MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7942, 17 January 1906, Page 5

MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

ORDINARY MEETING, The ordinary meeting of the Masterton Borough Council was held last evening. The Mayor presided, and the other members present, were—Crs E. MoEwen, J. Elliott* F. W. Temple, T. Hoar. W. Morris, J. C, Ewingtoo, E. G. Eton, and J. U, Pauling. Mr H. E. Andrews waited on tbe Council and asked that the drainage be extended »from Chapel Street along Cornwall Street to his residence. He at present had a septio tank, but this was unsatisfactory, especially in the hot weather. Several other residents in the same street also wished tbe drainage to be extended. In answer to a question by Cr Eton, Mr Andrews 'said he would be quite agreeable to meet the Council to any reasonable extent, but he oould not say the same for the other residents.

The Mayor promised that the matter should jbe dealt with, and Mr Andrews informed of the Council's decision as early 'as possible. Messrs J. and W. Cole, representing the Trusteed of Cole's Estate, waited on the Counoil and,v. stated that they bad received a letter from the Town Clerk: conveying the Council's permission to survey proposed roads through tbe estate. This had been done, but about a fortnight later the.; Engineer said that the proposed roads would not suit. This made a difference of six sections, besides a blind road, and the Trustees would like to ,'know their position. • After some dieous sion it was deoided that the Council as a whole visit the site to-morrow afternoon, and meet the Trustees o! the Cole and Renall Estates and finally deal with the question at tbo special meeting on Friday nigbt. A letter was reoeived from tbe Masterton Municipal Brass Band asking'permission to hold a sacred concert in the Town Hall on' Sunday evening next in aid -of tbe Nelson Contest funds. Mr F. Hunn waited on the Council in support of the letter, and stated tlkat it was not the Band's intention to charge at the door, but merely to take ud a collection. The Mayor said there was nothing to prevent the Band holding a concert on Sunday night'provided tbey did not make a charge. A motion to give permission to hold the concert was carried unanimously.- ' ' A petition, signed by twelve residents of Michael Dixon Street, was reoeived asking the Council to ohange the name of the street to either Nelson Street or Curzon Street. The Mayor stated that the Council had already deoided to call the street Miohael Street in honour of the late Michael Dixuh, but Cr Pauling pointed out that the residents objected to the name as in time the street might be colloquially termed "Miokey Street." On a division being taken the Counoil deoided to retain the name of Miohael Street by five votes to four. An application was reoeived from M. Bannister to rent the gravel pit seotion in South Belt. He was prepared to pay rent weekly on a moathly tenancy or act as custodian to tbe gravel pit for the use of the section to graze a horse during the night. The application was granted, conditional upon a rental of one shilling per week. M. Price lodged a complaint regarding the manner in whiQb Sussex Street was made use of as a grazing ground for horses and bows. The letter went on to state that the pound might as well be non-existent, and be hoped that a little more energy would be instilled into the Borough Ranger. The Ranger wrote stating that he had great trouble with people in that street, as they frequently let their oatfcle out on the streets after he had visited tbe locality. He had impounded several animals from that street.- lb was deoided to reply that everything that was possible was done to put down the nuisance.

With regard to the Council's application to tho County Council for permission to erect telephone posts along the road to the abattoir ruuing parallel with the railway line from Kuripuni to the Waingawa, tbe County Counoil replied that tbey offered no objeotion'to the ereotioii nf the proposed line, but as the use of telephone services was now becoming so general it was proposed to frame regulations with a view to providing for additional wires, whiob might from time to time be applied for in; connection with lines along country roads, and; it is understood that the lind how under

disouseion wuuld be subject to hoy regulations which the Council

might decide ' Upon making. The County Eugineer: desired that the line should be erected as close to thi railway boundary as possible, without'of - course interfering with the stability of tho !oue<\ and that caro should bo tivkuu to : leava not leas ihuti aixtoou feet in beinhfc over any private'or public eroesiugH there raight be along tlie lhia. Tue Kugineer reported Hint': llie above oondjtious were bfti'i!.'. cone plied with, and the (Jouruiil un'rood that there were uo 'Objections to l.lio conditions. J. Appcrla.v, hn a letter, complained strongly oi the amount of ■' nibbtab thafc'-w«s being put,into the section Uiijoiaiiig bis property in Church Street. ■' The debris' rotted in the sijii, and if it caught fire he aaked whn ivnnid be responsible if •hia ieuco wove burned down. The Engineer reported, that the matter was being attended to. A .letter was received from (V. 0, Morgau iu connection with the widening of Villa Street. Ho was prepared to .offer, the Council six feet of his frontage for the purpose of a footoath ou the following conditions:—(l) That his front fence be shifted back six feet, and that the gate now on the middle of i the section be shifted to the southeastern corner; (2) that the portion of land thus taken over by the Council be • gravelled and put into order withia two months from date thereof; (3) that all expenses in connection with the alteiations be borue by the Council in lieu of the land required. The offer was accepted on the same conditions as former acquisitions. It wus'pointea i out that the width required to be given for a street was Bft 3in. £. G. Danieil wrote asking for informations the Council would let or sell, and on what terms, the seotion belonging to tbe Council i fronting River Road, and lying between two seotions owned by Mr D. Donald and the writer. The letter was referred to the Park Committee. Ohas G. Monro, architect, 1 wrote in the absence of bis client, Mr P. Hamill, laying before the Council a copy of a letter from the Borough; Engineer,: and stated that he considered it necessary 'to write to the Council, as his client oould not answer them satisfactorily. Tbe following answers were appended to tbe question put by tbe Engineer with regard to Mr Hamill's new building in course of erection in Qieen Street:--(1) It is proposed to use Mr Beard's wall as a party wall, and the height used for party walls above gutters is observed; (2j there are no corbels or bondstones used in the job, and no gil'ders are supported on the overhanging masonry of any descrip tion; (3) Entrance over stairway has conorete lintel with 561b steel rail embedded, as on Perry's building; (i) ThicJcness of:cast-]ron : columns is specified and are six inohos in diameter; (5) all the girders are of rolled steel and not cast-iron, and are bolted to one another with iron plates; (6) wood joists are not joined to the girders, but rest dn .them, and lateral support is had from the end of the joists; (7) owing to the ambiguity of clause 36, which refers to this matter the writer had had a special conversation with Mr Dobson, who said that it was not at all • necessary to build a brick wall in the soffit of tbe stairs. Tbe fact of his demanding this now after tenders had bpen called placed the architect jn - false aud awkward position; (8) the proportions ■of concrete specified were' used by Wellington architects generally, and were 6to 1, 5 to 1 and & to 1. Minor questions were answered. The writer conoluded by stating that be would be obliged if a permit was issued, as the absence of it hampered the contractors in the execution of their duty. The Engineer stated to the Coun- ■ cil that tbe building was being erected contrary to tbe Borough bylaw, and tbe matter was left in bis' bands. ur Tempi 9 brought before • the Council the question of the rate at which motor oars and bicycles yrere. driven through tbe town. . He stated that the practice was becoming abominable, and something would have to be done to regulate the pace. He referred to by-law No. 43, which regulated the paaei at whioh it was allowable to drive vehicles witbin the borough boundary. ; The Mayor Contended that a motor oar oame under the definition of vehicle, and the laws govern- , ing the latter should be binding on the former. . Tbe Elngineer stated that be had Mr Martin's opinion OA the question, and he (Mr Martin) held that the Borough Counoil oould not make any by-law to govern the speed of motor cars or bicycles, and further, that the speed was governed by tbe amount of traffic in the street at tbe time. Or Temple moved, and Cr Morris seoonded, that the police be written to, and asked to take aotion against drivers of motor cars, under by-law No. 43. The motion was carried. It was decided to hold a special meetiog on Friday night, and the Council then adjourned.