Feilding Borough Council

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 29, 5 September 1891, Page 2

Feilding Borough Council

♦ The ordinary monthly meeting of the? Council was held in the Council Chambers on Thursday, the 3rd inst.- Present —The Mayor (Mr W.G; Haybittle^Crs- „ T. B. Chamberlain, Sandilands, Butherford, "W. E. Chamberlain, Watts, Gould r , S. J. Thompson, J. C. Thompson, and E, Goodbehere. The mimites of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Financial Committee reeoiainended: payment of accounts amounting to £4$ 15s 10d. The Public Works Committee reported that they had inspected Sherwill street,. '.* and the water-courses complained of byMr Churcher, and find it will be necessary to put in culyerts at "a cost of about i*2o. An application was made by the owners and occupiers in Sherwill street to have these improvements carried out. Mr W. Heald again applied to have that portion of Fergusson street, from Weld street to' his house, metalled, and - J the committee recommended that the work: Jv ' be carried out at an estimated cost of £5* A petition, signed by ;F. ,Y< Lethbridgeand 20 others, was received, calling atten~ tion to the drain in Manchester street,, above Glasgow House, and requesting the> " Council to grant a sum for the purpose 1 ' of putting in a culvert. j COBEESPONDENCE. ' ' From Wv. A. Collins, secretary of'tha Fire Brigade, stating that a deputationwould wait on the: Council in reference to*' erecting a shed for the fire engine. " From the Municipal Association oF New Zealand, forwarding copy of theLocal Authorities Accounts , and AuditBill, and inviting the Council's suggest tions as to the same. From W. Beading and A. Eade, asking" the Council to take up the matter of draining- their premises in Manchester street. From Public Works Department, Wellington, re the requisition for telephone communication between Feilding . andBirmingham, and stating that the samehad been referred to- the Postmaster* General. From G. Fidler, re the matter of theSchool Committee not having their nightsoil work carried out in the ordinary wayFrom New Zealand Goyernuaent Bailways' Office, re- request for land from Kimbolton road to Gladstone street. From Lands and Survey Office, re* , road on Bailway Beserve. ) From Town Clerk, Palmerston North,, re Awahuri bridge enquiry, stating thatthe enquiry will be continued on Friday,, the 4th instant (yesterday) r mr the Court? House at Palmerston. ' ~ • From J. F. Donnelly, asking permission to erect a sign board in front of bi& shop. From G. C. Hill, as Betermjßg Officer,, asking that authority be given to obtain legal advice in regard to agents' votes. A petition was presented, signed by EBellve, H. L. Sherwill, and 26 others; calling attention to the Beattie street ' bridge, and asking the Council to make* t the bridge passable for dray traffic. [ From the Treasury Office, remitting: subsidy under " The Local Bodies Fin- v ( ance and Powers Act." I GENERAL. 1 Proposed by Or S. J. Thompson sec- > onded by Cr Sandilands, That the report 1 of the Finance Committee 1 be adopted. — 1 Carried. I A discussion took place in reference to 5 the Public Works Committee's report. } Cr J. C. Thompson moved that the re— ■ commendations of the committee be J adopted a3 far as Sherwill and Pharazyn J streets. > Cr Sandiland thought the ratepayers 1 on the outskirts of the town- should be t considered as well, ac those in. tEe* 1 Borough. > Cr Watts said the streets were m a very 1 bad condition and if anything was done ■ all the works petitioned for should be • completed. I Cr Watts proposed as an amendment, '> seconded by Cr Butherford, That the > whole of Sherwill street be culyeried andT the logs cleared oft. Cr S. J. Thomson objected to this being ■ called an amendment to- his proposal, and as Cr Watts' resolution provided for the whole of the work being done ho» 1 would ask permission to withdraw his proposal. The following resolution was then" Proposed by Or Watts, seconded by Crr Rutherford, That the whole of SherwilL street be culyerted and the logs cleared off. That the Clerk of Works prepareplans and specifications for same. .Tenders to be in by next meeting of Council,. — Carried. Proposed by Cr Butherford, seconded by Cr Sandilands, That the request of Mr Donnelly, re sign board, be granted,, subject to the approyal of the Clerk o£ Works. — Carried. Proposed by Cr S. J. Thompson; seconded by Cr W. G. Haybittle,. That Beat tie street bridge be repaired and' made fit for dray traffic; and the Clerk of Works- be instructed to call, for tenders? for the same, to be dealt with at the nextmeeting of the Council. — Gamed. Speaking on this resolution Crs Sandilands and Goodbehere who had preyi- , ously opposed this work were now "prepared to support the resolution seeingthe petition for the work had been 'so- -" numerously signed and that the funds of the Council warranted the work'beingproceeded with. The Mayor reviewed the- advantage which would accrue from this work beingearned out, and said three parts of thebridge is there and it only requires thefourth part to complete it. He hoped when the tenders came m theCouncil would accept a tender, if it bewithin a reasonable limit and not throw them out aa has been the custom of late,, and for which the Council had gained an unenviable notoriety. Cr Gould remarked that the tenders in, Ihe past had been considered unreasonable and this had beeu sufficient justifica* , tion for their non-acceptance. Proposed by Or J. C. Thompson, seconded by Cr Gould, That the Public* Works Committee report on the matter of Messrs Eade aud Reading's letter to the next meeting. — Carried. ' Proposed by Cr J. 0. Thompson, seconded by Or Gould, That the request of the Returning Officer for a legal opinion re agents votes m the forthcoming, election, be acceded to. i Or Sandilauds would like to know if any member of the Council had prompted Mr Hill m this matter. On receiving a reply in the negative he submitted that the question could not be brought before the Council after the recent proposals made by Cr J C. Thompson. There had not been an election since, and those whohave been dissatisfied ought to have the ' question solved for themselves. It has been the practice to allow these agent's votes. Cr J. C. Thompson : I rise to a point OIVI6W. r Cr Sandilands, continuing, contended it was not the duty of the Council to obfcam the legal advice asked for. There is an anomaly here which does not exist in any other place. The result of having a Behurning Officer, who was connected < with the Council, made him liable to be ■ influenced by Crs. It is the duty of a - Rettirmng Officer to n^ake himself ac -; quainted with the ActJ This questJaa

How being discussed- had been threshed trat in Tarious ways, and he wished the Reporters present to note his' words, when be said that a persistent attempt had been made by Cr J. C. Thompson to saddle tne Council with the expense of solying this ' matter. . The real difficulty arose from those who were the originators of these votes. .'At the next Licensing •lection it was the speaker's intention to* move that some one pot connected with the .Council' be appointed returning officer. _J. . Cr Gould opposed the resolution on the ground that he considered the request of the Beturning Officer a very reasonable one; ; as this 'case -had hot been provided for in the Act. In the interests of the majority of the ratepayers this had been brought forward. He thought that Crs who had used these votes would have given them' up on hearing the report of the Mayor on his return from the Municipal Conference. Cf Goodbehere : It is not within the of those Crs to withdraw. $hem. He agreed with Cr Sandilands, if « dozen solicitors were consulted and they said' these names should not be on tiie roll, so Jong as they are on the roll 'they would have to be allowed to vote. ■■Cr J. C. Thompson opposed the proposal of Cr Sandilands, who had insinuated that Mr Hill had been influenced by mome of the Crs in his request. He had no foundation for these insinuations and had no right tcfcome there and find fault with Sir Hill. He knew nothing of this resolution until' that night, and perhaps <Jr Sandilands had him in view when he mentioned it. He did not think they could get a, more impartial officer than Mr Hill." It had been said that thes votes had been in force some time, but Or Bandilands" knew that practice does not legalise anything.' There had not been a «ngle word in favour as to their legality, and there had been a consciousness in the jninds of Crs that they were illegal. The Mayor said he would like to see this question set at rest. Cr Gould had ibjnted that he should take measures to compel" the withdrawal of these names Jroobthe roll, but he was afraid it was not y < practicable to make any alteration until June Ist. He believed .these votes as used here were practised in a different manner to any other place in the colony. Cm S. J. Thompson and Biittierford irere'made some remarks on the subjeot, and then the Mayor thought the Council itself could do with some legal advice as ' ' well, as, Mr Hill. Cr Sandilands, in reply, said Cr Gould said.it was not clear whether these votes .were legal or Jiot. While the names are -on the roll they are entitled to vote. In order to show that the Clerk had shown partiality, Cr Sandilands. quoted the case of a recent election for Mayor, and the rotes were- equal, when, contrary to precedent,,he gave his casting vote against the retiring mayor. * Cr Goodbehere said that -any person whose name wasxra the roll could demand a voting paper, ' ' , * Cr*7»*p.' Thompson did not think Cr i 'Goodbehere shoxild ,come to the Council ,aff a. half -fledged lawyer giving advice. CrGoodbehere 'demanded these words be taken down in writing, as he considered they were*a direct insult. The Mayor was sorry to see the debate faking this turn. He did not think Cr J. C. Thompson mtended to give offence. Cr Goodbehere insisted on his demand feeing complied with, or else a withdrawal of the words used. Cr J. C. Thompson, then withdrew the words -objected to be Cr Goodbehere. Cr Gould : This is a public question and 'affects all yoters. The Mayor foiled to see the utility of the measure proposed by Cr J. C. Thompson, and did not see how the Clerk could refuse to supply a voting paper to anyone whose name was en the roll, and he thought the.bestplan would be for the defeated candidate at the pending election to enter a protest and challenge the election, and thus have the matter settled. Cr J. C. Thompson's motion was then jut and carried. Four councillors voted against' it. Proposed by Cr "Gould, seconded by Cr .Thompson, That the Clerk be instructed *o write and inform the Chairman of the Schpol Committee that any arrangement are night soil work in connection with the school must be made with the nightman appointed' by the Council, according to xeßolution passed on June 7th, 1888. — (Carried. A deputation from the Fire Brigade, Xieut. Shearer and W. Collins, secretary, waited on the Council and applied for some assistaace towards shifting the shed and adding rooms thereto. Proposed by Cr J. C. Thompson, seconded by Cr T. B. Chamberlain, That the application from the Fire Brigade be considered when the financial position of the Brigade is laid before the Council. — Car- ' ried. Proposed by Cr Goodbehero, seconded by Cr Butherford, That the Pullio "Works Committee inspect the corner ox Manchester Squareat the south-east corner, and if they deem it necessary, report at next ' meeting of the Council, in order to remedy the evil complained of.— Carried. Proposed by Cr Goodbehere, seconded by Cr Bntherford, That the petition from residents in Manchester street be received and dealt' with at next meeting of this Council* in compliance with the standing order bearing on same. — Carried. Notice of motion : — Proposed by Cr S. J. Thompson, seconded; by Cr Goodbehere, That this Council authorise the expenditure of any sum not exceeding £50 for fencing the four sections comprising Manchester Square "with chain and four wires under same, and' should the amount exceed MSO a guarantee be had for any,further sum to be contributed by private -contributions. — . Carried. Proposed by Cr J. C. Thompson, seconded by Cr Gould that the tender of Joseph Belfit for forming and metalling a road between Kimbolton road and Eyre street be accepted at his offer of £2 9s 6d C. per chain.