BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 69, 20 August 1885, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

LAST NIGHT.

The usual meeting of the Borough Council was held last evening, at Mr Linton's auction rooms. Present — The Mayor, Crs Beck, Hutcheson, Bentley, Park, West, Larcornb, | Hawkins, Wylds, T. King, J. King, Abrahams, and Grace. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed- . : * ; .v «>;<ft-*.v The Clerk then read the following letters from the^ Mayor i and the Town Clerk re the Borough Loan. ■'■ - : >. BalmerstoitJJorth, „. . , . .„ , - August 10, 1885. Sir,— l have, honor m reply to ypur telegram, to the , Tri#n Clerk^ dated the 15th insfc, ; su^sting a;mbjdiiß.c4ti6n -^of our^ieqio'i^nilatg m connection the 5 ' "loan of £50,000 to inform you that this Council cannot see its way to reduce the amount approved of by the burgusses, as-our es timateß;for;wQrk embrace three>principle itenis, yiz.'i jftreet cpn|truatiqn, swater supply, janeT drainage," each; representing about a third of. the amount available, after making provision for repayment of the existing loan of £10,000, and it appears to the Council, that| to' attempt drainage without a water supply would mean money" uselessly spent, the drain* age beitfg.at the san^eitinaepf paramount importance H after ' g'tteet f Construction. Should only the latter be provided for the amount required; would hardly be worth the of a special loan. To my mind, and I believe, it is the opinion of the community^ if >we attempt anything at all,, w^'" must undertake the whole, and j^<yqqr Association cannot venture to.adyaiic6^j£sQ,o6o on our security, we /shall haye |fo\open .fresh negotiations with tl\e:Bank^;]for. placing the loan on the L6n^bn v -Ma'rkot, at as early a date as appear froni ypur : ; renyarks. ap%prom current rumour,- that th« impressibri is that if 3 ouj department ; adyancea the £50,000, :the:* " rates ..w^ouKL r ble.. enormously high. A fabulated statement is now forwarded to you; estim^lieYi'iipon bur past experience, shbwuigbyvfi^^ which I think cannot be disproved, that the rates will not be much m, excess of what w already charged. Thie Statement is on the whole, too low, as regards our annual increase m valuiitiqin, judging by the advance made during the last twelve years and. the advantages the town may expect from its central position ; m fact, being the most centrally situated town m the North Island, for } railway communication, and an important junction 'of all main lines ; again.cit'isisuiTOTindfed? for many miles mtn-.)8on& of the vvery ; ; oesfc •Tanditf Jfew Zealand, which is already purchased, and m a manner settled, • but "when -the railway system; is complete will ; becapablefof carrying may thousands of additional inhabitants. This will, of course, benefit the town, and undoubtedly add large numbers to its population. I could advance many more reasons, shewing our capacity pf< paying charges far beyond these shewn m 'the table forwarded, but I feel it is; unnecessary at present. If the money is available, lam confident you yjill not find more reliable security, than is now offered, and I skill be pleased to hear at an early date, that your board has reconsidered its former decision j and is now prepared to make the advance originally proposed, — I 'have, &c., James Linton, Mayor. Palmerstoh iNorth, 10th, 1885. Sib,— -I have the honorto forward to you a .letterAlrbni hia i ; "Worship the Mayor m r^ply to your telegram of the? sth inst-, suggesting; a . nxpltEfis;atron- o£^ the loan proposa^^:^F ? aE» forward^ astetetoe^t tsß&^ißgi t|jj& «rtimated injcrease^in valuation "during the proposed expenditure," and- the rate&'.re^uke£v./ta^ meeXtfii»»nhnai*charg^ [ji^intenani^e; "ofT* roadsr, drains, &Ci Ii» -refefenbe to; this latter item' the first year's, rate is, shewn at- less than thatnof»r p^fd r ; this is accounted f^6*r t hj |h* ;fact'that should the: 16ab'b^frjti|ea; /the* ordinary revenue" wfltbe relieved; of erpendituretb an amount of nearly £50ft which represents, a- ratb equal to 6d m ther£. . A^4he' SjTayor informiryou m.. Hit letter the Council is of opinion that the proposals will' hardly beair . reducing. Still should you: retain, a contrary opinion and'woiild point but m what respect you think they should be modified, the Council would take yo\jr suggestions into consideration, and as far as practicable meet your views. .As • a . suggestion, I may point out thatjin the statement submitted, the expenditure is carried, over a period of five years/ The Council would, if thought desirable, undertake .that the proceeds of the loan should he advanced as there stated and m the periods set down. The ' Council meets on the 19th iusfcant. A reply _ on> or before that date giving your views on, the matter m full jvbuld greajly:, oblige, tbl enable the Qduncil to tSke v spnie.dgfinite' action m 'fiirth^rance of thet proposed scheme.— l hate, &c, - v y : , ;.",-■•'■■■ ;! •:i ■■ *■■'. \^':".sßr-:N.',BJEmMfG, ■■-■-■:. . ,-••.." : v., .j; "■.■>. Town Clerk. *T; / ' -*■• '■:■■•■■, - Of the pronosed loan of £50,000 forjfch^ Borough of Palraerston North. - Esti* mated rateable value bfep^jbpe Jty ? W theBorppgh at^.each -year expehditure 1 ' of the proposed loa»,& and ambu»t of rates iis the^ fequired^ fe.meet interest, and annual, maintenance of streets, drains, &c. '-" ■' r '• . Estimated rateable \yalae each ~year ; (present), £19,500 ; second year, £20^00 j^ third^ year, £22^500; fourth , year, * £.25,000; BHh --year, £28,qoo:. v ':, v " ■''■■'-.'., >: ■ . Estiuiated amount, of .Ipao^ to be ex-' >p^Aclcd diirihg first ''yeat,'^£so6(o;^ first and *Beeond year, £15,000 ; first, second^ and third; y«a^,JE2S,OOO ; first, second, thirdj and fourtfi^yearj £45,000 j,.mcludingesistintj loan pwd^off^iQiPOO } < first,, second, third, fourth, and fifth, year. I Interest required at ;£5 . iperi; 'xgtA. :, First year, £250,;- second year, ; £75&4 third year, £1250 ; tourth year, £2250 ; ' fifth year, £2,1500; . " Kates in' the £to provide charges foc^ vear'- :—-'..'- ' . ;.,.. ;. .-"-.■_ ' 3ttVYßecondye*i^^^tm^y€«r^^^^^^ ; .■iourth. year, Is -6&j fift&year, la 6d< .^interest on existing loan 6C £10,000 ; First, second, andy" third years, lOd V fourth and fifth years, mU Z Mai ateriarice :• first and second year, S^d ; fourth year, 5d ; . fifth yearj^^- ..i . '„... Water : First, sejcond, and^fljHrdt.j^r% nil ; fourth year, 5d j ftftbypar, .3sd, ; Total annual rate m & ? i Fi^^ear, If 8d ] secondyear, 2s Id jtbirdi ye^r, 2a ' , fid ; fpuFthyear, 2s 4d ; fifth yea^gs 2d, In tht above statement of- prdi|^r.yex-^ penditure, maintenance alone is provided for from rates, bther charges/ will he covered by- receipts^'from. license fees, . rents, &c, estimated at the preswit timg equal to £500: The waiter ■ supply it i* thought may fairly be expected tq yiel4a' sufficient sum during.* othe last tWP years of the lpan expenditure so .thaf a'i^ : ambaht equivalent to the rate m the £ set dowii above may-*be taken to make up the annual interest on tjie Ipap. Tl^e rateable value li?is been "estimated above at a lower yearly increase, than past experience would fiijrly warraht. " v On the motion, of Cr West the, corres.r pondence was received as read. . (BOROUGH CHAigy.) ' . . Offers to draft a .hew chaiir fif street levels, were received'frpm itr Armstrong iff reply to appiicatipn, as fojlpws :— Qnja" pbpy qf the chart /lestroyed by f]re prip§ j£lo or with three fui-thprextensipnq £25. Resolved on the motion of Cr Hutchi

«pn that the offer of £25 be accepted s ttbject to the completion of plans within 3 months from date. RETURNING OFFICER. An application was received from A. R. T. Haultain for the post of Returning Officer for the Borough. After some discussion on the matter it was resolved on the motion of Cr J. King that applications be called for- the office of Returning Officer to the Borough at a remuneration of £10 per annum and that a special meeting of the Council be called to make the appointment on the 27th instant. (street processions.) , The Napier Borough Council for war--ded a copy of their bye law m reference to street processions and stated that certain amendments would be made by them and that they would forward a copy of the amended bye-law as soon as completed. ! :',"'■.. . It was resolved to postpone any action m this matter until receipt of the amended „-; bye Jaw froni the Napier Borough. (APPLICATION FOR FOOTPATH^ Mr A. Ferguson applied to the Counoil ■■■ to have' a lobtway constructed past his : dSvelling-houße m Main-street and offered V to undertake the . work himself if authoJrised by^eGounciL _..?,.. ■ : ' , ' ResoWed on the application .of Cr ■ -Abrahams, that this irequesi , be acceded yffc= : \. ;■ *■ •.'"^■■-; '; v; '.'. ■ ; •; (BOROUGH COUNCIL STATIONERY.) ; An < application was. ■-■ received ..from J V. Mesjßrs.\^lch <ancl Co., stationers, for a. ''isharVof jfche Borough ' expenditure m fcti&tionery. ■■•^-•-iittfer'Bbme^dißißussion it was resolved matter be left., m the hands of tlte Clerk to purchase where he considered ■•^^shea^est^ ■ : -- i - •■:■■■■ ■■■-■• /; ■ ;- r ;; ;•'.' ■ \>' : ->v.---j-. ^ :•: -. TENDERS; \ ■'•"'f-^A^i^M^iiliera^'were received from . \Messrs tybblebck & -Hoiking and Mr T. v for ; work re- ; quired by th^ Borough during the ensuu{f twejy^mbniihß. The tender of Messrs Woolcock & Hbskihg waa considered to be the lowsst; and accepted. i - TENDERS FOR OATS. ■ Tenders we opened for the supply of 50 sacks of feed bats. From Messrs ; Snelsin & Co., Stevens fr Gorton, Ferguson, and Milyertnn. • " : ; After considerable examination of lamples, supplied by each tenderer, and terms of payment, it was resolved on the motion, of Cr Abrahams, seconded by Cr BCTji^y^-Thaifc: the* tender of Messrs Stevens i& Gorton be accepted. ;■'".'■ BENEVOLENT AID. Cr T£ King, chairman of the Benevo- ' lent Aid Committee^ brought the matter of the Johnson family beforefthe Coun- '• cil, and stated that he bad thajiday rer ceived^avreport froip Dr Marriner, m - forming Mitt thatvlthe man Johnson would be able to remove to -Wanganui m ; the course of a week, and that his chance of ultimate irecovery would ;be .better ; there^i ; ' ■■ ' . '■■• ; ■>;■.■."■■■," " : „'; . It wasiresolved to continue the aid to >'this family, till next meeting of the ? Gouncilj-at rate of £l per week." U ';}- : --';> i l'*T' BURGESS ROLLS. ' . TheiMaybr utated that the Council - would require to get authority from the : ; : Government to procure new rolls; \ ; . The' following resolution was passed on the motion of -Cr HavvMns-^Tliat power be given to this Council to apply for the Governor's consent that a new - burgess roll be r prepared m consequence !of ;the;destruction of ; the former one by . fir«» andjiiat- Jwhen.'^obtained^the.- samp,l* pir|p^rt?dr ■md comply td f-rtuwith^ ;:. accordiugJj.; ,.. - -{' i - BOROUGH AbyEBTISING. According to notice of motion preyiouß^giyep, Cr Grace moved that this the resolution now standj^gibn the ifeinutes re advertisiha:. , : "S^qnded""by Cr AbVahamsj and car^ ■£8^£::-, v ■■■■■■;'..■■.' ■' : ' '■' TfeJNj|fa^j?^^y*!^-' aint^ ™ r ™ °nsidaKsd. ■■■•■■ " ■■■"'.'■■•'' ■.'■■■■■•■■■■.."■ :'-• ■:'.'■" '; . Grf€frwe* isaid that' to Ka inind^ tm^ preßent-arrangeme»t..was not gatisfaiitory, a»d he> would pref^.that^ both papers gefc the advertising at^rftat. r»munerattoiH bnfe:ife they majority of the-. Council decided to ealfcfdi* tenders .then the-matter ; would, be definitely settled, and ofcoArse 1i» loweat. tenderer would ; bevacfeepted. •.••,". i A^ftersome dificussion Cr Grace proposed and Cr Hutcheson secondedT— That ■^^ the^CbuhbO call^^for .tenders for ■advertising %6%: the ensuing months m : PalmeVsfcoh. '"" ' > ■ Cr Larcomb inquired if a tender was accepted would it> mean to advertise in''' one paper only. •'■...-••■•' ; ■ The Mayor replied that of course-the .lowest tender, the same as any' other, •tebders called for, would be accepted ' '-^ohlyi :.'•'. ■-■■. ' "■• . '."..:■.■■.• '■ ■. ■ •■" Cr Bentley then proposed the follow-ing-amendment, seconded by Cr Beek — vThat this; Council advertise m" the two •local .papers vat a'rhnifbrm price of Is 6d •per inch, each insertion. , Cr Abrabanm coriaidered that it would be absurd to pass an amendment of this kind, and perhapßthe papers tnrn round and say, no they, vronld not accept it. , Mayor; thought that the most indflpendent way would be to call tenders the same way as they dp for other, matvters. However, *«t both papers were re. presented at that-meeting it might he better perhaps to ask. them if they wpu^d be' prepared* to accept 'the i offer of Is 6d per inch. Cr Jamen King said that a" respectable journal was not to be classed with a rasr, *tjd 'that -the proper paper to advertise m was the one with the largest circulation and not to Rdvertise m a paper which Vmish't bis omthe ver^re of bankruptcy. "'The. Mayor^thouorht that this last re- :' mar^^of Gr King's, was most uncalled .£pr," $$&■^^ that -opinion ";w | to the financial ■taridiug ' of^ft newspaper 'Wftft information wbicihi^Cr^ffing need " not "trot Ale them witbv Thi»^ were; iiot supposed to - enquire of Mr Parlc -or any one else Whether h» was. sound orrriot: when purchaßinj? irom Irim. , > ; ,- Clrw.King said rhe l did nptwisli, to *enof 'either. • papeTi-,- ■.■■"'■-■''■ . ■ ; ■''■ . '■"■■ ■'■■'■:' ■ ■ '"•■.. ' '<3r Grace ; called-1^ ord^M«<3r- Kinfc Kad already: ■ppken more than once on , the-subjec^; • i . 5 .'Gr- jting saidihe was merely replyme to the chair and, was entitled to speak if r perrpitt|d him. ; rT^ Mayor laid certainly if the Council dbes' not object you can aipeak further. . '■'." Cr Kin* said- they were not m a ppßitioh to adv«rtii«e m both ' papers, and they were not either bound to advertise m both. If any adventurer came along and started a rag they were not bound to patronise him. The Mayor said that nothing had been said "about advertising m all the papers, bnt that if a number of papers were to start m the place he 'would advertise m one just as.muehas another. However, the Council had decided to apply to the representative* of the papers preaftnt, but through Cr King's obstruction they had not had a chance to get an answer. ■ 'In- reply; to the Mayor Mr Smith, of the Manawatu „Times. said that he had made the offer some four months back.' ■"•"The Mayor said that it was not a question of four months back which thevhad to consider, byt? the present time. If he was prepared to accept the terms of the he would please to>»ay so. Mr Smith then stated that as the price wouldW reduced to * of apenny if tendered for, h« whuld accept the offer of the-Connc}l. The Standard representative also consented to accept the terms offered- The amendment was then put and carried almost unanimously. Cr .). King only disaentinsr. romarkino; that he was thankful he had an opinion some

. men had none. The Mayor requested the Council to give him definite instructions te closingwith a possible offer from the Jnsiiraace Department when m Wellington. He would like to bo m a position to say yes or no and not have the matter m suspense. Hfc-ivtis not likely to da anything calculated to place them iuanygro.it difficult/ at present. He had boon asked to #a down by their member Mr Macarthur, and not by the Board and believed jtt was just possible a satisfactory arrangement would be arrived at. It might be offered tq advance £30,000 arid if the .estimates jls per schedule turned put. correct, the > £20,Q00 could be advanced as required. Cr'Larcomb sugg||i§d that if matters were not .concluded the Association the Mayor be authorized to see the Bank and arrange for the floating: of the loan at Home. ' Cr Park suggested, that' if a satisfactory offer made, by tbevpepartmeat was accepted by the Mayoj^Key should call a special meeting to^wiSorse the acceptance. ' The Mayor pointed out thit.a special meeting would require three days' notice and it 'would be better fora successful termination to give, him power to act to a certain extent. • : • , ... ■ CrJajnes King remarked that nothing had been mentioned about interest, arid : that if the Council was not prepared to exceed o per cent, they- would not get the ■moneyj this he'was certain of. Afte"r some further discussion the following resolution proposed by Cr . Hawkins, seconded by Cr Hutcheson, was : carried-7-That ■ the Mayor be and' is 'hereby authorised to; close with the Government, if found practical, for a loan on account 6t the loan authorised by the burgesses of not less than £30,000 to include the £10,000 existing loan at his discretibh. : --■=;:- :,