MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2216, 10 February 1886, Page 2

MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The regular fortnightly meeting, of • t|& Council was hold last night, PresenW The Mayor, and Crs Muir, Heron, Hessey' r > .' Mason, Chamberlain, Perry and VVil-.i' liams. The minutes of the previouij'.: meeting were read and confirmed, . " ~■!&> A circular was read from the WaikatoV County Council, on the question of thY ; - Hospital and Charitable Aid Bill, :i v,

His Worship said he sympathised very '\ much with the circular. He would take' that opportunity of informing the Council that he had resigned the office as member'' of the Board; They would remember.' that he had informed them, that, if the/ meetings wero to be held in Wellington, he could not afford time to attend. He' had attended a meeting in Wellington, at whichMrßunny was elected Chairman, and he, after thanking them, told them that was all they had to do, as the Act was not understood and he would attend to it as Chairman, He recommended that they .;■ should appoint Mr G. Beetham to! theY Board. He did not know what actions they had taken, but if they were to keep the poor in their own neighborhood let them have the distribution of the funds, not to have their properties rated and the funds expended by irresponsible bodies. He would move That the Council sympathize with the action taken by the Wai- > kato country and will recommend our. member, Mr Beetham, to support b» amendment of the Act, bo that the mail* agement shall be retained in the-district. Seconded by Cr Perry and carried. :' A circular from .Mr Loyeday.relative to' the imposition of a poor rate was referred to the Secretary of ihe Benevolent Society, v . Mr R. K. Smith the Engineer, wrote suggesting that the metal being taken out ■■ at the Gasworks -should be utilised in forming a permanent road in Kirtonstreet, and that a culvert be put in. Referred to the Work's Committee.

The Work's Committee reported that (1) Mr Girdwood had completed Renallstreet contract in a satisfactory manner. (2) Tangney and Co were making good work with their contract in Donald'sestate (3) That tenders be callod for, about 31 chains formation and metalling to connect High-street with the made part of Short-street. (4) Tho men have principally been employed grubbing and stumping in Dixon-street. Re Mace's .- application, it was resolved to recom-. mend the offer be declined, and tenders invited for fourteen year's lease. Re Church-street. The Overseer was instructed to make the street passable for traffic. . a The report was adopted. ■ m The Inspector reported upon tho state of the creek near the Royal Hotel, also, tho creek near Mr Nice's property, and. further stated that ho was of opinion drains ran under the creek that ran under Cockburn's block, and recommending that all drains be at once discontinued.

Or Heron movod, Cr Mason seconded, that the parties complained of, receive notice to abato the nuisance.—Carried.

Regarding the general pollution of the stream running through the town. Cr Perry thought it was the duty of the inspector of Nuisances to find out where these nuisances were, and report them to the Council. Cr Heron supported this view, and moved that the Inspector select a case, and report it to the Oou'ncilt MrHogg, by permission of the Council, explained the state of the creek, and said tho effect upon his employees was serious. Tho Clerk informed the Council that Mr Rennll would allow the stream to bo flushed from the mill stream.

Cr Muir moved as an amendment, That tho Inspector be instructed to take summary proceedings against any person polluting the stream, He Bpoke stronpyagainst persons being allowed to perveft the stream with impunity.

Cr Heron allowed his motion to be amended in accordance with the proposal of Cr Muir and it was then carried.

The Mayor said no doubt they were anxious to know what he had to 'say in relation to the steam fire engine that hasl been exhibited for his benefit when he was on hia tour.' The Mayor of Invercargill had been very kind in giving him every facility to see the working of the steam fire ougine, The engine was got out, and steam was up in 2min 45secs. The men connected with the fire-engine were employees of tho Council, find the arrange' " ments were most complete for getting up steam as soon as the first alarni was given. They labored under a disadvantage in having only one creek at..the, end of the town, and their wells only lasting a few minutes. This necessitated them keeping some 2000 feet of hose. They would have a great saving in Mastefton through being so much better supplied with water, The total cost of an eneine would be about £650, Each fire brigade man was paid 36s a year and 2s an hour at a fire, and the whole was under the Council. The engine-keeper was paid £IOO a year, and was the mosAS important man of tho corps. Ho pointed out how they would be ablo to economise by having steam power. He laid on the table a number of books in • connection with engines and the working of brigades, To give effect to what he had said, as Mr Maoara had promised to advance the money, he would suggest that they should; avail themselves of it, and get the ; steam ' fire engine as soon as possible. .' Or Perry thought they should: wait until they got information as to what sort ; of engine they would require, and the cost,

The Mayor moved that the Town Clerk communicate with Mr Macara, and ask him upon what terms he would purchase, and let the Council have tho use of, a steam fire engine. Or Williams, in seconding, said they would probably save the cost of the engine to the town at the first fire. The resolution was put and carried. The Mayor asked whether tho action of the Council in regard to the pound meant that it would be closed.

The Olerk stated that was virtually-the case. , The Mayor.thought it would notbm ; . wise to close the pound, He would given ~ notice that he would move at the next •.' meeting that the pound be re-opened and .;,;, a ranger appointed upon the basis of tha receipts of the past year, and in the event- • , of the receipts increasing, that a bonus., be given the rangor. i .: The Council then adjourned.