BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 191, 14 August 1900, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Thb Borough Council met on Monday. Present; His Worship the Mayor, Ors. Lealand, Clow, Brooking, Oollis, Avery, Oattley, and Ward. A letter was read from the Harbour Board, notifying the grant of land for widening Currie-street (subject to Mr. Oorkill's lease), the Borough to pay all expenses.

The Mayor explained the position of matters when the street was first laid out—a mistake in the width being made. It had been anticipated that metalling would not have been required for some years, but owiog to the new railway works it was necessary to extend the street. The Harbour Board had not grasped the situation, and had offered the land as if they were conferring a favour, but in reality the Board was not only liable to make the road the full width, but also to maintain it, as the Borough could not take over the street until it was made the full width.

O.'. Oollis moved that the Mayor and Or. Brooking wait on the Board at its next meeting and explain the matter, Or, Lealand seconded.

After some discussion, the motion ffas carried.

Mr. E. M. Smith, M.H.R., wrote, stating that he had submitted to thiMinister of Public Works the memorial asking the Government to take over the road to the breakwater, and as soon as a reply was received it weuld be for- [ warded to the Council. Notification was received from the | Commissioner of Taxeß that the subsidy for the current year was £194 6s 6d. Last ye*r it was £lB7 10s.

I A circular was received from the Gore Borough Council relative to the provisions of the Municipal Corporation Bill, especially in relation to clause 407, imposing on boroughs the duty of providing and maintaining a hospital adequate to the needs of the district, also as to clause 408, requiring every borough to build and maintain a home for the aged and needy, a home for destitute children, and" a home for incurables.

The Mayor pointed out that the matter had been dealt with by the Municipal Conference, who had passed a resolution against the proposals, and he thought it as well to leave it at that.

The letter was ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. R. 0. Hughes forwarded a reprint of an article from Pearson's Magazine wherein an effective method of protecting sea frontages from wave aotion was set cut, and he suggested that the Oouncil should consider the matter, especially in relation «to the protection of Woolcombe Terrace, as he anticipated that when the railway wall was built the erosion would be greater than before. [The Works Committee repotted on the matter.] A circular letter was read from the Whacgarei Borough Oouncil asking for co operation in supporting a Bill to enable Borough Councils to levy a general rate of six farthings in the £ on capital value of property in boroughs, instead of fd, the present maximum 1 value.

I The Mayor, in moving that the htter lie on tha table, said the proposal was one that would not be listened to. The time for putting such a power into operation would be during a time of depression, when it would be very injurious.—The motion was carried. The Sanitary Inspector reported the condition cf the town as satisfactory and the daughter-house clean and in good order. The Vipoit was received. j

O. Biookirg drew attention to the fd<t that thfro were several verandahs in a dangerous state, and he thought the It spcctor should give notice ta the owners.

The Inspector said he had called the attention of tho ownerß to the verandahs in question, but without avail. The M-'yor said that under these eircums'Huccs the Inspector should consult the Town Clerk with a view to prefer notice being given to abate the nui-arre. I

Or. Clow drew attention to tho of lowering tho gutter in Gover-strcet.

The Turncock reported that the plant was in good order, all leaks and repairs having been attended to, and 12 new t.ivc:B laid. There were now two in or s.rviois less, He advised that .jfi-r.uiti fittings be kept in stock, Tha Waterworks Engineer reported that i here had been a lot of trouble with the No. 1 turbine shafty on account of its being too heavy—the v/iitfht bsing inorea9ed by a heavier what! than audi w tha braw

bearings at the bottom were very light they became heated. He considered the shaft should be taken out and reduced to its old size as soon as possible. On Monday, 7th, both turbines dropped on their faces, necessitating two men and himself working till midnight; the brasses were found badly cut, and had to be chipped out. He suggested that two sets of brasses should be provided as a reserve supply. He also found that the bolthead on the beams had no washers and quickly loosened. He intended putting one at th 9 head of each bolt. The division concrete wall between the turbines was in a very bad condition, and he recommended that an iron strap or shoe should be put across it at once, as if it broke away it would seriously damage the turbines. The belts were doing well, but the laces had been giving trouble. The hours of pumping had been62|, 63|, 66|, 70, and 67 per week. Or. Brooking stated tbat he had been to the works, and found matters were not so bad as the Engineer seemed to think was the case. The wall had been repaired with wedges., He agreed that the shaft should be taken off and the bottom re-lined. There was some half hundred weight extra on the shaft. Or. Olow inquired if anything had been done at the dam by way of putting stone under.

Or. Brooking said that at present there was too much water to allow of repairs to be done, and that the repairs must wait until the dry weather.

The Fire Prevention Committee reported, recommending that the committee be empowered to confer with the Fire Brigade regarding the vestißg of their plant in the Council, and that the borough solicitor prepare the necessary documents. Or. Avery stated , that the brigade were willing to carry out the proposal. The report was adopted. The Oemetery Committee reported: That the Town Olerk obtain the trees and plants necessary for planting the cemetery, and oreepers for covering some of the stumps; that tenders be called for removing the five pines now laying on the ground, to be taken away on a' sledge; that the furze be cleaned up, stumps that are decayed removed, and other cleaning up done by day labour. Or. Brooking thought that the Committee should take steps to get a record of the interments in the eld portion of the cemetery. The present custodian had considerable recollection as to who the persons were that had been buried there, but there was no record, and he considered that such a record would be very useful in the future, and should be compiled while they had the benefit of the custodian's memory. Or. Olow concurred. Or. Ward undertook to make inquiries and see what could be done. The Town Clerk pointed out tbat the proposed record was a much larger job than Councillors anticipated. Attempts ! had been made at some considerable expense from time to time, but to have a proper survey and locate all the old graves would be very costly. He suggested a numbered peg being placed at | the head of every grave. • The Mayor strongly advocated the compilation of the proposed register. The report was adopted. The Finance Committee recomI mended that the debentures o{ the old Joan 'that had been paid should be canI celled.

Or. Collis inquired what was being done re the new loan, as he understood information on the matter would be available at that meeting. The Town Clerk explained that the borough solicitor still had the matter under consideration.

The Mayor said no harm could be done, as the Council had a guarantee, in addition to which prices of materials had gone up.

Cr. Lealand, however, said an important point was that the works to be done by the new loan were at a standstill. »

i Some further discussion took place, and the report was adopted. The Works Committee reported i That the offer of the Ocean Accident Insurance Company be accepted, viz., Is 5d per cent, for employers' liability and common law; declined: New Zealand Company, ss; Scottish Metropolii tan, la 8d; that the water be extended to Paynter's Lane, Jitzroy, in U, lj, and 1-inch pipes, and thence to Mr. Raby's, conditionally on those applying i agreeing to take the water for two i years, and paying such sum per annum i as the Town Clerk may assess; that the 1 Chairman make arrangements for a ■ pathway to Mr. J. F. Hooker's new i office; that the plans of Mrs. Freeth's houses be approved, subject to the drainage and sanitary arrangements ; being approved by the Engineer; that i the men be notified that they will be , required to attend on Arbor Day at the Plantation Reserve to assist in planting trees; that the Town Clerk interview Mr. Raby re taking water to Fitzroy, with a view to getting an ini creased amount towards the cost; that . the Council declines to approve of Mr. W. Courtney's application for a right- , of-way through sections 631 and 632, 1 being of opinion that the cutting up of sections into such small allotments as are shown on the plan is injurious to the town; that the application from Mr. Percy Smith be dealt with by the! Chairman; that the application from] Mr. F. W. Richmond for a right-of-way 22-7 links wide over lot 2 of section 798 be approved; that the plans i f Mr. Louis Bullot's shop and Mr. Frethey's concrete wall be approved; that, in accordance with the request made by Mr. Hislop, Short Lano be opened and notices given for all fences encroaching thereon to be removed back to the proper boundary; that the water-pipes be laid on to the south boundary of Mr. A. Lealand's section, Molesworth street, he to obtain the necessary permission for going through the section fronting Gill-street; that the application of the borough carter for an increase, with the foreman's report thereon, be deferred, and that in the meantime the Town Clerk find out the rate of wages paid by other local bodies, with a view to a consideration of the wages of the staff generally being considered; that the receipt of Mr. R. C. Hughes' letter be acknowledged, but that he be informod that the committee had the article in question under notice whenit first appeared in Pearson's Magazine, and that the Harbour Board , had been written to on the subject; ttort four new wooden lw»| jostu j

heads complete be procured; that the chairman confer with the chairman of the Barrett Road Board re work in Outfield Road, but that as section 108 of the Public Works Aot, 1894, places tbe dividing roads under the control of the Borough, the work must be done by the Borough, but that tenders will be called as desired for any work decided to be done; that the chairman inspect the roads at the east end of the town leading on to the beaoh,so as to give facilities for a road to enable the borough contractor to cart metal from the beach; that the plan submitted for a verandah for Mr. Bewley be approved conditionally on the spouting being placed inside in acoordanee with the borough regulations; thtf the turncock's report be received. Or. Br roking moved the adoption of the reports. Referring to the proposal to carry the water supply to Fitzr6y, the cost would be £l2O, of which £25 had been guaranteed and from which a revenue of at least £2O 5s would accrue and possibly as muoh as £io. This was only for a servioe as far as Painter's corner; when the service was extended further into Fitzroy tbe small pipe could be replaoed and be made useful in some of tbe Fitaroy streets. In relation to Mr, Courtney s application for a right-of-way, the Gam- j mittee considered that if granted these small 20 feet frontages would produce slums. On looking into the matter, however, it was found that Mr. Oourtney need not apply for a right-of-way, but he (Or. Brooking) now thought it would be better to have the right-of-way public and under control uf the Opunoil. He, therefore, moved that the resolution of the Committee declining Mr. Courtney's application be deleted from the report, and that the request be oomplied with. Or. Clow advocated that the right-of-way should be 14 feet. The Mayor seconded the amendment of the report as proposed by Or. Brooking, and, in doing so, pointed out the position of matters relating to rights-of-way.

Or. Ward said he should vote for the report as it was, for if the law allowed people to cut up land in a town into tots ten feet square, then let tye responsibility be on those people who did it, but he was strongly opposed to •-he Council having anything to do with the matter.

Or. Oattley agreed.with Or, Ward. The time would come when Mr. Oourtney would want to put up two store) match-boxes on these small section*, and it was such buildings as these thai spoiled the town. The motion to amend the report wsb carried by 5 to 3. Or. Brooking drew attention to the bad state of repair of tbe roads over which stone was carted from the beach, especially as to Hobson-street, which was now the main avenue of that traffic.

Or. Collis suggested that the question of repairs to Hobson-street to enable stone to be carted from the beach, a* also the question of the future of metal for the town, be referred to the Woiks Committee.

Or. Brooking said the future supply of metal was a very serious question/ tnd it appetred as it' in the future tht only available place for obtaining stone was the Waiwakaiho.

The Worics Committee's report was adopted. Accounts amounting to £316 10a fd were passed. Mr. Bewley'a application for an auctioneer's license was complied with. Or. Oollis drew attention to the inconvenience arising frpm carters cutting up footpaths they had permits to cross. He gave notice of motion of a serifs of resolutions dealing with the matter, and for altering the bye-laws accordingly. The Mayor {tainted out that the alteration proposed by Cr. Oollis could only be carried out by special order. lhe proper steps are to be taken to, give effect to the proposals. The Mayor suggested that no furths r «ction should be taken on sanitary matters until the new Heilth Bill becapie law. The Oounoil rose at 10,45 p.m.