MUNICIPAL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2545, 10 March 1887, Page 2

MUNICIPAL.

The adjourned meeting of, .the Mas* terton Borough Councit' was held last evening (Wednesday). Present—His Worship the Mayor (Mr M. Caselfcerg) Councillors Mason, Parsons, Hessey, E T. E, Chamberlain, E. E.- Chamberlain,. 1 Papworth,. Gapper, Cullen, Muiy and • Perry, '■ Public Holiday, j A communication was received from I tho Secretary of the Maaterton-.Opaki i Jockey Club, requesting the Mayor to r proclaim a holiday on St, Patrick's L Day, the occasion of the Autumn ' Race Meeting of the Club, "" k It was decided to proclaim a half holiday, . . t , ■ - ;i .- Clerk and Colleotor.' ! j? l A discussion ensued' Wore the applir i cations •were read for the office of Clerk 1 and Collector. The articles of agree* ' ment were read which set forth that tho duties were to collect rates, gas , accounts, rents, and other accounts , owing to the Borough, and assist the i Town Clerk in the olerioal, work ,when not engaged in collecting; office hours ' Mondays and Fridays, 10 a.ni. to 5 , p.m. Saturdays from 10 a.m, to 1 1 P' m ' ' Cr Papworth asked if there was any likelihood of the assistant.clerk chargi ing for overtime. 1 The Town Clerk stated that the | whole of the work could be done in ( the office hours. , The Mayor said it was necessary i that the Uouncil should decide i whether the Assistant Clerk would be ' allowed to do any other work outside the Council duties. | Or Mason moved "That the assish tant Clerk be allowed to perform other ; work after office hours." He thought ° the Council had made a mistake in calling for applications, as a youth i could perform-all the work that was necessary. If they wished a man to devote his whole time to the Borough | they should pay him better. They were now only offering laborer's wages, They could, not expect a man . to be honest on £IOO a year, 1 Cr Parsons, in seconding the motion, said there was an advantage in allowing their Clerk to do work after office hours, as it would keep him from i loafing about the street, and getting into mischief, 1 Tho motion was carriod/inanimonsly. The ballot was then taken, and Mr Hathaway was elected. OAS, A report ol the Gas Committee was ■ read, which recommended, that a rebate of 10 per cent be allowed for all Gas used during the month of February, and 15 per cent for the . special cases referred to, where there was a complaint of foul air being forced through the metre. Also that applications bo invited for tho supply of Mauriovillo Lime; and that four tons of coke be procured from Wellington tor use at tho Gas-works,—Report adopted. sanitary. The report of tho Sanitary Cora- • mittee, recommending that the urinal on tho Bank of New South Wales premises be removed from the close proximity to tho adjoining premises, was adopted. THE WAIPOUA, Cr Gapper asked if the Council intended to take the protective works of the Waipoua River into, consideration, He said the matter was, postponed from time to time, and it was nearly time something was done with the question. Cr Perry would not like the matter operated upon by amateur engineers. They had suffered enough through that If they were going to spend money, it should be under the guidance of an engineer.

Cr Papworth said it waa not likely that wards uninterested would bring the matter forward, it was for those directly interested who should place something tangible before the Council. Ee moved "That a Committee consisting of the Councillors of North and Eastwards be appointed to enquire into and report upon the question at next meeting." Cr Perry would second the motion conditionally on the members of South ward being included. Cr Papworth was agroe«ble to add Cr Capper's namepr B, Chambeilaiu moved as an amendment" That the question be referred to the Finance Committee. In doing so he considered this the best course to adopt- as that Committee would be able to inform the Council if they had any money to: spend upon the work. Cr Muir in seconding thoaniendment advocated that tho work be taken in hand by a fliver Board, w they would devote their whole energies to the Bivei proteotion, and see a good job mado <if it. It was not to be expeoted

that tho Council could undertake tbe work, and lie did not think it was. a question for them to go into, There was always an' - outcry when a few yards of land wasiwashed away on this side of tho river, but when it encroached on the opposite bankfs nothing was said, He; thought that if the people who owned property along tlia riverside were to p|ant willows there, it would be all the protection that was

needed. - , > Or Papworth explained that he had no' idea' iSi proposing the Committee that theyshould say what was to be done, but merely to go into the question and recommend the beat course for the Ceuncil to adopt., , ; He ;,said, that by appointing the;iriembers> of the Wards moat Interested they wonld, naturally have the .most sensible report presented to them, and whatever was done, did noiUecsssiiatetbe spending of tho Borough fundsj as the area most benefited by the'work could have a special rate struck for the purpose. ' Tne Mayor said after, the explanation' of Or Papworth he would be in favor of

11 supporting the motion as the Council would have a- report based upon the . calculations ot those most interested. > He considered it' was a question for ~ i the whole Borough, to consider, aa the encroachment of the river at one part ' would seriously effect-the value of the i property throughout the town, and he- , did not think th&t it'shotild'be looked , upon as af ward .question. >v > i •• .'Ot Cullen :did one. : p'art of the .town ;aWuid "be" asked to pay for wh»t. would 'benefit the whole, - . CrT. E, Chamberlain • isaid "He h«d|& known the WaijMQarivefaboutthirty years and it was in. the'samd place as '• when he first knew it. He did not think there was any danger of it coming through the town now than .there was before, and. could not ■see'that the Council would be justified'in spending any money on it. The amendment #as then: put and carried on division by six to five, ayes Councillors Parsons, Gapper, T, E, Chamberlain, Cullen, E, E. . Chamberlain, and Perry j noes—Councillors Muir, Mason, Hessey, Papworth and the Mayor. . ■ STATIONERY. • Cr Parsons, in .pursuant of notioa moved ',l That ' tenders', be invited" . ' .privately for, supply of stationery and books for the use of tho Coudcil', for twelve mouths," • Seconded by Cr Cullen, and came d BAOK DEBTS. Cr Muir called attention to the amount of outstanding rates, which wiis oyer £4OO, and thought that the new Clerk should be authorised to sue for them at once. Cr Gapper moved, " That the Town Clerk be instructed to 'sue for all outstanding rates forthwith. " Seconded by CrT. E. Chamberlain ' and carried. OVERDRAFT. 1 Or Papworth movWi "That the amount of the Borough" overdraft be placed on the order paper at every Council meeting." / . Or Muir asked that the amount of outstanding rates might also be added.' This being done, the motion ut amended was carried; RECONSTRUCTION. Cr Cullen, in pursuant to notice, moved "That the whole of the Committees be re-constructed with a view to equal representation of the wards,' He maintained that five committees could do the work that was now Ijeing relegated to seven. He stated that soiuo wards had three members on a committee, and others were not represented, and contended that this wan not fair, and was bad in principle. .He: hoped that members would, fijjpport the motion, so that no ward Bhould shuffle off its duties on to another! • Cr Gapper seconded pro forma, The Mayor ' said no doubt .that amalgamation in somo instance#,would be advantageous, as there; were'several silent committees whose-.duties w.ere very light. . O .-; Cr Muir : did' not beliove; in the Council being put to this trouble to please a fad of Cr- Callen, who had got the whole, of the committees reconstructed before, and still they did not suit.-—. Or Parsons could not see any advantage to bo gained oi the'.'Council waj« more numerous;: "than; before! ; aud reports could not. be .rushed through .the Council without being pulled to pieces. . >'■ Cr Cullen in reply said he wished to obviate further trouble ant) complications, as the adjustment of account* of the Wards would amount of 1 consideration, ■■■ and he thought that every ward should have a representative ou tho committee, so that their clainu could be studied; The motion was lost on the. voices, NOTICEB OP MOTION." The following'notices of, motion were given for next meeting :4r' The Mayor to move, ";That the 1 Superintendent of Telegraphs b,e aske# to open the Masterton telegraph, offic® to the public on Sundays." pty' t Cr Parsons to move,' « That the resolution passed, authorisingHendera to be called for repairing the gas tank be rescinded." The Council then adjourned,