MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8379, 13 March 1907, Page 6

MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

WORKS COMMITTEE.

The Works Committee of the Masterton Borough Council met, last evening, there being present—The Deputy-Mayor (Cr E. Feist), Crs J. H. Pauling, J. Elliott, F. ,W. Temple, T. G. Hoar, W. Morris, J. C. Ewington, E. McEwen, and E. G. Eton.

Mr E. J. Rose waited on the Council, on behalf of Mr J. L. Murray, and asked for a permit to build an addition in brick at the rear of the Exchange Buildings. The permit had been previously refused as the by-law required that a building must be 33ft from the centre of the road. He understood that Cricket Street had been exempted from the by-law. The Council decided that Cross Street on the north side, Cricket Street, Club Street, William Street, Masonic Street, and Smith Street on the north side should be exempted from the by-law requiring buildings in these streets to be set back 33ft from the centre of the road. The making of a new by-law in connection with the matter was referred to. the By-laws Committee. It was then decided to grant Mr Murray a permit to proceed with the addition to his building. Mr J. Prentice waited on the meeting in connection with this, contract for repairs to the Druids' Hall. The difficulty, which arose over the reading of a clause" in the specifications, was whether the two offices in the Hall should have both the inside and outside walls' lined. Mr Prentice held that the walls were only to be lined on the inside, but the Engineer had stated that he meant both walls to be lined.

The Council was of opinion that Mr Prentice had read the specifications correctly, and decided to pay him for the contract as carried out by him. Mr W. S. Lett alsowaited on the meeting, and made a complaint that a man in his employ hacf been summoned for laying a water connection on his (Mr Lett's) property. The man had not interfered with the water maiss.

The Engineer stated that the employee was not a certificated man, and the by-law was clear on the point that none but a certificated man should lay any water connection. Several Councillors stated that there had been a number of connections made by uncertificated men and no action had been taken prior to the present case. The Engineer said that every application made to lay a water connection had been signed by a licensed plumber. The facts of the present case were that the application for laying the water to Mr Lett's property had been signed by a licensed plumber. The water had not been taken from the street main, but from a neighbouring property, and when enquiries were made by the Borough officers it was found that the licensed plumber, who had signed the application., was not carrying out the work. A motion, moved by Cr Morris, that no action be taken in the matter, was lost. Eventually it was moved by Cr McEwen the Inspector be instructed to withdraw the summons. The motion was carried on a division, the voting being as follows:—Ayes: Crs Pauling, Temple, Hoar, Ewington and McEwen. Noes: Crs Elliott, Morris, Eton and Feist. The by-law dealing with the matter was then referred to the By-laws Committee for consideration. A letter was received from. Mr J. McKee, suggesting that the Council should purchase a section in Church Street for a gravel pit. The matter was referred to Crs Feist, McEwen and the Engineer to report on. The Engineer was instructed to procure twenty tons of horse feed. ' An application from Mr T. Fielding, custodian of the Fire Brigade Station, for leave of absence was granted, provided he found a substitute during his absence. ' An application from S. Matthew's Vestry for a right-of-way, 10 feet wide, from Church Street behind Mr W. G. Beard's building, was referred to a committee consisting of Crs McEwen and the Engineer. The following tenders were accepted: —Laying water ' mains in South Road, Messrs Lee and Fawkes, £1 6s 6d per chain; York Street, formation and gravelling, Mr McLelland, £99 Hs 6d. '