FOXTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3759, 12 March 1907, Page 2

FOXTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

A special meeting of the above Council was held last evening to make a special order for Shannon Bridge Loan and striking a special rate for providing interest and other charges on loan. Present- — His Worship the Mayor (B. G. Gower, esq.), Crs Baker, Stiles, Moore, Hickson, Shadbolt and Austin.

As notified by notice of motion the Mayor moved, That for the purpose of providing the Foxton Borough Council’s share of the cost of construction of a bridge (including approaches and protective works) over the Manawatu Fiver near Shannon, known as the Shannon bridge, the site of. the . said, bridge approaches and protective works being more particularly defined on the plan marked “ R 2749 ” deposited in the office of the Chief Engineer of Roads, Wellington, and shown thereon in red, the Foxton Borough Council borrow from the Colonial Treasurer the sum of £6OO for 41 years at per cent per annum as provided. in subclause of section 8 of “ The Local Bodies Loans Amendment Act.” Seconded by Cr Baker and carried.

A special order moved by the Mayor and seconded by Cr Austin was carried, That for the purpose of providing interest and other charges on a loan of £6OO authorised to be raised by the Foxton Borough Council for the purpose of providing the Council’s share of the cost of constructing a bridge (including approaches and protective works) over the Manawatu River near Shannon, such loan to be at 4)4 per cent per annum for a period of 41 years, the said Council makes and levies a special rate of fifteen-sixteenths of a penny in the pound upon the rateable value of all rateable property within the boundaries of the Foxton Borough, and that such, special rate shall be an annual, recurring rate during the currency of such loan, and payable yearly.

The ordinary meeting was then held. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Correspondence was read as follows ;

From J. P. Innes, Barrister, Solicitor, and Notary Public, Palmerston N., re the gas contract, advising that the agreement is sufficient to protect the interests of the Corporation afid a reasonable one for the Council to agree to. The only matter to be made clearer was the question of the site. Clause 2 says the firm may erect suitable buildings on a freehold site to be approved by the Borough. Did this mean that the buildings are to be erected on Borough property ? If so the agreement should state this clearly and that the cnntractors are not to derive any interest in the land by reason of occupation or otherwise. If they proposed erecting the buildings on their own land nothing further would be required.

From the Minister of Health re plague precautions.-—Referred to Nuisance Inspector. From Borough Nuisance Inspector, stating that as his appointment did not give satisfaction to a number of Councillors he wished to tender his resignation. From Manawatu County Council, stating Council’s pleasure in supporting the Foxton Borough Council’s resolution in reference to increasing wharf accommodation.—Received.

From Adam Burges, Palmerston N., enclosing price-list for artesian well sinking.—Received. From Levin County Council, forwarding following resolution recently passed, “ That owing to the great increase of population and land values, and hence the amount of inward and outward goods and produce, this Council respectfully brings under the notice of the Minister of Railways the urgent need of increased accommodation at the Foxton wharf.”

From Secretary Foxton Chamber of Commerce, asking Council to meet Chamber of Commerce at the next meeting to discuss the lighting and water scheme.

From Harris and Bastin re electric lighting installation —Received From Feilding Borough Council acceding to Foxton Borough’s request of 29th January. —Received. From G. Brewer informing Council that Frances St. had been formed and metalled as requested ; * also asking Council to take over street.

From Department of Lands, and Survey, re closing of Grey St. From H. Coley, offering to supply metal from Nye’s pit to any portion of the Borough up to and including Union Street at 3/9 per cubic yard ; to any portion of the Borough north of. Union. St. at 4/6 per cubic yard, Council to pay all royalty. - From Awahou Milling Co., re latrines at their mill.—Explained satisfactorily by the sanitary contractor.

From Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce enclosing letter from Minister of Lands re Council’s application for grant of j£ioo to plant lupin and sand binding grass at Wharangi, and stating that the application will receive every consideration.

From Levin Borough Council, enclosing resolution passed, “ That the best assistance be given by this Council in the Foxton Borough Council, in their efforts to secure better wharf accommodation at the Port of Foxton.” From Thomas Ward, consulting engineer, etc., Wellington, offering services—Received. From the Secretary Foxton Chamber of Commerce, forwarding resolution passed by the Cham-

her, “ That the Council is led to believe that houses are being built of white pine, which ,is against the by-law of’the Borough. ” From Secretary Education Department, re Library subsidy, and notifying that anjount due to library was £l2 xos gd. From T. W. Butcher, acknowledging receipt of Council’s letter ; from same, stating that owing to ill-health he was unable to attend

business personally, and hoped to t give ■ matter prompt and close at- • tentipn in a few days. On the motion of the Mayor it was resolved that the offer of Mr H.’ Coley to supply metal as required by the Council be accepted. —Carried.

On the motion of the Mayor and seconded by Cr Austin, it was resolved, That Mr Brewer’s street will hot be taken over ; till completed to the satisfaction of Council.—Carried.

Moved by the Mayor and seconded by Cr Stiles, that the resignation of the Nuisance Inspector (Mr Alzdorf) be accepted, and that applications be invited for the position of Inspector of Nuisances and Building Inspector for fire purposes a.t a Salary of £2O per year.—Carried. This decision was arrived at after some' discussion by the Council. The amount of salary thought sufficient to make the position worthy of close attention ranged from .£l2 to £75 per year. On the motion of Cr Hickson, seconded by CrShadbolt, That the Council sees its way clear to employ a second hand .for the coming winter such as cleaning drains and repairing footpaths, and that Mr J. McGill be reinstated, was not carried.

Moved by Cr Baker and seconded by Cr Stiles, That the Council consider the request' of the Chamber of Commerce re tanks interferes with the private fights of inhabitants and does not see its way clear tb'favour same. —Carried.

Moved by Cr. Stiles and seconded by C. Moore, That the Clerk be instructed to get the necessary plans of Gray and Wharf streets and forward same to. the Survey Department' as requested.—Carried.

The Treasurer’s report was read and adopted as follows: —Since the last monthly meeting of the Council the sum of 12s gd has been paid into the District Fund Account The bank balance this day was us 4-d at credit. The state of the various separate accounts is as follows: General account . 9s, library account jQ S 10s, both overdrawn ; reserves account 3s Bd, cemetery account £4 5s rod, interest account is 1 id, all of which are in credit. This statement includes the amount of accounts to be passed for payment to-night, and as there are yet some £25 to be collected for flaxmill rents I am hopeful that our .overdraft of general account at end of year will not exceed that with which we commenced the year viz, £55 4s gd. I may state that I have again, and for the fifth year in succession, collected every penny of the rates, and that there are none outstanding. The overseer’s report was read as follows: During pionth of February 1907, the following work has been done; Filled holes in Main street footpath from Cook street to Union street; filled ruts on Park road, Sandon road; Russell street, Avenue road, Moutoa road, Johnston street and Union street ; grubbed lupin on Park road: repaired crossing from Avenue road to Hall street; cleaned north triangle ; filled in wash-out in Spring street; repaired kerbing in Main street and am at present spreading metal in Johnston street. I also suggest that the following work be done: That the balance of metalling be finished, and that all drains in the Borough (about 500 chains) be cleaned, and I should like to know whether the Council intend calling tenders or doing them by day’s work. As Mr H. Coley has offered to deliver metal from Mr Nye’s pit to the south end of Johnston street and Union street at 3s gd per yard, I would suggest that 60 yards be put on. Johns ton street and 50 yards on Union street, also 50 yards on Avenue road and 20 yards on Russell street at 4s 6d per yard. The night soil contractor waited on the Council in reference to the unsatisfactory mariner in which he was being paid and stated that if some better scheme could not be devised he would be compelled to resign. He had issued summonses against two persons in the hope that this would be an example to others who had ignored his advertisement and notice by slips attached to all unpaid accounts. Several Councillors thought that at least a dozen people should have been summonsed. Cr Austin said that there seemed to be difficulty in finding his house and that this was the reason why a good many of the accounts were unpaid. Mr W. Knapp also waited on the Council and made complaint that he had been over-charged by the sanitary contractor as compared with the price paid by previous Contractors. The Council then went into Committee on the matter.'