PUKEKOHE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 147, 18 February 1916, Page 2

PUKEKOHE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of the Pukekohe Borough Council was held tn Wednesday evening. Present: The Mayor (Mr H G R Mason), Crs F Hubbard, A B Barter, I?an Motion, J Patterson, C Clarke and C Koadley, and the Town Cletk, Mr J F Deane. THE WATERWORKS ENGINEER A letter was received from Mr W Wyatt tendering his resignation as Waterworks Engineer. In the course of a lengthy communication Mr Wyatt complained that during the p-st two years a certain taction of the public had heen working in antagonism to tbe waterworks, and he irstanced certain malicious acts that had been performed, viz, putting emery powder in the bearings of the plant at the power house, emptying the reservoir, and loading down th 3 pressure reducing valve by means of stoneß, thus causing a considerable loss cf water. lie was of opinion, he said, that those acts and other petty persecutions were directed against him personally, and he therefore felt he could not put up with tbe anxiety of endeavouring to carry on th° waterworks under th;Ee conditions, and he asked that he should be released fr in his duties as scon as the Council could appoint a successor Cr Hubbard proposed that Mr Wyait shojll be asked to withdraw hia resignation. Mr Wyatt, he said, thoroughly understood his duties, aid it would be a loss to the Council it thev were deprived of his services Cr Barter seconded, and suggested that Mr Wyatt was probably in error in thinking that the opposition wa3 directed against him personally. (He (Jr Barter) considered thnt the acts referred to were simply the work of larnkir.s. He had understood that Mr Wyatt was likely to leave them in connection with his own personal lutute at some luture time, but tha present was a critical period, and he trusted that Mr Wy itt would remain with them to lido them over the cnsii in reply to Cr Roadley, the Mavor stated that the acts complained of by Mr Wyatt were not of r-cent date but occurred sime months aio Cr Roadley supported the motion, 9avi 1K that under the circumstances it wrs natural that Mr Wyatt should be irritated. He, however, suggested to him that he ought to be content if he had the confiderce of th: Council seeing that hj: was not likely to git much consideration from the public when the Council got no consideration.— Laughter The Mayor remarked that the nature of the acts complained of indicated malice rather than larrikinism, but unfortunately the offenders could not be traced. The Council, he added, would have difficulty in finding such a capable and conscientious man as Mr Wyatt to peiform tr.e duties, and he therefore hoped he would remain with them for some time longer The motion having teen unani mously carried, Mr Wyatt thanked the Council tor their expression of confidence and agreed to withdraw his resignation until a future date

CONTROL OF THE STAFF Mr 3 J Clews, Foreman of Wcrks, wrote complaining of interference by Mr Kosdl y with the men urder his control. He suggested that if Councillors were to act in that way no discipline could be enforced In reply to Cr Roadley, the Foreman stated that the particular incident to which he had referred was in regard to the sweeping of King street on a Saturday afternooD, when Cr Roadley went to the men in his presence and tolJ them that they should be paid overtime for working on Saturday afterroon, addirg that it th<y put in a claim for overtime he (Cr Roadley) would ssc (hat they got paid. He (the Foreman explained to Cr Roadley that he arranged the work on the give-and-tuke principle and on wet ■lays and on other occasions lie let the men off to suit their convenience, and that consequently overtime was not paid for such ordinary work as they were engaged in on that occasion. Cr Ko-dley stated that the incident occurred some time ago, and he did nut know why it had been resurrected. He certainly spoke to the men and told them that in his opinion they Bhould be paid overtime, but he was quits satisfied when the Foreman gave him his explanation as to allowing other time off The Foreman said that his only object in making the complaint was to get his position properly defined, mora particularly a? certain things had coma to his knowledge latelv, including a remark made by Cr Roadley that a particular individual would have to go, and there would be more to fo'low Cr Roadley: Aiy conversation I have had in that way wa9 quite jocular. The whola thing is ridiculous Cr Barter tounselied that if any Councillor wanted information he should go to Foreman and ohould not speak to t*o men Cr Hubbard suggested that the usual procedure of local authorities was f j: Councillors to make suggestions, etc., through mouthpiece of tlii- chairman of the Committee concerned Cr Roadley denied that ha had had any intention ot usurping the Foreman's authority, Cr barter considered that it was an improper and dangerous proceeding for any councillor to go past th: Foreman and to speak to the men Tha Mayor: The position u clear. Everything should go through the Foreman Cr I'attciaon thought that trouble in the future would be prevented it a resolution was passed on the subject, and then if a Councillor erred l;> would have to "tee the mark." He moved that in Coun ci I lor should approach the men except through the Foreman Cr Motion seconded Cr Roadley claimed that any Councillor had the right to aak questions of the men. He proposed an amendment that the chairman of the Commi'tee be the person to instruct the Foreman. Cr Clatke neconded The Mayor pointed out that a resolution already stood in the books to the name effect as Cr

Roadley's amendment, and Ci Roadl?y there jpon withdrew hia proposition Cr Barter suggested that the resolution should be altered so as to read "That no Councilor Bhall gi-ve instructions to employe's or inter-' fere with tbe wotk cf the employe-B without first speaking to the Foreman Cr Patterson accepted the alteration An amendment by Cr Roadley to omit from the resulution the reference to interference not being seconded, the motion was carrrd nem con TOO EXPENSIVE In accordance with a suggestion made at the last meetin? that the Fire lirigade shoulJ ascertain terms for the bire of a motor-car to take the firemen and hose-reel to fires on the outskirts of the borough, Mr H J Kollins-oi, Fire Inspector, wrote that offers had been made by Mr S Mills and by Messrs Gallagher and Huwe to lend their cars for the purpose on a payment of 15s per hour in each case In reply to a question the Town Cl?rk said th 3 Brigade would have to take the risk of the car being available wh:n wanted Cr Clarke: It is a ridiculous charge, as the cars would be standing at tires for a long time Cr Koadley: It is more than the usual charge of 12s 6d per hour Cr Hubbard: There 19 not much public spirit in the offers The letter was formally received HOLIDAY ALLOWANCE An application frcm Mr VVyalt, Waterworks Engineer, for an allowance c.f a fortnight's salary in lieu of his annual holiday, which be had been unable to take, was acceded to A PROTEST A letter was received from Mr M. Hickey complaining of what he alleged wa9 unfair trehtment meted out to him by the Foreman of Works in having teen displaced from thi charge of the Council's engine Mr Clews, Foiercan of Workp, explained that the matter arose in connection with the recent removal ot the. A and P Society's buildings, and Mr Uickey had IttC of his own accord after being asked to steer tbe engine instead of taking lull charge of the machine The letter was "received." SCHOOL WAi'ER CHARGES An application for a reduction in the charges for water supplied to the Pukekohe Public School was received from the secretary ot the School lommitte?, who suggested that inasmuch gs the schoi I was a public institution and parents paid direct water ratei some substantial concessioin should be allowed off tbe fixed charges 'lhe Town Clerk explained that the old fee was Is litl per 1000 gallons for a minimum consumption cf 8000 gallons in six months, as against Is 6d under the revised scale. Last quarter the school consumption was 26,000 gallons, and for the previous quarter 11,000 gallons Cr Patterson suggested that. the supply if separate meters were hxed, could be divided tetween the Technical and Public School, in which case the formet's supply would be paid for by the Education Board. It was natural, lie said, that water wa3 wasted by the children allowing the taps to run The Mayor pointed out that tie installation of automatic taps would prevent waste It was beaded to recommend the School Committee to instel separate meters as suggested by Cr Patterson A COUNCILLOR'S SIGNBOARD The Borough lnßpecto*. Mr Penman, reported that he had called Cr Roadley's attention to the dangerous condition of a signboard that was attached to his premises but he had failed to remove it The Mayor pr:posed, and Cr Barter seconded, that Cr Roadley should be called on to remove the sign within seven days, and failing compliar.ce with the notice the Council should take proceedings under the Municipal Corporations Act Cr Roadley said that the reason he had not complied with the Inspector's notice was that he objected to the form of the notice sent him. He intended to temove the signboard, and therefore the motion was unnecessary. If it was passed, he would let the matter go into Court and dispute its validity. He further complained that no notice had been taken of a posting-station that contrary to tbe by-laws had been erected opposite his premises on Messrs Roulston Brcs' property Thp motion was adopted, and it was also decided to call on Messrs Roulston to remove t|ie board that had been referred to by Cr Roadley ROAD MATTERS The Works Committee reeonir mended that the balance of the Cape Hill Loan, amounting to £l)4, should be expended on the extern sion of that road; that all spare metal by the side of tbe roads should be raked up and the scarifier used were necessary; and that the footpath leading from Station road should bo tarred and shelled as far as Mr Ivan Motion's house, Mr Motion having agreed to pay for tbe tar The report was a .'opted FINANCE The Town Clerk reported debit balances amuunting to £706 and £673 011 the District Fund and General Accounts respectively, and bills amounting to £452 Us 2d were passed tor payment OltiEß BUSINESS Some oiher matters as reported elsewere were dealt with, and the Council rose at 10.45 p.m., two or three notices ol motion being adjourned lor discussion to a special meeting to be called at an eatly date, Cr Roadley also giving notice that he wculd move that a surfaceman be appointed to look alter the outer roads of the borough