BOROUGH COUNCIL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 336, 11 February 1911, Page 6

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. j The usual monthly meeting of Te Kuiti Borough Council was held on Monday night at the Council offices. Present—His Worship the Mayor (Mr James Boddie), and Crs Lusk, Julian, Hetet, Hardy, King, Eketone, Somerville, Young and Stevens. Lighting Loan.—The Borough Solicitor gave his opinion on the question submitted to him as to whether the Council could legally obtain the balance of the originally proposed loan £22 so—outside the New Zealand State Guaranteed Advances office on the consent of the ratepayers obtained on the 17th November, 1910. In his opinion the Council had no authority to obtain the balance of the loan outside the State Guaranteed Advances office. The Finance Committee recommended a fresh poll be taken at an early date. The Mayor understood all that was necessary was to fix a fresh pledge by special order. According to Mr Martin and Mr Hine, they could not do this. It appeared they bad no provision in the Act whereby it could be done. They would have to fix a new rate and go to the ratepayers with it. The indebtedness of the borough would not be increased in the slightest, nor would the rates. Crs Hardy and Lusk moved that the sum of £4OOO be raised for lighting and fire brigade purposes. The Mayor agreed. They would probably have to pay 4A per cent, or 5 per cent, for the loan, but the purposes it was required for being a financial undertaking they would not have to provide a sinking fund. Cr Young asked whether Borough offices could not be included in the loan. The Mayor felt it would be better to wait until they had the essential provided water, drainage, streets and lighting.

Explosives License.—Messrs Green and Colebrook Ltd., wrote that they had taken out their license in Auckland. The Mayor said that the question was whether the fact of taking out a license in Auckland was to over-ride the Borough by-laws. He could quite understand Messrs Green and Colebrook taking out their licenses formally in Auckland, but now that this branch was under local government led him to think they would have to take out their licenses here. The Town Clerk was instructed to write to the Town Clerk in Auckland to find what the position was there in respect to this by-law. Land for Reservoir.—Messrs Gillanders and Weir offered the land required at £lO an acre or £S per acre if the Council took the piece between the land and the railway also, about 25 acres in all. The Mayor said this matter had been left with the Finance Committee to deal with. The committee recommended the Council to accept the latter offer. He moved that the offer be accepted, provided they had the right of access at all times and the rights embodied in the deed to tap other streams in the vicinity. He was quite sure the Council was getting good value. Cr Lusk seconded, and the motion was carried. Cr Julian raised the question of interfering with water rights, to which the Mayor replied there was no likelihood of such interference. Scheme of Roads.- Mr Jordon waited on the Council with reference to getting the approval of the Council to a scheme of roads in Te Kuiti Village Settlement, as prepared by the Survey Department.—Crs Hardy and Julian moved that the Council give general approval to the scheme, subject to the receipt of fuller information. Crs Lusk and Stevens moved as an amendment that the Council were not prepared to approve the scheme of roads laid down until further information had been given. The Mayor said the position was a precarious one. He held that they should look to the owners to comply with the Act.

The amendment, on being put, was carried.

Gate at Stockyards.—The District Engineer of the Railway Department wrote that it was expected in two or three week's time the new stock yards would be erected on the west side of the line, and the present yards then removed. Under the circumstances he thought it hardly worth while to eil'ect the alteration, but if of extreme important;?, would have it done. —The Council decided to wait and enable the department to erect the stockyards elsewhere. Wood Piping.-Messrs John Chambers and Son, Ltd., drew attention to the merits of this method of draining. —The letter was referred to the Works Committee. Acetylene Lighting.—The Acetylene Contracting Co. drew attention to their specialty. —Received, Metal Crusher.—Mr H. Rothery offered his services in the direction of erecting an up-to-date crusher and crushing metal at a fixed price per cubic yard, and if necessary to quarry, crush "and deliver the metal within the Borough.—The letter was referred to the Works Committee. Fire Brigade.—The Brigade Superintendent reported that six members of the Brigade were going to the conference at Hokitika on the 26th inst. He suggested a system of rings for fire alarms, viz.: Rora street, one toll and peal; Taupiri street, two tolls and peal; East side of river, three tolls and peal; West sjde of river, four tolls and peal. He further urged the Council to take into consideration the appointment ox a fire inspector. The secretary of the Brigade urged the advisability of insuring the members of the Brigade.— It was decided to have the insurances effected. It was further agreed to adopt the system of peals mentioned. In the event of the appointment being in order it was decided that Mr M. J. Jones be appointed fire inspector.

Building Inspector.—The Mayor said this was a difficult and intricate position for the Borough Council to undertake. He moved that they appoint L. G. P. Spencer, the borough engineer.—The motion was carried.

Brick Area in Sheridan Street.-—Mr Jones waited on the Council and contended that the frontage of Mr Free's property was Sheridan street,, and the owner should not be compelled to erect a brick wall at the back of his section, when the adjoining owner couid build in wood.' —Cr Somerville thought the Works Committee and the building inspector could amicably arrange the matter with the owner.--The Mayor said probably some of the by-laws might have to be modified in some degree. He was not prepared to say whether this was a case or not. He was not able, without going on the spot, to express an opinion.—Cr Hardy said the idea in framing the by-laws was to leave a strip of brick wall right through to serve as a (ire break. If they relaxed that portion they would have to relax other portions. What applied to one side applied to the other.- A motion that the matter be referred to the Works Committee, with power to act, was carried. Public Works Reserve. The Under-Secretary of the Public Works Department wrote that owing to a great part of this reserve being required for railway purposes and for future expansion, the Government did not see its way to sell any part for the purposes of a Town Hall.—Received.

No. 3 Contract.—Tenders were ; received as follows:—John Carmody, | £2511 Is, or if metal added, £2711; < 11. Rothery, £1390; for carting j gravel Lever tendered 4a on the flat ! and 5s on the hill.—The Mayor said j that until they got final approval j from the Treasury they could do j nothing, but they could leave the \ matter with the Works Committee | and the engineer, with power to act. \ He moved in this direction. Cr i Stevens second. The Mayor said that j they would be aware that the engi- [ neer had been doing quite a lot of \ work lately by day labour and it j looked as though that was the solution j of it. ; Cr Hardy proposed that the engineer ; should carry on for a month the carting of gravel and the making of | fascines,' r,o that they might know what it would cost.—Cr Lusk said the. difficulty was they had not the funds ; to do anything at present and they were proposing to settle the matter | as soon as they had the funds.—Cr Young said the Works Committee had ■ the option of deciding which %vay the ; work should be done.—The motion was ' carried. Asphalting Rora Street.—The engi- \ neer hoped the Council would be able to consider a scheme for the end of next summer, perhaps, ai'cer the ( water pipes were put in and the permanent levels arrived at, of asphalting the whole of Rora street. Under the circumstances he suggested that, Messrs Green and Colebrook's application be deferred. I Smith's Sub-division and Sub- ■ divisions Generally. A discussion arose on this question once more, and ; the Mayor again expressed the feeling of the Council that, until the , roads were formed and graded and the ! footpaths formed and curbed, and the whole dedicated the Council was not j able to approve of any scheme. —Cr ] Hardy took the opposite standpoint. : He held that the Council should give its approval, to enable the Chief j Surveyor to approve.—Cr Somerville j said his point was that in one case j roads were specified; in the other,running through native land, they were j j not. Why should they not be shown Jin detail?— The Clerk explained what | the Chief Surveyor was asking for.—

The Mayor moved that, provided the roads and footpaths were formed to the satisfaction of the Council, it approved of the scheme of sub-division. Cr Young seconded.—Carried. Foot Bridges.—Cr Hardy raised the question of a bridge between Sheridan street and No. 28, now that a bridge was being erected—"chiefly for the bowlers"—at the top end of Rora street.—The Clerk said that a lady had been interfered with in crossing the Taupiri street foot bridge by some half-caste boys. He had seen the part-owner who knew nothing of it. The Council owned half that bridge and the owner could not move his part without interfering with their portion.—Cr Hardy moved that plans be prepared for a footbridge between Sheridan street and No. 2B.—The motion was carried.