MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 955, 21 December 1881, Page 2

MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Thk ÜBual was held ,la8t : e B '.'.'• .■ ', PresefevThe Mayor.: and Crs Dixon Vile, JPerrHyQapper; ; Mc'Cardie;' Bish( Pripi/ | ••>■•'• The minutes ofvtho previous meeting were read and oonntmed, ■ '.'■;■ : . ■ \ . '"' Outwards: Sundry letters asking for-iinformation re gasworks to Ohristohuroh, A&hbutton, and J. Rees George'.- '■'.' To Mr Oroad, r notifying .hia.'appointment as Borough Overseer. t . To Clerk of Court, asking for return of fines.' To Comity West re dog-tax. :<; Inwardi:

• From John Robson asking for assistance for removing his wife and family to Newcastle, N.S.W., the change being necessary for the health of. his wife. From G.~ Grasohen, P. Haftka, R. Johnston, E. Johnston, P. Gray, and W, Keeater, asking for the formation and continuation of the Nursery road to the Kuripuni Creek, the estimated dost of the work being 115, From the Town Clerk, Falmerston North, stating that the Borough Council there was quite prepared to take some, steps in the matter of concerted aotion between Local Bodies, and asking for information,. From the, Wairarapa West Couuty Oounoil suggesting that the Borough should join in accepting a tender for dog collars, and enclosing copies of resolution passed at j last meeting, From the' Poundkeeper, giving return of cattle impounded for the there months ending December 16th, 1881, viz.-V largo cattle, 225; small oattlo, 155. From T. S. Clemenshaw, re cost of gasworks. From the Railway Department, stating that the freight on coal wsb 9s a ton, From J. G. Rees, offering a plant for sale. From Ashburton Gas Company, giving particulars of the ooat of gas. DOG-TAX The Mayor: There seems a discrepancy in the Act if a person can go outside the Borough to register, I think 5s is enough for a man to pay for his dog. Cr Vile thought five shillings was enough.

The Town Clerk said there could be no exemption for rabbit dogs within a borough,

Cr McCardle said there were but few doga in the Borough kept for rabbiting. Cr Gapper moved that the charge of registration for 1882 be Bs, Or Vile seconded the resolution, as he saw that it was desirable to work in harmony with the County in the matter, otherwise they would lose fees. The resolution was carried unanimously. Or Russell thought it was hardly worth' while joining in partnership with the County over the supply of dog collars.

On the motion of Or Vile it was decided to inform the County that arrangements were already made for the supply of collars in Masterton,

NURSERY ROAD, ' Or Gapper moved that the application be referred to the Works Committee. Cr 6ish said he inspected the road that day. He thought that if the persons who signed the petition undertook the work at the price named it would be executed very cheaply. Or McCardle said the road lite was a bush swamp which was impassable, He did not see how the work could be done till about February, when the fallen bush would be burnt off. The application was referred to the Works Committee. MR ROBSON's APPLICATION. The Mayor said that he was not aware that the Council had ever given aid of such a character, The present case was he understood a deserving one. Or McCardle suggested that they should supplement any amount given by the Benevolent Sooiety,

Or Bish said that he had ascertained that the case was a deserving one. Cr McCardle proposed that two pound ten shillings should be given to Mr Robson through the Benevoleut Society. Cr Russell seconded the resolution.

Cr Vile expressed an opinion that it would hare been belter if a direct recommendation from tha Benevolent Society for the money had been received. Gr Dixon thought they should not listen to applications fur charitable aid unless recommended by the Benevolent Society. Cr Bentley said that they had no information before them as to the merits of the case.

Cr Gapper said that Bobson had worked for the Council, and the case was known to be a bona fide one. It was also a case in which there should be no delay,

■ Cr McCardlo looked on the case as an urgent one, which could not brook delay; he Benevolent Society was not aotirely employed now or the case would have been more promptly attended to by it. The sum ef two pounds ten shillings was voted subject to approval of Benevolent Society, WORKS COMMITTEE RE?ORT. The question of work done on the Upper Plain road having been considered and the evidence taken of Messrs Hounslow and Yates, the Committee resolved to recommend that the sum of £2 6s be be deducted from Hounalow'a payment for street maintenance as the Committee considered that notice had been given and ignored, and that Yates had been employed in consequence by the overseer. The Committee also recommended that the money stopped for cleaning out the drains in South-street, be refunded toHounslow the work not being in the contract, With reference to Hounslow's application to take over the new streets for an additional payment of .£IOO the Committee recommended that the application be declined there being no Buch Clause in the street maintenance contraot as mentioned by Mr Hounslow,

Cr Gapper moved, and Cr Bish seconded, that the report, as read, be adopted. —Carried. IIMBEB SUPPLY. The Town Clerk reported that the contract for timber for the Borough lapsed at the end of the current month. Or Vile moved, and Cr Bussell seconded, that fresh tenders be invited.— Carried. SHOM-MRMT, Cr Russell said a belligerent settler threatened to turn them all off the street, as he alleged the Borough wero enoroaching on his land. Mr Foster informed the speaker that he could prove that the Council had not encroached, Cr Price proposed that the Works Committee should meet Mr Foster and report on the matter. The Mayor said the matter should have been settled before they went on the land. Cr Yile proposed the appointment of a Select Committee to meet Mr Foster.. , Or Bentley seconded Cr Price's motion, which was carried, Cr Gapper dissenting on the ground that the Works Committee had not time to see after it. _ After this motion was carried it was discussed at some length. . UPPKR PLAIN ROAD, ' Cr Dixon asked if anything had been done, for the, footpaths on the UpperPlain. ~: "■,,.;- ~l'.\l The Mayor said that thay waJtwaiting

• • r~77 ■ ■ < t ■ , S to"know what contribution would be forth- . -'-•'"' coining from the settlers along the road. I : -' The Town Clerk said that owneri had :>;>■•"' been written to hot had not given otheri'.'-v--' ihan verbal replies.: . . ' : '■•;/;:'; t . ,'JOBKS' MTATB. '

■'; Or Dixon .called attention to a read 06 ■.-, - '&\-y_ lorns'Estate, which required to be formed ; ''•-■:?}■ and metalled. . '/>■• :;.{.;...- Or Mctiardla said this was an urgent '"-•■s&.& .work,;and in winter the road waaihn.• 4#ji Crßusaell intimated that' the the work-would be pretty heavy, - j:. -(^&SS\ Or. Gapper advocated repairing the •, Or Dixon moved that the Worki Com- -:h. r : y : .-. mittee be instructed to get out plans and ■:■>'■'-'■ specifications for the road. Or Biih said they' would have to cart ; '.■•; • th« gravel a long way. Or MoCardle'mdved that the matter be referred to the Works Committee. '

Cr Bentley called attention to work re- ••■' •■''' quired, to be donejin Villa Street, (A ; ; Or: Where does it go to? Nowhere.) .■.:;••/'•"■ If the Council would not do the work,;'tho •: s■■ . settlers would do it-themselves. Com- ■?■ ■' plaints were also made that Bentley ;i>'-- : ; -"- Street had riot beon looked after properly, v'' .- He thought that they had a claim for ■.■!■> Yilla Street and Bentley Street. Or Gapper said that, if a proper appli- - v -,v ' cation was made, it would receive, as all S ; .-.>.' applications had hitherto received, every v " v;: consideration; ' The -Mayor. proposed that the Oounoil •■> • should take a road through the' Bishop's «&•••!' Reservfl'intb .his (the Mayor's) land, and &■».s he wou)4 pay to the Council the sum «'■'"•' that would have to be given for the land &- :ii ' taken.. . X"i. ■.',.■ ' '■. Cr';ViU: All you. require there is a, .■* '-*' ■ punt. The Mayor! There is about as much ■•'• ; - water there as there is in your brain. A PARTING SALUTE, ~ Cr Gapper drew the Mayor's attention to the offer of His Worship to given ten feet frontage in Renall Street. Nothing had been done yet in the matter. He had spoken about moving the fence, but he did not know when the land was to be given over, and. who was to bear the expense of moving the fence. His object was that, before His Worship vacated the chair, this matter might be clearly understood namely, whether the Counoil would have to deal with Mr Renal! or his tenants.

The Major' replied that hia offer was subject to the approval of the tenants to whom he had leased land, and over whom he had no control, On the unleased portion of Ms. land they could shift the fence and make the footpath as soon as they liked. After they had made the footpath they could get a transfer. Cr Gapper also drew the Mayor's attention to the question of the widening of Chapel Street. He understood that the Mayor was willing to do the same as Cr Petty, and that Cr Ferry would do the same as the Mayor, but the matter had gone no further, The Mayor replied: I will give just as rauoh land as Cr Ferry for a peppercorn. Cr Perry: I will gire my land. ' The Mayor, added "my frontage is 22 chains and Cr Perry's is only about 8, I will give just as many chains as Cr Perry," Or Perry arid'he would give, half a chain in depth. ." V The Mayor laid that for the payment of the balance he held a bund, of two hundred odd pounds. He would, give them half chain all the way if they would fill up the Creek.

Or Gapper: It would be a question of £SOO to fill up the Creek.

ELECTING AV INGINEER The Mayor's notice of motion in favor of paying an Engineer 8 fair per centage on contracts then came on. The mover of it said the time, had atrived, inhii opinion, when some consideration must be given to Mr Russell for his services, Or Dixon seconded the motion pro forma, but would like' to hear the amount of the per centage to be given, Cr MoOardle considered the Council would support the motion of the Mayor. He held the Council had been blameable in exacting so muoh work from Mr Kussell to the injury of his private business. He did not think there would he much work during the coming year. If the maintenance contract were included he thought a per centage of ?| would be a fair thing. • '

Gr Gapper said the preient proposal was similar to one brought forward two and a half years ago,

Gr Price asked whether the Engineer or foreman of works would be'the senior officer 1

Cr Vile was of the opinion that it would be better to pay an annual salary to an engineer, as a good deal of the work could not be done on a percentage commission. Ho was not prepared to more an amendment, as he had not made np his mind as to what would be a fair amount to pay in the shape of a subsidy. The resolution moved by the Mayor was then carried.

Gr Biah moved that the sum of 7A per cent be paid on all new contracts.

Cr McCardle suggested that existing contracts might be inoluded, Or Price moved that a Committee b» appointed to draw up a list of the duties which would be required from the engineer.

Cr Dixon seconded Cr Bish's motion, Cr McCardle. held that the engineer should draw % per cent, on all publio works expenditure.

Or Vile said it was understood by the Council that Mr Butsell was to be their engineer. He moved, as an amendment, that Mr Russell be appointed as engineer at a salary of £ls per annum. Cr Bish withdrew his resolution in favor of that of Cr Vile.

Cr Gapper suggested that the appointment date from the Ist of January, 1882. Cr Vile acoepted the suggestion,, and the amended motion was carried. :

Cr Gapper: Will the Engineer be the Chairman of the Works Committee, or its servant? Or Bish: lathe event of a disagree- ' j*W meen between the Oourioil and the Engi-. i v ;•-->: near, what notice should be given? He . A4; V moved that three months notice be given . on either side.

Cr Gapper said that the Standing Committee could arrange this. It was deoided that three months notioe should bean instruction to the Committee which drew up the agreement. TJSNMKB, ■ ; .' The following tenders were opened:— Culvert Bannister-street, W. Phillips £l los (accepted). Formation and metalling Bannister-street, Bentley Bros £ls (accepted);W. Phillips£l9lss(declined), . Chapel-street contract,.W. Phillips £72 10a (accepted); Bentley Bros £74 10s v (deolined), : . , Over the acceptance of the Ghapel-st, ; tender there was considerable disonssien, severil of the Councillors considering it a high price to payi ,"•••..-'* Cr Russell, ,ffho drew up the plans, re- ... ported that the price wasa fair one. .- Cr Bish moved .steps be taken for. . amending the "building rgulations b? • giving the Oonrioir power to relax or. : modify any by-law they deemed rieie'ssary, ''',() The Wellington Boroughi founoil hti, •;' been lie said in a similar difficulty. A, -'• little .discretionary power,"would helpi them over a.high style, ?TheiGbuneil iii-tv Wellington had passed a similar resolationiv } Gt MoCardle said thethibluticn wouldV' ' have to be advertised at a ntfw rjeiolntion : , "' before it could be coniidertd^;*^ 1 ;,! Qiti Pric9,:;entirelyjiweedX'wltliAilir ; hjover, and swpndel tt» propoial.. In -

the Timaru and Optra Boroughsconcessions had frequently to be made, and' '.[{]".[: the provisos a valuableione; ; .V.j-.;/'.,; .Mr> Busiell held that, the ■. more, they ■ '*]\[ meddled with the building regula'fidns the *'•'■ tforjetkeytotde-'thetn;. ':';'.:.•'' '•' •:?.?■•.' ' •Or MoOardle .rose to a point of order. ..'.-. ;; Hsd the resolution-bdenadverHsed ? ' '. OtMoCar'dle-'mOvod as.anathbndmeht .1 :.. • that k copy of the Wldine regujationa of Tiraatu'j Oadiilril, and .Weiliiiw'ton, be amendment'was seconded.by Qr {jffwll and carried. ' 'Bw4tellthon placed hia resignation Wtbe nsSJi of the Opuncil, and on the motion of Cr Vile a cordial vote of thanks was accorded to him for the past services whiohhe had rendered to the Borough in . past. ■:.. The Council thon ndjourned,