BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 98, 15 May 1900, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The Borough Council met on Monday. Present: His Worship the Mayor, Ors. Brooking, Lealand, Glow, Oollis, Avery, Stohr, Cattley. In reply to Or. Collin, the Mayor stated that the right-of-way from Ourrie to Brougham streets had practically now become a public thoroughfare, and as such was recognised by the Eailway Department. A deputation from the Recreation Grounds Board, consisting of Messrs. Corkill (chairman), K. Cock, R. 0. Hughes, and Harris Ford (secretary), waited on the Council to urge that the Council's grant of .£SO made for some years past to the funds of the Board might be doubled if the Council could see tbeir way to do so.—The Chairman, in proferring the request, alluded to the difficulty the Board had in improving and keeping up the grounds owing to the limited resources availab'e. He also alluded to the course of action which he thought should be taken to enable the Council to be represented on the Board. Thic, he said, could only be accomplished by one of the members of the Board resigning and allowing the Council's nominee to become a member, and hold office so long at he remained a Councillor. He proposed retiring himself with the objoct stated, —Mr. Cock referred to the fact that in years past there was a rato of one halfpenny for Recreation Ground purposes, and he trusted that the Council would assist with a larger grant. | Mr. Corkill, in reply to Mr. Stohr, said that the proposal to have a member of the Council on the Board was the outcome of the recognition of the right of representation. The Mayor assured the deputation that the Council found no fault either with the personnel of the Board or its' work. The Council had taken up the position that where money was granted there should be representation. He considered that the appointment should be an annual one, and he had no doubt that to carry out the wishes of the Council legislation must be resorted to, and the matter so fixed that the Council had the right to he suit-1 ably represented on the Board. He' mentioned that a halfpenny rate would bring in .£6O lfis. Or, Brooking pointed out that as it -mi bten doomed desirable to have the Couu il represented on the Board if the .£SO were granted, now that an a !(!i;.iwi: I .£SO was asked for it might ho ilu'im d right to have tworepresentaIVi s. Xlie deputation thanked the Council and .ilire '. A letter of thanks was received from r a; lain Hompton for the Council's vo'e i)!' eoni'oSerice, 'JL'lie H.ea.l h Committee's report wn3 deal twilh iu committee, On resuming

the report was adopted and Dr. Home appointed medical officer of health. Or. Cattley pointed out the injury to footpaths by overhanging trees. It was considered that the owners should have notice to remove the trees. The Sanitary Inspector reported that he had not completed his house-to-house inspection, and was therefore unable to give a full classification of the sanitary state of the town. In class 1 were 361 houses; in class 2 were 253 houses; in class 3 were 36 houses; in class 4 were 2 houses, Class 3 had since been cleaned satisfactorily, and in class 4 one house had been attended to. Owing to wet weather the pig-sties were not very clean. The slaughter-house was clean and in good order. The extra Sanitary Inspector (Mr. Butterworth) reported that nearly all the yards he had visited were in a clean condition, and that he had only come across one bad case. Sergeant Stagpoole reported on the premises of Jas. Fortune, and recommended that he should be prevented from keeping fowls under his dwelling. The reports were received. The Turneock's report was also received. The Waterworks Engineer reported that the machinery was working well. The pumps had been kept going last month to their fullest capacity. There was a large waste of water during the night—en one night as much as five perpendicular inches between midnight and 6 a.m., requiring 13 extra hows' pumping two or three times a week. The charcoal boxes "had been taken out, cleaned, purified, and refilled with new charcoal. The hours of pumping per week had been 70, 84, 80|, and respectively for the last month. Or. Brooking protested against the long hours required, as he considered that matters were slipping back to their old state. The Mayor stated that the Works Committee were taking steps to find out the persons who were using water motors at improper ttburs. The report was received. The Works Committee recommended:—That Mr. R. C. Hughes be informed that Vivian-street will receive consideration when allocating loan moneys, and that instructions were issued some time ago for Broughamstreet to be put in order; that a lamp be placed at the corner of Hine and Weymouth-streets as requested by the residents; that the Council is willing to entertain the laying of water mains to Fitzroy as soon as funds are available, and that the Town Clerk make a valuation of the properties to be supplied with water and obtain guarantees ; that a footpath be made in Elliotetreet north as asked for by Mrs. Wells, senr.; that Pendarves-street hill near llev. W. Drew's be metalled as soon as a favourable opportunity offers; that the Gas Company be written to, enquiring whether they will undertake the lighting of the borough with incandescent gas lamps, taking solo control, at a price to be agreed upon per lamp per annum. Cr. Brooking pointed out that to carry water supply to Fiteroy weuld cost the Council about £7OO, bat that the income at once accruing would be £BO a year. Tha question was where *as tho £7OO to come from ? He explained the necessity for complying with Mr. Weston's application for a drain down Currie Lane, and stated ■shat no sewage matter was to bo allowed in the drain, which was for water only. Cr. Oollis drew-attention to the need of a gas lamp at the foot of the Oarrington Road. Or. Olow said that there was greater need of a light at the foot of the Racecourse hill, and in other places than at the foot of the Carriogton Road. Or. Avery questioned whether there was sufficient water to supply Fitzroy. The Mayor replied that there was no possibility of doing the work until theloan for the gravitation scheme was floated. The report was adopted. The Finance Committee recommended:—That the Estimates as appended be adopted; that in the opinion of this Committee the time has arrived when the Council should be represented on the Racreation Grounds Board, on the principle that representation should be given where public money is granted. The following were the Estimates:— Receipts.—General rate at Is 3d on' annual value of £33,000, £2062; special rate at lOd, £1375; water rate at 5 per cent, aud 2i per cent., £1260; extra supplies, £430; arrears of all rates, £480; Government subsidy, £lB7. Licenses: Licensing Act, £325; Borough by-laws ; £250. Rents; Reserves, £430. Reimbursements: Metal, | etc, £SO; asphalting, £7O; licensing, £25. General: Dogs, £55; 10 per cent, additional on rates, £4O; sundries, £2O. Transfer Cemetery account, £5. Total, £7064. Expenditure.-—Office : Town Cl< r's £200; Inspector of Nuisances, £7B ; Mayor's honorarium, £SO; surveyors fees, £150; advertising and printing, £7O; stationery, stamps, etc., £25; audit, £ls; telophono £5, gnaranteo i£7 (£l2).—Streets: Timber, £6O; plant, £6O; forage, etc., £100; water cart, £2O; day labour, £750; metil, £530; contracts, £300; paving and kerbing, £75 ; asphalting and tarring, £100; sundries, £2O. General.—Dogs, £ls; elections, £ls; licensing, £6O; lieaUh,£lo; law, £25; reserves, £3O ; interest, £100; Town Hall contract, etc., £700; Town Hall alterations, etc., £250; sundries, £2O. Lighting: Gas, £230; labour, etc., £l7O. Subsidies; Fire Brigade, £110; Recreation Grounds, £SO; Reading-room, £SO; Hospital and Charitable Aid, £220. Loan: Interest, £1655; expenses, £25, Waterworks: Wages and salaries of staff, £214; new mains, £200; new services, etc., £2OO. Unpaid rates, £ 100. Total, £7064. The Council considered the Estimates in Committee,