CAMBRIDGE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Waikato Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1593, 27 June 1903, Page 2

CAMBRIDGE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of the above Council was held on Thursday evening, uhen there wero present : —His Worship the Mayor_(Mr T. Wells) and Councillors Arnold, Clark, Davies, Dickinson, Hally, Roberts and Sanders. Another Drinking Fountain. —An account had been received from Meesrs E Porter and Co., for a drinking fountain, which, they stated, had been ordered by the engineer.—lt was evidently a mistake, as no such fountain had been ordered or received. The Water Rate.—Mr W. L. C. Williams wrote re the charge for horses and oows, which is 5s per animal within the Borough. He said he paid the usual water rate for his animals, which he kept in his Domain paddock, where he had the water laid on for their especial benefit, and he did not think the Council could charge 5s each for the animals iu addition, either by law or equity.—The Olerk was instructed to reply that the charge was in accordance with the by law. —The Mayor suid it did seem hard on who had Domain paddocks, of which he was one, but it would not do to interfere with the revenue of the waterworks until they had the whole in good going order. That was tho advice of ail the Corporations where there was a water supply, and similar charges were made in most of them, at all events at the start of the venture. Seating Kink—Mr J. D. Keyes wrote offering 15s per week for the use of the Public Hall as a skating rink, he to find all lights and give up the building any night when it might be required for other purposes —The Mayor said the hall was a white elophaut to the Borough and he wished something could be done with it. —Cr. Dickinson said he believed the hall could be made to pay its way, if properly managed. It w-as wejl known that in years gone by there were certain interests at the Council table which militated against the Public Hall, and virtually ruined it. It was absurd to fix the tariff of the hall at anything like that of the Oddfellow's Hall, and yet it was done. Tho matter was then referred to the Hnll Committee, with power to act. Financial Statement.—Overdraft at 23rd June £296 15s 9d, accounts since paid £127 13s "3d, amounts lodged £32 14s 7d, present overdraft £391 14s sd, accounts to pass £26 19s sd, overdraft when accounts are paid £364 15s. Accounts. The following accounts were passed for payment : —G. Glover £5 18a 4d, H. Preeoe £7 4s, waterworks department £1 lis 3d, freight 9s si, S. MoVeagh 10s 6d, W. K. Carter ss, gas committee 17s 6d, G. W. Veuables £2 10s 6d. Legal and Finance Committee. — This committee reported as follows : High Level Bridge : Since last meeting of the Council, various particulars have been supplied to A. Brittain, for the Cleveland Bridge Company, Ltd., of Darlington, England, to enable him to submit further designs, details, and a firm cash offer for the bridge construction —R« the American Bridge Company —The Australasian agent for this company, Mr Henry L. Jones, is expected in Auckland shortly and will come on to Cambridge for conference with your committee. Conferenoa—A conference consisting of your comir.itte, F. W. Laug, Esq., the member for Waikato, and the chairmen of the Wuipa County Council, Pukefeura and Cambridge Road Boards, was convened to discuss the question ot the erection of the bridge. All supported the erection of a strong iron bridge at the earliest possible date, and that the bridge should he 300. feet long, 16 feet wide in the clear, and to carry 40 tons in any one space. On these matters your committee have no recommendation to make —Fire Prevention : That committee "recommended : (I) ThiU Messrs W Souter and Co. be allowed a trial of the hydrant to water the streets, iu a manner approved by the Council and to its satisfaction ; (2) that the Council allow the consideration of establishing a fire brigade to stand over for the present. —Lighting, electrici y or gas : The committee having considered Mr Wright's report ; also the report of the Cambridge Gas Committee to be read herewith ; your committee eudorse the consideration in the later report and commend its conclusions in clause F to the favourable consideration of the Council. The come mirtee further recommend the Council to thank Mr Wright for his valuable report and assistance to the town iu the soneme and cost of electric installation. The report of the Gas Committee was as follows : Circulars were issued on 7th January last to all householders near proposed lighting area, and to several others interested, setting forth the advaotages of gas for several purposes, and|many expressions of approval were received. Arrangements were in progress for a public meeting on the subject which Mr H Atkinson purposed attending, hut some difficulty arose as to suitable date, and in the meantime various suggestions appeared in the local papers, that favoured electric lighting, and along with them came a proposition from Mr E. G. Wright, Government Electrician of the Thames Sohool of Mines. This gentleman paid Cambridge several visits, and very kindly offered to supply gratis, a report on the feasibility and estimated cost of an Electric Installation for the Borough. In order that householders might have the fullest information obtainable on the important subject,;before being asked to support any soheme, the oommittee accepted Mr Wright's kind offer, and his report) is now before the Borough Counoil. The committee have also obtained information from reliable residents in Stratford and Reef ton, where electric lighting had been in vogue for some years, but their reports are the re>. verse of encouraging-, for in neither place has the venture been a financial success, and opinions differ largely as to the practical benefits of the system as oompared with gas. The gist of the infor*matien the committee have gathered, apart from Mr Wright's report, may be summarised as follows • (a) That the rapid and great improvements being constantly effected in the production and use of gas appear to placi it very far ahead of electricity, in regard to its practical utility and its finanoial success ; (b) that the many uses to which gas has been applied, and its proved efficiency for many domestic purposes, render it eminently adapted for such requirements as ours : (e) that the economical installation of electricity depends very greatly on the pressure of water power readily available ; (d) that the idea of obta nine power from the river is impracticable, thn cost of same being far beyond the value of the power capable of being developed from that source ; (e) from our personal knowledge of tho variableness of the water supply at the mill stream, we are of opinion that it is quite insufficient to depend on j (f) that after carefully considering the information collected, the committee are of opinion that from a financial point of view and from practical requirements (provided » sufficient number of consumers can be found) the advantages of a gas supply should be obtained for our town —The Mayor said they really should do something in tho direction of preventing fires, but at present tho finances would not admit of its being dono.—Cr. Wilkinson said they had the water running hy their doors, and they should certainly do something in the direction of using it if n lire occurred. He moved that the Council purchase a hydrant and 250 ft of hose —Seconded by Mr Arnold, and carr T ed.—Mr Wilkinson said he would undertake to see that the hose and hydrant wero properly looked after, for which he was thanked. Referring to the report of the Gas Committee, the Mayor suid the whole of tl j work had been done by Mr F. J. I, -,r.ks, who had taken an immense i nnt of trouble in getting particulars Mi electrical and gas lighting. It ■y evident that electric lighting iot do for Cambridge, as they

had not sufficient power, and from teeent reports from England it was patent that gas wafl beating electricity everywhere. The Borouuh had as much on hand at the present time as it could manage, but if a private company etirted supplying gas he was sure the Council would grant it every facility, and probably become a customer for lighting the streets.—The report was then appioved and adopted. By-Laws Committee.—ln accordance with notice Liven, Cr. Wilkinson moved that the Mayor, Cr. Hally and the mover be a By-Laws Committee to bring the Borough by-laws thoroughly up to date. He said he would undertake the major portion of the work, and get a quantity of data before asking the others to do anything in the m*tter.—The motion was duly seconded and carried. Cr Wilkinson being thanked for his offer to do the work. Defective Footpaths.—Attention to the bad fetate of several footpaths wan drawn by some of the Councillors, notably the one in Bryca Street, close to the Vicarage, and from Dr. Roberts' corner on Victoria road, to Mr Hally's resideuce.—The Mayor said it had been decided to try what could be done in removing the ridges on the footpaths with a Planet Jr. implement, but it had not h°en dooe —lt was resolved to make a trial forthwith. Victoria Square.—Cr. Roberts said a faw plants of rat-tail grass were growing on Sydney Square.—lt was resolved to get them removed at once. This oonoluded the business.