BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIX, Issue 8122, 20 April 1906, Page 6

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

COMMITTEE MEETING.

The ordinary meeting of the Masterton Borough Council as a committee of the whole was held last evening. The Mayor, Mr J. A. Kenall, presided, and there were, also, present—Crß J. 11. PaalJng, J. Elliott, F. W. Temple, T. G. Hoar, J. 0. Ewiugton, E. Feist, E. McEwen and W. Morris. At the last meeting of the Council a letter waajj road from the Engineer stating that he had had an offer from the Westport Coal Company offering to enter into a contract with the Council to supply coal for gas purposes at a reduction in the price of Gd per toD. The letter was then referred to the manager of the gasworks for a report. Last evening Mr Blaokmau reported that before any oontract was entered into he would like to have a trial of the Greymouth coal, which ha believed was a good gas-produoug coal. He did not believe in the Council binding themselves to the Westport Company for 12 months, for his experience in ooutraots was if the price of coal went up then the oontract price went up, and in the event of a strike in the mines the contract was severed. The Westport Company were offering the coal to tho Council at a reduction of 6d per con, but he thought that if he could save Is or Is 6d per ton by using Greymouth coal or a mixture of that coal and the Westport coal it would be better. At any rate he would like ahout a month to make a trial of the coals and then report. On the motion of Or Temple, geoonded by Or McEwen, the manager was given power to obtain various kinds of coal to make a test with; and then report to the Council at the end of a month. The question of forming a State Coal Depot in Masterton under municipal control was discussed, and it was the general opinion that more data regarding the proposal should be before the Council. On the motion of Or Pauling, the Mayor and Town Clerk were authorised to visit Wellington and enquire, as to the price that State coal ! uould be delivered in Masterton, ] and other details, and report to a future meeting. Or Morris was added to the subcommittee (Cr Jiiwingtoo and McEwen) already appointed to purchase burses for the water carts and other borough work. The committee were authorised to procure the horses and harness at once, and to dispose of any of the horses already owned by the Counoil that they thonght fit. The plans and specifications for the stop bank on the Waipoua River, between the ends of Queen and Dixon Streets were submitted by the Engineer and passed. It was decided to ask the permission of the Trust Lands Trust to carry out the work. Plans and specifications for a new bridge over the Makora Stream in Cnlomba Road were, also, passed. The Mayor and Ore Pauling and Morris were appointed a committee to meet a committee from the County Counoil to deal with matters pertaining to the old Junction Road on the southern boundary of the Borough, and the Ngawatawa Road, and report to a future meeting of the Counoil. With reference"! to Mr A. P. Ralph's application to have a culvert put in his property in Dixon Street and Mr J. Carpenter's oomplaint that the water in Dixon Street came up over his property, the Engineer was instructed to take the/ levels of the localities, and furnish an estimate of the cost of the work necessary, and report to a future meeting. It was dpoided to erect a new lamp on the west side of Chapel Street near the new street being made adjacont the Masterton Club's property. The Gas Manager was instructed to furnish a report on the extension of the gas mains along Cornwall and Ren all Streets and Hogg Crescent. A motion to extend the drainage along Cornwall Street, as far as the funds of the Counoiil would allow, was negatived on the grounds of insufficiency of funds. It was decided to place before the Premier on his. next visit to Masterton on Monday, the question of closer settlement in the Maaterto* l dintrict, also the question of Betting aside a portion of the Native Bush near the Waipoua River for scenic purposes. The Town Clerk was instructed to write to tho Valuation Department .asking them to complete the new valuation of the borough as soon as (possible.