MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 849, 18 August 1881, Page 2

MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

MKS MOKENZIES GRAVEL PIT. With regard to Mrs McKenzie's gravel pit—whioh the Coiinoil had acquired, and was paying 7 per cent, interest on the ■purohasemoney—the_Comrnittee reported that their agreement dlKpt "appear to be of any value,~atid'i - since acquired the land, and informed .them that lie puldjot'giVe'ady'written'igree" •merit jto the Council, 1 tut'didnot wish U 'diitufVita posaession of the'gravel pit/if interest , be paid, ,oh 'the balance of the ' purchase' mtinef to him at 10 per cent, per annum. jThe Committee recommended the* Council not to pay the 10 per ' cent.,:asunconsidered that Mr Renall,. an a party on' behalf of the Borough, to the original agreement witf "Xr« McKenzie. fought to' hare interests of; the Counoil ■ pro subsequentJwnsaptjoh;\ 'j\ it should be eighty. Who says' that I hare acquired r the, title "to' tKe laiidjfeThat'a more than anyone 1 can say. It s|eniß to me that this appointed to rake up'grie'vances.' No oilei hat attempted to upset the agreement. The estate ii not vested in the mother,.but inthe son,: who told me that he would ratify his f " mother's agreement if 10 percent, was paid. ' .v* ! The Clerk explained that the ? per cent was correct. : ' , Cr Gapper asjted if any. of tjio'principal iha'tl beeii paid ?/ i Cr Biah stated that i 25 had been paid, but; .now, it appeared tho agreement wai utterly useless. ;

(The, Mayor—No one-is interfering with 'the Agreement but yourselves. Cr Vile—Why should we lose the land after paying 125 for it! Why not acquir# the fee simple, which we can compel the partieß to give if, we pay up the interest ? This would end all-dispute.; ; The Mayor—The Co'uucil' is"raising a lot of difficulty, and are kicking up all the row. You have violated your agreement by not paying your interest. No one is interfering with you. " "Cr thjs js^qfthp'thm^--^: '-The porp.dftyoffwapt'? Cr Perry—We want "a Or Bish—Oould Mr McKenzie prevent the Council using the pit ? ' The Mayorloould not say that. It wai quite understriod at the time "that tHe sbif,_ and not the mitjh'er, . Was 'the principal in ' Tjt'e flier)} t)erp fead the agreement, by whiplf Mrs •&: jtjound herself, her'heirßj, e^c,utors ( rtnd 'as'sigjis (fo' ielf the pjoce of lan<} tp' the Borbughj £2 $% be paid a? ft dpposit. and' f per ißterpst to bp pijid on t!)e balpce, j?ivg years was allowed for thp payippnt, bqt the Council had the power to pay off {he whole by giving three, months' notice, The signature of Mrs M'eKenzle was not attested, nor was the stamp cancelled. The Mayor explained tliat it wai not nepeasarv to witness the signature, as it was Dflf dlspuffid j b«t (p tjija pang j| woiild'We lieen better to jiayef as It might tl tap 1 !) t e'tf wb ?n tji 0 'par tie I had passed away:-.'„•.' J •>* [An argument here took place between'Or Bish'and the' Mayor, but'as the latter ypjfld not give the former a chance lo speak a sentence fpterroptjra, it was almost impossible 'to report.]' The am.'not' going to' interfere in ( present; arrangements: My arrangejjipnts wjth 'Mr MpKenzje are m>i complete, £iiji I am flot 111 a ppsitioi-tq doso. ■ " . ; ' ' . 11 Cr Biah—This js quite different tft \yhatyqu sajfl to fho Ptimniittee. ' The Jlayof—Tl)e Po'ijiinittje' J)a(} no right to inquire into ijiy priyatp'ajfairii. Cr Perry-You told, ua 'the land had fallen into your hands,'.. The Mayor-I did not say any thing of thp 3ort_. ' : '' ' ■ ,Or Perry—You said as much. ' Cr Dixon thqught dped was no good, and the Council wonlq lose -wh«t they had paid, ■ . . The Mayor—We, would lose nothing, for we have already, had .the .value in gravel.

Or Vile arose, and after the Mayorhad made a fow remarks while he w»s standing, moyed that the amount of due be tpndefeij to Mr R. McKeijzie, and the npceaaai'y legal' transfer prepinic} to enable the ; Council to coniplate: purchase. This would settle the qbontion whether they had a claim.or not, , The Mayor (who had been reading tha agreement ; diirmg Or Vila's speech)— , What is it you wish Cr Vile ? 2 'Or yil? repeated |us resolution, which f Or Bufcselj seoomje'd," i " : ;: I; Or Biflh'-Mr JlcKcide might take t(i« • interest and still laugh at tlie Council. " j The Mayor—That would be a dangerous 1 plan to try, Mr McKenzie has not thefe? simple- ft '« !)1 fjso mialeadinf? £hd ■ Council, the fee simple is in my ha«c(o. The best tiling' the'"(Jouncil : cfin do it td i let things remain as tfi'ey are tjH"in'ier.' feted with. •' " L ' r ' Or (Jap'iipr moyed a? ap ■That the interost be tendered/ andr the three months' notice given that the Council will pay the'principal as ; provided by the agreement... The Mayor-I can tell you this ipcl|— the interest pn't bp acc«ptjj<]. , Or Gappprt-I think you ftfe pcoupyi ng a. somewhat aqoiqaloij? position your Worship.—— • The enough no doubt.' Or Gapper-You are here as a'publio servant, dealing with public moneys, 'and as a private: party protecting your, own rinhts. . The Mayor-The Council agreed to'pay 1Q per qent, and w wisljec} to go back. You tjie agpeemgnt. ,There was no formal'resolptiini' hilt 'tjiQ lO'p'Ji cent wa» assentpd tp by t)ip Coujjojj;' ■ Or Bish seconded the snipnd'nunt, which he thought completely in with the agreement. He did not remember any resolution assenting cent, Cp Di*on lpovgd a? a further the matter stand QTor for a_. month. ...... < A Or Bentley seoonded. He from the.sefitiments expressed by 1 the Chairman that it was pretty plain they would loae the money they had p'aid and the pit as well— The Mayor-The pouncil ara only making a afy) putting ideas folp people's heads 1 tlieV vvould Viot haU thought (if, ' ' 1 i ; 1 ■ Or Bentley proceeded—J can see plainly the drift of the Mayor's remarks, ' How did he know the interest would not be aoceptedT [The Mayor aguin interrupted, and Or Bentley sat down.] ' ' Or Russell—l helped to measure off the land,—[The Mfcyor—And a pretty job you made of it,]—and I think we have had (Jiorp what, we have for already. . ;■< Thellayor— 1 1' he agreementis no good, as the interest has not been' pafd, Yoij might offer it, but J dp not thinif it ffo\)l4 be accepted,Or Bentley—The Mayor said pesitively that' Mrs McKenzio would not receive the money; ;I, . . ; 'i; " ■ ' The Mayor—l Said nothing of the sort, leaid ih my .opinion. . ' ~~ Cr Bentley—You certainly did say it. Thetfayor— Bucli language :3ir j! yhi\tlisayfand;what you think j sat are as diMent as'tiight'froni day. I ■ Or l^l; , enough to ui-diißtand a few th ugi— The Mayor—You are creating all tht difficulty. ' There is no need to alter present arrangements,

•Cr Bentley—lwm not on the Oounoil the time- > r >.• The Mayor—l think not as you don't Mem to knojv much about it. Or sat down. v asked if''then'tins a minute • • wittr'eforerice to the resolution re the ! 10 per. cent, charge. »" 1 TlieMayor—lt ,\Vaa assented toby the Council, VI did not take a formal resolution. " " '' / Cr Gapper stated he did not remember C . anything of the kiud. This was the first he had heard of it,. • Cr Perry said it was the first he had ; I\eard.of it.' , tfhe Mayor—lt was assented to, Cr Gappor-The doouinont was left toMr Renall to prepare—[The Mayor: It was not, it is not in my handwriting]—and he ■ undertook to get the signature of Mrs to it —- Mayor—Nothing of the sort, After more assertion .arid contradic,,.tion,Cr Gapper left the Council Chambers Baying as ho went, that like other things, it had been left to the Mayor and pot carried out, aud he could not Btand having the lie given to him by any one. The Mayor—l did not give you the lie, . (Jr Gapper—You did, sir j you humbug everything you undertake. '• Tie Mayor.—You are stating .what is ' not true. Cr Bish - then tried to speak, but tl|e . Mayor had got a full head of steam pp. and Cr Bisli had to sit down till he had finished another speech in , which be , again stated the deed was Utterly worthless, Cr Pixon thought that tho- agreement . was no good, but what the committee wanted, was to get one that was legal. Cr liuasell wished to withdraw his . seoonding of the motion, Tho Mayor ruled he could not do so. Cr Vile submitted the motion was ntrietly within the agreement aud would test tho case. The Mayor—We knew the agreement was no good from the first. MrsMcKonzie had no right to sell a single oartload of the gravel, but it was understood her son would ratify tho agreement. As Mrs JlpJKenzie had to pay 10 per cent, interest and her son the ciinio, they thought it jru onfy fair tjiut they gjioufd get ten per . cept, ■' _ 1 ; ' • r 'After a little discussion, Or Dixon's amendment that the matter be adjourned for a mouth, was put. On a division, the Ayes were the • Mayor Crs Russell, Belitley and Dixon. Noes-Crs Bish, Vile and Perry, ' The Mayot stated he tyas very sorry his'ftieiid Cr'Gappdjr hkd goile out. Each |ere entitled to thejr own opinions, and , ())prg W 89 !1«N tP go to siiu)} extremes,

ALBERTSIRfIET, Or Bentley stated the Works Committee had deemed it advisable to form and metal this street, and make footpaths, and he had obtained a promise from all • the owners of properly (esfiipt two who Where absentees), to contribute £1 per , ohain toprdi l(s post, ppc| had the bjealfurp to lay the list op the table,' ' l Thi mattor was left to' the Works' Oomrnltteo to 1 report further upon. MB beetiiam's action at the lati county MEETING. !J)hp Mayor reiifl ijti extract from the Daisy's report of the above, and expressed the opinion that it was a mistake. He moved that a copy of the paper be sent to "vMr Beetham, and his attention drawn to \jhe rppfjrt, aim asking that he ppuld ex- . ,plain the matter. He thought it ps one pf those things into which flit Press had dragged them by reporting things that djd pot tajte place. @r Yjle staipd Mr Iketham mjght |)ave bpep misled by q ietfter from thpir Totfn p|srk,apd a misuiiderstauding thus arisen. Tj]s Clerk explained that he had been . jq coißlflUiiiSiition (villi Mr fieetham Wll reference to amendments jn the Municipal Corporations Act, and one of the points touched upon was the river. A misunderstanding might (hut hare arisen. Or Yile held that it was very easy to . see how the matter had occurred: it arose from a communication by the Town Clerk. The Mayor said it might be a mistake , in the report j but what the Towr Clefk (lid was «n own responsibility. ■" Qf Yileheld that ivhiit' tli'e Clerk did in course of his' duties wag frbm Ihp. poqnpil, : . ' ' The Mayor held it was not so,' The Town Clerk said it was not reported the Bamo in the other paper. • The Mayor had been told by' a friond who'was 'present that Mr Beetham liiid tfot said anything of the kind, " tCllo n)o[ioi) then put and carried. . 1 ! ' 1 BANSISTBR'SifIiISET, l ' pr Bish dreir attention to the fact that it would'ho beat to make the footpath jilongMr McCar.thyß pide of tj|e B|ree|, g|j it woijld' interfere with traflic on tht) otjj'er kido-* '' "* " 'WORKS COMinilEß. gr Bentley garo notice that |ip wpqld U)Pfe at ijext npxt meeting—That it is desirable to appoint another member of the Works Committee, in room of Cr McCardle, resigned. Tho Council then adjourned.