BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 198, 11 August 1908, Page 4

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The ordinary fortnightly meeting of the Council was held last night. In | the absence of the Mavor, Councillor F. C. Bellriuger (Deputy-Mayor) presided. Other councillors present were—Councillors Boon, Coleman, West, Mills, Morey, Cattley, and Browne.' "LKT THKRK HE LIGHT." Mr. G. 11. Maunder, for the managers of the Baptist Church, asked for additional street lighting in Gill-street at their church. Cr. Cattley said that the street ousht to be better lighted, for the convenience of those attcndiiiL' this church and the Foresters' Hall close by. Cr. Mills thought there was sufficient lighting there now. but the church and hall people could have extra private lighting if they wanted it. There was a street light at the corner. Crs. Boon and Coleman thought the difficulty could lie overcome bv the moving of one light. Cr. Hoon suggested that the electrical engineer might report on this and other similar cases. Cr. Cattley maintained that this was a largely-used piece of street, and one of the darkest in the town. Referred to the Works Committee for a report. A QUESTION OF PRINCIPLE. The Reserves Committee recommended charging live shillings n week to the ambulance classes lor a room in he Town Hall.—Councillor Mills thought the Council should do what it could to assist such a society as this, which was doing a good work in the public interest without charging any fee or membership subscription. He suggested referring tnc clause back to the committee.

Cr. Boon said that the room was practically given free, for the lent proposed would only just about pay for the lighting. Giving a free room would open up a dangerous precedent. Where would it end?

Cr. West said the Council must remember that the room had to be kept clean. The report was adopted. EXTRAORDINARY TRAFFIC. The borough engineer reported that during July extraordinary expenses had been incurred in repairing portions of Peudarves, Liardet, and other streets in the borough by reason of the damage caused to such streets by extraordinary trauie for the beueht of the Oarriuglou Koad Board in the carting of supplies of metal from the depot at F'itzroy to the Carringtoa road district. The total amount was iiti'i 10s. A POINT OF LAW.

Cr. West moved, according to notice, that the a;7UI) allocated for Powdcrham street bridge lie not spent. He considered the money could be belter spent in more concrete kerbiug and channelling and an up-to-date street-watering cart.

Cr. Browne rose to a point of order as to whether Cr. \ycst could move in such a way to alter or rescind the Council's estimates.

The Acting-Mayor ruled that the motion could not be taken. The estimates, duly framed and advertised, must stand, but it was not absolutely compulsory to proceed with the works for which the estimates were made. There was in); thing, either, to prevent Cr. West moving in the direction of purchasing a new water-cart or doing the kcrbing and channelling lie mentioned. The matter dropped. THE RETIRING FOREMAN.

Mr. S. Hooker, borough foreman, wrote refuting the engineer's report read at the last meeting of die Council, lie considering the report to he misleading and contrary to fact. The Council, he wrote, was fully aware that all the streets in the liorough had been under his control and supervision for the past two years, and 'both the Council and the public liad favorably commented on the. fact that the streets had never been kept ill better order, while at the same time the cost of maintenance- had always been kept within the amount voted for their Upkeep. With regard to the men under his control, and stated by the engineer as being "three foremen and four men,'' he might mention that 10 man had acted ah foreman under him. As to the scavengers, it was ineorref't to state that these had been left to themselves, for he had always directed lliein personally ami had a knowledge of where they were -working.—-Kef err ;d to the Works Committee. (iEXKIUL.

.Messrs. Standish and Standish, trustees of the property in Hooker's estate, in Water lane, wrote with reference to Mr. lieal's complaint. If there were any bad drains they were either on the idjoining property or existed only in the complainant's imagination. Some discussion took place concerning the delay of Mr. Herbert, contractor, in returning one of the Council's metal trucks, which was now in Messrs. Okey and Hollo's yards, short, of a couple <tf wheel-caps, which would cost about 30s to replace. The truck had been let to liim at Cl a month. — ll was decided that Mr. Herbert be given seven days in which to return the truck and pay the

amount of hire due to date. The borough engineer was asked to inspect the approaches to the new railway bridges in Cover, Kliot, and llobson streets, it being reported; that there w-.is not sufficient protection for children. W. Beals applied for the position of waterworks engineer. —The application vs.* premature.