BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 255, 8 October 1884, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of the Council was held last evening. Present: His Worship the Mayor and all the Councillors. The minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed. Correspondence. From the Under-Secretary asking that the various County and Borough Councils and Town and Road Boards, will furnish information re fees paid for licenses under clause 29 of Licensing Act, 1881 - Received. From F. J. Piesse, (secretary of the Gas Co.), offering the Council some street lamps a'd explaining that the cost of lighti g " ould be £7 15s. per annum per lamp —Re.-olved tl at the lamps be purchased and the details be left in the hands of a committee to report at next meeting. From the Dunedin Town Clerk re Fire Brigade’s Bill recently fram-’d.—Resolved that this Council agree with the Bill and will ask the member to support it. The Bill was handed to Superintendent Townley to make any suggestions he thought necessary. Menlo of appointment of Dr. Pollen a Health Officer.—Received. From E. Burch (nightsoil contractor) pointing out that the increased boundaries over which his contract, extended preventer the proper carrying out of the work unde present arrangements, and stating that hr had arranged a lease of a piece of land on the Waikanae as a depot, as the present depot was too far away. He asked that to iccoup him for the rent of the ground the contract should be extended for three or four years. The Inspectator stated the site was on the other side of Captain Tucker’s paddock at d was further away than a site previously agreed on by a committee appointed some time ago.— Cr. Lewis thought the matter required careful consideration, as it was ina lvi.-alde to allow nightsoil to be bmied any nearer than the present d<p>t.—C . Wil o also spoke against granting the req .ea d Cr. Kmmy f<> lowed in lh<- same strain. Theie was no doubt Burch had done his duty, but the public health must be protected. He

favored Cr. Lewis’ idea of supplying an extra cart if one was not enough, rather than grant the request contained in the letter.— Cr. Lewis moved, “ That Burch ba supplied with another cart at the Council’s expense.” Cr. Kenny seconded. They should lake into consideration the fact of the boundaries being extended.—Carried. From A. Teesdale asking permission to lay out private streets through a number of sections in the borough.—Granted. Engineer's Report. Read’s Quay—To form Read's Quay on an even gradient from the end of Gladstone road round the coiner of block 373 to the back of the N. Z. L. and M. A. Co’s, premises, it would be necessary to cart a large quant ty of earth from a distance, and a portion of Messrs. Common and Co’s, store would have to be removed. The cost would not be less than £l5O. Probably this work would be considered too expensive to undertake in the present state of the borough finances. Till, however, it is done the approach from the east to the Loan and Mercantile Co’s, back gate cannot be made good. It might be improved by widening and slightly altering the present roadway, at an expense of £lO, but ihe gradient will still be very steep (1 in 9.) Contracts. Roebuck Road—Seventy eight chains have been formed and 12j chains of roadway metalled. I recommend a progress payment of £74. Palmerston Road.—This contract is nearly finished. Day Labor—As per pay sheet has been employed principally in cleaning water channels and filling up holes in Gladstone road. R. J. Reynolds. Cr. Graham moved “ That the £lO suggested by the Engineer be expended on the part of R-ad’s Quay at the rear of the N. Z. L. and M. A. Co’s, new store.” Cr. Wdsun seconded. Carried. The progress payment recommended was passed, and the balance of the report adopted.

Extraordinary Busincss. Cr. Smith suggested that the Engineer be instructed to examine parts of Gladstone road, above Carnarvon street, and ascertain if a portion could not be judiciously repaired at the present lime. Cr. Smith referred to the necessity of providing a water-cart for use in the main street. He was sure it would be very inexpensive, and would be a great boon. He would move in the matter at a future meeting. He gave notice to move at next meeting that tenders be called for watering streets. Cr. Smith’s notice of motion re brick buildings was allowed to stand over. A notice of motion by Cr. Smith re the office of ranger was next brought on. He considered it impossible for the officer at present holding the position to properly attend to the duties, and moved “ That the otlice be given to a person who can devote his whole time to the duties. Cr. Wilson seconded the motion.

Cr. Kenny said the office of Inspector of Nuisances required special qualifications, and received by far too little consideration. The Mayor said the question to consider was whether there were any complaints against the present ranger, or he might be asked whether he could devote the whole of his time to the office.

Cr. Smith recapitulated the arguments he had previously given in favor of his motion. Cr. Graham thought the motion a little unsatisfactory, and he thought Cr. Smith ought to have defined in what way a change should be made. He did not think it mattered much whether a man devoted the whole of his time to the work provided it was properly done. Cr. Smith was quite willing to accept any improvements on his “bald” motion. If duties could be combined and provide another £5O for the officer he was quite agreeable to acquiesce in a suggestion.

The Mayor could not see where the motion came in at all.

Cr. Wilson said there were four or five horses running at the back of his premises every day which did not belong to him.

Cr. Brown agreed to some extent with the motion, but did not think they could get a man to do the work better than it was done. He did not deny that complaints had been made and weie well founded. It might be possible to combine duties and so enlarge the salary. Cr. Kenny thought the matter might be left in statu quo, now that the Ranger’s attention had been called to the complaints regarding the way his duties were carried out. Some good would, no doubt be attained by the motion. Cr. Townley thought the matter was assuming a very peculiar phase. If they were to discharge an officer every time they had a complaint they would be always at it. If Cr. Smith had received such complaints against the Ranger as warranted him in moving the discharge of Mr. Faram, that was the proper course to take. The Mayor protested that the matter should at least have been referred to him before being brought on, so as to look into it and see in what way they could economize. There might possibly be a way to economising, but it should be brought on in a proper way. He could probably point out how they could save £5O a year, but he would stick up for any officer whom he considered was doing his duty. He had never heard any complaints against the officer,whose conduct was under discussion. The motion was then put “ That the post of Ranger, Inspector of Weights and Measures, and Inspector of Nuisances, be given to a man who can devote his whole time to the work,” and was declared lost. This concluded the business.

Payments. £ 8. D. T. Adams (Stationery) 2 2 9 Chrisp & Muir 23 10 0 Telephone 3 0 6 J. Ludlow .. ,, 7 0 0 D. Malone .. 74 0 0 W. E. Cross 2 8 0 P. Malone 3 12 0 C. P. Davis (Auditor) 3 3 0 W. J. Quigley „ 3 3 0