TAIHAPE BOROUGH COUNCIL

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 162, 13 March 1915, Page 4

TAIHAPE BOROUGH COUNCIL

ORDINARY FORTNIGHTLY MEETING. The ordinary fortnightly meeting of the Taihape Borough Council was held in the Council Chamber last evening, there being present the Mayor (Mr. A. L. Arrowsmith), and Crs. Beban, Wrightson, McCormiek, Wilson, Doll crty, Healey, and Aldridge. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE. Correspondence was received from Messrs. Abraham and Williams in connection with the dead sheep nuisance in the stock yards, advising that steps would be taken to prevent nay future occurrence. From Messrs. Williams, Hunt and Co., Wellington, offering their services in the flotation of loans. The letter was received.

From the Runanga Borough Council, asking for suport of a resolution passed by that Council which is as follows: "That this Borough registers an emphatic protest at the way in which the price of foodstuffs of the people of this Dominion are being advanced, and attributed to the war in Europe, and thus increasing the cost of living to those least able to bear it. And Ave further call upon the Government to exercise the powers invested in it by regulating the price of common necessities within the bounds of reason which will check the cupidity of the few and protect the well-being of the whole." Cr. McCormiek was in favour of the request of the letter being granted. It was a good object. Over in Australia the Government had fixed prices of food and there seemed no reason why it should not be done here. A Commission should deliberate on every rise asked for and if it was reasonable and fair it should be granted, but if not fair it should not be allowed. TTr proposed, and Cr. Beban seconded. that the resolution of the Runanga Council be adopted by the Council. Cr. Aldridge said he saw by the papers that bread had been fixed i; Britain at ninepenee per four-poutu loaf, while in Taihape we had to pav elevenpence. He thought there should be Home cheek upon any section of tin people rising th price of necessites unfairly, giving the war as a pretext. The resolution was adopted without

opposition. From Mr. IT. Bailey, Taumarunui acknowledging receipt of the rough draft of agreement to lease the Towr Hall for the purposes of a picture theatre, and ashing for some slight alteration; also asking that rent should commence from the date on which he would be ready to commence operations, which he thought would be the 2Sth inst. The letter was received and with minor alterations agreed to. HEALTH INSPECTOR'S REPORT.

The Health Inspector's report for February was read. It disclosed thai there wore no cases of infection? disease of any kind in Taihape. The report was adopted.

DRAINAGE PETITION. The petition of residents of the western portion of the Borough to havr the water, drainage and electric ligh< scheme extended to their part of th town was introduced by Cr. Wright son, who- moved that an estimate c' the cost of the work asked for be ol tained. The area down there was nov closely built upon and was becoming congested: the sections very nearly all built upon. All the houses at present drained into the road, and if something was not done before nex* summer there would be some serious trouble. Wlien they knew what the cost would be they would be bettei able to decide how to handle the financial aspect.

The Mayor asked whether the move suggested the estimate shosld be made by the Borough Foreman or by an engineer specially engaged for the pur-

pose. Cr. Wrightson said the report should be made by a competent engineer; ii would then be of value to the Council for all time. Cr. Doherty favoured getting an approximate cost and if the scheme could be financed it might be gone on with. The Mayor thought no good purpose would be served by going too much into details. He favoured Cr. Wrightson's proposal; they should first ascertain what it was going to cost, then go into details of finance. The estimate and scheme prepared by an engineer, ven if it were now turned down, would be valuable, because it would have to be adopted some time. The work should be done by a competent engineer. Cr. Aldridgo said if they engaged an engineer, which he in favour of, he should be a thoroughly qualified man. This had not been done up to the present time. In the past the Council had followed a ponny-wise and j pound-foolish course. If the Council went further and got a comprehensive report of the whole Borough they would be doing valuable work that would be useful for all time, and it would be a simple matter to go on with the work at any time. The Mayor said such a report would be an expensive affair, costing something like £SOO. If some such estimate were prepared and a poll taken for a

ers were to throw the proposal out, the whole of the Borough would have to pay heavy ests. If district funds wen' taken there would be nothing left for loads or other works.

Cr. Healey said one part of the town had paid for its water and drainage towards which other parts paid nothing. It would not he fair to expect them to pay part of the costs of those who now wanted the drainage.

Cr Wrightson said he had not been in the Council long but it always seemto him when any absolutely neessary work was wanted that one side of the Borough was against the other. There was no question about it. it was the bounden duty of the Council to get the report he had moved for no matter who paid the costs. Cr. Wilson asked why a special loan could not be raised. Down South special areas were formed and loans raised, and he thought that if a rating area were fixed and a special loan raised for the drainage that would be all they would want at present*; watet and light could come on later. Th;? Works Committee and Borough Foreman should first go over the whole proposal; they would then have a good idea of the cost of the work. Their report could be submitted to the Council, and if it were found possible the scheme should be gone on with. When they engaged an engineer they should be prepared to go on with the work.

The Mayor reminded the Council that they could not put in drainage without putting in water. Or. Wrightson said it was no use wasting time in going over the ground. They had to have an engineer's estimate, and the scheme ho suggested would not ©ost more than £IOO. Cr. Beban said he was certainly in favour of the scheme if the people,in the area to be benefitted paid the costs. Others had paid for their drainage in the past and now they were asked I>o pay for other peoples' drainage. The motion was then put and carried bv four to three.

FINANCE COMMITTEE'S RE PORT.

In moving the adoption of the Finance Committee's report, the Mayor mid there was only one matter that litneed mention and that was in connection with a letter received on the 10th March, although the letter was dated Ist March. 2t had evidently not been delivered. The letter was from Mr. A. W. Bicknoll and Mr. A.. S. Gasson, asking for an increase to 30/- per head for the three-horse team engaged from thorn for Borough work. The Committee thought tfee Council might decide to call for tenders now that a variation of the arrangement was sought to be made.

Cr. Beban thought that the request was a reasonable one as horse-feed, costs of harness and other things were equal to the advance asked for, and he thought it would be in the best interests of the Borough to pay the 30/•isked for. He moved an amendment to the report to that effect to continue during the pleasure of the Council, which was adopted without oppositipon. The Finance Committee's report was then adopted i s amended.

WORKS COMMITTEES' REPORT.

The Mayor, in moving the adoption of this report, said there -vas ugly one question that called for comment. a?id hat was the proposal to form a foolmth in Ellis Road, and also that a *ootpath be made to connect . Moa ; treet with Ihe footpath at the corner f section 10. block 20. The amount

involved, he said, was not a large one; somewhere about £25 would do the lot, including the piece from Ivokato Street to the Technical School. Cr. Beban said, while he was not

'.i;t;!goni.stic to the proposal, lie thought '.hey should not be formed in preference to footpaths in other parts of th; J Borough. They should not be made before the piece leading down to the Otainape bridge. Freezing works were being erected at Wiuiata and this would form the main arterial road. A motion to do this work had been adopted by the Council and he had not pressed for its completion because of the Council's shortness of money, but this was a road that was largely used. He thought no footpath should be made unless this was included. He moved to amend the report to the effect: "That the Works Committee take no aation unless the Council agrees to form the footpath down tj the Otaihapo bridge.

Cr. Healey seconded the amendment. Cr. McCormick thought it wfn a verj necessary piece of work. A good many women and children went that v. ay. during the summer especially. It was the road to the Reserve aind ir would prove a great convenience to many. Cr. Wilson pointed out that this path had been left in abeyance owing to land difficulties. The Mayor said what Or. Wilson refered to was, that where the footpath should go it would be necessary to »•■ through, or into a section. Most of the owners had given their consent but there had not been any agreement to purchase the piece of land thaM; would be cut off, and that, in all probability, was why that footpath had not been made.

Cr. Healey thought the footpath should go to the bridge. There were footpaths in the centre of the town, but directly one got past that there were none. The amendment was then put; the voting being equal. The original proposal to go on with the propos-

Otaihape Stream, was put and dceStirod carircd by 4 to 3. On Cr. Healey's motion the Works Committee, with the Borough Foreman, were instructed, to inspect all tlse pro» posed footpaths a<nd to repo*t thereon to the next meeting of the Council. A lengthy discussion took plact in connection with forming the patii from the railway bridge to Smith's steps. That was admittedly a bad piece of road, said the Mayor, which nearly everybody used, while a piee« they proposed to do war? only use< l by a few. He thought the path should start from the bridge, as at present the whole of the traffic wont over that piece. It might not be a bad plan to get the residents to discuss it v.itli ih'-ir. so as to ascertain what would be the most useful. • With the exception of a reference to the fire-escape ingress and egress at the Station Street Picture Theatre the Works Committee's report was adopted. The Finance Committee's report showed the various accounts to starul as follows:—District Fund Aceouiu, Dr., £2,700 1/5 .as against £2,861 12/H at last meeting; Interest Acocuut, Dr. £550 3/; Loan No. 1, Dr. £914 1/9; Loan No. 3, Dr. £302 2/11; Oval Damain Account, Cr. £32 18/10. Account a amounting to £165 passed for.