Patea Borough Connell.

Patea Mail, 14 June 1882, Page 3

Patea Borough Connell.

ANOTHER LOAN SCHEME.

At an adjourned meeting of the Council held last evening, all members present except Councillor Aitchison, two or three members seemed prepared with fresh proposals for a loan ranging from £5,000 to £IO,OOO, for improvement purposes. Councillor Mabony rose first and proposed “ That a committee consisting of the Mayor and Councillors be appointed to meet oh Monday the I9th inst., to inspect Bedford and other streets, and instruct the Engineer to prepare fresh levels of streets and also a fresh drainage scheme, in order to place a new scheme of borrowing £5,000 before the burgesses. Cr Milroy seconded.

Cr Gibson : I intend to move an amendment. I agree with the motion,’ except that part which would tie the Council to the exact sum of £5,000. We should get ideas of the whole Council as to what work is advisable to go into and we might possibly require a further sum, and find ourselves cramped by this resolution. Mayor : I have drawn a great deal of consolation from the remarks as to being tied to a certain sum. As to ordering the Engineer to prepare fresh levels, I find the Council are so averse to allowing me to take a legal opinion, (thongh by the way a legal opinion has been asked for already and will, soon be before you), that the Council seem prepared to take the entire responsibility of altering levels, and would not accept a legal opinion if obtained. That being the case, it seems to me that if I ruled this motion out of order, I should occupy the position of bringing the whole question of the public works of the borough to a dead-lock. * I decline to occupy that position. It might be a position pleasing to some, but not to me, and I will not incur the responsibility. I intend to move an amendment to this. I wish to place myself in a clear position by recording my vote against any alteration of the levels, and also to enter a protest, should the motion be carried. Having done so, should you as a majority decide to alter these levels and decide to shape a reasonable scheme of public works, T shall ■— leaving the responsibility with you as to levels—be prepared to meet and work,with you. As to the resolution, Councillor Mahony has not given one good reason beyond this, that it the Councillors meet they may bring out , -something better. That is a supposition. If he means to say the Council can the levels of the town, I entirely- disagree that this Council was elected to interfere with technical work. If our plans will abide the test applied to plans in other boroughs, that of being referred to an expert, I think that should satisfy us. These levels were reported as being ready on the 3rd of April : they were then the property of every Councillor to investigate. We have had only vague statements as to these levels, and we have been told that Councillors might do very much better. Councillor Gibson has informed us that if we do not understand levels, we have no right to come into this Council. I must confess I don’t understand levels sufficiently to improve on the Engineer’s work. The levels of only one street are mentioned. I have not heard one objection to the drainage scheme : nevertheless we are to tell tho Engineer to alter his drainage scheme. I agree with Councillor Gibson’s objection to tying down the Council to £6OOO. I have come to this conclusion, that there has been an objection to the past scheme on account of its want of finality. I admit that was a valid objection; that it is far better to complete a scheme if you can do so—or complete portions of it. Although the result of the vote the other day was adverse, still in point of numbers voting there was a large majority for the scheme. The burgesses ought to. have another opportunity of voting on this scheme, and if the Council wish to act in a true spirit of conciliation,. and X am confident they would now carry it. I think vit is a 'duty to bring out another and a comprehensive scheme. I agree also that it should be the scheme of the Council, I always considered that the last scheme was the scheme of the Council. I think we should endeavor now to devise a scheme that will not only meet the approval of those burgesses who voted for the last scheme, but

meet the approval of Councillors also. If we are to improve this town as it is capable of bping improved, the better plan will be to effect as many improvements at once as we can, and then get rid of the expensive staff, the cost of keeping which would pay the interest on an additional £6,000. A sum of £IO,OOO can be borrowed as easily as £5,000. The sum available for paying interest is ample in itself to cover that amount. In neighboring towns they have much higher rares ; notably in Oamaru, where they pay 5s in the pound ; yet that place is flourishing and going ahead rapidly. But in this town no rate beyond the ordinary rate of Is in the pound is requisite, provided we get the work done and get rid of the expensive staff we have now. Ido not propose this as a scheme, but I should be prepared to meet you in the spirit I have mentioned. If we decide by a majority to go to the ratepayers with another scheme, even if you decide to alter these levels, you will still receive my cordial support. I beg to move an amendment, “ That the borough levels as now before the Council be approved.” This is to test the question.

Councillor Adams : I second that. The first thing we ought to do before we go Into borrowing would be to decide on the matter of levels. If we box up the levels, where will this borrowed money go to ? •It will go to pay compensation. We shall have nothing but lawsuits with everybody who may feel aggrieved about these levels, if we alter them. In that case I would not borrow a sixpence.

Councillor Taplin : I rise so support the amendment. If we alter these levels now, everyone building after this can claim compensation from this Council. Mayor : That was a point that I carefully avoided. Councillor Taplin : I have read the Act carefully, and I am only quoting what I take to be the law on the point, A map was prepared by the Engineer ■.showing' the levels, and the scheme for a loan was laid before the public in accordance with those levels. Certainly a majority of the ratepayers approved of those levels by their vetes. They were the permanent levels as prepared by the Engineer, -or else we had no map and no levels. We should be careful how we interefere with them. I think it would be wise to get some good advice on This question, or we may have to raise a loan to pay compensation in future.

Councillor Mahony : The Council have got no levels. Councillor Taplin : That is a question. Councillor Mahony : They are not adopted, and are not the Council’s levels. They are only the levels of the Engineer upon instructions given by the Mayor. Mayor : No. Councillor Mahony: No estimate of the cost of forming Bedford-street has been 1 aid before the Council.

Mayor : Councillor Mahony is wrong. . Councillor Mahony : The drainage scheme is the one set forth by the Mayor when he was seeking election. That is not the. Engineer’s drainage scheme. Mayor : Councillor Mahony is wrong again. My proposal was to carry it down Bedford-street; It is entirely the Engineer’s plan to take it toward the sea. Councillor Mahony ; Very well. We will let that pass. I have not heard ohe one person yet,say he was not in favor of the loan. They all objected to the levels and the drainage to the Heads. Councillor Milroy ; I cannot agree with the Mayor’s amendment. You informed us you were clearly of opinion that the Council had no right to reject or adopt levels. I find your amendment to-night is that levels should be adopted. Mayor : I clearly stated that it was to test the question. Councillor Milroy ; It is well known that until the Council fix and adopt levels, no question of compensation can arise. Councillor Gibson : I am surprised to hear the arguments in favor of that amendment about levels. It is now proposed to receive and adopt these plans, so that they cannot have been adopted up to the present. Councillor Black : Before I vote for the amendment, I think it necessary to call in a second practical .man. Mayor : Anything to gain time. Councillor Adams : It is the Engineer’s wish that a practical man should be called in to revise.bis work.

Councillor Milroy : I do not doubt our Engineer’s abilities. Division taken on 'Mayor’s amendment for adopting levels—For : Taplin, Adams, Mayor, (3). Against; Milroy, Mahony, Black, Howitt, Dixon, and Gibson, (6). Amendment lost.

Councillor Gibson moved a further amendment to leave out the sum of £5,000, leaving the motion as it stands in other respects. This was agreed to.

Motion as altered was then put,

Councillor Adams moved a fresh amendment “ That the Mayor refer the drainage and level schemes to a competent engineer for his opinion.” Councillor Taplin seconded, and argued that this offered the safest solution of the difficulty. Discussion followed, and the division resulted as follows '

For Taplin and Adams ; all others beiqg against, ■ including the Mayor.

Motion put, and division taken. For Councillor Mahony’s motion, omitting definite sum : Milroy, Black, Dixon, Howitt , Gibson, and Mahony, 6. Against, Taplin,.-Adams, and Mayor, 3. Motion carried.

Mayor demanded to record on book his written protest againt altering the borough levels as prepared by the Engineer. He said any Councillor had a right to record his protest. 1 Councillor Black: It appears rather desperate.

Councillor Gibson : Can a Councillor enter a protest against a protest being recorded ? (Laughter.) Agreed to fix the quorum of committee on the loan - works at 7.