thereby causing the road to become a watertable instead of a stagnant bog in the centre. The amount was £10. Tho Committee, having no authority to act, can only recommend the Council to accept the offer if it may still be open. " Some expense was incurred, to the amount of £10, for clearing the Kiwitea of dangerous logs, and otherwise preventing interruption to traffic. " The Committee came to an arrangement with Mr Norman, by which he .removed bis fence, and permits foot traffic for 12 months for the sum of £7. Mr Hetemeyer permitted a stile to be placed and foot traffic through hiß land until the -date of this Council meeting, as the Committee did not consider themselves authorised to agree to more than a very moderate payment for removal of his fence and use of his ground. "The attached schedule of accounts amounting to £22 17s Bd, will show in detail the items of expenditure, and that the utmost care has been taken to protect the Borough from lavish, or even superfluous outlay, and the amounts as rendered .are recommended for payment. "F. A. Monckton, Chairman. " P.S. — Since furnishing the above statements I have ascertained that the .groin to protect Derby street from the Makino stream has been satisfactorily completed by Thomas Barker, according to the agreement made with him by the Public Works Committee some weeks "back.- I have, therefore, to request that the amount of 30s, the sum due for same, be added to the schedule, and passed for payment. "F. A, Monckton, Chairman." Proposed by Cr Monckton, seconded by •Cr Fowles, that the Public Works and Financial statements be adopted, and the schedules attached be passed for payment — Carried. With reference to the deputation to Mr Macarthur, re land on Kimbolton road near the Kiwitea stream, Cr Monckton reported that gentleman had said he "would consult his- principals as to whether they would sell a portion of the land on the Kimbolton road to allow of certain ■work to be done to the road crossing the Siwitea stream. Re E. Young's application, Cr Monckton suggested it be referred to the Public Works Committee. Proposed by Cr Monckton, seconded by ■Cr Rutherford, That the Public Works \ Committee be authorised to assist at their discretion in the work mentioned by Mr E. Young. The mover thought that where the owners of property were desirous to improve their footpaths they should be encouraged. Cr Haybittle thought it was not fair to assist some now, while others had been refused before. There were important roads which should be made before the footpaths. Cr Lethbridge took the same view. Although he was sure the Public Worte Committee would not expend too much money in any case. The Mayor said he would support the resolution. Cr Fowlea thought the work waß unnecessary, besides they did not have the money to spare. The .motion was put and lost. The Mayor proposed, and Cr Fowlea seconded, That Mrs Galvin's allowance be increased from 5« to 7s 6d per week. — Carried. Proposed by Cr Fowles, seconded by Cr Lethbridge, That Mr Bishop's claim of .£2O 5s be paid, and that the thanks of the Council be given to Mr Bishop for the use of the money. — Carried. Proposed by Cr Haybittle, seconded by Cr Rutherford, That the Engineer call for tenders for metalling Hubner and Rink's road. Cr: Lethbridge thought, in the present state of the finances, the work should be postponed. Cr Rutherford spoke strongly in favor of the work being done as the case was a special one. It had been promised when the loan was obtained, but was left out of the. schedule in error. On this explanation being given Cr Lethbridge withdrew his opposition. Cr Monckton supported the motion. Cr Haybittle spoke in favor of the motion, and explained how great a hardship it was the road being left uncompleted. The motion was then put and carried. Re the Cemetery road, Cr Lethbridge said the Manchester Road Board thought as the Borough was most interested the latter would be willing to Bhare in the cost of metalling the road. The letter from the Manchester Road Board, re Oroua bridge, was referred to the Public Works Committee. Proposed by Cr Monckton, seconded by Cr Rutherford, That the Public Works Commtttee be authorised to accept Mr Palmer's offer re Pharazyn street, and make an agreement in accordance with the same for £10. — Carried. Proposed by Cr Havbittle, seconded by Cr T. R. Chamberlain} That the Town Clerk be authorised to draw a cheque for £5 for petty cash.— Carried. Proposed by the Mayor, seconded by Cr Lethbridge, that the Manchester Road Board b© : informed that this- Council is willing to pay \& of the cost of the Cemetery road to the Cemetery gate. Aa an amendment, it was proposed by Cr Monokton, seconded by Cr W. E. Ghamberlain, That the Manchester Road Board be informed that this- Council recogmßßfe the necessity of cwtattiug the

road to the Cemetery gate, but regret thai their greater necessities must cause consideration of such expenditure to be postponed. The amendment was lost,: and the origin ill resolution carried. Proposed by Cr Lethbridge, seconded by Cr Monckton, That Mr Hill he appointed Borough Valuer for the current year at £23.— Carried. . With reference to the Kiwittia straun, Cr Lethbi'idge said the only way to get rid of the Kiwitea stream difficulty was for the Council to put up their backs and go for a loan of £800, to be borrowed from the Government. That was the cheapest plan. He woxild also suggest that sufficient money be borrowed at the same- time to build Council Chambers and Public Library. Proposed by the Mayor, seconded by Cr Lethbridge, That the Public Works Committee be empowered to make the best arrangements they can with Mr Retemeyer for a right of way through his land for foot passengers on the Kimbolton road, or otherwise to instnict the Engineer to make a foot road. — Carried. Proposed by Cr Lethbridge, seconded by Cr T. R. Chamberlain, That the Engineer be instructed to report on the cost of repairing the Warwick street bridge.^ Carried. At this stage the Mayor read the following address to the Council : — " As this is probably the last occasion, before the installation of the Mayor elect, on which I shall preside in this chair, which I have had the honor to occupy for the past two years, I wish to thank the Councillors now present, and also those who have sat at this table during my term of office, for the uniform courtesy which has been shown towards me, and to congratulate ourselves upon the absence of every sign of unpleasantness with which the business of the Council has been conducted. I may say this with confidence and quite unreservedly, as I think it will be seen by the records that I have not been absent at a single meeting. " Some persons, especially anonymous correspondents in the press, may have complained that the Council has been wanting in energy, has become too conservative, has failed to do what it ought to have done, and requires reconstituting ; but upon what grounds these complaints have been formed I am unable to conjecture, as in no instance has any specific charge against the proceedings of the Council been made public, except, if I remember rightly, an absurd complaint that the Council had refused to prejudice the interests of the burgesses by granting the unreasonable demands of a few of them. " Unfortunately, owing to the disastrous flood which occurred in October last year, and the absence of the requisite funds to re-instate the damage thereby, the condition of the Borough roads and bridges is not in that satisfactory state which they ought to be ; but is to be hoped that the energy which will, no doubt, be displayed by our new Mayor, with whom I have always been, and hope to continue to be, on the most friendly terms, will result in benefit to the Borough and the consequent interests of the ratepayers, in which I shall always feel deeply interested." Cr Lethbridge said he and his fellow Councillors were sorry to lose Mr Goodbehere, and referred to the friendly relations which had existed in the Council for the past two years, and how amicably they had worked together. He, however, thought changes in the Council were inevitable as in the other aftairs of life, and he had every hope that the same excellent spirit would continue under his successor, Cr Dr Monckton. Cr Haybittle followed in the same strain. A ballot was taken, when the names of forty ratepayers were drawn to be sued. The Council then adjourned.