BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2498, 12 January 1887, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The ordinary fortnightly meeting of the Council was held last evpning in the Council Chambers, Chapel Street. Pro. sent—'lis Worship the Mayor, Councillors Perry, Heron, Gapper, Muir, Mason, Chamberlain. Parsonsj arid Cullen. . Theminutoaof.the,last ordinary and subsequent special meeting were road and confirmed. ••--.' CORRESPONDENCE The following correspondence was read —From Mr W. G. Beard, Borough Solicitor, with advice re status of the Council, with regard to tho proclamation of. the division of Borough by the Governor. . From Mr R. S. Hawkins, stating that he was willing to conform to the Borough regulations with'regard to placing a watertight cesspitt on his property in the Borough. From BiunnerCoal Company re coals forwarded for the Gasworks. From Underwriter's Society, Wellington, stating that they could not recognise any claim made by the Fire Brigade for expenses incurred in connection with fires. From Colonial Secretary stating that tho proclamation dividing tho Borough of Masterton into four wards wji gazetted on December 30th, 188 G. STATUS QUO. The Mayor explained that tho reason the Council, obtained their solicitor's advice upon the position of the • Council wrtß that their status was questioned, and many were under the impression that when the Governor acceded to the petition and proclaimed the division of the borough into wards the Council ceased to exist. He could not understand why they should have taken this view of the nutter,.for if alittlo common sense had been.brdught to bear upon the question it would', be found that a deadlock would ensue upon all btfromjh matters if the Council's functions ceased with the proclamation. The advice of the Solicitor fully bore out the declarations made by the councillors when they were elected by the burgeßses, to remain in office till their successors were appointed. It was open to any burgeß3 to petition the Governor, but the Act must be complied with before the Governor should give effect to it. Ho i would not say Mr Renall did it intentionally, but a march.had been stolen upon tho majority by the minority of the burgesses. The Act Set forth that arch petitions niusfc bey placed'bofore the je'xißting body corporate so'tlnt the legality or otherwise of the petition may be ques- 1 tioned, It was quite evident some one had blundered, whether it was the. Go-' vernor, the Council, or'who, the position (if the Council remaiued unaltered, as the hotice had hot been' Berved oil them. No dopbt the Christmas holidays ware in a measure.to blarneys the Government officials through the .term of picture •might have been lax in the usual' formalities, and had not troubled themselves to ascertain the;-correbtness : of the petition. Ho concluded, by sayin? that the Governor •or Colonial Secretary had no more ri*ht to break the law than anyone else. They were'merely:in office to see it carried out the same as any other. Gbvernmonfc offioial, '"••"In®• Councillors thougKt,thesolicitor's opinion was satisfactory and' the matter dropped,. . ... , ;

' THE CESSPIT QUESTION. * " A little life was infused into' the .p'ty oepditiga on this question _ being brought) and the objects' of * the Works and Sanitary Committees were discusaad atinoie length.' j '.Th? llayor said he would like to see a umftirm ih ; the. : Borough the .erection: of. these rec'eptables, |tn<} mov'ed 'that Mr R."S> Hawkins' leiterbe,riferredto the Committee toaetuporf.',-f-i-.i 'J '■ - { Or Perry.seconded the mptiW 1 .Or Cullen said it was the .duty of the Sanitary Committee, to deal with these questions,.and moved as an amendment that the letter be referred to the Sanitary Committee to act upon.

Or Meson said tHe Wotks Cbipriiittde' were the proper-party to' see tb'.wflrks of the kind, Or Perry coincided, and thought that thoSanita'iy.Cnmiuittco'a dutv commenced after the Works Oonimittee had done the • Cr Gapper: second^. the which carried on to ' foiir. .Muir, and:PaMbns;.v. Now4iW<M&jj?&, Ore Maaoil, Peiiy, tincl ' QAscqsQ^Br.,,;^; -The report of the Gas Committee ffas read," which 'embodied , report showing; "that th 4 it'efcbtta war**, finished, the pavement, (it-,the rejfljtt house partly done, .the Garter fcsF heiiig.'rapidly refilled, and t|»fonly two men were iemploylii}. on the works. The report recommended tlmt a managed for the Works be advertised for, and that tenders be invited for an additional £2500 oil tho Gas L'oaii,' at a minimum of 93, through the Bank of Australasia. "

Cr Mason asked if the works would bo completed this week, or if'there was any specified date when the ; towa°would he lighted. - r h' - <, The Mayor explained that th'd engineer would;be prepared to manufacture gaa us soon as a syphon boi from Wei* lington. No doubt the principal thing would be to get the tank watertight. He thnught- the .engineer. st(ited.;they would have gas this wegW.v' .'• ."J

Crs Muir, Heron, and .Perry did not understand the engineer to say he would have gas r°ady this week, but. it would be in a few days after the Byphiin arrived. The report was then adopted! • AMEEiXIONS. '. ? '

A communication was road 'from the Town Clerk ro fixing office hours of clerk, appointing commissioners'for library, and fixing security of borouph treasurer and collector,

The Mayor explained that those altorationa and appointments were necessary to conform to the act. ; ' With regard to the' Library ho stated that the Commissioners would have itjbb appointed to arrange the repayment of the debt upon the Institute, which was originally £6OO, but had been reduced by the annuil urants from the Town Lamia Trust, to about £3OO. He was under tha iraprea* sion that the grant from the'" Trust was for as long as the debt existed, but found that it was- for ouly five-'yesrs, consequently, another .application would hare to be made to, them for a renewal of .the annual grant of £SO, Wit® regard to the Treasurer, he said, it was for tho Council to fix the amount of security, H» thought it was necessary that'the Council; should protect itself, and aa.they had to pay tho interest on the . : a,ecarity lio thought that they should 8oe : that* tha amount was sufficient for the riekq of tihe office. He moved '''That theiamountof security to be. found by the Treiiirarer and Town Clerk be. £200." ' 1 : ■ Cr Parsons seconded the motion. Or Mason asked if the amount was'not fixed by the Act. r . The Mayor said it was regulated according to tho amount of money collected in the Borough. - ' Cr Heron said LSQO would be nearer ■the mark if the Gas Works-were under the control of the Town Clerk

It was ultimately'agreed that'both tho questions of Library Commissions, and fixinp the amount of. the Treasurer's security be left to tho Financo Purarait'tee to report upon.; • . The office hours. of "tho. Tqwn Oleirk. ■ were fixed from 10 a.m. to ftfoifli Mondays,to Fridays, and-froin 10 a. in;to | l p.mv on Saturdnya. TOWN CLERK. ■ A letter,' dated Decembar litli, from the Town. Clork. applying for 'an increaea of salary, was read -by ithe Mayor, who explained that it would have come before the Council before, but a meeting lapsed, and tho aspect of affairs had been altered in the meantime. ; .. The letter pointed out that tho Olork had not once applied for ati inorease of salary before',' , and..; .to- enable ■him to meet the increasing, work ha had given up most of his private, business also that the library,, debentures, &c., had been added'-to his duties, and had the Council placid the raising of the Gas Luanifo the handii'of a ; company or agent, 'thVexpjnse would have been considerable,. 'A; subsequent letter was read from-the!; ?Town (%k painting nut tho altei'a|on : ijithe'affi;«B of the Borough, and a4*iiif the Oittnci); to place on record liis claim fortatf incWijs-; of salary, as a guide for the Considerable discussion ensiied' on tfi&jv question which was eventually ,- a committee consisting of. the Ow Gapper, Herim. and Masoivto retooitffij on at the next meeting. &s.s)» OAS. : f$H; Or Gapper asked whether any had been taken-with ..regard to a conti'tyf-*;-ous supply of water'for the gasworks. understood that it would. be neceasary! supplying the scrubber, arid 'also in the'l - j Retort- house for cooling the coke.' '; • was not an expert in the business, Kfft ■'. should say if it vras necessafyi jtViight ml l be gone on, with;at once. ; Cr' Muir said the Engineer h.adss6rte<f © that'the water could bo laid o)i anytime,' ,® Jt would hbt'cauSe a' :Work. •$[ Cr Parsons said it might mean extra )' supervision on the part of tho engineer.. ''{ Cr Heron did not think it, would -be necessary to haye a water supply at the gasworks any, more ■ than- iij- a private house.

CrGapper said lie could upt see why there should be Buch dilly-dallying ovar the work. One piece of ..work was finishedDefore another was begun.! '"'Ha instanced,, the want of forethought ia the Engineer ■ who used 30,U0U bricks, aftor.athtiirg' that'ho might r«<juiro 'SOOO. * He aaid the !Couricillora woru .plaood ia office to do their duty. to".tho,Borough, arid; eee'that the rannef'was spent in tho most economical way, and if. it was,necessary that this water augply,.wW;: sH.ould be.done at once! ahd .:ijcft jtbp't'hSP work at a great 'expense to dp it hoped the 'Gas Committee' W«iild see. to. it and not lei;'things go/ on jasft ;>/ minute,-He .moved'a resulution'Sccbrdingly. . . $ • Or Perry accused Or Gapper .oF'speaktag from .hearsay, /He had no authority ;|| to this: water supply, question. :.ij •The Mayor':! Do you second the ruiolii' :'xl tion CrPjrry ? /, f ; c ; • , Cr Perry.: No' •'«.:

The Mayor then seconded it pro forma 'add Baid if water was necessary it should ; have boon recommended by the Engineor. ■.Or Heron did not obiecf tjo Or Gapper'a tyotion, but.said that .the Engineer could not be expected to consult' Gr all' questions connected with.the. i works, as He',was\ no 6 - on the Gfek :, ' ' 's CrGapper: fle hever did wheji'l vki '' on'the Uoiftuiitwb.' • v r 1 ; C.r Parsons Agreed'with- Cr'.Gapp^.-{ fleswd tilings were left too, to tib' 1 last minute, if thp vjatef'wfla wanted at> = ajj, it would be necessary to iiatfi 1 it' ! |f the/'first, anil., gg : • referred to tfa\ unfinished atreeii : 'jampt| > and-Several othei things, and-eshj 'they should do their duty fearlesaly, -and n'6t ) let' pVsa uuoticed ,'iTh'e qiwstibrf then dropped ' * ; C?r Cullen asked if if separate, account v.M kept for the of the atreeb , lamps. . ilflw Mayor eiplained-that th'e lamps wire lighted accoUa& 'wpuld ■; be adjusted, and separate ones kepp.r ••• V. • WATEE CART. t The Street-Waterm?,Committee, were •S ' w