CAMBRIDGE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 260, 17 March 1898, Page 4

CAMBRIDGE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The adjourned monthly meeting of the above Council was held on Tuesday evening, at 7.30 pm. There were present: His Worship the Mayor (Mr Bach), and Crs. T. Wells, G. E. Clark, R. Davies, C.W.Arnold, W. H. Wright and J. Howe. The Government Valuation. A list of the valuations made ly the Government of the Borough was received ; also a communication stating that the roll would be received by the next post, and that it was to be exhibited, during effice hours, until the 21st instant. It also asked that all errors and omissions should be corrected to save the time of the local body and the department. The Hawke's Bay Flood RelikiFund.—The Executive Committee's report cf the transactions in connection with this fund was received. It was quite a voluminous document, and showed that no less than £17,056 2s 3d had been dealt with. A Watsr Supply.— Mr J. R. S. Ric hardson wrote : " I have the honour to request that you will grant me permission to lay small iron pipes at the side of Grosvenor, King and Bowen Streets, to convey water to my house from a neighbouring well."—The Mayor was pleased to see that someone was taking the water supply business into their own hands. Mr Richardson had asked if he would have to put the pipes at a certain depth, but he (the Mayor) presumed the applicant would mind they were put at a sufficient depth to be safe from injury.— The request was then granted. A Neav Stkeet. —Mr T. Nixon wrote : I teg to call your attention to the fence across the street leading from Clare to Williams-streets. It would be convenient to myself and others if the said fence was removed and the gorse cut down and put iu the hollow as fascines. The street would then be passable for cattle all the year round. I think a man would do it in three days.—lt was pointed out that the street would shorten the road to Mr Nixou's paddock, and that even if the Council did not open the road, anyone had the right to remove any obstructions from the lino of the street.— The matter was left in the hands of the West Ward Committee to attend to, with power to act. A Water Supply for the Borocgh.— The following petition was received from Mr William Rout and forty-seven otherratepayers of the Borough : We, the undersigned, desire that your body should take some action in providing a water supply to the town of Cambridge, which it is plain to all, is at the mercy of any fire when it once starts, there being no supply to check its ravages. We believe the cost is within the ability of the people to arrange. We understand the supply can be secured handy and be distributed over the town for something like £2OOO, the interest on which sum should be within the means of the residents of the neighbourhood to pay without inconvenience. "We therefore neg that you will take this matter into your consideration at once with a view to prompt action.— The Mayor said many had sigutd the petition without considering ways and means. He had looked up the Municipal Corporations Act to find out how the Council would have to proceed, and he found they would have to formulate a scheme and then publish, once in each week for four consecutive weeks, the work to be tlonc and the sum proposed to borrow. Then to obtain a loan, a majority of the total number of burgesses on the roll must vote iu favour of it, and, further, such majority must contain more than half of the total number of votes of the whole of the ratepayers. That, he was afraid, would kill any Bcheme as far as Cambridge was concerned, for the limit of their borrowing power was about £B4O. Rates could be levied upon all lands and buildings, to which water was supplied, to the extent of 10s per year, if the rateable value did not exceed £l2 10s. After that the proportion would be : Not exceeding £IOO 7 per cent. ; £2OO, 6 per cent. ; £3OO, 5 per cent. ; and all over that amount, 4 per cent. Again, those who lived 100 yards or over from the main supply could only be charged half the rate, and stores and warehouses 2h per cent, on the rateable value. He was in favour of a supply being obtained if it could be done at a reasonable cost, and he thought a committee should be appointed to oonfer with those who had got up the petition and enquire further into the matter. Mr Rout had said to him that if they had the will a way would be found, but he did not see how the Council could obtain £2OOO without auy security.— Mr Wells said if it were iu the interests of the town they could get a special Act to borrow the meney. Perhaps Mr Rout would lend it. The matter of a water supply was not new, for years ago they had obtained the opinion of Mr Errington, engineer for some of the most important waterworks in the colony, iu addition to that of their local engineer, and the records were still in the possession of the Council. As far as he could recollect, two schemes were proposed—one to bring the water from Maungakawa, which would give a good pressure, at a cost of £IB,OOO, and the other to have two rams at Moon's Falls and lift the water into a concrete reservoir to be built in Victoria Square and coverall in ; it would hold 300,000 gallons and would cost about £3OOO. The latter would supply the town from the English Church to the brow of the Duke-street hill There would not be any force, and at the time it was stated it woulel have to be obtained by a manual fire engine, at a cost of about £4OO in addition to the above amount.—After rome further discussion, Or. Wcllj moved: " That a committee be appointed to confer with the petitioners end bring up a report at a future meeting of the Council. The committee to consist of the Mayor, Crs. Davies, Clark, Wright and the mover."—The motion was seconded by Cr. Arnold and unanimously agreed to. Finance,—Overdraft at 11th February, £7l) lis Sd ; accounts since paid, £3l 9s 6d ; amount lodged, £74 7s 8d ; present overdraft, £35 13s 6d ; accounts to pass, £63 17s Gd ; overdraft when accounts are paid, £97 lis. Accounts. —The following is a list of the accounts passed for payment :—H. Preece, £6 12s ; C. Crouch, £l6 Is 3d ; "Waikato Hospital Board, £2o 13s; H. Turnbull, 5s 6d ; W. Souter and Co., £8 2s 7d ; audit fees, £1; P. Fogarty, 3s 2d; J. McNeish sa; W. S. Evans, 7s 6d ; T. llartly, £2 2s Gd ; E. Porter and Co., £3 s*. Works.—The works report did not contain anything of importance.—Cr. Ho>ve spoke of the necessity of forming a road to the residence of Messrs McCrca and Young.—The Mayor undertook to attend to the matter forthwith. Keruinus. —Cr. Howe drew attention to the bad state of the kerbings in lower Duke-street. Cr. Wells thought the Council sho'ild ascertain the cost of putting in concrete kerbings, for he believed they could Le put in at a cost exceeding little, if any, that of kauri.—The suggestion was considered a good one, and a commit'eu consisting of the Mayor and Cr. Wells was appointed to ascertain the cost of concrete kerbing, and the best method of erecting same. Advertising ey Photograph.— The Mayor reported one of the advertising frames had teen completed and it gave every sa'isfactiou. Holidays.—The Mayor said several individuals had been to him asking to have St. Patrick's Day declared a whole holiday. He would like it to be understood, and he would be glad if the l'rc3S would give the ma tcr publicity, that it was beyond the power of the Mayor to alter the holidays unless the whole of the storekeepers were willing. A'l he coukl do was to invite the people to join iu making certain days holidays.