BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2416, 11 April 1922, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Borough Council was held in the Council Chamber last night. j. CORRESPONDENCE was read and dealt with as follows: From the Department of Health, recoinmending a daily collection of garbage in the business area of the borongh, and a weekly collection for other areas. —It was decided that the letter from the Health Department be received, and the attention of the Inspector of Health he called to the condition of certain premises at the rear of Main Street. From G. A. Hobbs, asking the Council to put a stop to people allowing cattle to graze on the Union Street footpath. —Received. From Mr Desmond, withdrawing his offer re land adjoining Easton Park, as he had been misinformed. He had been (old that the Council had decided to take the land under the Public Works Act.

Cr. Martin said that since the Citizens’ Committee had waited on . the Council with Mr Desmond’s offer he had found that Mr Desmond had been put in a corner and told that jf ho did not sell the land the Council was going to take it under the Public Works Act. It was pointed out that the Council had no such intention, and the letter was received. From the Secretary of Loyal Foxton Lodge, M.U., 1.Ch0.F., stating that the Lodge resented the hasty tilling in of a grave at a recent funeral by the sexton. Cr. Martin said that after the funeral the leading officers of the Lodge complained to him about the sexton’s conduct. The sexton had ordered the friends away from the graveside and commenced filling in Ihe grave. He objected to this callousness. It was quite a common lliing for the relatives to linger at the graveside. It was decided that the sexton be notified that he must not commence to fill in any grave at the cemetery until half an hour has elapsed from the close of the service.

TENDERS. It was decided to call tenders for the cemetery reserve for a term of seven vears. ROAD FOREMAN’S REPORT. The road foreman reported as follows: — “During the past month the road staff have been engaged on the following works: Putting in culvert, Main Street entrance to Easton Park; completing the top-dressing of road facing Town Hall; carting metal and patching ruts in Johnston, Park and Russell Streets and Sandon Road, and cleaning the principal drains. We also made a start with the tarring and sanding of Clyde Street, hut owing to the very broken weather have been unable to make much progress so far, our chief difficulty being to get the sand dry enough for covei'ing. The following drains have been cleaned: Awahou, Johnston Street, Russell Street, Jenks Street, Avenue Road and Spring Street. We also repaired culvert at southern end of Main Street, replacing old clay joints with cement. A considerable quantity of metal has been delivered at Sandon Road crossing by the Manawatu County tram, and we are expecting more to be delivered at the Lady’s Mile crossing. We have placed a gate there to give us access to the metal when it arrives. Would suggest that we try. to obtain Belmont metal for repairing Johnston Street. This road needs building up from Union Street to the windmill, and if we can get Belmont metal of reasonable size, and afterwards topdress with a coating of the Rangitikei metal, we should, I think, have a satisfactory road for some time. Wharf Street was metalled with Belmont metal in August, 1917, with a small quantity of river metal as > top-dressing, and it is still a good road. Nothing in the way of metalling has been done to Wharf Street from 1917 to 1922, except to patch one or two small nits, and these mostly caused by water and drainage trench. During the present month I intend completing the drain cleaning, doing metalling work, and, weather permitting, going on with the' top-dressing of Clyde Street. I’lie tar supply is accumulating at the gas works, and we may have enough to go the whole length of Clyde Street."

Decided that the report be adopted, and that inquiries be made as to supplying 100 yards of Belmont metal, and also that the metalling of Johnstone Street be deferred until after the laying of water mains.

•- RANGER'S REPORT. The Borough Ranger reposted that during the month he impounded 12. cows and four horses. Cr. Martin said that it did not seem any use complaining about stock wandering on the roads. During the month'lie had taken a tally of the stock wandering in Union Street, and found that all told there were 300 cows and fit) horses on that road during the month. He had repeatedly asked that this be stopped. Tt was impossible to use the footpaths at night, Horses were still being tethered across the-footpaths. He had also noticed that some of the offenders fried to evade the ranger by leaving a hoy with the cattle, and letting them graze. This would not protect them, as cattle on the roads had to move at a certain rate. Cr. Ross said he agreed with Cr. Martin. It was time something was done. It was decided that the ranger be instructed to take legal proceedings against all persons where stock are found wandering on the roads after the same stock has once been impounded.