MUNICIPAL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2589, 4 May 1887, Page 2

MUNICIPAL.

The ordinary meeting of the Masterton Borough Council was held in the Council Chambers last evening, (Tuesday). Present—His Worship the Mayor (Mr M. Caselberg) and Councillors Muir, Elkins, Parsons, Gapper, Carman, Cullen, and E. E. Chamberlain,The minutes of the last ordinary meeting wero read and confirmed. NEW MEMBER. The Town Clerk imported that Mr James Macara had been elected as Councillor for the East Ward of the Borough. _ Mr Macara made the usual declaration and took his seat at the table.

NEW LEASE REQUIRED, A letter was read from Mr J, IV. Lang with reference to his lease of the section of Borough property in Hallstreet,stating that if he' surrendered his present loaso, and took his chance of purchasing it againatpublic auotion. heishould expect to; receive compensation for his improvements. Beferred to the' Finance Committed. THE TANNERY NUISANCE. Mr Langenseipen wrote and enquired if the Council intended him to; close his business altogether or only a portion of it, as some branches of his trade were quite inoffensive. ; ~ ■ ; The Mayor said it| was not the intention of the ; Council .'to injure 'the business of Mr Ijanganseipen, but merely to 'stop the/ alleged nuisance, He thought if the matter was left hi the hands of the Inspector to abate the nuisance, without interfering with the

other branches of the trade, it would •meet the requirements of the case. Cr Cullen said he had inspected the premises of Mr Lan'genseipen, and found that it was only at certain times and with certain branches of the business that there was any nuisance. He thought it would be hard, to stop the whole business because one part was offensive, and if the matter was referred to the Sanitary Committee they would be able toMwithitai the case warranted. It was resolved to refer the, matter' to the Sanitary Committee. RAttWA? REFORM. A circular from Mr Yaile, urging reform in the passenger tariff of the New Zealand Railways, was ordered' to be laid on the table.

His Worship quoted several of Mr Vaile's proposed reductions, and urged upon the Councillors to read the report, and also offered the information to the press for publication. Cr Cullen advocated joining the reform league, as proposed by Mr Vaile, and thought it was time there was a change in the administration of the Government Railways, to encourage travelling, over their lines.

A DISCONTENTED RATEPAYER, Mr W. Dixon applied on behalf of MrsJ)ixontoknow why there were so many different valuations to her property in Bannister Street. In 1888 it was £2lßs lOefcf in 1884 £1 Os 7d, in 188518 a sd, aud now it had gone up to &lOs 7d again. He said he could get no satiefaptin by applying:at the office, and p|ld like the question answered by |e. Council. ■, ; { iPhe Clerk explained that it was merely an accumulation of rates, 'and the collector had experienced considerable difficulty in trying to collect the amount, and said it was intended to issue a summons for the amount this week, His Worship told Mr Dixon that if Mrs Dixon had been overcharged she would have an opportunity of putting things riglit before the R.M„ and if tho Council had charged too much they would have to pay the expenses of the Court.' ' Mr Dixon retorted that that would be very poor satisfaction, and said they would willingly pay what was honestly due, but did not care about paying what they did not owe, GAS. A report was read from the Gas Manager stating that levels had been taken for supplying the Gas tank from the dam at the rear of the' Club Hotel, which gave a fall of 8 feet 4 inches to the gas tank. Several applications had'been received for gas supplies in Miriam-street, which would require 13 chains of main laid at a coat of £Bl 10s. The distance from tho corner of Miriam-street to Mr Caselberg's house in Worksop road was about 21 chains.

In answer to his Worship, the Manager stated that he had tested the 4 inch pipe, and found it would be sufficient to supply the tank. As Councillor Elking would not agree to the proposed route through his premise fpr tli& supply pipe, it was resolved to refer the question to the Gas Committee, with power to act.

Cr Gappe» urged upon tho Council the necessity of working with caution in extending the gas supplies of the' town, and did not think they should proceed with any unless they wero satisfied that the returns would'justify the putlay, ; The Mayor explained that tho reason his name appeared in the report wag not because he had made an application to have the gas laid on to his new house, but' was no doubt owing to the desire of tho manager to push the work ahead. He did not oxpect the Council would lay it on unless they thought it-would pay thorn, Letters were referred to the Gas Committoo from Messrs Hareourt and Co,, re metres. Smith and Hogg re supply and price of Gas for their Printing Office, and Mr W. Iggulden, complaining of tho nuisance occasioned to his residence in Hessey-street through the damming of the creek through his property. WORKS. The report of the Works Committee recommending that, the offer of Mr Chapman to clear the boundary road jn the West Ward be accepted, also recommending..a.'schedule of new works for each Ward of tho Borough, was read. Cr Gapper in moving the adoption of the report pointed out the previous bother in dealing with this road, and the favorable offer of Mr Chapman, who agreeed to clear it of stumps and rubbish, He thought it would simplify matters if the schedule pf works was was taken seriatum as most Councillors would perhaps not be so wellaequahited with the proposod works as the members of the Committee. The Mayor said he should prefer to see a list placed in the hands of eaoh Councillor and the question deferred till next meeting, so that thoy would all be prepared with tho subject when they next met, and moved an amendment accordingly.

Cr Oullen seconded the adoption of the report. The amendment was seconded and lost on division, and tie report was adopted. The whole of the schedule was then •passed and His Worship vacated the chair to enable the Counoil to deal with an offer from Messrs M. Caselberg and Co. for a quarter of an acre of land for the continuation of Albert-Street, for the sum of £SO or giving the Council the option cf purchasing the wholp section, of aliouttwo acres, at the rate of £2OO an; acre.. ;•,:: CrGapper was voted to the qhair, and informed the Counoil that Mr Wrigley originally purchased, from Mr Smith sufficient land to run- the street right through, for -tho sum;6f £BO, but neglected to'ge't itjfcransferred and it had since falleri into the hands of the present owners. A committee consisting of Councillors Muir,. parsons, Cullen and Gapper was appointed to deal with the question and report it next irjeeting.; - : :;. ? ; .... . / ... " SANITARY. .!' ••;;; ■_(' ,; The Sanitary'. Committee's. .jopprt 'was;read, which recommended*that householders should provide'boxes for the accumulation of rubbish and. gar-

bftge r .whioh Bhould.be removed'by the licensed night-soil contractor at a uniform charge of Gd for a box of two feet by eighteen inches, and 6d extra for boxes of ten cubic feet, and every additional ten cubic feet. •

The Mayor pointed out that the matter bad been brought under, their notice, through' several complaints being made from, residents, who were: agreeable to empipj.tlieregularnigat-. man if some'ayste'm^a'S'adopted., fie, tho'iightit Tyas ti^lib'&|^" ; waß: done flit the .Borough Jo .-liutiate .a system of removing the accumulations of household rubbish,' ~ ■• ',.' -v* - TENDERS.' .''""■'■ The following tenders were received for about • seven chainfl of kerbed footpath . construction in Worksop, Road :—-Accepted—H. Stevens, £ls; Declined W. Ockenden, £ls 2s; J. ft T..Benflejr, £ls 10s;.Z. M. Hoar, £lBlO a; Hallard-ft" Derrington, JEIB 18s; Kubrick & Bartlett, £2B 10s.

FILLINO VACANCraS. The vacancioß in the. several Committees eausedby the resignation of Or Mason were filled as follows:—Or Macara, gas; Or Cullen, by-laws; Cr Carman, sanitary; Or T, Chamborlain, Library. Or Macara waß appomtell to sign cheques. .., u ,

.; ''•' ■'■ ■' IHE WAIPOOA. •' '"';,; Or Gullen brought up the question" of the Waipoua rivor protection,, and asked if any action was being taken by the Works Committee to jlant willows along the bank. He, thoughts was time something was done, and moved "That the sum of £lO be expended from the/funds of North Ward for tho planting of willows. .

_ Cr Gapper said he had advocated time after time that something should be done during the dry season to protect the river banks, and no notice had been taken of it, .and now the wot season had come on, the question had again cropped up. He did. not believe in planting willows unless they were protected when young from the cattle, and as there were numerous cattle roaming about the river bed—which was private property—the Council would have to fence the whole bank, and the first flood, would wash it away. Even now the water had scoured in behind those planted by the Council, and they were now in the middle of the river bed, Cr Elkins offered to give the Council loads of willow cuttings for planting along the river, if they would accept thorn, and said if proper care was exercised in planting, and selecting the proper placos they would-be beneficial in protecting the bank's. Cr_ Macara agreed with Cr Gapper that it would fee necessary to protect the young trees from sheep and e&ttle. His experience was that when they got. a proper start and- were not stinted by being oaten off, that they formed a good protection, Hehad about a mile' of river bank planted, and where they had been fenced off, the trees had grown much stronger. ■ Gr Muir said that the peoplo whose property was in danger should do the planting; they should not throw the onus on the Council in protecting the banks of the river.

The Mayor said the question Lac boen slielvod time after time, hut as ji was a matter that affected the Borougl as a whole, it rested with the Counoi! to say if they would spend their ruonej on it.

j The resolution was lost. I CLKANING U?. Cr Oollen oalled attention to. the state of Queen-street and moved that it be an instruction to the Works Committee to sweep it once a week. He pointed out that during the dry weather, the pieces of paper blowing about wero dangerous to horsomen, as they frightenedthohoraes.andthoy had now an instance of the inconvenience oaused by the negloot through the culverts and water-tables being blocked aud the roadway flooded with the rail] water, and if the present weather continued, some of the cellars in the town would bo damaged. Cr Elkins, in seconding the motion said it was a necessary work, as the numerous lagoons in the street proved. Cr Muir pointed out tho cost of doing this work, and the fact that North Ward had itsnioneyallocated for the coming year, Cr Cullen retorted that Queen Street should have more attention paid to it, and that out of the £6OO collected last year for rates, pnjy £6O was spent on it, £3O bojng and £BO for repairs, ana he djd not think that amount would be required during the coming year as no metalling was wantej, The motion was put and lost, as it was poised, gut thai a. mM% w on the hooks that the Works Com* ruittoe were instructed to dean- the •street when required, kotios of MOTION. Cr Cullen movedaocording tonotie'o " That the resolution authorising tho purchase cf a seotion of land for a road to tho gravel pit out of the funds of the North Ward" be rescinded. .This elicited considerable discussion, and was lost on division, and the Council adjourned at ton minutes past ton o'olook.