MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2706, 21 September 1887, Page 3

MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Second Edition.

The ordinary meeting of tho Council was held on Tuesday evening in- the ACouricii Chambers. Present—His Wor- ▼ BhiptheMayor,andCrs. J. Hessey, A. Diking, T. Parsons, D. Carman, S, E. Gapper, W, Perry, E, E, Chamberlain, J. Macar'a, T. Chamberlain, and G. Boron. Prior to commencing business, the Clerk read the declaration of the recent election, after which the three last named Councillors were sworn in and took their . ."e minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Correspondence inwards and. outwards waß read, but was of very little public interest. A communication was read from Mr G. Foy, Secretary Volunteer Fire Brigade, asking the Council to supply the Brigade with a hose rcol for fire purposes, they being urgohtly in'need of same. On the motion of the Mayor, seconded by Cr Parsons, it was decided to refer the mattor to the Fire Brigade Committee to report upon. FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES.

The Finance Committee's report, as already published by us, was read. His Worship, in moving the adoption w>f the roport, urged upon Councillors to it'their best attontion. The Finance ■ Committee had had a long meeting, and went carefully into the financial position of the Borough, The overdraft at the Bank was within a few pounds of .the legal limit allowed by the Municipal Act Over that amount they, as Councillors, would bo personally responsible, and he did not;think they would be so foolish as to Banction anything of that kind. The town had grown, consequently their expffituro had increased. The Council at vsrous' times'had increased, by large . majorities, the expense. When the erection-of the Gas Works was first mooted, it created great discussion. At that time several of the Councillors, including himself, were opposed to tlio work being undertaken by the Borough; but considered it ought to be undertaken by private individuals. The majority of tho ratepayers, litiwcver, wero of opinion that'it would be a profitable spec, and by a poll 'that was taken .decided .that it ahould becjirried'outty tho Corporation., He'still looped that by good management their gas work's would prove remunera- : tivo. He had hoard of similar difficulties eventually the works had prosperous. By the first of » next month the interest on the gas loan ■ account would be due and in six months time a similar amount would bo required. It was difficult to say when a profit would bemado out of their gas. Se far the working expenses showed a loss' over receipts.* During, the summer months there would be'little consumption,' but was' of'opinion that they \iould lio able to pay working expenses. (Or Gappor: : Question) "Ho would like to' have left t .matter of '" striking a g'aß rate over Hi ho w§nt out' of. office, so that his cessor would come prepared to take the onus of doing 'it. The burgesses would have to' pay all expenses' in connection with the gas until it was self-sup-porting. He'admitted it was unfair that outsiders should he;compelled to contribute towards'tho gas fund, but owing to the way iri which the Borough was divided there was no, remedy, unless a petition was got up and tho whole re-sub-divided. Owing to the ma nner in which the Borough.was-at present out up'a .corner of eaoh Ward abutted, on the

centre of tho Borough, They had to provide funds to meet the current year's interest on the gas loan. Tho Financo Committee's icport suggests that it can he done by not proceeding with any new works, and he thought Councillors would concur with them in this matter, In any .case they would have to strike a rate to pay the .interest. .Then again there was the street- lighting and Charitable Aid rates.; iTowards these it-was only fair that the whole of the Borough ratepayers should contribute. , : Hichorto they had roceiv.od L 370 from the Government for Charitable Aid purposes, From the remarks recently made by Sir Eoberfc Stout-he'wa's afraid, if'liis Government got in power, this subsidy would not be .forthcoming. If they'could get'it, there would be no necessity to strike rates for street lighting and. Charitable Aid. . The new steaih .Fife..Engino would cost a 'little.over LBO a,year to pay principal and interest. Fortius he thought they coul'dmake a fair demand on the Town : Laiids Trust; seeing that they had valuable buildings at stake. If the Trust would h'olp>thorn it would prevent the levying of another tax on the burgesses, Seeing.thatthey.had better appliances fur preventing' the destruction .of buildings, tile Insurance Companies might also help them. There'would be. no harm m making their applications but whVher they would be granted was another matter. They could strike their, gas rate as soon as possible, and if thoy got their grants in aid there would be no necessity.,tu strike further rates,

| In reply to Cr Perry, his Worship intiinatod tliat they would exclude striking any other rates, with the exception of the gas, from the report to-night. Cr.Porry was m favor of "suspending all new works until they had lessened the overdraft atf the Bank.

His Worship said the Council were

bound to meet their, liabilities, and were compelled to- pay the Charitable Aid amounts. The Council could not legally increase their overdraft over LI4OO, and they woro-now within a few pounds of that amount. Hates were now duo to the extent of L4OO, and ought to come in forthwith. If not, it was impossible to keep within the legal limits of borrow-

ing, '■'-It was for the Council to decide

whether they would'stop all new works. If thoy waited for a short time they would know whether any grants in aid would be forthcoming. He believed the Insurance Companies ai:d the Town Lands Trust would respond. CrT. Chamberlain thought tho gas rate would be very hard on those burfiessea -living outside the town. Tho

fault was owing to tho way in which the.Borough had been divided. He hoped when the gas- did pay outsiders would reap the benefit. Cr He:on, referring to tho striking of rates; said it was no use misleading the burgesses-;• they would have to pay. It was just as well to face the mattor at once, and levy • the several'rates They ought to havo taken Cr Gapper's advice mouths ago to The Council might get a little assistance from the Town Lands

Trust. With all their borrowing, the streets wero'' no better kept than formerly. The only benefit in that respect was street lighting, The monoy had been frittered away.' He noticed a pretty heavy account from the Wellington lawyer and he had no doubt their own lawyer got nice little sums. It was just as well to strike all the rates to-night as leave it to bo done later on.

Cr Gapper understood that tho Council

did not intend to strike a rate to carry on new works, but merely to pay tlin interest on the gas loan. He would like to know where they were gjin? to get the money to carry on the works and pay their employees, lie know- it would come to this and they ought to have educated the people up to it long ago. The works entered on the schedule should be carried gut. If the gas rate only was carried it meant merely patching the roads instead of reforming thorn. The roads were getting rotten and wanted remaking badly. Unless the Council were in funds

it was uselejs for the Works Committee ;o hold their meetings. There was no idling what their expenses would come io yet.

His Worship stated that the Finance Committee knew that an extraordinary expenditure was going on, and they went fully into the matter of their finances, with the result that their deliberations were now laid before tho Council Their report stated that the Council must strike a rate for the interest on the Gas Loan. The Council could strike the other rates if they liked, but he thought they would lose nothing if they allowed the latter to stand ovor for a fortnight, and then possibly they would bow whether they would receive any assistance,

In reply to Cr Chamberlain, His Worship stated the interest for the year on the gas loan was about L4G7.

Cr Perry thought as there, was evidently no getting out of the rates it would be as well to got the day laborers to repair'the roads referred to by Cr Gapper as being cut through, instead of remetalling them. He understood the chairman of the Works Committee to state a few

nights ago that the roads in question would not require reinetalling foranothor three years. They could use the broken metal to repair them. ■ Cr Gapper; The roads requiring immediate attention were those outside the town. The broken metal should not be used on the main roads.

I'lio report wastlion adopted. MISCELLANEOUS.

The joint report of the Firo Brigade and Works Committee was adopted as read, re bringing tho water down Lincoln road as asked for by Mr Renall. The Mayor intimated that the Bylaws Committee had finished the work of revising the Borough by-laws, and that a special meeting would have to be held to adopt or modify them. •

The-Oycrsecr's and Works Committee's 'eport was read.

His Worship stated that no applications had been received for the office of diiver and custodian of the steam lire engine, and moved that thb appointment be referred back to the. to the Fire Brigade Committee to try and arrange as best they can, and bring a further roport before the Council for con-formation. ' • Tho Council then went into Committee to reconstruct the various after which'the Council adjourned,-': ]

The Masterton Road Board publish the boundaries of two new subdivisions which it is tho intention of the Board' to' deal with at a meeting to be held, on-Saturday, 'October 22. ' ; Tl e annual genoral meeting of shareholders of the Masterton permanent Investment Society will be held in the Temperance Hall to-morrow evening at B.o'clockto receivo annual report and balance sheet, &c. : Between forty and fifty couples were present at the Drill 'Shed last evening when the Masterton Volunteer Quadrille Assembly brought their sonsoh to a close. Dancing was kept up till about half-past one'o'clock, all present enjoying themselves thoroughly. The Assembly have met weekly during the past winter and has been the most successful institution of the kind yet established in Masterton.