MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2264, 7 April 1886, Page 2

MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The regular fortnightly meeting of the Borough Council was held last night. Present—Tho Mayor and Ors Oullen, Muir, Heron, Mason, Hessey, Gapper, Chamberlain, and Perry. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. PRIVATE ROADS. Mr Bunny wrote, asking that the Borough seal be affixed to a plan of part section 20. Cr Gapper moved that tho request be granted. Cr Heron seconded.—Carried. Mr Bunny wrote on behalf of Mr Holloway, asking that the seal of tho Council be affixed to the plan of a right of way at the back of part Town Acre 73. The request was granted on the motion of Cr Heron, seconded by Cr Gapper. PETITION. A petition from certain ratepayers was submitted, asking the Council to make the continuation of the road through Donald's estate,—Boferred to the Works Committee. OAS PLANT. The Mayor said, in reference to the plant ordered in England for the gas works, that Mr Burt was in Mastorton last week, and informed him that part of the plant was underway. He did not know whether it was coming by steamer or sailing vessol. Ho was of opinion it would be better to leave it in tho hands of Messrs Burt to use their judgment as to whether it should be forwarded by steamer or sailing ship. Mr Robert Brown wrote asking to be allowed to supply rope required for the gas pipe packing. Laid on the table. Messrs Robertson wrote statin? that all the pipes had been delivered, and enclosing account for £2l Bs,—Refered to tho gas committee for the Engineer's certification. BUILDING REGULATIONS.

Messrs Lowes and lorns wrote, asking to be allowed to erect a lean-to of iron to their premises in Queen-Bfcroet, and dispense with the fourteen day's notice. Or Perry thought it would be a pity to allow a lean-to to be put up frontiug Queen-street. He thought that a plan should be submitted Or Hessey moved that the petition be granted. He did not see that they should interfere and say what a man should do, so long as he complied with the by-laws. Or Gapper seconded the motion. He explained that the roof ofthe old building would not he interfered with. The addition would be finished off to correspond with adjoining shop fronts, Or Perry said with the explanation of Or Gapper he would- support the motion. j The motion was then put and carried. The Mayor moved that the building surveyor be instruoted to report periodically on all buildings and alterations proposed to be erected. 1 Or Mason seconded.—Carried. THE WORKS COMMITTEE'S REPORT. As published in our yesterday's issue, was read and adopted.. The Inspector of nuisances report was read on. ' ' ! . CREEK NUISANCES. I beg to report that the creek running through Mr D, E. Toohill's and Mr Nathan's properties, near Mr Toohill's hotel, through the decaying vegetable matter and rotten weeds and mud, causes a very bad smell, which is likely to injure the health of the public. On the same , stream on Mr Richard McKenzie's property, I find the same kind of nuisance, which, in my opinion should be cleaned. I should also recommend the' Council to remove the weeds in line of roac( near and opposite Chamberlain's bakery QueenStreet. I recommend that the Town Creek running through the premieepof Mr James i Ross to bo olenned qqt, through the various soctjona from Kirton-atreef. to Johnston-street. There is a quantity of dacsying vegetable m&ttter in many places in tho oreek, which renders it to bo a nuisance, which in my opinion should be abated. The Mayor moved that notice be given to the owners of property through which the creeks ran to clear the same. Or Heron seconded.—Carried. The Inspector of Nuisances sent in a further report on NOXIOUS TRADES. He reported that several complaints were made to him respecting Mr G. Langenseipen's tannery \vorks, Quoen street. He had frequently yisited those works and had seyeral times found nuisances as complained of, which had been abated, but there was always a certain amount of nuisance connected with tho business which he considered injurious to the public health. There were certain vats the ekina weresoakedin, and certain offensive matters used for the purpose. He visited the works January 23rd, and the miasma was so groat he had to leave. Mr Langenseipen stated he had a permit from the Council to carry on the trade as a tanner in that place. Inspector Ingram maintained that the situation of the place as a tannery was not suitable, as in his opinion it was injurious to the public health, The Mayor said when permission was given was the time to have discussed the matter. He thought it would be a hardship at the present stage to Btop the business. Cr Heron said the nuisanoe must have been pretty bad when the Inspector of Nuisances could not enter the premises. When permission was given to Mr Langenseipen to carry on the business it was a proviso that there should be no nuisance created in connection with it. Cr Hessey said if the nuisance was there, the duty of the Council was clear, and the Inspector's report should be dealt with. ■ Ho moved that nqt|co b'e given the party oompjain^' of ty nb,ate thenpisance. ■ The Tovp Clerk read that portion of the Pubjic Health Apt dealing with noxious trades. Cr Chamberlain seconded tho motion, Leave was only granted to carry on the business on the disthiqt understanding that no nuisance should be created by it. The motion was carried. STEAM FIRE ENGINE, The Town Clerk stated that he had obtained an opinion from the solicitor, who reported that the offor to supply a steam fire engine could be accepted provided a sinking fund and interest was arranged, and the legal limit of the overdraft not exceeded, The Mayor said the solicitor's opinion was like the Delphic oracles for clearness. He could not Bee through it. ■ Cr Heron said they were always up to the limit of their overdraft, and he failed to see how they could make the purchase legally. The Town Clerk- said the solicitor was quite satisfied as to the legality of the transaction, provided they arranged for the interest which would have to come out of the general fund, and the ultimato payment of the purchase money. The Mayor said the bugbear kt n* staring him in the faee til the repijment of the" principal. Itwu ft question they onghfc to decide. The trwiMstioti voold be legal, bnt they would hive to protide for tlie repayment of the principal in three years. Cr Gapper would not feel inclined to sign cheques on behalf of the Council

with that liability hanging over' 1 thorn, unless the Mayor would see thein freo of . liability. The Mayor said-the means ah their disposal to extinguish fire woro.despicablo, and not adequate to the wealfchof the town that required protection,Ho was not inclined to become personally .'liable for £7OO. New members were elected overy year, and could they bind their successors to repay the amount out ot the general funds ? There was no disguki,,' l ,. l .. the fact that it was a private contdHHr. a purchase to be repaid in threeSplrs. Bo thought it would be better to meet the ratepayers, and ask them to gaurantee i loan for a better fire and water supply, Ho thought the centre of the town should consent to a.separate rate for such » purpose.; Cr Muir said the difficulty could be got over if the Council would set aside £2OO or so a year. If the matter was to b» referred to the ratepayers, he would like , to go into the question of a high'pressure water supply. \. Tho Mayor said the tatepayeirs raighi go in for a loan of a thousand pounds, but the hieh pressure Bcheme would be a much larger matter to go to them about, and which they would probably reject. Cr (Men moved that the offer of Mr Macara to supply a steam fire engine b» declined with thanks. Cr Heron soconded. ; Cr Muir moved that the offer be accepted, and tho sum of £2OO per annuffl be paid off the amount from tWcenfflsj fund. ' The Mayor said in roferencoJjk'Cr.. Cullen's motion, the Council hadJHsady,, v agreed to accept tho : offer of Mr' Macara, ' provided the Borough solicitor,gave'an opinion in favor of its legality." would have to give notice of motion if he wanted that rescinded. ' : The Mayor seconded Cr Muir's : reso* lution. li'r

Or Heron said he would certainly, yoto against it. Three years hence the present Councillors would not bo sitting ; (Here, and they would be personally responsible for the amount. (Hear I hear !)'■" ft meant they would have to wade through mud and mire for the sake of afire engine. ■ Cr Cullen said he would certainly vote against it—not on legal grounds, but because they were on the verge of getting a water supply. He bolieved the ritepayers would sanction a loan of £IO,OOO for a feasible scheme of a high pressure water supply. He thought they ahquld not carry a resolution on a scheme of which they wero in such doubt as to ita legality. ■ ' Cr Mason wanted to know what use it waß asking for a legal opinion and no(i believing in it?. - - Or Hessey said they had not \?t&M an opinion. The solicitor had nottold them whether it was possible to make them personally responsible for its repayment. The motion was then put and lost on a division, Ors. Oullenj Heron', Hessey, Mason, and Gapper voting against, Ora I Chamberlain, Muir, Perry, and the Mayor j for the motion, POLICE PROTECTION. The Mayor said his attention had been [drawn through the press to the fact that ! they were a policeman short. A constable had been removed from the town. to Eketahuna, and, what made matters ' worse, the police were employed upon all sorts of business or oourt matters, ■ and - latterly another policeman had been told j off to obtain statistics, while another was [inspector of weights and measures,, to that they had no real time to properly ■ look after the protection of life and property in tho town. They could manage right enough in the day time,, but they\ . had not sufficient members to tell off;ono, for night duty, E(e would niove that tRe iCouncil respectfully request that, the Minister of Justice will supply another . constable, bo that the Borough should i have police protection during thejiighf ■ I time. It was a temptation to eviljß|j| to commit crime when they kne\?Sß town was unprotected at night, aithofagn. ; j they had been free so far. When four constables were in the town, one had boon' always on duty until three or four o'clock in the morning. The motion was carried, Tho Mayor drew the attention of tl\e> Council, that they were' a member short on the Charitable Aid Hoard since his resignation. They lyere still liable to be rated, and it would be as well if they were represented, He would move that the hiember for the Vacant Seat be Mr. Geo. Boetham. As our member he waji the most fit and proper. person to. rov present them on the Aid Board. Or Perry seconded.-..0a tried.. ... NEW BUILDING, it? • A plan was submitted by Mr Fannin o! a two Btory building to be erected for Mr Cullen,—Referred to |the building surveyor. NOTIOE OF MOTION. rfi Mr Cullen, by permission, withdrfihhe ' motion of which he had given notice, to' reconstruct the Gas Committee. • FIRE ENGINE, The Mayor gave the following notice of* motion That tho Borough Council pass a tion for making better provision for efcf* tinguishing fires. That the ratepayers be asked to authorise a loan of £I,OOO for the purchase of a steam fire engine, and make such other provisions as necessary ■ for a better water supply, The meeting then adjourned. , ■■. ,