MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1035, 29 March 1882, Page 2

MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Thr usual meeting of the Council was held at tho Council Chambers last evening. Present—His Worship the Mayor, Crs Caselberg, Horon, Price, McCardle, Chamberlain, and Vile. Mr Feist made the usual declaration, and took his seat. The minutes ot the previous meeting having been read and confirmed, the Clerk read tho correspondence, DIVISION OF THE BOROUGH, A communication from Mr A. WRenall was read, asking tho Council's approval of his scheme for dividing the Borough into wards, according to the plan enolosed, or such other as the Council approved, and the Burgesses agreed to. The proposed division was shewn as four wards. The south ward commencing from lioas-st. to the southeastern side of Queen-st, and High-st. to the south-west boundary—this to bo called South Ward. From Henall-at, and Upper Plain road along the nort'West side of Queen and High Btroots to tho southwestern boundary,—this to be called West Ward. From Eeuall-st. and Upper Plain road along Queen-st, to the north-east boundary to be North Ward, and tho opposito remaining section to be called the East Ward.

Cr Caselberg moved that the plan and letter bo referred to a committee. He supposed Mr Renall had only done what ho was bound to do by law, The clerk explained that Mr Renall was not acting according to the law, as all he required to do was to give the Council notice that he had sent in the petition to the Governor. Cr Caselberg would then withdraw his motion,

The Mayor said he could see several objections to the proposed division. It was an unfair one, which people ill the more populous portions of tho town would not submit to. (Hear, hear.) Cr Caselberg said he could not quite understand the plan, there appeared to be an imaginary road in it. Perhaps _ it would ba as well to refer it back us unintelligible. Cr Chamberlain was of opinion that whether intelligible or not the Council would not be favorable to a division. (Hear, hear.) Tho clerk suggested that Mr Renall might have sent it in to elicit the opinion of the Council qpon tlje plan before sending a petition. Cr Caselberg moved, "That in tho opinion of this Council it is not desirablo at present to divide the Borough into Wards." Cr Heron seconded the motion. Cr McCardle stated that from his experience of the division of Boroughs, he had arrived at the conclusion that it was a great mistake. As soon as they divided the Borough log-rolling would commence. Tho centre of population would be most powerful and would take care to return men who would protect its interests beforo all other portions of tho Borough. The centre of the Borough had now nearly all the worst of its work dono and if the Borough were divided money would be spent in simply beautifying and improving the centre which under the present system could and would be dovoted to the outskirts, Another objection against the proposed division was that a thinly populated Ward might return a man who would be obnoxious to all tho rest of tho community. Until a case of unfairness could be made out against the Council with reference to any particular portion of the Borough there was really no need of the change. The arguments used in favor of the division at the late public meeting were utterly unsound, and the statement that the out-districts had been neglected was not correct, as every deserving work in any portion of the Borough had received attention as far as the means o! the Council would allow. ' A Councillor (softly): How about Short-st. ? Cr McCardle: If there is a division that work could not be done for the noxt five years. (Hear, hoar.) . The Mayor said the motion had his sympathy, as he failed to see on what grounds this small Borough should be divided. Works in the centre, from which part the bulk of the rates were derived, were nearly all done, and repairs only would be required. The money raised in the centre could therefore "be now expended on tho more distant portion of the Borough. Undei'_ these circumstances, it would be very injudicious to introduce the ward system at the present time. The motion was then put and carried unanimously. CONSUMPTION SOWING. The Secretary to the School Committee wrote calling attention to Chapel and Russell-streets, which in wet weathet were so bad that the children arrived at school with wet feet. The matter was referred to the Works Committee, with power t.o act. COTTAGE COMMITTEE. The Committee reportod the sale of the cottages—five sold for removal, for £42, four leased at an gross annual rental of m The report was received and adopted, the Committee being congratulated on the successful issue of their labors. WORKS COMMITTEE. The Works Committee reported as follows : Tho Engineer's report had been referred tack to him for estimate of cost of works, and he was requested to furnish the information to a special meeting of the Committee on Monday next Resoked to recommend that a portion of the works in Short-street, and about 11 chains of Railway' road be gone on with, so as to make it passable, and that tenders be called at pnee ; bijt as the Town Clerk ve< ports that not quite half of thp separate rate has been paid, immediate steps be authorised tor recovery of the balance. Resolved—That as works are required to be done without delay, the Works Committee be authorised to accept the lowest tender. . , . ; . . lIBRARY COMMITTEE. ■ ■ " ■■■'. The Clerk reported the names nomina : ted at the recent meeting, and on the

motion of Gr ftfcGardle tho nitiß wlio coiyed-the highest Qqmber of rotes dulyi nominated as the Committee, tbjejfyyor and the Town Lands Oh&ltttfiKi" members of it, ._, Cr Caselberg moved that the Committee be guided as far as possible by the standiing orders of the Counoii. Seconded by Cr McCardle and carried, " Or Feist moved that if. any member. • • absent himself from the Committee- for tbvee meetingß without 'leaver his 'seat'"" shall become vacant, and the Counoii appoint auother member in his place. \ Cr Price seconded,—Carried. £ Cr Caselberg moved.—That the fisocial year of tho Committee end March 31st 1883, and the election of the new committee to take place on the laßt Thursday in April. Cr Price seconded,—Carried. The Counoii Library Committee further reported that as the Institute Trustees are,. a corporate body they could not divest' themselves of their Trust without an Aot ; of Parliament. To avoid delay and expense they recommended that the Trustees be requested to invite tenders for : leasing the Institute for 21 years, and the Council to offer a nominal rental, Under the Trust Act the Council's tender would, be bound to be accepted. Cr Feist moved that the report be ! adoptod. Cr McCardle seconded, Cr Vilo moved as an amendment that the Council obtain a lease for one year,," ami during the next session take steps to have the necessary Act passed to vest the ~ property in the Council. Cr Caselberg considered it would Bftve , expense and delay to adopt the plan pro- , posed, The property could not be alien-; ated or applied to any other purpose. They might get an Act passed all the ; same, but wliile they were about the lease they might as well have it' prepared for 21 years, The report was adopted. Cr Yile moved that the Council taks steps to ascertain the cost of haying the property vested in the Council by an Act of Parliament. Or Caßelberg seconded, (earned). : FINANCE COMMITTER. The Committee brought qp (heir •jj.; , nual obstinate which will be piil)lisl|e(| in another column. The following aocoqnts were recommended for payment, and passed by tho Council.—'Wages and contingencies, i'l9lss Gd; Bowry, timber, j66 8s 8d; McEwen, repairs, 13 4s; E. Feist, 15s 4d, Payton & Co, 13 15s; Smith and Hogg, £3lss; 6. Dixon, 7s; Election expenses, £2lßs 2d. The obstinate of accounts was passed and ordered to bo printed.

THE NAFIER ENDOWMENT, 3 The Town Clerk was instructed, on the motion of Mr Vile, to ascertain the condition of the lease of the Napier Borough endowment at Woodville, as advertised . in the Daily, with a view to doing some- " * thing with the Masterton Borough endowment, at Mangaone; also, on the motion of Or McCardle, to make tbo same en- > quiries re the Wellington endowment. 7 CONSTABLE WANTED. V ; : ' The Mayor stated that a third was a for tlifl district. Tli.o . m* present officers had too much clerical work to do, and could not attend to the . y Police duty as they should. That day: the Sergeant was away with a prisoner, •: the Constable out collecting agricultural' statistics, a prisoner vas brought up for 1: drunkenness, and had perforce to be discharged, as the Constable could not stay ; in to visit him every hour, as the regulations required, He thought if proper representation wore made to the right quarter a third Coustable would bo appointed." Cr McCardle thoroughly agreed with . the Mayor. Two or three years ago the ■ Borough had been promised another (ipfli " stable, and tljoy did not certainly reqtiiro' him loss nowIn answer to Cr Caselberg, the Mayor stated that by population lie Meived Masterton district to be entitled to four constables, The district was a very large one. He would movo.—That the Minister of Justice be written to, pointing out the requiremerts of the place, and that tho appointment be made in such a manner as to give efficient night protection. Cr Price seconded.—Carried. , Cr Vile enquired what mis being dona. <j to railway road. The Mayor pointed out the Works Committee dealt with it in their report, and proposed to do the work when doing Short-street. SIIOIIT STREET. The Works Committee's report re this street was adopted, and fresh tenders are called for the work. FURIOUS RIDING. Several Councillors having spoken very strongly about the amount of furious riding and driving which had been witnessed lately, it was decided to instruct Mr Ingram, tho Inspector of Nuisances, to keep a sharper look out, and also to request tho police to assist him in bringing offenders to account, ■ ;» Complaints were made concerning the numbor of cattle, &c,, which were now allowed to wander at large, and opinions expressed that the ranger was not using that amount of energy in the matter that he should, NOTICE OF MOTION, Cr Caselberg gave notice that he would move that a solioitor be retained for tho borough at a foe of one gumea per annum. The Council adjourned at 9 p.m. ;