MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1000, 15 February 1882, Page 2

MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual meeting wa held last evening at the Council Chambers. Present—His Worship the Mayor, and Crs Price, Vile, Bentley, Gapper, Chamberlain, Perry, McCardle and Caselberg. COIiBESPONDENCE, Outwards,—To the Secretary N.W Benevolent Society, with resolution re Mrs Henry's case.—To Mr E; Bez ir, with resul] of the Pound Committee's report on his case,—To the Clerk of the Highway Board, stating the pound- fees had been reduced to enable cittie to be impounded from outside the Borough.—To Secretary Chrißtchurch Exhibition, stating the Council would render all the assistance in its power.—To Mr Camnion, station that the Council had already a map of the Borough. Inwards'—From Secretary of the Benevolent Society, stating that Mrs Henry's case was a deserving one, and acknowledging the receipt of the Borough donation—The annual report of the Library was also read, A DANGEROUS SPOT. Mr T. W, Shute wrote again calling attention to the unprotected state of the culvert over Kurupuni-creek, and praying the Counoil on behalf of the publio to have it made safe,—Referred to the Works Committee, THE POUND C*BE, Mr E„ Bezar wrote re above, asking that the Council would reconsider their decision as to not {laying the expenses in tho late pound action, and pointing out he hid obeyed the Council, had acted ae its officer, and had been told by the late Mayor before all the Council that he could employ assistance. He thought the Counoil should give him bi re justice ,-whioh was all he asked; and that was to pay the court expenses and grant him compensation for his loss'during the lOTMjptiot wbjql) be had been com-

Or Ouaolhorg pointed out that the Coramittee had gone very full; into the matter, and thiittlie specifications under which Mrßezw was appointed stated tho Impounding Act must be complied with, The Committee report had been adopted, aud to do anything further this would have to he rescinded.

' Cr McCardle thought that as the Council entered into an illegal agreement with Mr Bezar it should pay any expenses that officer was mulcted in while acting under that agreement, Cr Vile moved (hat the letter be referred to the Committee..

Or* Price a«d Caselberg objeoted, the Committee had reported, their report had been accepted, and they no longer existed as a Committee.

Cr Gapper agreed with what had been done by tlie Committee,

Or Price moved that the letter be received and laid upon the table ' Or Bemley seconded, but he must say that he could nut see how Mr Bezarcould he blamed for employing assistance when the lat« Mayor hud told him in the.Council that he could do so. The whole affair had been illegal and Mr Bezar should be compensated The motion was then put.and carried. INSTITUTE. The reporf and balance sheet wero read as follows and adopted

REPORT, 1881. To the Mayor and Borough Council: Gdntlemen.—On behalf of the Committee appointed by the Council, I beg to submit for your approval the following report " The monthly nieatinss of the Committco have been well attended, the average f»r each meeting being seven members, and the majority of the members of the Committee have taken a special interest in the management of the institution. During the past year thirteen Committee meetings have been held. The attendance of the various members has been as follows ;-J. C. Boddington 13, E. Feist 12; W. Sel'ar 9 (from May to December', J. Pay ton 8 (from May to December), A'. W. McCarcllo 7, A, E. S. Can- 6, C. Holdaway 6, Joseph Bennett 5, Job Vile 5, D, McGregor 4, P. W. Hales 4 (from .January to May), A. W. Renal 3, The subscribers for the past two veinonths numbered 63, the subscriptions amounting to £lB l.is. The number of subscriber seems very Bmall for a borough numbering over 2000 inhabitants, and the Committee regret to state that there has b-en a falling off as comp'a ed with 18S0. The sum of £IG 18s has been exponded in the purch ise of new works for the library, 132 volumes having been added. The works added are most y of a light character, as other wo ks do not seem to be much sought aftur by subscribers, andwi h such a limited fund to expend on books the Book Committee thought it advisable to only purchase those in greatest demand. The books in the library number 1174 volumes, and are o'assed as follows: Fiction 805; Essays, Reviews, and Speeches 121; Science and General knowledge 83; Travels,' Voyages. &c, 65; History. 51; Poetry and the Drama. 27; Works of Reference, 23. The public reading room has been larg-ly frequented during the last year, and .theCommittee have much pleasure in reporting that the following papers and magazines are now regularly la don the table : English— Graphic, Illustrated London News, Loudon Times, Satur lay Review, Quarterly Review, Cornhill Magazine, and Puuch; Australian— Australasian; New Zealand—Dailies: New Zea and Times, livening Post, Bay of Plenty Times, Nelson Colonist, Wanganui Chronicle Auckland Evening Star, Hawke's Bay Horald, Echo, Oamaru Mail, Mtnawatu Times, Wairauapa Daily, and Wairorapa Star; Weeklies; Weekly Press, Canterbury Times, Weekly Times, luvercavgill, Mar-borough Express, Tavanaki News, Weekly Courier (Hawke's Bay), During the last year application has again been made ta have the Committee Room supplied with chess and draughts, but the Committee do not think it advisable to accede to the application unless ihere was a guarantee that those frequenting the room wou d keep order, the Committee having had to c ose the room owing to the unseemly conduct of a number of those frequenting it. The baance sheet annexed, and duly audited, shows receipts for the year £145 17s 7d. ami the expenditure £l(i0 5s 4d, shewing a ba auce to debit of £l4 7s Bd, but, as the e are several accounts to be eo lected, as shewn by the list of assets, you mil noto that th". unouut received and the amounts to be colected will cover the labilities for the year, ind leave a small balance to credit. The Dommiltee think this.result very satisfactory jonaidering that no subsidy was receive! luring the pst year'. The bank overdraft

at date is i'3B7 10a 2d which is still guaranteed liy several of tlie Committee, and th Committee would suggest, for the consideration of the Council, that in appointing a Committee for the ensuing twelvemonths that the guarantors be included. In closing this report the Oommit'ce desire to express their appreciation of the valued assistance rendere.l in the working of the Institute by the honorary secretary, Mr W. Scllar, The. attention, zeal, and energy given by that gentleman to his duticß are wo.thy of the highest praise. Signed, on helialf of the Committee, Edwin Feist, Chairman." ■: BALANCE SHEET.

1928 3 9 Audited'and found correct, D. W, Mcintosh, Thos, C. U'Aroy, Auditors. Valuation of Property—Laud £6OO, building £'J!iO, boaka.£lßJ, fittings and furniture £IOO, fenoing £3o' pump, etc., £7, Cr Price rauved. Or Bentlejr seoonded -rThat : a tordal roto'of thanks be

tendered by the Council to the Committee for their aervioea during the past year.— Carried, The Mayor alluded to the djjire of the people to have something to oo with the election of the Committee, and suggested - that the gentlemen who had guaranteed the debt should be nominated by the' 4 'Borough, and the public elect the rest of ' the Committee.

Cr Caselberg said that no doubt dissatisfaction existed with regard to tho management of the Institute, They bad seen that in the publio Press. But every - tiine.au alteration was proposed the paltry debt of about MOO was dragged in aa an excuse for making iw change. . This debt was a millstone round the ne&u£a. valuable institution. It was were,all proud of. (Crf 5, : No,) (Cr Caselberg: lam proud- A,—Hear I heart), and the people natiWly wished to have a say in the management of it, and were again9t the nomination by the Council, If the people elected their own Committee they would most probably elect those already acting. Cr Vile quoted the Act to show that the Institute really belonged to the Borough, and he thought -it should be properly transferred from the present trustees to the Borough. The Aot gave no power to all jw the people to elect their own Committee,

Or Caselberg said the Act was dear i enough, but the Cuuncil had allowed private individuals to incur a debt, which, if proper to be incurred at all r should have been gone into by the Borough. He instanced the Town Hall at Greytown, which was once nnder very similar circumstances to tho Institute building, but the people at a public meeting authorised the Town Trust to pay off the debt, and the Hall became town property. He advocated the Borough taking the Institute over. It was a most despicable state (if affairs when the Committee let the Institute for purposes for which it was never intended, and then said when complaints were made 11 Oh, we are in debt and wanted thei£2.";.,; ; (Hearl hear!)

Cr Gapper thought he could throw some light on the matter, and explained how the building had become erected He said a sub-committee hud undertaken the building at a cost of i'32o more than had been authorised by the general com.nittee, He (Cr Gapper) had resigned from that comrai'teo then and there. The building was simply Mr McGregor's hobby. The Council had brought it under the Libraries Act and levied a rate to help the institution—thev had done enough. The building was an abortion, a white elephant, and far beyond the times. He did not see why the Council should saddle a debt nf £4OO on the ratepayers to enable a few gentlemen to carry out their hobby without trouble.

Cr McCardla thought a Committee should be appointed to report' on the matter. He pointed out that not a single member nf the Institute Committee wujjjed the Borough to take over the debt. 1 Age moved that Cra Pnoe, Caselber?, Gapper. Chamberlain and the mover be a Cum* tnittee to report upon the matter at next meeting, the eleotion of the new Institute Committee to Btand over till then.

Cr Caselberi; said that Cr Qapper from bis eloquent address had fully convinced him of the desirability of the borough taking the Institute, uq Cr Gapper. To be still died? WORKS COMMITTEE,

The Works Committee submitted the following reportAn application from MrE. Arnold asking for some gravel to he laid near his premises had been referred to the Engineer 10 have done if Mr Arnold paid half the cost. The application of Messrs Harvey and Murray for repairs to Colombo road was ordered to be done by the road overseer. The work upp'ied for by Mr Grishaw in Nursery ro-id was referred to the Engineer to be 'lone at a cost not exceeding £ls. An offer was received from Mr Bernard to allow the Borough to take metal for Makora road at 5s per chain. The Engineer whs directed to specify the offer so that contractors could maks arrangements with Mr Bernard. overseer's report 1 .

The Overseer reported tbat Phillips., wan making fair progress in Albert-st., that Bennington was getting on slowly, with Short-st,, owing to the difficulty in the swamp: that part of the footpath has been damaged by Mr Wrigley in erection a fence; that the traffio to Neil and Cookery's stables and blacksmith shop was damaging the footpath, and approaches should be made; that Lincoln road required a few loads of «ravel; that the sluice m Hall-street had been repaired; that he had put men on in solve parts of Hounslow's maintenance contract where notice had been given, but could not obtain drays during the harvest; that Hounslow had worked better during the past fortnight. Tt was resolved that Mr.Wngley have time to repair the damage? done to Colestreet before the complaint was considered. That Messrs Neil and Cookery and 0. Dixon be requested to have approaches made to their premises. That the overseer repair holes in .Lincoln road. Mr Hounslow waited on the Committee and objected to being charged for work in water table in Queen-street, hut it was pointed nut that this portion of the street was in his contract.

Mrs Hacker's apulioation for a road at the end' of Ohuroh-atreet was held over ■forsix months, The report as read was adopted by tho Counoiii MR SHEEN'S OFFER, The offer ol Mr Sheen to allow gravel o be takeq.,fof Short street at 8s per chain was referred to the Works Committee.

IHBPECTOR OP NUISANCES BEPOET. i --. The Inspector submitted a the Borough cottages. People would not live in them hb they were nut of repair, aud the yards being unfenced privacy wns impossible. Nearly all the windows ' and doors were broken. He suggested that thuflo which were still whole should he protected by being boardej up. The Inspector reported that between Bannis-ter-street and Williams-street, there was a narrow road which lay yew' low, and collected there becatno a iitiiaance, He Bug^ea'ted 1 doing something to the place now asjthere was no water there, X Referred to the Works Comfl^lee, TOWN GIEBK'S REPORT. " The Town Olerk reported ro the Borough oottages to similar effeot as In- -

speotor'a report,, and suggested the removal, or sale for removal, of four or five cottages, and that the remainder j (>ut in order, painted and made inhabit- .■ able, alaii the land attaohed toeaoh to" be ■ fenced, and wells dug, He, believed 1 there would be every prospeot of letting"" them thob. JT The Mayor recommended that tL clerk's suggestion' : be adopted. He th-mght the pjan proppied would be the. best that oould be adopted. Cr Gapper moved that the whole of the Odttjges be sold for what they would fotoh. A lot of money had been spent on them for nothing,

After considerable - discussion Or MoOardle moved that a Committee be appointed ontisisting .of Ora Vile, Oasel-;' Bish aud th.ejiwver to report on wmatter. . : ; Cr Caselberg ueconded, and the motion '• • miscarried, • POROKEEAN»PPODS,_ , ' The Mayor stite'd" that'the time had ' now amwd wfeto' .the nke. of the

public health n morgue should he built ana a coroiiitt npiioiuted fot : i» eiton, Ihe last body which hud boon 'brought into tho town had kid in their midst for tWenty-fuup hours in ft-dreadful sta'e. It \:| l^~?^: e u'ltols.fi) put'sufllfcascVinto tlißir-.houeea,' and tomequen'tlj;lhe bodies were huddled away into sheds and outhouses,, Ha intended to givo notice tf motion to tho morgue,'and lie though taction should also be takou with rogard to a coroner, Dr Spratt could if he chousu dccliuo to proceed to any place' 20 .miles distant from hlB home; thounh he had never done so. Cases happened when an inquest should be held without an hour's delay and the • CorpsjAterred, but at present it had to H«o kfljS in the centre of the town in a state kLdeeow|;osiiion till the coroner from Greytown. Cr supported his Worship's re<Hnarks, and moved that the Government bB requested to appoint a coronet resident in Masterton, Cr McCardle seconded, and the motion Was carried.

rOUNDKEEFEIt. There were six applications for the office, Mr H, Boutley receiving tho appointment, having resigned his seat on the Onunoil. IMPOUNDER. I'wo applications, Mr C, J. Frcoth was appointed. TENDERS. Cole Street.—J. S, Spiukainan, L3B, (accepted) toenail Street,—P. W. Parker, L 49. (Accepted.) BUILDING REGULATIONS, Tho debate on tho .'Mayor's notico of motion to allow the Council ti discretionary power with regard to the enforcing or otherwise of the above was adjourned to next meeting. NOTICE OF MOTION. Cr Caselberg to move—(l) That the Oounoil take over tho Institute and the debt of L4OO due on same to relieve the present guarantors; (2) that tho mode of appointing tho committee of management for the future be as follows: —By allowing the ratopayors to select a committee, provided that tho Mayor and the chairman of the Town Lauds Trustees shall te ex officio the members thereof, (3). That steps be taken for passim; a Standing Order providing in future that no Councillor shall be eligible for any appointment under the Boi'>u«h until he has ceased to be a member of tho Borough Council for at leastG months. The Mayor to move—That in the opinion of this Council, it is desirable that a morgue be erected in the Borough of Masterton, The Council tht* n adjourned,

. £ s d XvCCGlptS- - To Kent of Lands 8 15 0 Donations 9 13 1 Subscriptions 18 15 0 Rates..' 69 18 0 R lit of Rooms 8- 7 6 Town Land Trust . 30 0 0 Sale of Books 0 9 0 145 17 7 Balance . 14 7 9 160 5 4 Expenditure— By Salary and Expenditure 44 6 9 Lighting ... 20 7 8 Firewood 416 0 Advertising 1 1 3 Printing and Stationery 2 8 3 Papers and Magazine 4 IS 6 Furniture and Fittings 21 2 6 Repairs <fec, 2 4 0 Insurance 4 3 2 Books 15 11 6 Interest 33 18 7 Sundries 5 10 2

*160 5 4 Cash Account— Dr. To Receipts .. ... 145 17 7 To Balance 887 10 2 633 7 9 Cr. By glance 273 2 5 Expenditure .. 1 160 5 KQO 7 4 Q Assets— To Property as per Valuation OOO I y List' 1872 0 0 J. W. Lang (G months' rent) l 1 0 Hospital Committee „ 1 1 0 School „ „ 1 1 0 Cemetery Trust (4 meetings) 1 0 0 Temperance Society (to 3rd 212 December) .. 2 Benevolent Society (3 meeting") .. ...... 0 15 0 Debating Society (5 meetings) 0 12 6 Union Club (1 meeting) .. 0 5 0 Bates... .. ,, .. 11 12 1 Town Lands Trusty ( Balance -0 of grant) ,, 30.0 1918 3 9 Liabilities— By Payton and Co,, printipg and advertising .. 1 17 6 R. Burrett, Wellington ... 1 15 0 Lyon and Blair, Wellington 1 0 6 Knglish newspapers &'c. 814 0 Bank of Australasia, overdraft 387 10 2 Balance 1527 0 7