Feilding Borough Council.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 257, 3 May 1895, Page 2

Feilding Borough Council.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Feilding Borough Council was held last evening. Present — The Mayor (Mr W. A. Sandilands), Crs. J. Gould, G. W. Fowles, G. H. Saywell, W. A. L. Bailey, H. Worsfold, E. Goodbehere, J. P. Cowie, A. R. Allan, and T. R. Chamberlain. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Correspondence was read and dealt with as follows : — From Colonial Secretary's office, informing the Council that a voucher for £7 13s 7d had been approved for payment to the Council's account, being half tho difference between the cost of the licensing election in 1891 and 1894. Also, stating that the Council's application for an Inspectorof Weight* and measures would receive consideration. From Barraud and Abraham, asking that the name of O. C. Cooper be substituted on the rate- roll for theirs. From J . Prior, pointing out that the appointment of Mr Blackmore as poundkeeper and Mr Foster as assist-ant-ranger had expired. From J. T. Foster, assistant-ranger, an explanation re complaint made by Wilson and Co. — No steps taken ; councillors, with the exception of the Mayor, were of opinion the Council could not compel Foster to hand over the 3s demanded by complainant. . From W. Rutherford, secretary of the Palmerston N. Hospital, asking for valuation-list of the Borough. — Forwarded as requested. From E. J. Allan, manager local branch of Bank of New Zealand, offering to take up the Borough's proposed £900 debenture loan at 5 per cent, interest, at par. From F. Flavall, inspector of nuisances, a report. — Received and discussed ; the subject of report left to the Mayor to deal with. , From the Mayor, reporting that a public meeting held the previous night had decfded in favour of the Council's proposal to borrow £900 for erection of municipal buildings. From Finance Committee, a report, recommending accounts amounting to £67 5s 6d be passed for payment. The Mayor reported that as Mr Short, who was receiving charitable aid, had received notice to leave the house occupied by him, he (the Mayor) had agreed on behalf of the Council to contribute 2s 6d a week towards the rent of a house. The Mayor also reported that he and Cr Goodbehere had interviewed their Bank Manager and arranged for an overdraft up to £900 for the next six months. Resolved, That the name of O. C. Cooper be placed on the burgess roll in place of Messrs Barraud and Abraham for section 783, lot 18, town of Feilding.* A diteussion took place on a proposition to re-appoint Mr Blackmore ranger and poundkeeper, and Mr Foster assistant ranger. Cr Goodbehere did not think it would be wise to make the appointment a permanent arrangement at this meeting as there was considerable dissatisfaction with the present arrangements. Mr Blackmore was a faithful servant, but he was not so active as a younger man would be. Mr Foster was not satisfactory, and he (the speaker) had heard loud complaints against Foster as assistant ranger. He thought the time had now arrived wheU the Council should obtain a revenue from the pound, and, also, that they should make different arrangements. Cr Worsfold agreed with Cr Goodbehere's remarks. The Mayor said Mr Blackmore paid ill a year for the use of the pound paddock. He agreed with Cr Goodbehere that the present arrangements were most unsatisfactory, and they should derive some revenue from the pound. He suggested that a committee be formed with power to make the necessary appointments. Cr Saywell was in favor of letting the pound at a rental of, say, JBIO a year. Cr Worsfold objected to letting the pound, as this scheme had proved a failure in the past. Crs Allan, Gould, Chamberlain, were of opinion that whoever was ranger he could not please everyone. Proposed by the Mayor, seconded by Cr Bailey, That the question of appointing a ranger and poundkeeper be left in the hands of a committee consisting of Crs Goodbehere, Saywell, Allan, Worsfold, and the mover, with full power to make the necessary appointments. — Carried. PUBLIC WORKS REPORTS. Cr Goodbehere, on being informed there was no report from . the Public Works Committee, said that since they had no Clerk of Works he thought it was the duty of the Public Works Committee to lay some report qn the table, of the damage done by the floods and the probable cost of repairs. He thought it only right the councillors and the ratepayers should know what was being done. There were works which required immediate attention — for instance, Derby street bridge, where the late flood had worked behind the breastwork. Full details should be given as to damage and what was intended to be done. The Mayor said that most of the important works had been attended to by the roadmen. With reference to the ford at the Eiwitea, a scheme had been suggested to him by Mr R. Mcßetb for improving. the ford with logs, and the gentleman named had promised to send him plans of a ford which proved effective in the Tutaenui stream, Rangitikei County. The damage at Warwick street was not so great as might have been expected. The Foreman of Works had £. suggested that packing cases filled with stones would prove an effective barrier in the gap in the groin below Manchester street bridge. They could not expect the same complete reports now they had no Clerk of Works. Cr Worsfold, as a member of the Public Works Committee, had expected to see a report. '; He admitted they had neglected their diity., Cr Gould thought it extraordinary, that no report had' been laid on the table. He noticed the flood had cut. in at Beattie street bridge; * Which' should be attended to at once. .IJowevgij, he was aware the Public Works Committee had not the time to inspect • the work properly, vi. . ,' , rThe Mayor: The roadman has b^en instructed to attend to the encroachments at Beattie street/ ■■■"■ slt'\ > ! :-^. Or Fowles (Chairman of Public Works Committee) felt ■- remiss at not having prepared a report, but at the same time he didnotsee how they, qould recom. mend anything with'but funds, and did not consider it of sufficient ihiporfcanco to: give a; written rejpqrt. He felt like saying,^ ■when people applied for repairs or improvements, A«. if you want that work-find sufficent money before ibis/ undertaken for j I'll have ':\nq hins&tb do with temporary works/ would in future prepare a report;-- : Cr Bailey > would have liked let have seen a report, hut it was not ye^y serious, They coqjd Qongratqlate themselves the .. damagQ? ]by tiie recent flood ? was «6&

worse. They should not blame Ci Fowles for not having prepared a report. Cr Goodbehere thought the Public Works Committee should not have the power to spend money on works except in urgent cases, such as the Kiwitea ford, without consulting the Council. Every item of expenditure should be placed before the Council for approval.. He had no complaint against Cr Fowles. Cr Allan, as a member of the Public Works Committee, thought there was very little for them to do. He would like to see a qualified Engineer appointed to give an estimate of the damage. Cr Fowles : The Public Works Committee only spent small sums on urgent repairs. «,„,, The Mayor : There was only £42 11s 3d spent in wages last month. Cr Chamberlain had heard there was a danger of the Kiwitea stream breaking into the Malano, and he thought they should look into this matter. Cr Allan had inspected the locality where the Kiwitea stream was said to be encroaching and flooding the Makino. It broke over in Mr. Fry's property and during floods went over about half a mile of low country through Mr Bell's and into the Makino. •IDr Worsfold wanted to know if the Council intended to protect the banks of the Makino and prevent it making further encroachments. It was a most absurd thing for them to be so apathetic in the matter of protecting the roads. The various methods of erecting footbridges were discussed. Cr Fowles suggested that a special meetino of the Council should be held to discuss the encroachment of streams and it was eventually arranged to hold a meeting on Tuesday next. Tne Council then adjourned to eight o'clock this evening. Notice of motion for next meeting was given by Cr Allan, That an Engineer be appointed to inspect various bridges and fords damaged by recent floods and report at next meeting.