CAMBRIDGE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Waikato Argus, Volume VI, Issue 408, 11 March 1899, Page 3

CAMBRIDGE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of the above Council was held on Thursday evening, there Iciig present: His Worship tho Mayor (Mr W. F. Buckland), and Crs. Clark, Davis, Carr, Kerr, and Howe. Charitable Aid Trouble.— The Mayor had received the following letter from Mr R. B. Fitzpatrick, who has become noted for trouble with the Charitable Aid Board.—" Dear Sir,—l am compelled much against my inclination to lay before you the unfortunate position in which I am at present placed through the malicious agency of a portion at lease of the Hoapital and Charitable Aid Board, through the gross misrepresentation of your accredited delegate to the Charitable Aid Board (FTarry Ke-r) who has done all in his power to injure me in the estimation of both the Borough Council and tho Charitable Aid Board. Mr Popple has received notice this morning from the secretary of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board not to supply me with rations af er. Thursday 2nd March, 1899. This places me in a most unfortunate arid unpleasant position. Without money, friends, or means of any kind, I am thus forced to apply to you as Chief Magistrate of the district to use your influence and authority, either to obtain for me some light employment or the usual amount of rations allotted by the Board to people in my position. The law prevents me from leaving the district in search of employment without auy adequate means of support, as a few years ago I tried, but was sent back to the district again. I have asked the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board scores of times to find mo some employment, but the invariable answer I received was that they did not keep a labour bureau. las often retorted that if they did nob they should do so, ss it would be the means of lessening pauperism to a great extent by enabling persona to obtain work who were willing and able to do so. All my attempts to obtain permanent work have been totally unavailing. Here am I now- placed that it is impossible by my own unaided exertions to obtain that employment suited to my present position. Without means, or employment, with only one hand and completely stone deaf, I am incapacitated from competing with others in the struggle tor existence. I therefore have no other resource but to apply to you in your capacity as Mayor to see if you can use your iufluenc■•. and authority to remedy this state of things, for unless I can get work or the necessary rationß, starvation stares me in the face, for I will not beg a single meal from any man living. Faithfully youts, R. B. Fitzpatbiok."—With the foregoing was a lengthy effusion from the same writer, addressed to the Mayor and Councillors. It dealt with Mr Fitzpatrick's troubles at considerable length, covering cen sheets of paper, and it was indeed "a tale of woe" in certain parts; but in other portions it livened up considerably and afforded not a little amusement by the terms in which it referred to those whom Mr Fitzpatrick considers his enemies. The members of the Charitable Aid Board it designated as a set of '• loons," "a set of grasping and avaricioub knaves who only use their powers to gratify their own despicable spite in revenge for plain and unmistakable language," and, " a callous set of wretches whose only claim to consideration is that they are invested with a little brief authority on account of their ignorant stupidity." It referred to The Argus as a " ruffianly paper," and wound up by assuring the Council that the writer had not clone with the matter yet, but would do all in his power to make the matter one of public interest by sending copies to as many papers as he could until it received publication or notice from some responsible person.—His Worship said it was not a case in which the Council could interfere with the Charitable Aid Board, The Borough had to provide its quota to keep the needy, but the Charitable Aid Board had the distributing of it. Mr Fitzpatrick had a most unfortunate way of falline foul of those who ' intended'to beTils friends, which was in a great measure due to the infirmity from v hich he suffered (deafiiess).— Cr. Clark stated the members of the Library Committee had asked Mr Fitzpatrick to apologise for some statements he had made acd then they would let him use the reading-room again, but the consequence was that he generally abused them when he met them in the streets.—Cr. Kerr said Fitzpattick had Bent a most insulting letter to the Charitable Aid Board, and it was high time the insulting language was stopped in the streets ; indeed, he intended taking action in the matter.—The Mayor said it was a pity the man could not control his temper, and he quite expected the members of the Council would have a rough time of it when the report of the meeting appeared in the papers. He then moved : That the Charitable Aid Bourd he asked to reconsider the case of R. B. Fitzpatrick on his expressing contrition.—The motion was seconded by Cr. Howe and unanimously agreed to. Balance-sheet. The half-yearly balance-sheet to 30th September, 1898, as received from the Audit Department, was read, and was signed by the Mayor. Works. The Committee reported they had inspected the Karapiro Bridge aud found one of the centre piles was so much out of plumb as to make the structure really dangerous. They recommend that it be attended to forthwith, and also that the fence and Burning at the upper portion of the Duke-street Hill be repaired.- Mr P. Cooper wrote offering to do the necessary repairs to the bridge for £5 10s.—The report of ths Committee was adopted, and Mr Cooper's offer was accepted, the work at the bridge and on the hill to be carried out under the supervision of the Mayor and the Ward member. Financial Statement.—Overdraft at 9th February, £9B 2s ; accounts since paid as passed, £24 6s 6d ; amount lodged, £l6 17s 3d j present overdraft, £lO5 lis 3d.

Accounts.—The following accounts were passed for payment:—H. Preece, £6 12s ;P. Cooper, £1 ; J. Hally, £ll 8s ; H. Turnbull, 3s 7d ; R. Brockeleby, 5s ; J. H. Edwards, £1 10s 6d ; audit fees, £l6sßd; F. O'Toole, £2 3s 8d ; W. Souter and Co., £5 7s 2d j T. Wattam, £1 2s lid. Cemetery.—The Cemetery Committee reported they had inspected the grounds at Hautapu, and were not satisfied with the manner in which the cemetery was kept. They recommended that the contractor be made to comply with the terms of the specification.—The report was adopted, and the Town Clerk was instructed to see that the conditions were complied with.

Trees Roads.— The clerk was instructed to write Mr A. McFarlaue and Archdeacon Willis re some trees growing on their properties which overhang the streets so as to be a nuisance to pedestrians. Shooting Gallery.—The Mayor referred to portions of a shooting gallery that lie on a vacant piece of ground at the corner of Duke-street, and said the owner should remove them for the credit of the town, for they looked very disreputable in their present delapidated state.—lt was pointed out that they were on private property, but His Worship said if the owner would not comply with the request, they could enforce the by-law re discharging fire-arms within the Borough the next time the gallery was used.—The Clerk will write the owner asking him to remove the objectionable paraphernalia. Gravelling. The Clerk was instructed to call tenders, returnable at next meeting, for the gravelling of the Borough for the year ending 30th March 1900. In the meantime the ward members will ascertain what amount of gravel is likely to be required upon the streets this autumn. Victoria Road. -The Mayor thought the Road Board should be approached

re-forming a footpath along the Victoria Road from the Thorough boundary to the Cemetery. At the present there was not a sign of a footpath over having been contemplated, for the road-side was a mass of form and rubbish that prevented anyone walking along it. He thought it attention was called to it i he Road Board would endeavour !o help in the mutter. As it was theie was a good footpath to the boundray of the Borough, and thin pcdestriars had to negotiate a series of pit-falls, dead briars, fern etc. the remainder of the journey to the Cemetery, or otherwise »valk along the dusty road. —Cr. Kerr said the Victoria Road was now one of the worst in the district. • It was resolved to ask the Road Board to form a footpath from the Borough boundary to the Cemetery. Asphalt.—Cr K>rr asked if the Council would be disposed to do anything in the matter of asphalting the footpaths in the main business portions of the town. He would be most willing to pay a share of the cost of having it done opposite his home, and he believed other business people would also bear their share of the expense, if the Council would do the work. The portion of Duke-street that Mr Wells did some two years ago had answered remarkably well. —The Mayor said it was special business and would require notice rf motion being given before it could be brought on.Cr. Kerr stated he did not wish to hurry the matter, and he would n t even give notice of motice regarding it that evening, but he mentioned it in order that the ratepayers might know that the matter would be brought up at a future meeting.—The Clerk was instructed to get all information he could regarding the coßt from the Hamilton Borough Council, who have done a considerable amount of the work, and also the cost of tar at the Hamilton gas works. That conoluded the business.