BOROUGH COUNCIL

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10630, 8 May 1912, Page 5

BOROUGH COUNCIL

ORDINARY MEETING. The first -ordhia,ry meeting of tho Masterton Borough Council, since tho May-oral- electron, was lu-ld last evening, there oeiii.jg present.,— The Mayor . -elect (Mr J, M. Ccrndtae), and Crs. ' H. J. O'Leary, J. IfiHoit;, *'. W. Temple, W. Candy, W. Prague!!., J. C. Eiivington, J. P. Prentice and A. Eonaid. The Mayor-elect and Or .E. Flanagan took the oath of office. Mr Coradine, in referring .'to his return a.3 Mayor of. the .Borough, said thai it wouid gjive him pleasure to work in. the best interests of the town., and do everything in 'his power towards this end. In extending a welcome to Or F'lanagan, he hoped that the time the new. woumcillor spent in* rthe Council would ibe a time of profit to himself and to the Borough of Masterton. An, application for a billiard room license was received and granted. Cr. Temple moved that a report he broughtbefore the Cuiiricil in reference to'"?ne conduct of a certain billiard! room.— Carried. A ratepayer wrote asking the Council to authorise the breaking of the' kerb, to enable the applicant to drive ' in and out of his property.— Declin- j ed.

A.letter wa& received from a house? owner living outside the Bdrough, asking for a -reduction in his water-rate, as the house in question was without a- tenant. — Declinea. The Palmerston .North Chamber of Commerce wrote ;;;i reference to the Defence Act, and asked the Council to endorse the resolution of the Chamber to the effect,(that all local bodies (should aesist as much as possible in itihe carrying into effect, of the Defence Act, ~ ,

It was. decided to receive the com>miwrication. A letter was rereived from the Wairarapa Amateur Athletic Society, asking for a reduction in the charge made for the Park on Easter Monday. —4Hli*b Wlorabip the Mayor moved that the- application/ for a reduction be granted.— Carried. A. comjmiunii,oati!on was received from iShe Wairarapa HosputaQ and Oliaritolbte Aid Board, in reference to the appointment £if delegates to represent the. combined local'■authorities' of*the district, at.the proposed confrere nee on .the Local Government Bill,' to'commence in .Wellington on 21st prox. . The Mayer and Or Eiwiington were appointed to represent the Borough. An appiiJcatiicn was received from the custodian of the jr/üblic library, asking for an increase in salary.— Granted.

'A : '•• tition wais received from the- residents of Dlixon Street North in - reference to the trees growing around 1 the Mastercon Park, stating that .the size of the trees \prevented the sun from getting to certain properties, and so reducing their letting vahile. f T.tj was -decided to authorise the caretaker and the Borough Engineer ito ember upon a thinning out policy, which .should' meet the present requirements, as it was generally considered itihat it would not be advi'sable t6 out down all the trees at once. It' was decided to l.ea've over till next .meeting the question c-f eisitjjmates c'n connection, wlith the Hospital and Obaritiable Aid Board.-"-'A •communication, received by the manager cf the Borough Gasworks in. ireference to the raising of the price of cca'l, was placed before the Council.

Or O'Leary eaid that he would be sorry to see the Council' enter into any competition cf the kind. The Gas Manager, when questioned on the matter, explained that he held fbhe opinion that the coal business was not a very paying one, and he did l not ifavouir the Borough selling «oal at, .all.

Or Bragnell stated that owing to the rise "in coal in Wellington, it was (found necessary for the merchants in fMasterton to raise the price also. It ■was icnly reasonable that the Borough Council should fall into line with the <-oal dealers of the toSvu. It was decided (to leave the matter over till next metien@,.so that mean"wbiilie further information (joiild be \ gained on the subject. The reports of the Borough Engineer, manager of Abattoirs, Poundfkeeper, librarian, and Custodian of (Borough Swimming Baths, were read ttnd adopted. Or Donald gave notice of motion to call! for a, public vote in connection - with holding the .weekly half holiiday on Saturday .instead of Wednesday. Or -Donald stated that the reason of .bringing the' matter ''up at this time was im order ,to give the tradespeople of the town an opportunity to discuss the matter. Or Temple gave notice that at thp hext meeting of the Couracul he would nnove the appointment of a Town beautifying Committee, for the purpose of beautifying various parts of the town. Accounts amounting ,to £1033 4s lid, made up as fetlows: Gas acocumt, £425 6s 10cl, General account £607 18s lid, were passed for payment.