AT THE COUNCIL TABLE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 15, 16 January 1913, Page 5

AT THE COUNCIL TABLE.

NOXIOUS WEEUS.

“A Very Serious Question.”

Some sound argument on the noxious weed trouble was uttered by Cr Dingle at the meeting of the Borough Council last night. The question arose out of a letter written by the secretary of the Domain Board to the Council, requesting that the latter body “put their house in order,” in other words remove the ox-eyed daisies from their reserves.

“As I travel round the borough,” said Mr Dingle, “1 notice ragwort, ox-eyed daisy, and blackberry in profusion. I think it is the duty of the borough to keep them as far as the reserves and roadsides are concerned down. There should be an instruction to the foreman to visit the whole of the sections in the borough and see that these weeds are kept under. Noxious weeds arc going to be a very serious question to the whole of the district, and if they are not kept in check we are going to have all sorts of weeds here. I have spent many pounds of money on my own farm in clearing it of weeds, and I say it doesn’t matter if it costs £5 or £so— our duty to clear these noxious weeds out. Otherwise, our reserves which are valuable assets will not be worth as much fas they are at present. We have our noxious weed inspector; he has probably given our tenants notice to clear weeds, and they’ve done it in an indifferent way. We should watch our property closely and act, no matter what the cost.

The necessary motions to give effect to these views were passed.

SEE MY DOG ANYWHERE?

“No, he didn’t have a Collar!”

Cr Ward referred to the matter of dogs being found without collars and the power conferred upon the inspector to destroy same. It may be, he said, that valuable dogs come into his hands, and it was not fair that he should have to feed them for a fortnight or perhaps a month. Cr Ward suggested that the ispector advertise the sale of unclaimed dogs. This might possibly be a means of revenue to the Council and also of the saving of some valuable dogs from being destroyed. It was a matter the Council might seriously consider. ,

The Mayor said there was a good deal in what Cr Ward had said. There was, however, the question of whether it would pay the Council; dogs had been put into the auction mart but nothing had been bid for them. Cr Ward remarked that when the inspector had, say, half a dozen dogs in hand it would be advisable to advertise a sale. Possibly, as in the case of a lost horse, the animals might be claimed.

The inspector’s powers in such cases was stated to be far-reaching, and it was agreed to appoint a committee consisting of the Mayor and Cr Lawsou to confer with the inspector on the matter.

THOSE STABLES AGAIN.

;*tn a Scrupulously Clean Condition.”

The Club Hotel Stables, of which the public has already had much information, was again discussed, a letter from Dr Chesson, which has already appeared in our columns, being read. The Health Officer stated among other things that concrete floors were, in his opinion, necessary. On the Mayor retiring, Or Morison took the chair.

Cr Healy moved that the letter be received. There were no stables in Stratford that had concrete flooring; wooden floors were the usual thing.

He agreed that certain reforms were necessary to the stables, namely, concrete channelling, new weather hoards and improved ventilation. There were stables in the city of Wellington worse than these. Cr Ward said that the Department was merely putting men to needless expense. The horses only stood in the stalls during the day time.' To liis mind the Department asking any man to put down concrete flooring for horses to stand on, showing that the officers did not know much about these same horses. To keep stock on cement floors was not in the best interests of the animals; anyone knew that. He had visited the stables, and found them in the same condition as they were before, namely, scrupulously clean. He added : ‘‘These Departmental officers must have something to do; they must earn their wages somehow, and this is part of the game.” An amendment to the effect that the Council saw no reason to depart from its former resolution on this matter, was finally carried.

DON’T BE DISFRANCHISED.

The Roll Closes on February 15th.

The Mayor raised a point concerning the district electors’ roll. 'He said it had not been very comprehensive in the past, and an. endeavour should he made to make it as complete as possible. He suggested assistance being given to the Town Clerk in the direction of instituting a house-to-house canvass and perhaps a number of electors would be got on the roll.

The Clerk said the work would take ’ the time of two men for a week. As far as property-owners were concern- j ed, that was a simple matter, but j the franchise was a wide one, embracing everyone over 21 years of age. In the past an advertisement had been inserted in the paper, but very few put in an application for enrolment. | Incidentally, the Clerk mentioned that at the last municipal election he had

taken the names of forty electors who applied to vote but whose names were not on the roll. He could not be expected to know every boy and girl who had reached the age of 21. Cr Boon asked if the work suggested would deal with the “dead heads” on the roll, and the Mayor replied that ol course the roll should be purged.

Ci Healy moved that the necessary assistance be procured by the Clerk, and this was seconded by Cr Thompson.

Cr Ward opposed the motion on the principle that the movement was an absolute waste of money. If the people did not enrol ho could not see why the Council should go to the expense of putting them on. It was theii own fault if they were disfranchised. The newspapers made the subject of the franchise quite clear. It looks,” said the Councillor in conclusion, “as if some of the Councillois scats were in jeopardy!” (Ironical laughter.) Cr Dingle: J ust what 1 am afraid of!

The Mayor said he did not wish Councillors to think he was trying to press the matter upon them; he meant simply that they should discuss it and deal with it as .they thought fit.

Cr Dingle: Wo are spending the i atepayers money to get others on the roll. t

The Clerk: The cost would be about £6.

Cr Ward: Yes, a “tenner”—the cost of a decent footpath! the Mayor: There is the other phase of the question, that the roll should be purged.

On being put to the meeting, 1 the voting was against the “ayes.” The motion was lost.