MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 2160, 2 December 1885, Page 2

MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Masterton Borough Council was held yes-, terday evening. Present—His Worship the Mayor aud ; ors Chamberlain, Gapper, Mason, Heron, Muhy Bacon, Perry, Hessey and Williams. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Town Clerk, read the correspondence inward and outward, Podndkeeper's Report. The Poundkeeper's report for the month of November showed that the receipts had been £4 IDs. , The Town Clerk reported that the present experimental term regarding the pound would expire next month,The Mayor moved that the. matter be referred to the Pound Committee. Seconded by Cr Heron and' carried. • Michael Dixon Street. Several residents in this street presented a petition praying that the new private street through town acre No. 20 be formed and metalled by the Council. It was stated bv several Councillors'that somo of the persons giving the ■ land required for the street would "withdraw their offer unless the Council formed the street, Or Hessey said the Council had distinctly stated that they would only, look upon the street as a private street. The Mayor suggested that the petitioners be referred to Clause 210 ot the Municipal Corporations Act. Cr Gapper moved that the Town Clerk ascertain what amount of rates had been collected from land abutting on the street,' and that an amount equal to it be handed over to be expended in forming the street. The Mayor thought such a motion would bo out of order. Cr, Gapper considered that would be a hardship, (Is fcho people had never received any benefit from the rates they had paid. They had gratuitously given the land, and the Council could scarcely do anything less than grant the money, Tho Mayor pointed out tltat at the last meeting of the Council a resolution was passed approving of tho street as a private street only, and and expenditure on it by tho Council would therefore be illegal. It was no doubt a hardship. . Cr Perry said if they did such a thing in the'bne case, they, would have to do the same in other instances, Or Williams said the trouble was between the Council and the Trustees, ■ and not the present holders of property, who were under the impression that the Counoil would form the street, ■

The Mayor thought they should, refer tho matter to their solicitor,

Cr Gapper amended the motion by adding the words "provided that the Borough solicitor advise that tho expenditure would not he illegal." Cr Williaihs said they should bear in mind that by forming the street they would be improving the value of the property.

Crs Hessey and Muir opposed the motion,

It was ultimately resolved to ask the Borough solicitor whether the Council could form the street or not, Verandah.

Messrs Henry Owen and Co applied for permission to erect a verandah in front of their premises in Queen-street, The request was granted, provided the Building Regulations be complied with. ' Gravel Ph. Mr A. Wi Renall wrote enclosing agreement under which he would allow gravel to be taken from a pit in ftehallstreet. The Mayor moved that the matter be referred to the Works Committee. Cr Chamberlain explained that the memorandum contained nothing but what a Committee consisting of Cr Mason and himself had agreed to. Cr Gapper moved that the matter be referred to the Works Committee, Seconded by Cr Mason, and carried. TANNERY, . Mr_ Langensiepen wrote, asking for permission to start tanning in Ewington's premises., Queen-street.. _ The Mayor explained tfwfc Mr Langensiepen had carried on the business for some time without creating a nuisance, and was not aware that it was necessary toask for permission until the Inspector of Nuisances had informed him that he was liable to a line.

Cr Heron moved and Cr Bacon seconded, that the permission applied for be granted. Carried. NUISANCE, Messrs Smith and Hogg wrote, complaining of a nuisance caused by a drain at the qomer of Queei) and Hal) streets, on Cockburn'B block,

Cr Gapper moved, that Hie Inspector of Nuisances be requested to see that the owner of the property abate the nuisance. Seconded by Cr Heron and carried, Kurufuni Ham,

The Secretary of the Kurupuni Public Hall Company wrote asking that the amount of licensing fees due by the Company be refunded, Cr Perry moved that the Directors be requested to pay the amount due, Cr Mason secorided tlie motion. Though a.shareholder, he considered the application ridiculous. Cr Muir moved as an amendment that £2 be remitted, He thought a fee of £1 per year was quite sufficient. The Hall was nover erected for profit. The amendment was lost by 6 to 4, and the original motion carried by the same majority, Library Committee, The Secretary of tlie Library Committee wrote stating that the. Committee respectfully declined the offer of the the Council to advance £2O to repair or paint the building, and also forwarding tho insurance policy on the books. The letter was ordered to lie on the table. ' Finance Committee.

The Finance .Committee brought up the following report i The Committee met on Monday. The Mayor reported that he had deposited £3OOO of the Gas Loan for six months at i per cent, and £SOO for three months at 3 per cent, and arranged that tlie balances of the General and Gas Accounts should be treated as one by the Bank, thus saving interest on the General Account overdraft, which would thus pay to the' Gas Loan Account 7 per cent interest as long as the arrangement lasted. The Treasurer's Financial stateine.nt was expjned as per financial report book. A number of accounts were passed for payment. The Mayor, in moving the adoption of the report, said he thought that he had acted in the spirit of the Council in depositing the money. The Council had recommended that the money should bo deposited for three months, but as they' would not use any of the £3OOO for six months, he had deposited the amount for that term, by which means they would make one per cent, ' He had also made further arrangements by which they -balanced the interest of the overdraft,'-in so far, that while they had an amount to the credit of tho'suspense account, equal to their overdraft, they would; have to -pay no interest on the overdraft. The motion was seconded by Cr Gapper and carried. " WORKS COMMITTEE. The Works Committee's and Overseer's reports which, contained nothing of impor-

tance, except a recommendation- that £lO be expended in 'Ross-street, and that Mr.; D.Donald be requested to clear South-, street,of furze which/were adopted, / j' NIQHTSOIt. TheNiehtsoil Committee recommended that-the site for, a depot offered by Or Hessey be temporarily adopted, andHhat the Committee ascertain a permanont site, Cr Gapper, in moving" the adoption of the report, said he saw nothing objectionable in using the site temporarily, provided proper care be taken, Or Heron seconded the motion. Or Bacon said they must not forget that the depot was not only to tho windward but also on the water-shed side of the town, He should only vote in favor of the motion on condition that,the site was merely a temporary one.' The motion was carried. Gas Committee. The Gas Committee brought up reports of meotings hold since the last meeting of the Council, The Mayor moved, and Cr Gapper seconded that the roports be adopted.— Carried. A-NUISANCE. MrD. McMullen wrote, complaining that a water closet had been placed near his window by a neighbor. The matter was referred to the Inspector of Nuisances, the premier's visit. The Mayor said they were, no doubt, all aware that the Premier was about to pay a visit to Masterton, and he. hoped that they would give him a hearty weloonie. He moved that the Council present an address, according the Premier a hearty welcome, and that the address be read by the Town : Clerk He would ask'themto meet the Premier at the railway station. It was usual to give a welcome of tho sort to the Premier on the occasion of such a visit, Or Bacon seconded the motion.

Or Gapper said if the emanations of the Premier at the opening of the Wellington Woollen Factory were to be taken as a criterion he had better stay a\vay. fle spoke of carrying coal from Weatporfc to Picton by rail cheaper than by sea, It put him in mind of Lord Brougham's visit to a brewery, He should not like to seo the people led away by-such things, The Mayor said he simply asked them to give the Premier a welcome. If the Premier were capable of uttering such rubbish lie pitied his constituents. He did not approve of all the policies of the Premier, but he admired him as a man who had risen from the lowest step, and, moreover, because his lecture would materially assist t])e funds qf' the Instituted

Cr Heron defended Cr Gapper, If he wished to prevent the people from being misled, he had a right to quote from one of the Premier's speeches. ' Cr Perry was of a similar opinion, Cr Williams regretted that anyone should have objected to receiving the Premier, and that politics should have been imported.

Or Heron defied that politics had been • imported..

Thq resolution was then adopted. The Mayor moved that Crs Muir, 1 Mason, and the mover be a Committee to draw- up the address, Seconded by Cr Chamberlain and carried. Water Supply. The Mayor said he had the following motion standing, of which he had given notice ''That in the opinion of the Council the time has arrived for- obtaining* watersupply, and that a public meeting of the burgesses be held to consider the advisableness of raisingaloanforthat purpose." The motipn had been adjourned from'the jasfc meeting, so that thY Engineer might give them some "datai Ho understood that the Engineer would be prepared with these at the present meeting, but lie had not received the result of tho surveyor's work yet. It was in the hands of the Council whether the consider the motion, or further adjourn it.

Or Muir thought they should have the Engineer's data first. By perniissionof the Council the motion was then fu : rfcljer adjourned ti[l tlie next ordinary meeting, ' ', Notices of Motion,

Cr Mason gave notice to move at tho next meeting of the Council that the bylaw for licensing public buildings bo amended.

Cr Muir to move, that the managment of the Masterton Institute and Library bo undertaken by this Council on and after March 31st, 1886. The Council then adjourned. /