MUNICIPAL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2532, 23 February 1887, Page 2

MUNICIPAL.

The, Ordinary meeting:# the Masterton Borough Council was held last evening (Tuesday). Present—His Worship the Mayor (Mr M. CaMberg), Councillors Perry, Gapper, Mason, Muir, Ellrins, Hessey, Parsons T. E. Chamberlain,; E. E. Chamberlain, Papworth, Carman and Cullen. The minutes of previous meeting'were read and confirmejL CORRESPONDENCE, ' . From Mr J. Rees George,: under; taking to inspect and report'upon the Masterton Gas Works for the sum of £3O. From'Mr G. W; Tankersley, asking permission to cut timber off the roads on the Donald , estate, Referred to Works Committee'. ' ' From Town Clerk's Office, Wellington, with information re street ingFrom Town Clerk's Office, Nelson, with information re books used in connection with their gas works. From Colonial Treasury, notifying that tho sum'.of £2 had been paid •to the credit'of-the Council for finos received in D^cemb&r, From Mi: A; W. Renall, re: water supply for street watering, &c, ,■ From Mr J. C. Ingram, asking permission Ho' 'light,'fires;, for burning rubbish (in the open) at the cemetery and Kuripuni.. Withheld during the dry weatheri; : • From . Same, requesting that a special' Committee ;be appointed by the Council to investigate the damaging statements made by His Worship tbe Mayor on the Lowering Screw that was sent to Dunedin to Messrs Burt &'Co.' .-i ■

From Mr- J, R. George, stating that the Galvanised Tank and ometer would ' cpst 'about £BO, but that it would be constructed, oh a principle that it could b.e, utilised for .several purposes on the .works. That the present o'metre c could be easily lifted to repair the tank. That the puddlo would be all ,the better .if put into, the bottom of tho •.tani'waii, ifind cither, information. From Mr R, K Smith asked permission to have the following report read: . Oriental Bay, Wellington, February 21st, 1887, '.Mi"E; K." Smith," ' " ■ Gas Engineer, Masterton. '.- . , Sir,—As requested by you ■ in your letter dated the 15th inst., I proceeded to Masterton on the 17th, and mado ( two inspeotions of the Borough Gasworks,' one'" accompanied by yourself, and one myself alone. I have also twice; visited tho works, during their construction.; I have also to acknowledge •receipt containing a-,report oh the Gasworks by Mr J,.E. George,, and now lieg to submit my opinion on the state of your works generally. The retort ' house is 36ft long, 30ft wide, and 18ft high, with strong iron roof, slated, and particularly woll ventilated. Tho two doorways, one sft 2in, and tho..other three, feet wide,.. I consider ample for allpurpj>6es. i The hydraulic mam (malleable iron)'is fullsized'and ; well made. The ascension drain and dip pipes, are large, and suitable for the carbonization of- Grey river coal, thereby causing no stoppage to .tho ascension pipes. Cdniiectirig with the" hydraulic main is a valve'for regulating the seal of the dip pipes, and running off the ammomieal water at will, this I consider a first-rate improvement, in _ works, of .this size. The bench of,retorts' consists of. 3 overiß, each containing 3'fere-olay retorts Bft long and ISitf diamoter inside; sind.'ohe oven to'contain one or two retortsasjmaybe reijuire'd.' The; retorts aro set on-Crcgg's plan, see. sth edition of Samuel Ol'egg'r treatise on coal gas plates 2 and 3/ :,The Epgineer,; I. think, has, aoted- properly ;in giving additional Btrengh to the brickwork of the settling, by banking up the brickwork on each side of the' furnace to the level of the bottom of the,nostrils. Thai', set as shown on the plato,' arid, is Supported, iti the middle.by a hick pillar'standing ori.'a, 1 ! 'furnace' arch,' and on both erids on brickwork, and is 'entirely'in'dfe'p'erident of'the' lower retorts., This I consider strong and good setting. The.conncijtliig fluqa ito' each, oven has two dampers, one,in front, and. ono" at the back ,of 'the 'arohl' which' c'aij jj'o "so regulated that the' heat'can' be' distnjmted equally over ? tli'e whole retorts, There is also' a damper tin the main flue : to control fhe whole draft required. The idea facturing and storing a supply of gas for the town of Masterton for seven Or'.eight days I consider|both impracticable and absurd for the following ;pong other reasons':_'Theconsumption of gas in one night has reached over 4000 oubic feot, and ohly half-of the town lighted,.-.- It. is therefore clear that'a gas holder 50ft x 12ft deep would bo insufficient in,storage capacity j -and moreover to bank up the fires, and dose the damper, and suspend ftp manufaotiire of gas for' tlays together would iu a fihflrj tips' W to the total destruction 'of Doth retorts and setting the expansion and' fcontr'aofloh; hbwei?er carefully carried 'out, > wduld" be' most' deatructiye. 'The erection' of thb' condensers, washer anil scrubber; has been M "tarried out, and their positions in front of the. side wall Of the retort house facing Btonister Street,,shows ths good taste of the Theloßg.vieV.'of .the dead.iVall,' has, !been broken up; and the' ereptioaVof. .the- plant, and, the, mpst exacting coalcl not proy^ ; thai ['it interferes in the least,•\vith ; the' proper arid efficient working of the establishmerit":, The' washer is one of thtfbest coflitractiotii'imd ij, V- ,

the invention of Mr George Livesey, of the South Metropolitan Gas Woris, London. Its adoption is oreditiblo to the Engineer,' and pats the Masterton Gas Works in that and ''other-machinery ahead of tho Wellington works and many more in New Zealand. Ea tho objection taken to two additional valves being used in the bye-passes to the condensers and washer. The Engineer explains that having a plentiful supply of valves, he had. them put in to save the exponso of making patterns and castings of flanged pipes to- suit. Besides they - can be utilized when required, and as to complication, there is none, everything being seen and above board." As to a-bye* pass for the scrubber, give Mr Beid, the manager, the material wanting .and he will-fix one in a short time, but he can also clean out and.renew the scrubbing Material, at pre; sent and for ten to come, in a few hours, and that without a bye-pass; The room intended by the Engineer lor an expresent occupied as a fitting and blacksmith's shop, is very carefully, protected from the purifying house by a,brick wall carried up to the roofs, and the purifying house being open on tho north side, and ventilated on the south, that any danger exists; from its proximity to tho smith's shop is alii moonshine." The purifyers are of large size,' and well fitted up. The centre valve is (me of tho best having largo working surfaces and plenty of space to pass incoming and out-, going gas.. This is the only valve connected "with.the purifyerS: Tho smell.referred to.4s coming from tho valves may have originated from the Byphon being pumped oat recently. The station meter is largo and well constructed, and has apatent bye-pass, the valves j of which are actuated by wator, Thegovornor is one of Feeble's patents, and is so oon-, structed that: should tho brass ohain suspending the valve break, a thing not very likely to habpon, the valvo would immediately slide down and open full; and should even -thjs happen provisions have been, iiiAde by. fixing a valve in the Bin outlet main within a few yards by which the.pressure to the town could' lie regulated—thoto: is" ffieifeforo; no necessity for & byd-pass.'' ■ f :Was mii.oh pleased with the Engineer's Aethod, of testing tho street, mains, and the good results shown. The purifying house , ii ; SO, feet ■squsro, open on the north side, and 1 there is plenty of room to chargo and discharge the purifying material and no ob'Btriicliqn yhatevor in the way; Tho tank . asked for. to supply the scrubber with ammonal liquor was to bo 200 gallons capacity,' and tho '8 'inch supports erected td eariy; it' .\ver« per-■ feotly safe, Councillor Muir'e suggestion, of laying a pipe from the creek iWM'tho Club Hotel is a good one, and; worthjrjdf being carried out for suppying' the ffqrlts with water. Tho fact that tho gas holdii'. tank ia built on shingle with a current of water running beneath the foundation - at the 'present time, and rising in proportion to the floods inthoWaipoua river, proves it to be altogether exceptional to any I have teen, and that the rise of the water in a flood since the tank was built forcod out throe plugs put into ,tli3 bottom of tho tank for tho safety of the concrete bottom " by directions of the Engineer"—and tho tank filling with water to a depth of four feet, is proof that there is some' difficulty' and danger to boapprehended.' I sed no great causo of alarm, howover. That the tank wall has sunk sinco being filled with wator there is no proof-whatever. On the contrary five of the eolumnsj -distant 25 feet fjom one another, are within one inch of being level, and the sixth one is 2}in lower, and stands exactly in tho samo position as ■when built, and for which tho Engineer can give a good reason. I have no fear of the tank giving way. noithor by pressure on the outside or from within, and wore I called upon to give an opinion it would Be as follows. Keep tho tank supplied with wator to, n dopth of 6 or 8 foot, and supply the town with gas during the Autumn.and W'nter months, and should tho rise of tho water around and.above tho bottom of tho tank not silt up and euro the leak, that on the return of tho long summer days, whon little' light is required, tho work bo pvoceedoed with and tho repairs made, By that timo the energy of the amateur engineers in. tho Council and out of it, will have bean cooled down, and the whole subjeot looked at intelligently and a complete ouro effected. It only remains for me to state that I consider, the gas manufactured first rate in quality and purification, and great credit should be accorded to the Engineer for designing and , carrying out tho works.—l am, die., . W. Hoosbb, Gaa Engingor, • INVESTIGATION, The Mayor in referring to the Engineer's request for an investigation into the statement made, said it was only right that the Council shouldgive Mr. Smith an opportunity of defending himselfto clear up any .wrong impreeaions .thatmay have been created. The statement was made before the whole council, and they wore well aware of the nature of it. If ,Mr Smith was right, it was quite evident he (the Mayor) was wrong, and lie thought the best thing to do was to appoint the Committee as desired. If he had' wronged Mr Smith lie would mako an : ample apology to him, but he wrs not going to be frightened by any [scarecrow. The'information was given, him by the Town Clerk , and lie, considered it his duty to immediately place it openly beforo the Council, so that the oharge could be refuted. As Mayor, ho considered it his duty to the -interest of the town, and if lie was to be frightened from speaking out lie did not deserve the position he occupied.. For the latter part of Mr Smith's letter, in which he attributes the motives to animus, the Mayor said he would treat that with the contempt it deserves. He would move that a committee consisting of Ors Muir,Elkitis, Papworth, Gapper, Cullen, Perry and Parsons be appointed to investigate 'the charge made by, Mr Smith against the Mayor. Cr T. E. Chamberlain seconded the motion, which was carried,

WATER SUPPLY. Mr A. W. toll's letter was read, wliifch pointed out the deficiency of water for fire and sanitary purposes in the •■Borough, and suggesting that a ram!'and tank bo erected near the wator-mill, Queen-street, as an effectual and inexpensive method of filling the .water'cart. Mr Eenall also notified' that he was making arrangements for flushing the creek through the town, the account for which he would send ■to next meeting of the Council. He called attention to the fact that the. Black (M wastotally unfit fora water supply for the town; as it was at present almost dried up. , ■ • 'The Mayor moved a vote of thanks to Mr Renall for the information supplied, and that the matter be referred to the Works Committee.

.Cr Papworth, in seconding tho proposition, asked if Mr Eonall had been roquested to flush tho creek, and what the cost would be.- , . The Mayor said he was quite in the dark on the question, and asked Councillors if they knew anything about it. $Cr Papworth said he had mentioned id Sir Befall sQme time ago that he mwe $ jk of getting 'the creeks flushed the town,' Bo;'fliat'tfo s^imeiit ! ; ; couM lie washed away; ancLtliiis in'a measure protect thd people living nearit fifdmthe ..disease that''now arises ;from it. Mr .Beiiair informed lpi tjiat he wfald do ■so during a week for m'oie ail pounds-.'lf '! Cr Pprry said lie did not sea (urgent necessity of : flushing' th« eroekaj

through the : town';;They iadfei . going on for the last twenty or thirty years, arid thought that jfc ,'oo,uld be held over uniil the' : ilext ! Mting, there was no urgent.cause for if. The Mayor said perhaps the Inspectar's report, would assist thetil in the matter. This, on being read, stated,that the inhabitants on !tlie .i)ixon estate complained of toe pells ' arising from the damming of the creek, and on ,viSitiiig it he bore out that it that required immediate Bfsw| as stagnant pools ofwater were : l6|lß/th'e , ;; o.", creek below.the dam. ..Ityso called ' the attention to., house draii/s being v. • emptied into the creek, which was.!,' 1 polluting the stream and causing a' •< nuisance, and suggesting that as -there are no by-laws to regulate this the Council should endeavor to make on«, and remedy the present unsatisfaotory state of affairs. Be slaughterhtftes, the Inspector recommended tM a by-law be framed to regulate them, as he had for the past few years kept the nuisances down by threats, . The Mayor said that the proposed flushing would do away with tho first nuisance complained of. Ee th# slaughterhouse and emptying refttw in the creek he would move that th# matter be referred to tho b'y-lw Committee. Cr Muir considered that tho Sanitary .Committee would fa best to deal with it,.as. they would then see .if,it ttm necessary to have a; by-law ; on th» subject,. : - •

The Td'vm Clerk- stated ' that . there were no by-laws in existence on subject. ' The Mayor said the by-law Committee should take the matter in hand , to see if existing by-laws were , sufficient to oope with the subject. .... Cr Mason seconded the Mayor 1 ® proposition/ i Cr Papworth called attention to tho illness that prevailed,among, the children living along the creek that Sfoel through thoChurch of England gssndi and thought it was necessary to wash the channel out for their benefit, Th# motion waß then earned. The Works Committee, were then'empowered to deal with Mr Eenalls offer for flushing providing it did not cost more than five or six pounds.' FINANCE. ' The Finance Committee's report was read, recommending several-ae-counts for payment, and that the Tdwnto Clerk's salary be raised to £2BO pei4 annum from August last, and that an assistant Clerk be appointed at a salary of£loopor annum. . Tho Mayor, in moving the'adoptioi} of the report said that when tho. Towii Clerk's offices were removed, ha wag compelled to relinquish most of his private business which had arnoun- • ted to about £800; out ofthirf ho had to pay a dork about £150,. so by tho removal of tho 'offices' thoy would see Mr Brown was the loser to the extent of about £l5O a year. Tho work of tho Council had-increased so much of late, that the wholo tima of tho Clerk was now required, for their 'work,' - and lie'thought' '.that the salary should be made .sufflcijg for their clerk to devoto himself <Pir«ly to, it. He pointed out that there wer« Firo Brigade, Library, Institute, <3a» Works, and the Four Ward business " 4® attend to, the latter item entailing more work 'than anything else, The Committee had decided to rooommend that Mr Brown be allowed to retain tie clerkship'of the' Town lands Trm ' which would not take up much of his time. Tho assistant ; ef(srk'-would b® ■ gas and rate collector, and assist .in, the Borough clerical work, and - also ,be empowered to sue for outstanding rates, the time of the Town .Clerk having been taken'up .so much lately that he has been, unable to do it, although the Council had threatened Boveral times to sue defaulters It was. the intention of the ; commiUeo to chargo tho Town Clerk's salary £250, to )ho Borough fund, and the assistant clerk's salary,to the gas account,/thisthey would .be a feir division between tho two accounts.. '■ ■ ' j

Cr Carman seconded tbe adoption ef' 1 the report, ' Cr Papworth' asked if the totaiitee took into, considaratiowfflhether -the assistant plork could if?'other business outside the' Borough duties. The Mayor replied that tHoj had not considered it, but he would 1 prefer to seo a Clerk appointed who .cotijd devote his whole time'to the"Uouflffi. His experience was that where men divido their time the work is never done so well as by those who have only one duty to perform; Or Papworth said there were plenty of reliable men in the town who would apply for the situation' if they wero allowed to do other business after office hours, ' Or Muir asked if the work' of the gas. accounts would require tho .whols time of tho assistant otofcftj The Mayor aaid that nibat, of the work would fall upon tbe" Town Clork, t!r Perry thought that £2OO was too much to give tho Town Clerk' in comEarison to what the assistant 1 was to avo. The difference was too'great. Cr Hessey agreed with'Cr Perry, and said if the Town Glerk (got !£2bo the other Clerk should would prefer to seo the Town Olork's salary at £2OO, and the assistant's at £l2O, , . 1 Or Parsons differed the, ®>, lpt speakers, qntl .argued ttek tnere must bo a responsible perßjfPat tha head of the Borough official work, who would havo control .of the subordinate officers, and he ought to be paid .accordingly, No doubt there WB3 a large increase proposed in the salaries, bat 88 there had amount of extra Borough into' and other things such as gas, (fee., he.'considered'thafc the salaries would have to increase corres* . pondingly, . , A proposition to go into Committee on the question fas negatived by ten •'/ J d' '' : to' thf report) f liat tba portion'referring to tM Assistant Clirk ,ovpr,' In he i^ajrli'^g «a<y to,, haye' clerk; *S£ «4wated

• a time so that tho Council could seo wlmt was really necessary, Cr Gapper pointed out that tliey were now paying £72 a year, and if ■ they were able to get a man* who could take the office work during the Clerk's •' absence at any tiino, and one they could rely on for £IOO a year, he thought they should pay the difference. The way the accounts ■ wero now brought . (]own showed conclusively that -, the l9Wn Clerk's time wus inore than 9?cupied, and .that he was. unable to cope .with the work, and that it was ' time something was done to remedy it'. Cr Perry was of opinion that the extra " work did not prevent the 1 Town Clerk summoning defaulters.. He,had been. : ; 'tiiat way .'ever Binco the Borough was • ' 'formed and ho neyer would proceed against them. (i Cr Muir said tho whole question of

.. salaries should bo gono into. It was fits evidont that if thoy continued to to increase of - salarios in the way they were doing there would bo nothing left for road work.. Ho drew attention to the amount now beingproposcd, and enumerated salaries to tho amount of £BOO a year boing paid by the Council, which ho considered was more than thoy could afford, and advocated that tho wholo matter be gone into to sou if soinothing could not bo dono to cut tho expense down, flo' would like thoir Clerk to bo well paid but did not think they could afford tho great, .'jump now proposod. .. iTho Mayor said that this was about the f 'first financial discussion tho Council had '' had, and ho thought it was a subject ' 'that should rcccivo its constant deliberations.- It was usual when 'business incrossed for expenses to correspondingly . grow, and it,was tho saiflo.with municipal i affairs, although, when a Borough crows v to any magnitude tho oxponsos aro less In. proportion to its rates. Ho then ■ pointed out the extra work entailed upon -tho Borough ollifcials through the expendlturo of over £B,OOO on the erection of the •. gas works, and nothing had beon charged .to the gas account for it. Or Mason's amendment was put and • declared lost. Or Muir moved a further amendment, That the Town Clork's salary bo £230 wKer annum, and that tho question of spaying:the assistant clerk's salary boa • mattor of future adjustment between the gas and peneral account. Cr Mason seconded, pro forma, and considered that the question of sueing defaultors should not be relegated to a junior clerk, but should bo the duty of tho Town Clerk. , Cr Cullen did not believe in the splitting of straws over tho Town Clork's salary, and drow attontion to the way in ■ which ho always advised thorn in matfcora of law, thereby saving thorn considorablo expense, Be hoped they would not shelve the question, but vote tho amount ; recommended in tho report. ■ Cr Papirorth agreod with Cr. Cullon ro the advice tendorod by tho Town Clork.' Tho Council had a lot to thank tho Clerk for, m ho' wfls always willing to adviso them for th« publio good. Ho also dwelt upon tho number of hours ho had to be in attendance at tho numorous committee meotings, which nioant almost continuous , .day and night work. Cr.Muir's ftinondmenfc was then put and lost on division by 9 to 3. Ayes, Crs Muir, E. Chamberlain, and Perry; Noos, tho .Mayor Cra Mason, Klkins, ' Parsons, T. Chamberlain, Papworth, Gappor, Carman, Cullon. Cr Papworth moved asa further amendment, "That tho Financo Committoe • make a redistribution of all salaries of tho 'idficoni employed by the Council." ®Tho Mayor nilod that tho motion did constitute an amendment, and it was consequently thrown out. Cr Mason movedasa'furthor amendment "That the portion of tho report of the Financo Oommittoo relating to tho ■alary being retrospective be struck out." He did not consider it just to tho ratepayers to pay six months salary without having,something in return, besides thorp had been an assistant in the offico during , the time. ■ The Mayor pointed out that the Clerk I had given up his private business on the t removal of tho office and' thought it shquld be taken into consideration. Cr Parsons said tho Council had talked of giving the Clerk a bonus and the six'months at tho increased salary would only moan £35. and no doubt the ■ Committee had this in vjow when making the recommendation Or Gappor, did not bolievc In this cheese paring policy. The Committee had thoroughly gono into the question and had given it evory consideration and ths way members of the Council wero treating the report was not very flattering to thorn, If members wore not satisßod with tho Committeo let them pass a vote ot non-confidenco in them and not treat their deliberations in the way they wero I&r Muir pointed out that tho question VM not relogated to tho Financo Committeo, thoy took it upon themselves to < set. It was 110 matter to the Council if Mr Brown was earning £SOO a year as long as ho did the Borough work satisfactorily ; they did not ask him to leave his work., Ho did not believe in granting a bonus to tho Clerk, as the proposition ' making the salary retrospective moant as much. ... OrE, E..Chamberlain did hot believe ■ in Or Gapper's idea that they, should take . the roport and. adopt it without discussion, . H? thought these matters should be thoroughly sifted. CrT. E. Chamborlain said tho oppositionists wero in a" miserableminority," or tilao they.wonld not take up fclio timo of the Council in.moving- so many amendments.',,-. , , ,Tho Mayor explained that it was tlie Method tho minority had of recording their position,' : ' CrMuir's amendment was put and lost ■■ i oil division by.' nino to three. Ayoß—Crs Malr, Mason, and Porry. Noes—The Mayor, . Crs Elkins, Parsons, T. • E. Chamberlain, E.. E, Chamborlain, Papworth, Gapper, Carman and Ciilloii, Tho original motion that report be! adopted, wiis carried ou tjiq vote. Tj'OIIKS COMMIMEE.' Tho Works Committees roport was lead', in which tho Overseer's roport of works in progress was embodied, and ■ alio a' recommendation to purchase a ■fiction of land to give the. Borough caraccess to tho gravel-pit, and provide a etone-breaking r yard. Considerable ■discussion onsuod on tho question of purchasing tho land, the report' boing eventually adopted. " , ■, ADJOOKHMENI. : ;At 10 o'clock Cr Cullon moved that'tho Council stand adjourned until Thursday •evening (to-morrow) at_ 7.30 when the gas question and tho Waipoua ltiver protection will bo gone into. Tl\e motion was carried on tho voices,. ' v) " l '' l