BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1094, 3 October 1883, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the above Council was held at their cham-v. bers on JMondajr evening when there - were present—The Mayor and Crs ; Bright, Aitchison, Paul and Deane. The Mayor (Mr Adams) made the usual declaration as did also Crs Aitchison, Deane, and Bright, being the first meeting of the Council -- since their, election. ' COKKEBPONDENCE. Letters were read From the Railway Demonstration Committee asking the Council 10 make up the deficiency resulting from the celebration on the opening day of the railway. From W. A. White, foreman of drainage works in Leicester-street, asking for an increase of salary. After some discussion, the letter from* the Railway Demonstration Committee was ordered to lie on the table;, and ' consideration of Mr White’s application was left over till ordinary business came HPOther correspondence of minor importance was also read.

VEHICLE LICENSES. The Clerk stated; with reference to vehicles plying for hire, that he had written to some of the drivers informing them that their licenses bad expired. y OBSTRUCTIVE VERANDAHS. In reply to the Mayor the Clerk said with reference to notices sent to owners of verandahs not of the required width that in some cases the evil had been remedied and in others it had riot. Notices had been sent to Messrs Gowland, North, and Odgcrs. Mr Odgers had remedied his verandah, Messrs North and Gowland had not done so. Cr Bright asked about the steps at the old Bank of.New Zealand, but the Mayor did not think the resolution with reference to the verandahs related tothat. • • ■ ; Or Aitchisori'thoright in carrying out the by-laws some discrimination should be shown v Unless a case were shown , to be urgent and a public grievance they should exercise some, care. ' •. It seemed to Cr Bright that if they sent burgesses notice- to do certain things it somewhat stultified the Council’s action to allow such things to rehiain undone. ’ Cr Paul moved “ That Messrs North and Gowland get eight days notice to alter their' verandahs, and ;|ha|< Jf. hot done the Council wiiLdoitat their cost.” In moving the resolniion he thpught.that it was hard that parties who were * obedient to the law should do a things while those who were riot should get off.

The Mayor said that they were really every day answerable for damages. In case of an accident caused. by these verandahs the Borough were answerable; It was decided to extend the notice .to 14 days. " The Mayor agreed with the resolation. It was useless for the Council to give notices unless they intended to carry' them out, and he thought the; Council should see that the notices were carried out. Cr Aitchison had no doubt that these things were a grievance, but as for carrying oat the by-laws in their entirety, they would make the place so uncomfortable that the people would all take their departure, and leave them and ,their by-laws all together: The motion was then put. and carried. The Works Committee’s report and the Foreman of Work’s report which read as follow were considered together. WORKS committee’s REPORT., The Works Committee reported that tl\e formation in Victoria-street had completed as far as authorised, One dray has been employed 15 days, and one one 15 days one hour , completing cuttings in Victoria-street, and claying sand formation in Egmontstreet. Twenty-four yards of gravel have been carted from the Heads for footpath repairs. The main drain in lower part of Leicestor-strcet is completed as far as Devon-street, with a sump and connections at each side of the

street so as to intercept the storm water from both channels, and prevent any further damage topropertiessituated in tho lower levels in that locality. Owing chiefly to the difficulty in procuring pipes enough either from Wellington, or locally, to keep tho men employed, your Committee considered it advisable to discontinue the work until snch time as a quantity of tiles can be procured, and held in readiness. The Committee would recommend that the Borough section bo securely fenced in and to have suitable gates, and also that a small shed bo erected for the purpose of protecting and preserving tools and other borough property. FOREMAN OF WORKS REPORT. The Foreman of Works reported ; During the month of Sept, there have been 11 chains and 31ft. of 12 inch pipes with 60 feet of 9 inch pipe across Leicester street connecting sump at Devon-slreet with main drain, two sumps with gratings, etc., fixed complete, and one junction connecting sump with main drain put in. Nearly the whole of the first day was occupied in getting things ready for starling the work. A considerable amount of ground had to be shifted owing to slips, hut he thought they wore nearly through the sandy ground now. From the first to the last put in, the local pipes have been the cause of great delay and trouble. through not fitting and in many instances were obliged to bo chipper! to fit at all. There are several on the works at present that he could not fit, and he bad condemned them. In fact they could lay four Wellington pipes to one local one, and if .the next lot was no belter in quality and fit lie should strongly recommend the Council to decline taking them.•; The. time lost in fitting and laying local pipes would soon pay for a freight from Wellington, and he was sure the Wellington pipes would give the Council bettor satisfaction both as to progress and durability. There arc a few Wellington pipes condemned through being cracked in transit. Two sumps are-required for which, ought to be put in hand at once, also a few 12m pipes with 9in junctions, and some 9in bonds ought to be ordered. [We are compelled to hold over the, rest of our report,]