A BOROUGH BY-LAW.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 84, 15 March 1916, Page 7

A BOROUGH BY-LAW.

SANITARY MATTERS. A MUCH-DISCUSSED QUESTION.' “That the waterworks by-laws he amended in the direction of making a charge of £1 lor all water-flushed closets connected with the sewer.” The foregoing notice of motion by the Mayor t which was adjourned from the last monthly meeting, was discussed at length on Monday night. In moving the motion the Mayor said it was most unfair that one hundred and eighty-five ratepayers should have all conveniences and pay nothing 1 except rates while 550 ratepayers who had no sewer or conveniences had to pay £1 per pan for sanitary convenience, and also rates.' The people who had no conveniences had to run the waste from the house into their section as best they could. It meant they had to construct big sumps every now and again. These people had to pay almost as much to have the drainage put in in connection with the cess pool as with the sewer. There was no possibility of carrying a loan for drainage under these circumstances , but the whole Borough would vote for a drainage loan if it were shown that those who used it would pay for it. When the war was over one of the first things that should .he undertaken was a drainage loim, and ho could not advocate any drainage loan until some motion was embodied in the by-laws dealing effectively with the matter. The levying of rates on the unimproved value which was in operation in Stratford did not apply to water charges at the present time or never did. The water charge was always levied o/i the annual value of property and improvement. He was sure Councillors did not look at the matter from a selfish point of view, viz., that he had had all the conveniences for a large number of years free, but he did not wish to continue as a favored resident. Stratford and Nelson had put the drainage right up to the boundaries free, and he did not know of any other town which had done so. The co'st of this averaged £6 or £7, which w as given specially for the use of users of tlie sewers. The Council was continually putting these in, and had ad other course'dnif i to rob some ratepayers of theirwfbotpatha and take it out of revenue, i iTif<M Mayor asked if it was, a square deaL e “No,” he saidi “No right-thinking man .could possibly say 'so.'” The speaken quoted the fol-

lowing comparisons “No/ sewer con- ( nections: Hance > (Pembroke ußoad), ! •£1 Os 9d ; . Branuigan//.(Pembroke >1 Hoad), £1 12s 9d; Stratford Racing: Club, £2 3s lOd; H. E. Abraham, 5 7s‘; | Dingle. 13s. Sewer connections:— j Lawson (Juliet Street), lOd ; Masters, , Ltd, (Broadway). 16s 7d; Bellringer. Bros., £1 3s 9d; Hunter and Lyons, £1 12s sd: Dr. Paget, 5s 2d ; E. Hancock, Is -Id ; Hallensteins, £1 18s Id. Cr. Thompson, in seconding the, motion. said he considered all things had changed since the old Council dis-v cussed the matter. As the Mayor had stated, there was no possible chance of;raising a loan at the present time’ while the electrical and street improvement questions were in hand. Cr. Hancock, in opposing the motion, said the people paid for street improvements and water but did not get them, and if the drainage rate was taken off these particular properties the street and water rate should also bo taken off the places who did not have either of these conveniences. I The Mayor had stated that the people would not sanction a loan, but lie con- j tended that if the town was proved insanitary the Council had the matter in their own hands, as there was no need to put the proposal before the people. Tiie ratepayers, when they voted for the drainage loan, understood they were to pay a certain rate, and now the Mayor wished to ignore what the ratepayers had sanctioned. In some cases, it cost between £4O and £4 sto instal the convenience, which £45 to instal the convenience, which (with the £1 tax and interest on money expended) .meant that these ratepayers would have to pay between £3 and £4 yearly for their

flushed closets, , Ho asked whether they should penalise people who wished to go in tor cleanliness. there were places at.thc present time where the sewer passed the property and the owners had not connected. He asked whether they would he made to pay the £1 also, because it was their fault they had not connected. Cr. Hancock 'quoted the following from the Stratford Evening Post’s report of the deputation which waited on the old !Council in connection with the matter, 'as soma.Councillors had said the deputation were merely objecting to the water tap charge :—“The Mayor (Mr Kirkwood: “Do I understand that t 'is not so much the W.O. charges as (he water taps?. Mr B. Masters: We do not want any tax at all. (Applause).

The Mayor stated that people who| had the sewer passing their property could he compelled to connect. | Cr. Hunter said the Council had been elected by the people to do what they wanted. He would oppose the motion in its present condition, but if it had been modified as be suggested< bo would have supported it. As U. Hancock had said, they were changing the referendum without giving the people a chance of voting on the question. He was of the same opinion.! He said it was unjust to make a man pay £1 for every flushed closet. He was contemplating building n Stratford, but the war bad stippe l him He proposed to have twelve closets in the building, and a £l2 tax would be imposed. He said that others were contemplating building, and the tax would be a serious thing to them. Cr. Hunter asked if it was fair that «■ charge of £l should be imposed on each iiV'ono building. He wanted M. modified to read £1 for the first closet, 10s for the second, and os for each thereafter. Several good buildings were projected in town','and it the tax were imuosod it would’ be a seiiouo

'thing. They were going to force a 'serious tax on the people who wished, to build, and he was sure it would affect building operations. Someone had said that the people would not vote ■for the loan, as it would not benefit their property. What sort of a man 'would vote that way. he asked. When a special street loan was put hciuie the ratepayers he voted for it, though the road was right up to his property . lie had no do.uht that if a loan for a (comprehensive * sewerage system was 'put before the electors! 1 it' would be !carried; If they repaired Broadway ’with the money collected from ‘ratepayers haying premises -facing that street, [they would be able'to pave the footpath with Crown pieces. They could not do that, they had to use the money : for other parts of the town as well. (~,'Cr. Young said he would support jfhe motion because it was the rigliu -thing. It was the duty of the Council .‘to do th 6 right thing. Tile proopsal (would make the users pay 1 for the flushed closets. He pointed out that 'about ton years ago the raising.- of (small loans for sewerage and water were put before the ratepayers, and (the sewerage loan was,carried but the ,water loan rejected. The proposal would pay the interest 'M the present loan.

ci- >lills said lie intended to move uu amendment to the motion by adding j “anil that the special drainage rate be not ’ collected.” He said that if the Mayor ! Would undertake to add the amendment he would •Support the motion.

Cr. Hmiter moved as an amendment: “That the waterworks by-laws he amended so that when there was more than one flush closet connected with the sewer in one building the charge be £1 for the first, 10s for the second and os for each additional closet.” He asked whether they considered that where there were twelve closets, was not, £4 10s enough to pay-' The amendment was seconded by Cr. Lawson.

Cr. Rutherfurd opposed the amendment. The Mayor said the amendment was unwise. The convenience! might cost only 10s or ss. whereas hundreds might use it. Ci*. Mills said it would lie a big mistake to cut down the charges. If there was an office with a convenience, the owner would receive more rent than d there was no convenience. Cr. Hunter, in reply, said they could not put all the burdens on the lessee. The talk of doing so seemed ridiculous to him. Cr. Young moved that the amendment be put to the meeting.

Cr. Lawson was rising to speak when the Mayor ruled him out of order. * Town Clerk: Who seconded the motion ? The Mayor; I did. Cr. Lawson: i have not spoken on either the motion or the amendment yet. The Mayor said they would hear Cr. Lawson if the Council were unanimous on the question. Ihe motion and amendment wore being put before the meeting. Cr. Lawson: I have been baulked. H the Council is unanimous or not I do not want fo speak now. 1 have been baulked. You said at the beginning of the debate you would not prevent anv discussion or curtail any discussion. 'ihe Mayor: The amendment is now

I being out I The amendment was lost by 3 votes to 4. ’ Cr. Lawson : I now wish to move a further amendment so that it will give inn a chance to speak, i Town Clerk: No further amendment can he put. A motion was put before the meeting and the matter had to be dealt with without further discussion or amendments. I Cr Lawson: You can move amendments all night if. you so wish. The Mayor; Hoad the by-laws, and then von will know when you can! speak. You cannot speak now. ! Cr. Lawson*: I have read them. T did not hear the motion. On the motion being put the voting

resulted: Aye: The Mayor. Cr. Young, KjUtherfurd, Thompson. Mills and Davev; Noes: Crs. Hunter, Lawson and Hancock.—The motion was therefore carried. Cr. La wson gave notice of motion to move at the next meeting of the Council; “That the motion re water bv-laws passed at the last ordinary

meeting of the Stratford Borough Council be rescinded.” Cr. Mills gave notice, of motion; “That the special drainage rate _ ( be not collected for the forthcoming year on condition that the Mayor’s resolution is framed as a by-law.”