BOROUGH COUNCIL COMMITTEES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9083, 7 May 1908, Page 5

BOROUGH COUNCIL COMMITTEES.

A RECONSTRUCTION.

SOME IMPORTANT CHANGES!

The Masterton Borough Counqil discussed the subject of recasting its committeas last evening. Bis Worship the Mayor (Mr P. L. Boilings) said it was necessary under the Act that the committees for the year should be appointed, and he suggested U the Council that in future there be only three committees in the Council, as Works and Finance Committee, a Gas atd Abattoir Committee, and a Park and Library Committee. He lormally moved that these committees be set up.

Crs Morris and J. C. Ewingtom ' supported the motion. Cr Prentice said he was opposed to the Mayor's idea, and, instead, favoured the splitting up of the Council work between two committees—one to consist of the whole council, and to do all the work of the Council with the exception of the work to te done by the other committee, to be the Gas Committee. Cr Pauling said he favoured this course too. The gasworks, it was conceded, were justly entitled to be saparately treated from the other branches of borough wcrk. He moved as an amendment that the Council constitute itsalf a Works, Finance, Abattoir and Gas Committee, and that a separate Gas Committee Le set up. Cr Prentice seconded. Cr Haughey favoured the amend-, ment. He believed in' grouping the Works, Committees of the Council with the Finance Committee, as last year it had been exemplified that the separation of the latter committee had not been thoroughly satisfaetorv. Cr Elliott said he was not opposed to' either scheme. The only thing was that the Gas Committee under the amendment would have double the work of other committees. He suggested dividing the work. Cr Pragnell supported the amendment. Cr Hunter put in a plea for the officers of the Council, considering that the lessening of the number of > committees would mean fewer night meetings and night work. V The Mayor said it appeared from the general remarks that there was really not much at issue. It was really only a Question of wW the. Works Committee would include. He suggested tne framing or a motion to make the Council a committi e as a whole for all work except the Gas and Library departments, the latter to be in the hands of a separate committee.

This suggestion as adopted unanimously. Cr Prentice movad that the Cotfncil as a committee meet every alternate Tuesday afternoon between the oroinary meeting s. The Mayor seconded. A discussion ensued over this, and it was eventually decided on division in favour of the motion, Crs Yarx% Morris and Haughey opposing it.

WORKS COMMITTEE. The Works Committo." n»l; m Tuesday night, when the ActingTown o'lerk reportcu tuat lue expenditure on the extension of the intake at the waterworks was ~"23 p , of which amount £l6O had bun spent in wages and the rimaining ,£7(3 in procuring material. The works contemplated in Mr LiinfMeason's estimate of £3OO had not been completed. The Acting-Town Clerk also reported on the works in progress and (completed in the borough as follows: The work of kerbing, "channelling, and footbath formation in Bentley Street is proceeding. The whole of the kerb is in position, and at least one-half of the path formation has been prepared. Donald Street is to all intents and purposes completed. The foo,tpath construction, kerbing and channelling of Queen Street South is proceeding southwards. So far I have arranged any matters of difference with the adjoining occupiers and owners. In my opinion it is advisable to suspend any further operations in the direction of, tar ma- v cadamising Queen Street until more settled weather obtains. I'propose to treat Queen Street northwards with macadam, and Queen Street south to the extent authorised, as was done in the caso of Chapei Street. The road, when finished, will have a surface smooth and clean, and will remove the grounds of complaint as to the muddy condition of the street. When suitable weather conditions obtain, the surface can then be treated,with a thin coating of tar macadam. Sto«e crushing is going on as formerly, as is also the*, preparation a stock of tar macadam. Cornwall Street footpath is well on towards completion. The extension of the sewerage of Cornwall Street is to all intonts and purposes completed. I propose next week to get on with Makora Road extension and several other matters which have been referred to me. Accounts to the amount of £426 4s 7d were passed for payment.