BOROUGH COUNCIL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2775, 14 February 1882, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of the Timaru Borough Council, adjourned from the previous evening, was held last evening. Present —His Worship the Mayor, Councillors Jackson, Bush, Gabites, Shepherd, Cullmann, Sherratt, Filmer, Eoss, and Gibson. MISCELLANEOUS., The minutes of the last meeting having been read and confirmed and correspondence outward read the following letters were read, and dealt with:— From Mr Maloney, offering some heavy sheet lead at 16s per cwt. The price paid for pig lead in Dunedin was 23s per cwt. It was agreed to see what the lead was like before deciding to accept it. From Mr McGill, offering to sell some earthenware pipes, rejected for water works. purposes, but suitable for culverts, &c, ' From Mr W. Jones, asking for something to be done to the footpaths in George street south and William street. From the Eev. Father Chataigner, complaining of the state of the footpath opposite the Catholic school. It was impossible to get a cart or carriage to the Convent.

With respect to Mr Jones’ application, Or Cullman said the footpaths at the south end of the town, seemed to have been generally neglected, compared with those in other parts of the town. Many .of them were quite impassable ■in wet weather, and through the ridge left by the filling of the water pipe trenches were converted into canals and creeks.

An application from Mrs Harris for a remission of rates was referred to the collector, with instructions not to. press for the rate at present. -Several Councillors objected|to allowing freehold property to escape taxation. i From Mr Hatton complaining of a nuisance arising from the faulty management of a fish shop in the vicinity of his premises. ; The Inspector of Nuisances reported that he had examined the premises, and found that they had a direct connection with the sewer, and this was without a stench trap. The Inspector was instructed to see that a trap was supplied at once. Other sources of complaint had been already remedied. A letter was read from the Hospital Commissioners, asking for a reduction in the scavenging charges for the Hospital, now 6s lOd per week.

WEE BRIGADE. ; Captain Amos and the Lieutenant of the Timaru Volunteer Fire Brigade, waited upon the Council to ask for permission to use the Council Chamber during the meeting of the Fire Brigades’ Conference on Monday and Tuesday next.—The desired permission was granted. Captain Amos stated that the citizens of the towns where the Conferences had been held in previous years had given the delegates a banquet, and it seemed desirable, tor the credit of the town, to follow the practice here. It was. proposed to raise contributions throughout the town, and he had no doubt, as the Brigade had not yet asked for anything since their re-organisation, that they would be liberally supported, and they asked the Council to head the list. |

It was resolved to grant £lO towards the banquet to the delegates, Mr Thomas Mewis applied for 10s for ringing the fire-bell on the occasion of the recent fire, “ he believed that was the usual charge.” The application was not entertained.

A DANGEROUS PRACTICE. Mr W, Dunn, builder, waited on the Council with reference to his being summoned by the Inspector of Nuisances for allowing shavings to accumulate out of doors on.his premises. He explained that he had two men at the bench out of doors. He took steps to keep the shavings cleared away, And covered them up at night with sheets of iron. He wanted to know whether he was to be forced to take his planing work out of the Borough. Cr Cullman stated that he drew the attention of the Inspector of Nuisances to the state of Mr Dunn’s premises. He saw two men working there standing in two feet of shavings. He considered it very dangerous, and the Inspector agreed with him. The Inspector said the shavings bad been allowed to accumulate from the Ist to the 7th, and his warnings being apparently unheeded be, had laid an information.

Mr Dunn said he had made arrangements to have the shavings cleared away, but the drayman had disappointed him. - It was resolved that the Council having received the assurance of Mr Dnnn and of the Inspector that the nuisance had been abated, and Mr Dunn’s promise to be more careful in future, the Inspector be instructed to withdraw the, summons issued upon payment of costs already incurred, if any.

FOREMAN OF WOBKS REPORT. The report of the Forman of Works on the progress of works in the town was read. The Foreman submitted estimates of the cost of. kerbing and channelling, in 2 inch timber, £449 per mile ;in concrete, with 12-in’ch channel, £520 per mile. He stated, that the Waimate Borough Council’s men did this kind of work, and this Council's men could do it. He recommended that something should be done to make good the- filling of the water-pipe trenches, which was found defective in different places after every shower. The report was adopted, and the Foreman was instructed to give' special attention to the application for repairs to footpaths, the matter of waterworks trenches, and the channelling, before any other works of street formation are proceeded with. ACCOUNTS. Accounts on general account amounting to £IBO 7s 4d, and on Waterworks accpunt amounting to £436 19s Id were passed for payment. WATERWORKS. A letter was read from Mr Ziesler, covering one from Mr Rhodes, giving permission to lay water pipes along the right-of-way to Mr Ziesler’s house, Mr MeLellan, Pareora, claimed £5, compensation for loss of half an acre of oats and a quarter of an acre of potatoes, spoiled by leakage from the water race. Claim referred to the Waterworks Committee.

An application was received from'Mr M. White for a “ domestic supply ” for the Mechanics’ Instituo on reduced terms,on the ground that it was a public institution.

Consideration of this application brought up the general subject of supplying stores, offices etc. Some proprietors of such premises complained that they had to pay 2j per cent on the assessments, half the special rate for water, if they did not take the water; they wanted a little water, for lavatory purposes, but not onougti to bo worth the charge for ordinary “ domestic supply.” They thought they should he supplied with water for lavatory purposes without addition to the charge of 2£ per cent.

Cr Jackson pointed out that the proprietors were receiving an advantage in return for the rates, in the reduction of insurance premiums, and the majority of them a further advantage from the watering of the streets. The whole question was referred to the Waterworks Committee to inquire what is the practice elsewhere, and report.

An account of the water being cut off from his place, and being likely to remain cut off for some months, on account of street alterations, it was resolved to return Mr Harney’s deposit of £5, and allow him to make a fresh application when the supply is restored. Mr A. 0. G. Stone wrote to enquire upon what terms the Council would supply water to a horse trough opposite his hotel. He would erect the trough and keep it in repair, and provide a ball valve to prevent waste. It being known that a petition is in circulation for the erection of water troughs in different parts of the town, it was decided to refer the application to the Committee, to be considered along with the subject of the petition. Cr Gibson moved and Cr Shepherd seconded that the watering of the streets be discontinued, on the ground that the work was being done indiscriminately, and injury was being done to-the streets and the expense was greater than the benefit was worth.

The motion was lost, but it was agreed that it was the distribution of, water direct from the hydrants that injured the streets, and it was decided to discontinue this part of the performance. Mr Spalding, Manager of the N.M. and A, Co., wrote re supply of water for 3h.p. engine on their premises, accepting the terms, Is per thousand gallons for water used, though that price was high, almost prohibitive. As the engine would not be at work regularly, he proposed to keep a correct tally of the time the machine was run, and calculate the quantity of water therefrom.

Mr Evans applied for information upon what terms the Council would supply him with water for aSh.p. engine. A discussion of some length took place upon the general question of supplying water for motor purposes, but no conclusion was arrived at. It was resolved to reply to the various applicants for water power that the Council would take the matter into consideration, and reply further after consulting with the Waterworks Engineer, and enquiring as to the prudence of granting such applications. It was decided to have the water laid on to the Council’s buildings for office and Fire Brigade purposes. A report from Mr Dobson on the method of supplying water to the wharf was read and adopted. A draft copy of agreement, was submitted by the Council’s solicitor, to be entered into by the Council and persons outside the Borough for supplies of water, and this being approved was ordered to be printed with the view of being adopted at the next meeting.

BATES, The Clerk stated that of £SOOO of rates of all kinds for the year £3726 had been collected, leaving £I2OO to be got in. He proposed, as the end of the year was approaching, to proceed to sue defaulters. The meeting then terminated.