Borough Council.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 72, 29 March 1904, Page 2

Borough Council.

The ordinary monthly meeting of tlio ..Borough Council was held lust night. Present : Messrs K. Cock (Mayor, in the chair), Cliff, Wilson, Brooking, Collis, Carter, llrowne, Ahier, anil Medley.

Sergeant lladdrell wrote suggesting thut life lines of from 300 yards to iitio yards should lie provided at tht Hast lOnil bathing shed, opposite the gasworks, the i railway station, bathing shed near ! the Terminus Hotel, ami at the ! baths. These would he useful in j case of accident. The Mayor moved that Crs. Carter and Collis report on the mat- ' tec. Cr. Brooking thought the expense unwarranted. Why did not buthers use the baths, provided al a cost i.f C.'IOOO ■! l.'r. (Jollis said the lines would have to be wutchiKl all day, and he instanced the mischief perpetrated on the life-buoy and line previously owned by the old bathing club. tin tWe motion of Cr. Carter, seconded by Cr. Ahier, tin; letter was referred to the Harbour Hoard, which has control of the foreshore; and Mr lladdrell will be informed accordingly. A letter will be sent, thanking Messrs Bennett and While for their promptitude und pluck in rescuing Mr (i. lladdrell from the surf, and a copy will be addressed to the Koyal Illumine. Society. Air J. J<\ Hooker asked that lit. he given access to his sample rooms in King [Street.—lteferred to the Kngineer. Inspector Stohr reported that he had obtained signatures re drainage connections from Brougham to Kobe Street. Billiard-rooms were being properly conducted. Action had been taken against horse-ow-ners for driving horses loose in the streets. He had given notice to owners of hilliard-rooms that rooms must be closed at ten o'clock.

The report was adopted. The Aluyor notified that in future the engineers i'e|iorts would be considered at the works committee meetings. Tlio Mayor recommended, on behalf of the committee thai the express sfand remain as at present until Ariki Street is completed,, when it will he recommended to the Council to construct u shelter for expressmen in that street and lix that as an express stand. It was decided that the question he considered on the completion of Ariki Street. The Mayor moved thut the report of the Works Committee he adopted. Cr. Clifl seconded. Cr. Collis objected to the recommendation that the Fiu.roy residents he allowed free use of borough water supply in case of fire. Fitaroy would never join the borough if they would get till borough facilities for nothing. lie moved the deletion of clause 17. Cr. Carter seconded, suggesting that the matter he referred back to the Works Committee. Cr. Collis agreed. The council had no right to give them free water. The Mayor remarked that tlft granting of this privilege would lie a gain to the council, as it would encourage the Fitzroy people to use the water supply, ile took

the opposite view to Cr, Collis. Cr. Clill thought it would he a pity to delete the clause. A lire brigade there would he of benefit lo the east end of the borough. They would use very little waterperhaps once a mouth—and besides they paid five per cent, more for their wuter Hum did Hie burgesses Cr. Collis said the brigade would use u good deal of water in pracliccs. Would the council give the Fitzmy people electric light, and power free V The council was giving for nothing what the burgesses | hud to puy for. The. amendment was lost on n division :~-Ayes : Crs Krooking, Collis Carter and Ahier. Noes : Crs Wood, Clifl, Medley, Wilson, and the Mavor! The report was then adopted. The Reserves Committee's recommendations were adopted as under : " That the letter from the borough solicitors re Ngaire Iteserve be referred back to them to report deI finitely what, compensation was leeched from the (lovernmenl bv the lessees lor land taken bv the Toko railway ; that, Ihe coimcil'visil the Nguire Kescrve on (iood Friday ; that consideration of Mr Kingdon's oiler (o sell his interest in Western I'nrk selections be deferred until the committee visit the purk ■ that Mr W. (!. Jteale be informed that the committee will meet him at the Western Park at y.JIO p.m. on Thursday next." The Mayor brought up the question of abattoirs. The council had adopted a scalo of killing charges (already published.) flaring Monday the Works Committee had met the butchers, and it now appeared that the charges might he reduced to 5s 3d per head for large cattle, Is <Jd for calves, Is 2d for sheep und lambs, 3s (id for pigs, 4d for cleaning tripes, and 4d per set for trotters and calves' heads. Tho butchers now guaranteed thut larger numbers of cattle were being killed than was represented to the Town Clerk, and on which figures the council's charges were lixed. The butchers had approachMr Oilruth on the matter. 'lhe Mayor said he could not blame the committee for putting on the hig,. price for killing cattle, as they computed charges from the butchers' returns to the Slock DepurUnent. lie moved that (he previous motion be rescinded, witii a view to amending the charges ns above recommended. Cr. Carter asked if it were possible lo rescind a motion without giving notice. The -Mayor thought there was nothing to prevent it. Councillors occupied themselves by looking up the rules of debate. Cr. Collis said that llawera " fell in "' by taking butchers' figures, ami he thought Xew llyniouth intended 10, and should, stick to Government, figures. Tho Mayor said the butchers explained the discrepancies in figurea by stating that thev paid by 2.-|(J'.s. Tims, if UUi) cattle were killed they would only return 7ol>. The butchers said thev killed lHOt) cattle and 10,400 sheep, but, he had reduced (hiwc figures to 17H(i and 10,(100 respectively. The Mayor considered that the farmers would be prevented from killing pigi, and supplying to (he bufchers. (Here a lynx-eyed councillor discovered in rule :iH 1 (hat which they wanted lo know on the matter of rescinding motions, providing unlive days' nolice.) The Mayor withdrew his motion und it. was divided to hold a special meeting on Tuesday morning lor the purpose of rescinding tile motion now on the niiimles. and moving in the direction of fixing new fees.

Cr. (inrfiT staled Unit he did not want Id liaiif' llii' matter 11{i ;il was iiiiliortiiiit. (o ilo I ho thing priiperlv. 'l'lm Mayor : I quite see thai. ' r iliil not. know (ho council had u lulling- in thin null lor. The tender 01 Messrs T. While and Co., at lis »d por chain lor fencing at, abattoir silo, ami :)()s por chain lir Iho crusher, was accepted. The engineer reported having ordered the material. The. engineer recommended that the iilllce at the abattoir lie limil and furnished, lie had obtained offers for extending (lie concrete in the yards anil for other works. He would t;eo to the renovating of the yards. The. engineer will bring dmvn („ Hie works committee plans and specifications for lifting the manager's olliec at. the abattoirs, and for tJuerection of a stable. Sir Crnyling's ( i/Ter (o do concrete work for £i) l(i s was accepted. I'rs. Itrowno and Wilson wore appointed to tliß sewerage committee J he Town Clerk slated that the guarantors had not refunded money lor work on Standlsh's Hill ]\| r ttobstor was now collecting.-Thov will be called on to pay forthwith.' Of, Collis moved that applications be called tot the position of assist-

ant at the waterworks.—Seconded by (Jr. Airier and carried, Or, Oarler suggested Hint a noticeboard should be erected at the east end bathing shed to give warning tti bathers of the dangerous under-cur-rent there, lie moved thai this hu done. (Jr. Collis seconded, and tlie motion wtis carried. Or. Carter asked his Worship if it was his intention to contest the .Mayoralty at life furthcoming ulec--1 lion, lie thought that ul the pre- ; Kent juncture, in tile lace of the U'e- ! sent public works of such magnitude, iit would be inadvisable fur the burgesses to uppoint anyone who hud . not a linn grasp of municipal 11 n-

Crs. Wood mid ISrooking upoku in tile vein that they would be pleased lo see Mr Cock ugubi in the lists. Cr. Collin though! it would be inadvisable to make any further change., in the personnel of the council or the ...a,, or, especially the latter. Mr 1.0.k .s;iid that he was pleased at the remarks of councillors, llur-In-g lire (iii.st six months he had hutl lo work hard. The next Verm would be easier than the past one, ami things were now going very satisfactorily. One thing that had been remedied was that the Imrough foreman now took'his orders from the engineer instead of from the Mayor us chuirmun of the works committee. He remarked that there were now only three of the original councillors who were elected a year ago. This was unfortunate, as they had I mil to be initiated, and several petty inn! lers had been brought up ami Vhrusheil over again, lie had decided not to stand again, but would consult. Airs Cock, to whom he had stated lie had hud enough of the Mayoralty, lie might mention that Mrs Cock had been of the greatest assistance lo him in his ollicial capacity. With regard to the XIOIJ per annum honorarium that had not covered his expenses, which hud umounted lo JLMI :S 7s tid, and he lielieveil another £1(1 had yet; to be paid out. He heartily thanked councillors for their kind expressions.

Cr Worn! moved tlviit an additional £ls l>e. spent in beach protection works near the east entl bathing b-iit'd. Cr. CHII seconded. Cr. Carter said that this money must eonie out of the £IOO put on tile cstlniutes lor foreshore jirotection, Cr. Brooking would rather wait uwhile until he could nee what wus the state of the finances ut the end ol' the year. The motion was withdrawn, and the works committee will view the site and tile ell'ect of previous works. The committee set up to report on the application of Mr Spencer, the late engineer, for a testimonial, recommended that a testimonial be granted, mentioning particularly the aluittoirs, bridges, etc., the druinugc and gravitation water supply scheme and the uniform correctness of Mr Spencer's estimates. Cr. .Medley moved, uml Cr. Wood | seconded us an amendment, lliut before adoption this testimonial be submitted to the borough solicitors for their report. Tlie amendment was carried.

On the recomiuamlution of the engineer tlie road near the abattoirs and the ground mound tlie building will be metalled forthwith. It was decided that in future the works committee's reports be acted upon without being confirmed by the Council in full meeting. Cr, Wood moved his motion, of which notice hud liuini given, thai bullock drays lie only licensed on payment of £:•() per annum. Cr. llmokmg swoiwli.il pro forma. Cr. Collis, whilst, agreeing with the principle, considerud the.fee excessive. His Worship said if would affect Hid council's melal carting contracts. The motion was lost, Cr. Curler gave notice to move ut next meeting that in council meetings no new business tie taken ufter ten o'clock. Tlio Council rose.