Feilding Borough Council.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 81, 2 October 1896, Page 2

Feilding Borough Council.

Th<>. monthly meeting was held last evening. Present—The Mayor (W. A. L. Bailey), Crs E. Goodbehere, G. W. Fowlcs, W. G. Shearer, G. H. Say well, J. W. Bramwell. Tbo newly elected Councillors, Messrs W. G. Haybittle. J. Goald (re elected), and P. Thomson, made the usnal declaration, and took their seats at the Council table. The Mayor welcomed Messrs Haybittle and Thomson to the Council table, and in doing so felt sure the Council would betiefit by their past experience. He also welcomed Mr Gould back to the Council table. Cr Haybifctle thanked the Mayor for his expressions of .goodwill, and also the ratepayers for their having placed him in such an honorable positiou. He hoped their confidence would not he misplaced. I Mr Thomson expressed his intention of doing his best lor the ratepayers during his term of office: The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Correspondence was received and dealt with as follows : — From F. G. Woollams, J. S. Milson, and others requesting that West street from Manchester to North streets be formed and metalled. From Mrs Fanny Simpson complaining that she was not allowed to vote at recent election and that her name was omitted from the roll. From J. Beltit and T. P. James offers to repair fence around recreation reserve. i From Feilding Debating Society thanking the Council for the use of the Coun*. cil chambers for their meetings. From Inspector of Nuisances, a re port. From Finance Committee, a report recommending accounts amounting to .£lßl 10s Id be passed for payment.— Adopted. From W. S. Hill complaining that the filling in of a watercourse as ordered by I the Inspector of Nuisances, had caused a portion of his property to be flooded. From H. Johnston requesting that R. Bowler's (junr) name be placed on rate roll i" place of his for section 779. From T. Watson, secretary Library Committee, recommending that Mr W. G. Haybittle be appointed a member of the Committee to rill vacancy caused by Mr Judkins 1 resignation. From C Bray, Engineer, reporting that there were eight chains of West street unformed between Warwick and Manchester streets, and 28 chains from the latter to North street, making 36 chains, which he estimated would cost .£B2 to form and culvert. From Town Clerk, reporting the names of Mrs J. E. Nicholas, Mrs F. Simpson and Mr G. B. Bradford as having been omitted from the valuation roll and burgess list. From Mrs M. L. Macarthur, requesting that the names of Barraud and Abraham be substituted on rate roll in place of her's for section 291. — Alteration agreed to. From J. Prior, solicitor for Mr W. D. Nicholas, requesting a rebate of rates on the brick store and butcher's shop owned by Mr Nicholas, as these premises had been unocupied. From J. Greenwood, applying for a license to use ball in Glasgow House as a place of amusement iu connection with the Young Men and Boy's Club. — Referred to Inspector to report. From W. H. Brooks, stating ha was not yet able to support his family. From Messrs Goodbebere and Richmond, on behalf of Messrs Roe Bros., stating F. Oweu had purchased 29 acres 2 roods 30 perches, being part section 149. From Wellington Harbor Board, enclosing solicitor's account for i'4 4s in connection with proposed electric lighting loan. From Secretary of Athletic Club enclosing resolutions passed by that club stating they would upend L25 on improving the Oval if a resolution was passed by the Council prohibiting football or any other game being played there which would injure the ground. From T. F. Martin, solicitor of the Municipal Association, a legal opinion to the effect that in the case of a licensed member of a firm of auctioneers leaving the district permanently, the continuing member of the firm could be appointed substitute. The Public Worka Committee reported that during the past month tbe following matters had been attended to : - (1) The water table opposite Miss Manson's, Kimbolton road ; (2) the stagnant water on Makino Road, oppoaite Miss McLean's property ; (3) the water table and approach to Mr Watts' cottages, railway line. The committee drew attention to the bridge on tbe Makino road near the cemeterv road seating it was out of repair and required strengthening. The bridge near the gravel pit had been removed, and a culvert substituted. The committee recommended that half the cost of the two latter works be charged to Manchester Road Board as they were in a boundary road. — Adopted. RE LIGHTING BOROUGH. From O. C, Cooper, Secretary Electric Lighting Syndicate, stating they were considering the question of lighting the borough by electricity. From A. H. Truebridge, asking the Council to give a decided answer at this meeting as to wheiher they intend to accept his offer to establish gas works in Feilding. With reference to the question of lighting the Borough, tho Mayor explained that he had interviewed Mr Cooper, secretary to tho Feilding Electric Lighting Syndicate, to enquire whether they were prepared to make a definite offer to instal electric light. He was informed that Mr Cobbe, one of the syndicate, had been in Auckland, where he was making enquiries, but had not yet submitted bis report, and it would be a few days before the syndicate could make a definite olfer. Mr Truebridge was present at the meeting, and would answer any questions which the Councillors might ask. Cr Say well thought that, although Mr Truebridge's offer was a good one, they could not take a step in the dark by d«< ciding that night. Cr Goodbehere asked if there was any chance of Mr Truebridge allowing any further time before terminating bis offer. In reply to this question, Mr Truebridge said that several members of the syndicate who made tbe offer were anxious to invest the money they had in hand without delay, and were not disposed to wait any longer. A reasonable time had been allowed, and he could not go any further in the matter of extending the time for allowing the Council to come to a decision, | Mr Truebridge then withdrew. In discussing tbe question the Mayor thought they should require the Feilding syndicate to submit their offer within a fortnight and if they did not within that time tbe Council should deal with some other syndicate. Cr Thomson wished to know which the Mayor considered would be the best for the town itself— gas or electricity. The Mayor replied that as a light the electricity was far better, but for general usefulness he did not think electricity could be compared with gas. It would be better to be without gas if they were to have it as bad as that in Palmeraton, but he understood they now bad purifiers and conld give a better quality. He noticed tbe electt c light was not giving satisfaction in Wellington. He fancied the Feilding syndicate were, also, considering the advisability of going in for gas iu place of electricity. Cr Gould thought that for practical purposes they could not bettor gas. The

smell was disagreeable but not un- > healthy. Or Saywell considered gas was the better and that they should give another nine or ten days to the Feildmg syndi- j cate to submit their proposals. ' Cr Shearer thought the Feilding syndicate had bad sufficient time to decide what they were going to do and he did not see why the Council should run the risk of losing the offer of the Wellington syndicate, whose concessions j were liberal. He quoted figures showing the profits made by Australian gas companies in support of his argument that gas was more likely to pay than the electric light in Feilding. Gas was less dangerous, more useful and cheaper than electricity. He moved " That the proposals of the Wellington syndicate re gas lighting of the Borongh be acceded to subject to revision, and that the Council go iuto committee on the same." Cr Thomson seconded the motion. Cr Goodbehere suggested that the matter be deferred to a special meeting as they could notdecide that night, as there were matters of detail to be considwred. j He proposed, as an amendment, " That ' consideration of the question of lighting the town with gas be held over until this day fortnight, at a special meeting of the Council to bo held for that purpose, and the local syndicate be asked to furnish their proposals at that meeting." Cr Haybittle seconded the amendment, approving of Cr Goodbehere's views Cr Saywell supported the amendment, for if Mr Truebridge withdrew there were others who would take his place. Cr Bramwell was personally in favor of the electric light, but the majority of ratepayers were in favor of gas. He did not see that they could give Mr Trnebridge an answer that night, but that they should not approach the Feilding syndicate again, as they had bad plenty of time to decide what they intended to do. Cr Thomson favored gas as being more useful than the electric light. Cr Gould thought they could not decide that evening. The Amendment was carried. GENENAL BUSINESS. Proposed by Cr Haybittle, seconded by Cr Bramwell, That half the rates on Mr Nicholas' property in Fergusson street be remitted in accordance with clause 53 of the Municipal Corporation Act. -Carried. Proposed by Cr Haybittle, seconded by Cr Fowles, That the name of Jane E. Nicholas be placed on the burgess list in respect of section — occupied by her ; and also the names of Fanny Simpson and G. B. Bradford be placed on valuation roll and burgess list in respect of sections occupied by them.— Carried. Proposed by Cr Fowles, seconded by Cr Saywell, That Mr Bray be authorised to make plans and specifications and call for tenders, to be in by the next meeting of the Council, for the formation of West street from the present metalled portion near Mr Gcodbehere's residence to Mr Bagnall's corner. — Carried. Proposed by Cr Goodbehere, seconded by Cr Saywell, That the matter complained of by Mr W. S. Hill and referred to in the Inspector of Nuisance's report be referred to the Public Works Committee with power to have the water course reopened if necessary. — Carried. The Mayor complained that application had been made to the Palmerston Hospital for the admission of two patients bnt they had not been admitted and that although the Council contributed to the cost they always experienced a difficulty in securing admission for patients. Cr Goodbehere, a member of the Hospital and C.A. Board, explained that all the beds were full at the time the applications were made. Resolved, That Crs Saywell. Gould, Thomson, and Fowles be the Public Works Committee. Resolved, That Cr W. G. Haybittle be appointed to the vacancy on the Library Committee cansed by the retirement of Mr Judkins. Resolved, That Crs Haybittle, Shearer, and Gould, be appointed the Cemetery Committee. Proposed by Cr Haybittle, seconded by Cr Gould, That the Building Inspector be requested to inspect the Volnnteer Hall and report to next meeting whether the owners have complied with clause 2 of section 401 of the Municipal Corporation Act, relating to sufficient means of ingress and egress.— Carried. Proposed by Cr Shearer, seconded by Cr Thomson, That in view of the fact that the footballers have now a ground of their own, the game of football be prohibited on the Oval from this date in accordance with a request from the Secretary of Sports Committee. — Carried Proposed by Cr Saywell, seconded by Cr Fowles, That the offer of Mr James to erect fence in front of recreation reserve from the gate be accepted. — Carried. Cr Haybittle wanted to know what became of some of the trees planted in the Square, but the matter dropped after desultory discussion. Then Council then adjourned.