Feildiiig Borough Council.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 83, 4 October 1895, Page 2

Feildiiig Borough Council.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the above was held last evening. Present — His Worship tbe Mayor (Mr W. A. Sandilands), Crs J. Gould, A. B. Allan, G. W. Fowles, T. R. Chamberlain, E. Goodbehere, H. Worsfold, G. H. Say. well, W. A. L. Bailey. Mr W. G. Shearer, the i^ewly-elected Councillor, having made tbe usual declaration took his seat at the Council table. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Correspondence was read and dealt with as follows :— From Library Committee recommending the Rev W. H. Judkins and Mr 8. . Andrews for appointment on the Committee. From Treasury, stating the application for a loan of £1000 for Eimbolton road bridge had been provisionally approved. From Mrs A. Beck requesting the Council to fill up the hole in front other section, Eimbolton road. - The Public Works Committee did not see any immediate necessity for the work. From the Clerk Manchester Road Board, account for £29 3s 7gd, this Council's share of cost of maintaining; Menzie's bridge from December 1892 to date. From J. Prior, solicitor, enclosing title deed of land upon which the Municipal buildings are being erected. From New Zealand Insurance Company stating the -900 for Municipal building was available. From Lands and Survey Department, ' asking for a return of the reserves and endowments held by the Borough. From Treasury, approving of loan of - £86 for one-fifth cost of constructing bridge over the Mangaone stream, on Ashurst road. From Clerk Kiwitea County, enclosing resolution passed by that body re the Kiwitea bridge. From Secretary Manawatu and West Coast Agricultural and Pastoral Society, asking this Council to proclaim Thursday, October 24th, a public holiday.— No action taken. From J. Stevens, M.H.K., stating he , had written to tbe Minister of Public Works re the request of the Council re the bell tower. From S. Goodbehere, re his offer of £3 towards removing the bell tower, and stating that if it could not -be applied to the removal of the tower he wished the Council to appropriate it to charitable aid. The Public Works Committee reported : — (1) That plans and specificstions be prepared and tenders called for the formation of Bowen and Weld streets. (2) Re Mr McKenzie's application for a culvert, &c, in Port street the Commit- , tee had no recommendation to make. (3; That Mr Bray be instructed to prepare plans and specifications forrepairs , to the Warwick-street bridge. (4) That a tool shed be erected on the Council's section in Warwick street at a cost of £5. From the Inspector of Nuisances, a > report. From the Finance Committee, a report recommending accounts be passed for payment amounting io — General account, £70 lis 7d ; charitable aid, £1 10s 9d ; municipal building, £886 - 15s 5d. — Adopted. The Mayor reported that he had been . interviewed by Messrs Stevens and ' Cobbe, on behalf of the Library Commit- * tee with reference to a letter he had , sent to that committee pointing out that certain* complaints had been made to - him in connection with,. the proposed , alterations in the regulations concerning , the Lihrary. He suggested that a subcommittee should be appointed'to confer with the Library Committee on the matter. The Mayor also reported that the.subcommittee to deal with removing the bell tower had written to 'tide Minister of Justice asking permission to erect it on a part of the Courthouse section.. * They had not yet received a reply to'thus. Messrs J. Prior and H. Pbilps waited on the Council requesting that Bowen street be formed from Derby street to Denbigh street. - Cr Fowles pointed out that the Pnblio Works Committee recommended this * work should be done. With reference to the appointments to the Library Committee, Cr Worsfold asked how the appointments are made or recommended. The Mayor replied that it was customary for the Library Committee to suggest the names for the appointment, but he did not know how they arrived at such a decision. Cr Fowles said the Library Committee recommended the names. He did not think it mattered much who suggested the names. Cr Worsfold did not' approve of the method adopted, and thought the Council should appoint two Councillors and not leave that to the Committee. Cr Allan said the Council had made two appointments. Proposed by Cr Gould, seconded by Cr Chamberlain, That the Rev. W. H. Judkins and Mr S. Andrew be appointed . to the two vacancies on the Library Committee, in place of Messrs Halcombe and Dawson who have left the district.. —Carried. Proposed by Cr Goodbehere, seconded by Cr Worsfold, That a sub-committee, consisting of the Mayor, Cr Bailey* and the mover, be appointed to confer with the Library Committee with reference' to proposed alteration and management of the Library generally, and report to next meeting of the Council.— Carried!. Proposed by Cr Worsfold, seconded by Cr Goodbehere, That the accounts of the Manchester Road Board (£29 3s l|d) for repairs to Menzie's bridge be passed for payment, and that in future the Manchester Boad Board be asked to furnish an annnal statement with full details of any repairs they have made to the said bridge.— Carried. Resolved, That Crs Allan, Worsfold, Saywell, and Fowles, be the Public Works Committee. " Y.-^Y Resolved, That Crs Chamberlain, Shearer, and Gould, be the Cemetery Committee for the ensuing year. Proposed by Cr Bailey, seconded by Cr Saywell, That the clerk be instructed to write to Mr Goodbehere acknowledging his letter and thanking him for his •donation.— Carried. -'.-■ - Resolved, That Crs Worsfold, Bailey, Allan, and Goodbehere, form the Recreation Reserve Committee. Resolved, That Crs Bailey, Fowles, Goodbehere, and the Mayor, be the Building Bye-Law Committee, y Resolved, That Crs Goodbehere, Saywell, and Bailey be a Finance Committee. Y. Proposed by Cr Fowles, seconded by Cr Saywell, That tbe report of the Public Works Committee be adopted. Cr Goodbehere was opposed to that portion of the report which recommended going on with Warwick street , bridge. No one would be more pleased than he- to see the work done,, but the present state of the Council's finances would not permit it. The Mayor, in reply to a question, said their present overdraft was £850, and would be increased by £70 for accounts passed that " evening. Tbe rates unpaid amounted to about £500. The Borough was/ paying half the. coat of tbe Kiwitea bridge, and it was nQt likely the other local bodies interested, excepting the Manchester Boad Board, would advance the nioney before the bridge vvas completed, although he*had askecl them ,fo assist by -advancing*?* - proportion of the cost from time to time" as it was needed. .They could not cpm-l-pel these local bodies to pay their share antil •ftertbree months from the timo

tlfe^OTiM^WMi'conipleted. It would, ; tßefefbre^ be ia, diflßcult matter to finance ttebnsiii^M they would have to find and they could only get 4800 from the Government before next April. He wbtddbe very glad to see the War~wick street bridge built, but it was a question of ways and means and as he would not be in office for long he did not wish to prejudice his successor's position, He therefore opposed the motion. Cr Fowles said the Public Works Committee recommended raising the old portion of the bridge a foot and putting on two 24ft scans at an estimated cost of £166. They suggested if heart of rimu timber was used a saving on thai amount of £20 would be affected. Cr Worsfold wanted to know why they intended to make new roads when this bridge was so much in need of repairs. Cr Allan supported the motion, as he would like to see the work done. He did not see how it would interfere with the Kiwitea bridge and the cost was only like a drop in a bucket. Cr Gould said there could be no two opinions as to the desirability of the work, but those wanting the Warwick street bridge were not blocked out. He thought they should wait for three or four months until the Kiwitea bridge was built. He could not support the motion that evening. Cr Saywell thought the Warwick street bridge should be built at once. Cr Goodbehere pointed out the contract would be completed by the end of January, and by the end of February they would have to find at least £i 00 above tbe £800 from the Government and the Manchester Road Board's share With their present overdraft of £HL they had a difficulty to face. It was impossible for them to undertake the work at Warwick street bridge. On the motion being put to the meetins it was negatived, the voting being as follows: For— Crs Allan, Fowles, Saywell, Shearer, Worsfold; against— Cra Bailey, Chamberlain, Goodbehere, J. Gould, Sandilands. The motion was, therefore, lost on tbe casting vote of the Mayor. , Proposed by Cr Goodbehere, seconded by Cr Chamberlain, That the report of the Public Works Committee be adopted with exception of clause 3, referring to Warwick street bridge.— Carried. Proposed by Cr Goodbehere, seconded by Cr Bailey". That, m the opinion of this Council," it is not desirable that the Local Government Bill should be passed this session, and that the member for the district be requested to oppose the Bill if brought forward. - Carried. Proposed by Cr Bailey, seconded by Cr Worsfold, That Mr J. Saunders' tender be accepted for the Kiwitea bridge, providing satisfactory arrangements can be made with him as to progress and final payments. As an amendment, Cr Allan proposed, and the Mayor seconded", Tbat the tender of Messrs Dickson -and Horsnell for construction of bridge over Kiwitea stream, according to plans and specifications, be accepted, provided satisfactory arrangements can be made as to progress payments and final payments. After discussion the amendment was negatived, and the motion carried. The Council then adjourned.