BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 168, 30 July 1901, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

SITE FOR THE ABATTOIR. A special meeting of the Borough Council was held on Monday morning at 10 o'clork for tbe purpose of considering t>>e question ef site for the Borough aHhttoir. Present: His [Worship the Mayor (Mr. E. Dockri!), Crs. Coenett, Clnw, Brooking, Collis, Car'er, Tisch, Veak', Lsaland tnd St >hr. Oa the motion of the Mayor the Council went into committee to consider the following report of the Works Committee on the subj ■ ct: — Abb»toirs. —The committee having given full consideration t« the report of the Goyernnwnt Veteuiaiiins, visited the approved sites, conferred with the Borough Solicit-ir, and made fu'l enquiries generally, make the following recimmendations: —(l.) Tha* action 159 Hua District, owned by Mr. William Courtney, be pel?cted as the site for the Borough Abattoirs, and r.hat the Hon. Minister fur Agriculture be requested to approve this sight. (2 ) That as the Council has already agreed to lay water mains to Fitzroy, that the water supply be extended to the abattoirs. (3.) That on the approval of the Hon. Miaisfcer for Agriculture bning obtained, the Borough solicitor be instructed to take the tecefsary proceedings for acquiring the land (76 acres) under the Public Works Act, (4.) That consent to the establishment of the abattoir on section 159 Hua District be obtained from tbe Taranaki County Council in accordance with section 14 (1) of the Slaughtering «n I losp?ct'on Act,-1900. On May 25th, Mr. Crabb r. ported to th(> acting chief Government veieriuariau <n four sit s:—(1) Mr. Biyey's : " This I co- siderun ss it lies in a valley, and the surr >undini>s ire swampy in cha'ae'er. It is abont chreo miles from town. Tbe pivsant water supply is from a i-p ing, which comes out of the hill abuit a quarter of a mile distant, and between its source tnd flaugh'er house runs past a Maoti pah, and is the habitat of ducks, eto. No doubt it a's i r> c- ivcg a good amount of sutface drainage from the dwellings in the neighbourhood. Close to the present slaughtering premises is a spring of good water, but I doubt if this would ba sufficient, as even now it does not give much water. I inspected | the ground nearer the rive", and alit lies higher, no good water supply is available, the only obtainable being that from a small, muddy creek. In order to get to this higher lying ground it is necessary to cro?s a very swampy piece of ground, which, at the time of inspection was covered with about Gin of water. The drainage in both cases is equ.il, and cou'd easily run into a small crrek which diecbaiges into t'*e Waiwakaihe river, " (2) Mr. Dixon's, at Moturoa. (3) Avenue-road site, opposite racecourse. (4) Sole Bro's. site, adjourning No 3. Ofthess No. 3 was canhidered as the most suitable, and was the site selected by Mr. C^bb.

On Ist Jure Mr Crabb reported on two other sit»s, (1) Mr Jones at Smart road, and (2) tdte adjoining Mr "W. Bayly's, but neither of thes3 sites were considered as good as the Avenue-road site.

On 13th July Mr Keakcs reported on a fur'her bite at Fitzroy known as " tb9 run," held by Mr Courtney, and except in the matter of drainage facilities, this sits possessed do advantage the Avenun-t oad site. There was a grave objection owing to the drainage from Drake's slaughter-house draining into the river, but if arrange- [ ments were made with Mr Drake to daughter pigs at the abattoir, the objection would be dorje away with. The Borough Solicitor, Mr 0. Samuel, advised on the position of the Council under the Slaughtering and Inspection Act, 1900, and expressed an opinion tiiat after the proposed site for an abattoir had been approved by the Minister, the Council might take the requisite land under the provisions of Mi" Public Works Act, 1894. Oii resuming, the committae's report was adopted. Or. Col lis presented a petition from 'about; 100 ratepayers asking tbat the O juncii's p iwers under tbe Slaughtering Act 1900, might ba delegated to or e or more of the existing owners of I a slaughterhouse. | Tbe Mayor stated that the committoo was aware of tb.9 contents of the petition b fora reporting to the Council aad he called on the town clerk to read the reports of the veterinary authorities on the site* of the existing slaughterhouses.

The Town Clerk stated that in the opinion of tbe experts it was adverse teall the existing slaughterhouse?, none of which complied with the requirements of the Act.

The Mayor pointed oui that nnless the Council took action, and erected abattoirs within twelve months, the Government would step in and do the work. O. Connatt contended that tbe works should be controlled by the Council. If biich matters as these had bean taken in hand yeirs ago there would have been a great saving of expense.

A discussion took placa on the question of extension of the water supply to Fitzroy and to the proposed site. The Mayor pointed out that there would ba ni difficulty on this head, as it was only aquestion of extra pumping. In reply to Or. Carter, the Mayor sa''d it w.is the c&mmi'tee's intention to forward the work as rapidly as possible. R fnrring to the petitio», he pointed out that the Council could po 1 ". de'egate its powers to ooe'or mora, but cou'd only do to to one particular pSrson. j

In reply to Cr, Clow, tbe Mayor stated that tba Council was empowered to raise the moiey required for abattoir purpose* by special »rder, and that it was not necessary to take a vote of the rati'payi'.ra. It wss decided, ou the motion of Cr. Broking, that the petitioners be informed tbat as several of the stite oitnts in the p itition were at variance with the ropjrts of tbe Government vn'crinariany, and as the sites of the pr sent sltiughtorhoumi have, on invesiigatii'n, been rejected, the Council cannot giant t'je prayer of the petition. The Mayor drew attention to the following memo, by the By-laws Committso :—" The By-laws Committee have held two lengthy meetings, and has passed bu'lding and fire prevention by-laws; these are now in the hinds of the Borough Solicitor for legal reviMou." He stated th-.t the committee would continue its sittings until the whole work was completed. The Council then res*.