MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1236, 22 November 1882, Page 2

MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The ÜBUal meeting of . the Council was helA Jaßt evening. Present; His Worship The Mayor and Crs Vile, Feist, McCardle, Gapper, Heron, Chamberlain, Price, Perry, >nd Caaelberg. \ : - .■■ : The minutes of the previous meeting were read and continued. BOROUOH SDRVEVOE's REPORT. . The Borough Surveyor reportod that either tho old school or the Empire Store could be utilised for the Masterton Horticultural Show. MR BUNNY'S ACCOUNT. Mr Bunny wrote re his account, stating that ho would, to save trouble, strike out items to the amount of 18a 6d, but could not consent to reduce the account further. He would prefer to | have the bill taxed, when it would be seen that Mb charges were reasonable and proper.

It was moved by Cr Feist, seconded by Cr Price, and carried, that the account, less 18s 6d, be paid,

MR DIXON'S APPLICATION. Mr George Dixon wrote to the Counoil asking pormission to allow his fence to remain on Columba Boad till next autumn, as to remove it now would kill a live hedge which was growing along the fence line.

Permission was granted, on the motion of Cr Gapper, seconded by Cr Vile.

PABK TBUBT APPLICATION. All. application waß received from the Chairman of the Park Trustees for £l2 10s, being subsidy due on 80th ult. The Clerk reported that £5 of this had already been paid this year, and that the. grant was not due till Maroh. Cr Heron moved that unless the money was urgently required the matter be postponed till March, Seconded by Cr Gapper, and carried.

HORTICULTURAL SHOW. ' The Mayor stated that the Horticultural Society wished to obtain a license for a building for the Bhow for tho amount they had already paid (£1) for survey.- They had paid the Borough Surveyor 10s for inspecting each building, and he (the Mayor) thought the amount was oxceasire.

Cr McCardle thought the license should be granted without further payment, It was required for the purpose of holding an exhibition which was beneficial to the people, and not for the promoters' profit. He would move that the license be issued without further fee.

The Olerk stated that the Surveyor had been in error iu charging 10s for eaoh building, 5s beiug the proper fee for the second inspection. Cr Price seconded the motion, which was put and carried.

MB CLAYSON'S LAMP, Tho Mayor reported that ho had, butwouii the mcotings of the Council, given Mr Clayson permission to erect a lamp-post in front of his shop, and wished his action confirmed.

Cr Heron thought it would bo aswoll to submit such application to the Borough Surveyor before granting periniision, Mr Clayson had put up a very thick post, and othor enterprising tradesmen, not to bo beaten, might put up thicker ones, aud instead of ornaments the posts would be pure obstructions, The aotion of the Mayor was then confirmed.

WORKS COMMITTEE, The committee reported as follows!—Tlio Overseer's report had been lmnded in. Ho bad cleaned out Short-3treet creek, cleaned up Ronall-street pit, put in grating near the Royal Hotel, and was now cleaning off tho grass in Lincoln Road, About a chain and a halt of footpath required gravelling and backiug up in front of Mr Bentley'a, and Colo-stroot footpaths required olearing of and gravelling in some places. Queen street gutters required cleaning out. Beuiley Bros, had been compolM to ausponi work, owing to the wet weather. The Overseer was instructed to attend to the work he mentioned as required, and to procure a EOjtho for cutting grass and weeds; also to get the fence sliiftod back 10 feet on tho Trust acre in Dixon-street, and remove to the Corporation Yard all fencing found standing on the roads around Dixon's estate in Dixon and Bannisterstreets and Columba Road after the 4th December. .

Mr Jobborns being willing to pay his fnll share for footpath in front of his property in Cross-street, the Overseer was instructed to get the work done. It was resolved that the Council undertake the following works during tho summer months, in the order name I 1. Makora-street, 42 chains, Estimate! cost, £126. 2. Villa-street, 25 chains, £135. 3. Bcntley-Btreet, 8 chain?, £3O. 4. Ohapol-Btreet, Russell-street, and Crayno-street, 34 chains, £l3O. 6, Footpath north side Uonall-sfoeet, 6 ohajus from Queen-street to Chapel street, £lO. 6, Renall-street, shifting feuoe. &c., £9o.' 7. Gross-street, 5 chains, £2O,

Total estimated cosh of roads, £541, The 1 following estimate of receipts and expenditure to 31st March, 1893, was submitted : £ s d - Overdraft .. .. 824 7 8 Chapel and fienall-sts. 200 0 0 Short-street anddeposit 93 0 9 Grants,,, 20 0 0 Departmental 150 0 0 Maintenance .. .. 200 0 6 Mental ..." .. 50 0 0 £1542 7 8 ltKCitra, £ id Dog fees BO 0 O Fines, etc 5 0 0. found 20 0 0 Rent 27 0 0 Bates, otc 800 0 0 £9020 0 0 Leaving the overdraft at the end of tho yoar at £6OO 78 Bd.

Cr Prico moved, »nd pr Caeelbttg seconded, that the roport be adopted, and the works gono on with as Boon ai fuuds permitted, Or Boron pointed out that two streets which had always occupied a prominent place when works were being considered, viz., Kuripuni-atreet and Columbo road had beon omitted from the schedule. The Mayor said they were omitted by accident as they wero considered at the Committee meeting; the item coald be now added.

Cr Gapper said he could not agree to this course. The question was whether they were to make streets where there was a large amount of traffic, or whore there was hardly any, He held that the streets mentioned by Or Heron weie the least used of any in the Borough, Or Heron stated that when Cr Qapper was a candidate for the Council he said these streets should be the first undertaken, Ho could not understand why ho should not recognise their claims now, Cr Gapper explained that he still recognised their olaims, but their funds were limited and other works were of more importance. He never took the stand Cr Heron took. If he wanted Work done he (Or Gapper) had always put his hand deep into his own pocket to pay for it, Or Heron was interested in the road he wished put in (Cr Heron: No!) and let him do the same as others,

Or Heron; I'll not eat my words anyway.

The Mayor: Getitlemeti, let us get on with the business.

Cr McCardle proposed that the Council go into Committee to consider tho report. This was agreed to and the report and schedule fully discussed. .Columbo road and Kurupuni street were added to the list, taking 6th place, and the schedule as prepared by the Worki, Gomnjitt*

assented to, Snmo slight dicusaion took place on Short-street, Or McCardle asked that this should take place on the schedule as the people interested had rated themselves to have the wotk done. ~

The Mayor pointed out that the work was originally estimated to cost £95, and tho_ people rated themselves on that basis, but it was now found it would cost £BSO. The Council had more than kept faith with the ratepayers, as it- had expended £l5O on the work. ' The Council then resumed its ordinary business, and the report as'amended was adopted on the motion of Cr Price, seconded by Cr Feist. 1FINANCE COJJKTITEJ. The committee appointed Rearrange the Library loan account reported the matter as settled, and a cheque could' be given to the luatitnte trosteeaimmediately on receipt of their securities and the costo of raising the loan, The Bank of Australasia had consented to act as commissioner, and the sinking fund account was likely to be satisfactorily arranged. The report was adopted.

TOWN CLERK'S REPORT. The, Clerk reported that the WaibarApa Daily declined to insert the Borough advertisements below the usual charge. The Clerk also reported that he had written to the Property Tax Department re assessment of the Borough, and had received a reply to the effect that the assessment of 1880 was £270,912, which would yield rates to the amount of £846 12a ot £358 less than.were obtained from the Borough valuation. With regard to this the olerk reported further as follows; —I have the hmior to report that Municipal Corporation! are specially excluded from the operation of "The Rating Aot, 1b82," unless those bodies by resolution sent to the Commissioner before the ht of December in «ny year, adopt the Act. I have examined the Act and find that a Borough once adopting it is compelled to remain under it. ; Local bodies under the Aot are, it is true, allowed to_ fix their own valuations if they so desire it, but the assessments, if higher than under the Property Assessment, must be reduced on objection to that assessment. I find that a rate of one shilling in the £ under our present system is fixed at three futhings under the new Act, and a library rate of one penny would be proportioned—i.e., one twelfth of throe favthiugs. To ascertain how this would affect the Borough I have taken several casos of the letting values, and find that the rates under the new Act in such cases would be about five-twelfths less than now, but to make sure I wrote for tho amount ani date of the last assessment, and the reply is attached. By this you will seo the Borough would lose nearly one-third of their rates, but as many properties would only contribute about seven-twelfths it is clear that tho rateable value would press very unequally upon other ratable properties,—l have,' &0., It. Bbown, Town Olerk, Cr Gapper moved in order to tost tho feeling of the Council that the nocessary stops bo taken to bring tho borough under the Bating Act. Cr Vile socondcd pro forma to induce discussion. Ho was uf opinion that they had better rest as tliey wore. There was no doubt the Properly' Tax was the fairest tax they could have, hut they wanted funds. The Legislature evidontly recognised this failing of boroughs when it excluded them from tho operation of tho Act. Cr McCardle did not think tho borough was in a position to loso some £3OO or £4OO of its revenue as would be if they came under the Aot. .He aiau thought it would be unwise to yield up the privilege of ratine! themselves. It was oiio of the rights they should carefully guard.

Tho motion was then put and lost unanimously.

WJSEpS IK QDBEH BTBEKT, Gr Vile drow attention to the fact that the paths were becoming overgrown with grass and weeds in Quoen-atreofc while Hall-street was being made like a gentleman's walk.

Cr Gappor explained that the " needs" on Hall-street being taken up were gurse bushes. The overseer had instruction*, however, re grass in Queen-street, <sic,

MR WBIOLEV'B PLAN. Mr Wrigley wroto asking leave to withdraw his application (or lm plan to be passed as a private street, and to make another to accept it as a publio street. He would undertake to call for tendeis and haveiho road made forthwith,

Gr G&pper moved that tho plan be accupted, and the Engineer bo requested to prepare plans and speoifioations immediately on Mr Wrigley depositing a sufficient guarantee with the Council.

Cr Yile did not see that any guarantee would be necessary.. Or Hpron took it that before the plan was adopted, the vyould have to be made.

Or Caselberg seconded the motion, They had taken a stand on the matter- of streets, and they should make the present oase a precedent for all ethers. It was therefore necessary that they should be very careful in dealing with the matter, and a guarantee should be given thai the work should be properly carr ! ed out. Gr MoCardl.e ntfohgly pppogei} the idea of a guarantee bejqg reaped. Mr Wrigley fully understood that tlje ros must be made before tho plan was adopr ted, but he wanted an assurance that it would be accepted if he did the work.

Tho Mayor said that Mr Wrigley had spoken to him to the same effect, Cr Gapper, in that case, would alter his motion to read that the engineer prepare plaus aud speoifieationj at once. He thought Mr Wrigley wished the plan passed that night, so that by giving a guarautoo 1)8 could Bell hjs land at ouce. Cr Caselberg consented tp tl)e amended resolution, which waspqt aqd carried.

HEW STREETS. Or Qapper then, moved the notice of motion standing in his name (published in yosterday'i issue), He thought a resolution of the kind very neocstiary to be placed among their standing ordors, it would do away with a great many dißoullies iu the nuitter of uow streets, Every person who cut up property would know exactly what lie would havo to do, Or Caselberg seconded. He thought it would do away with charges of favoritism against the Council, and render Cosnoillors like C»sar'« wife-above „ suipicion. Jggtßk Cr Vile said that of be exceptional cases crop up whWit would be undosirable to enforce the rule laid down in the resolution, in which case, he Bhould feel free to suspend the operation of the resolution. On this under- • standing he would support it, Or McCardle agreed with Or Vile. Or Feist could not Bee the good of the present motion if Councillors wore already beginniug to contemplate rescind mg it. It simply meant that eaoh • application that came in would be considered aa usual,

Or Vile explained that there might ba exceptions, and that no rule could be made of cast iron. Or Heron would support the motion. He thought every application should bo dealt with atrietly by the resolution. With regard to private streets be con* sidered them the most dangerous things they had t# deal with. If they passed a private street they had, when it was to bt made, perhaps twenty persons to deal with instead of one, , The motion was'.then put and carried unanimously, widths Council adjourned.