OAMARU BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10066, 6 February 1909, Page 4

OAMARU BOROUGH COUNCIL.

At the meeting oi the Borough Council la»t night there were present: His Worship the Mayor, Councillors Snadden, Jennings, Clarke, M'Adam, Keys, Mitchell, Frith, Brown, and Tayl<jr. An apology for absence was received from Councillor Grave and Councillor Miller.

The minutes of a special meeting fixing the weekly half-holiday and of the last ordinary meeting were read and confinned.

The Manager of the Borough Abattoirs reported that during the mouth of January there were slaughtered 115 cattle, 795 sheep and lambs, and two calves, of which three cattle, three sheep, and one Limb were condemned as nnfit for human consumption, and passed into tlio digester.— Received.

Mrs Margaret Johnston, Tees street, claimed allowance 'of half-rates on her property in Torridge street, the house having l<een vacant since Jnno, 1908. The matter was referred to the Finance Committee, with power to act. the Committee being instructed to inquire into the law affecting- the matter. I)r 11. K. Finch, !('strict Health Officer, recommended that the owner of section 2. block 10, Uaniaru, be requested to abate trie nuisance* caused by a pool of water which was in such a state as to be offensive to the public and injurious to health.

In reference to the aUive. the owner or the property wrote from Dunedin that he was unaware of a nuisance t-xi.-tiii!;. He would be in U.imaru shortly and "would look int.. the matter. It was decided to send a formal notice to the owner asking him to abate the nuisance within six weeks.

Councillor Frith expressed surprise that the Government themselves were great offenders in this res[>ect. I>eing owners of a section in his vicinity on which stagnant water lay feet deep for months at a time.

Mr J. C. Finch applied for permission to erect buildings fn wood, iron, and stone on sections 10 and 25, block 25. -It was moved that the matter be referred to the Works Committee with power to act.

Councillor MAdam thought that the Committee should be instructed to act in accordance with t?:e Council's by-laws. Tin- motion was carried ou the understanding that Mr Finch was building a frontage in stone and the building would be» at le.-ist 50 feet from the road-line. The Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister for Railways, wrote acknowledging receipt of letter calling attention to the dangerous nature of the level railwav crossings in the borough. The Minister stated" that he would lie most happy to meet a deputatoii from the Council on the matter on the occasion of his next visit through the distri. t. whi.-h beexnected would be"about ISt It Fel.ru.irv.

The Clerk was asked to point out that the time during which the train stopped was not sutii. ieut to p-nnit of the Minister. seeing :!»■ crossings lotuplained of, and to a.-k the Minister to wait over from one exi.rer-s to another.

G.ai.eiilors M'Adam. Clarke, Taylor and Brown were apih.iint.-<l a committee to m.ct the Minister.

His Worship said that the Council had no no-ess to the gasworks. to reach which it was necessary to go through railway land. It was very desirable that the Council gain posse.-siou of kind snllicient to give tiiem access.

Cmm illor Clarke mov.-d that the (las Committee consider the matter.—Seconded by Councillor Keys, and carried. "The Waitaki County Clerk wrote that his Cottmil had agreed to aoept the Borough Council's offer of the road grader for £6O. with a fair trial.—Received.

Mr U". U". Keswick. Chief Postmaster, wrute that the Telegraph Department pnr-p-osed reorganising tiio telephone system in I Liraaru I>y substituting metallic- circuits at- an early date, which t.-<>ul<l involve the erection of a number of new poles. The question of pointing the [x.les in the main .streets would then he considered —Ue reived. The Town C.Vrk, Christchurch. wrote inluting out that the Local ISodies' Amendment Act. 1903. would operate prejudicially in the interest ot local bodies requiring- as it docs all sinking funds to he invested in securities issued by the Xew Zealand (lovernmeiit only, although higher rates of interest might In.- obtainable elsewhere. The co-operation of the Council in an endeavor to get the Act repealed or amended was sought.—Referred to the Finance Committee. Mr 1". Ford, lessee of Keserve F. gave notice of his intention to discontinue" the lease at the old rate, as he considered it too high, lie offered 10b per annum, no rates. —Referred to the Reserves Committee, with power to act. The Waitaki County Clerk applied for a water-supply to .he laid uii to the horse trough reieutlv created at the juncfiou oT the U'aiarcka road with the Main South road, at a charge oi £2 10s per annum. Tht= Kngbieei- thought it would be a mistake to grant the permit. Councillor Frith said the supply had l-een laid down as a source of icenuc. and to supply a trough oil the roadside would a fie. t that revenue, for people would not [ray- for a private supply if they could obtain water on the roadside. Conn, illor ISrown agreed with the l-ji-gim-er. lie thou-jiu that a trough there would l.e a general supply for the whole neighborhood.

Councillor M'Adam said the County Council evidently thought there was some necessity for a trough.'and he thought the Council should .ici a trough at the .lime. lion Hotel.

'lh.' I'.'rigiueer said there was a trough in the -Junction Yard.

t'oiin'illor Mitchell niow-d thai tli>> mij>piv be granted. The t'omitv Council had always ni.-i the borough in permuting ,l,e ..[..■ning up ..f their loads, lie did no! ■•bin!: i: u.nil.l b«- toiirtcous action io a kindred l„,ly t„ de. line tile Council's reasonable rciiiiest. The matter was referred to the Waterworks Committee with power to a., t. Councillor Frith: I object to the Waterwork.-, Committee having power to act. Councillor M'Adam : It will be all right. Councillor Frith: Will it: well. I withdiav.- my objection.

.Mr L. MLeod drew the attention of the Council to the state of the footpath in Wansbeck street fronting section 11, block 9,3. It required levelling, so as to give access to the section.—Referred to the Works Committee, with power to act. Mr Robert lirims wrote- that he had received an account for kerbing which he would pay as s .,eii as the work was completed. Me tomplaiued that a cess-pool had i*:c..i left at the corner.—lt was decided that the account be enforced, and that the nuisance complained oT i>e removed.

Mr George Rroad complained of the condition of has street.— It was decided that the Council could do nothing in the matter at present, because the street belonged partly to the Railway Department. It was decided to bring this matter before the Minister for Railways. The Beautifying Society wrote asking the to appoint eight Councillors as members of the Society for the ensuing year. —Councillors Snuddeii, Frith, Jen" uings, Clarke, -Mitchell, Keys, Taylor, and the .Mayor were appointed.

Mr John Crombie asked that the footpath oft portions ol Test and Greta streets be asphalted, and enclosed cheque as contribution from the ratepayers interested.— Tile work to be done iu its turn. Councillor Mitchell: What is the order now V

ilis Worsliip: Oh, the Engineer will tell ran that.

The St. John Ambulance Brigade requested an early reply to their previous application for a building site at corner of Itchen and Thames street. Councillor Clarke said that the Works Committee had discussed the matter and had decided that it would be a mistake to further curtail that property in case the letting value of the section ke affected.

It was decided to inform the Brigade that tie Council could not grant that particular site.

Messrs Searle and Gibb wrote asking that a strip of asphalt be laid in front of their premises in Wear street. The request was granted, and it was decided to asphalt the footpath to its full width. A. Symon, of the Gasworks staff, wrote asking'that his salary be raised 6d a day. —Granted from February 1, on the recommendation of the Gas Manager. Mr James Williams applied for an allowance on the charge for water to his property on the .North road, as the house was unoccupied from June to December, 1903.—Dealt with in the Waterworks report. The Works and Reserves Committee reported as follows: —(1)- That Mr M-N'eill's offer to establish a complete service at Id per week per house and collect his own fees if service is made compulsory, be notentertained. (2) That the Town Clerk be asked to obtain information as to the liumb&r of places likely to require a rub-

bish service, and all other information obI tainable. (3) That twelve seats be erected lon Takaro Park around the fence*. — ! The report was adopted. j The Town Hall Committee reported .as follows:—(1) That no further alteration ito the flies on the stage be made. (2) That the oiling of the front and south wall projections of the Town Hall has been arranged for*with Mr T. Kennedy, the"work to be done by day labor at 12s per day: (5) That instructions have been given that when a deposit has been paid on account of Tent of the Opera House and the booking is not completed, such deposit is to be forfeited.—The report was adopted. The Waterworks Committee reported as follows:—(1) That it recommends that the charge for trough service against Mrs .Agnes Craig, at Barmoor, be remitted, and that the charge for a domestic supply be enforced. (2) That the Engineer has been instructed to report fully, in writing, on the request made for a further water-supply at Awamoa. (3) That Mr James Williams' application for a rebate of chaTge made for water from June to December, 1908, has been Tefused. (4) That it recommends that the Council take into consideration the question of increasing the supply of water on the hills, and that in exceptional cases all new mains be not less than four inches. The Engineer lias been instructed to report as to which streets aro most urgently in need of an increased supply, and to give estimates of cost.

Mrs Craig was granted a rebate of £2 10s, and the report as amended was adopted. Councillor Brown stated that, owing to Mr Piper's illness, the committee which was set up to consult with him on the matter of the old Council Chambers was unable to report at present. It was decided to extend the sanitary contract for another year, provided satisfactory arrangements can tie made with the contractor, the Works Committee to have power to act. Councillor Clarke moved that tenders be called for the supply of coal to the Gasworks.—Carried.

Councillor Keys brought up the matter of certain works passed for carrying out. The Engineer said that there was a lot of asphalting to be done. When that was done he hoped to get on with -N'en street formation, and then the work in Lune street would be gone on with. Councillor Mitchell asked if it would not be possible to increase the staff for a while.

His Worship: Oh, no. The work will be done in time. Councillor Mitchell: We've heard that before.

Councillor Keys urged the claims of Lune street, and moved that specifications be prepared and tenders called for the work. Councillor Mitchell seconded. The Engineer said the ordinary staff could do the work before the winter, some time in April. Councillor Clarke pointed out that the residents of Lime street had been promised gas, and they should be supplied before the winter. Councillor Keys withdrew his motion. On Councilor Mitchell's motion, the Engineer was asked to submit at next meeting a schedule of works in hand. The Engineer icjwited as follows: — "I have to rej>ort that the 2-inch water mains in Towey and Aruu streets have now been connected, and should now tend to keep the supply more regular in Greta street south.

"We are now busy with the top-dressing of the footpaths, which work, I expect, will be completed in the course of another eight days or so, and as we have a considerable quantity of asphalting to be done, 1 would suggest that the sale of tar l>e stopped for a time.

'"The sewer in France street has been again blocked up, and should any more trouble occur with tin's drain I would recommend that it be relaid with 9-inch pipes in place of the 6-inch that exists at present.

"A new water trough is required for Reserve A, the old one being rotten and past repair.

"T would draw tlie attention of the Council to the large numbers of cattle that are being driven via Arun street to the railway yards on sale days, and would suggest that instead of their being brought down the footpath via Tees street crossing they be taken around by way of Test and Tyne street.

"The number of daymen employed is as follows: IXine daymen and two carters."

The report was adopted. Councillor M"Adam moved that the matter of the disposal of the old Fire Brigade Station he referred to the Works Committee.—Carried.