Masterton Borough Council.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3134, 20 February 1889, Page 2

Masterton Borough Council.

'The usual fortnightly meeting of the Counoil was held,.on night. Present—The Mayor.jMigc 1 Crs -Fitton? Cuto,-, Heasejv CartjOT,* ' Parsons, Gapper, .and Heron.-- "*. Themiuutes of the last' meeting weie read and confirmed, J An apology from Cr Perry was accepted for unavoidable absence.' A lettei was read from Mr Z. M. Hoar resigning his office 6f Cub- s todian of the Fire BiitfadoAV f A letter fionf Mr C. wKlafidfro i water carts was referred to the Works * Committee. Tho sum of £6 was passed for payment for half-year's audrtfee. # Seveial gas debenture 'holders wiote, oflering to sell their debentures, and stating teims A circular was read from the Oamaru Borough Council,- askmg.tha :ss Masterton Boiough to oo operate with them in inducing the Govern- , ment -to bring m <&■ measure -r, session, for the purpose- of: dating Municipal Loans, with & my t to reducing the rate of interest, f It whs resolved to reply that the Council agree with the proposal, / and. will co-operate with ;the Oamaru <i Boiough Council in the measure proposed. s lt was lesolved to give Mr H. Croad a written testimonial:as to hia • ; character and ability during his term of office as road overseer to the Borough Council, * . The pound-keeper reported receipts-s# £l4s, sundry repairs to tho pound

amounting to 8s 6d weie passed for > payment - The leport of the Fire Brigade Committee, dealing with a complaint, torn the officers ol the Fire Brigade,' - of the Custodian of the station in _ taking out the engine for expeument . without leave was red, and accounts submitted amounting to £2 lMr ' - The Maydr said some little] irregularity had crept in and caused' ' r complaints' which the Committee had heard. The Oflicers were requested to put m writing what regulations they recommendedJCm it view to rules being diawn.up. In answer to Cr Gapper, Cr Fitton _ said a circular pipe had been- puts outside the * boiler of the engine and. fitted with gasjets, but although successful it was too expensive. An atmospheric burner had since been _ made by tho gas manager, and ; would be substituted Bhortly for the present method.- With the water heated by the gaß jets - steam had been got up in less than eight minutes. '■ /■" The'; report was adopted and the

1 accounts enumeiated passed for pay--1 ment, 1 - Cl Fittou moved, that tho vesigna- • tion of Mr Hoar, as- Custodian, be ' accepted.; In doing bo 1 lie said ' applications "would be invited, and i if Mr Hoar ohoso lie could again -wav,: apply under the new regulations!"- -• •• > : The. motion ■■was earned. ' vI. / ISSPECIOR OF SUISAKOE9. ! The Liapectov lopofted in reference • i 1 to the complaint from Mr Maoara re" t the damming back of the water of the creek, on his property,' There was a nuisance to Mr v i Macara personally: from, the .water • lieing : ; dammed by floodgates - On/ 8 Mr Hooper's property jast belonftlr Maoarj's section, but there warno " J 8 danger to the'publichealth from snob- - 1 ' oaase, and it could not be dealt with ' 8 lindervthe Pubhc Health Afit. Mr ■ Hooper had promised to open his 3 gates for the purpose of flushing the oreek. Aiam mMr Macara's creek caused rubbish to accumulate. , ' - 1 It was resolved to send a letter to Mr Macara acquainting him with the / repoi't .of the Inspector of Nuisances, / ) and stating the Counoil had no power ' • to take action in the matter under > tho circumstances. t ; a i Accounts amounting to £99 2s lOd • wore passed for payment! • e OAS COMMITTEE, e l The Committee recommended that . the laying of service pipes be let by,' . tender. - . ■ J Accounts amounting to £4816s e 4d were recommended for payment, i* : The report was adopted, and the- - . a accounts as recommended were, t passed'for payment, 8 . APPOINTMENT OF OVERSEER. it The consideration of the applioa-. a tions for tbe office of overseer to the '. i- Borough was done in committoe. e ; Eleven applications weie received, o and the appointment was conferred " 1 if oh Mr Betty,-with tho understands ing that it be piobationary for tl£te g months. 11

i" ; BOAD MAINTENANCE. Or Oullon moved, according to notice, that with a view to the moro j economical working of the fcough, the present permanent surraSe men ! be discharged from the 23rd iost., and in future all road works, indud- ■ --j irig. maintenance and repairs', not actually performed by tl>o Overseer, ■ be let by contract," In doing so, lie'did not propose to-divide the Borough-into districts, and'let, the" v-i' repairs by contract; -but to let the 1 work by the yard or chain by con-.' . tract as required, His idea was,to do.away with the permanent staff, and 'do everything by contract. Other' Boroughs were working oil thiwe proposedjines. In Woodyillo, for instance,'they let their watertables by the chain, and their metalling and gravelling by the yard. Ho pnly wanted, the prinoiple affirmed, and, would'leave it to the ,Worku Committee to report upon the best . method of carrying-.it- out. :>•;«« scavenging of Queen-street might be lot by the year, and anything that was required outside of that, could bo repoited by the Works Com; inittee, and let by contract.' • Mh > Overseer could see that : all -iMwW- - v work was properly carriodducr The asphalting could also contract, 1 \ Cr Caiman seconded the motion. CrFitton supported the motion to ; a certain oxtent. He thought the Works Committee should first report > upon it. Cr Heron thought tho motion too ' vague. 'Bo agreed .with Cr'Fitton ' that the Woiks Committee should lepoituponit. ' Mr Fitton said if the resolution was earned as woded the surface < men would have to be discharged that week, and the work of asphalting for the footpaths would be stopped. Tho motion in its piesent state was too crude. J • Cr Cullen said his motion did include asphalting, but he should like to see the surface men stopped 2 as soon as the asphalting waa com> pleted. * yr Cr Gapper thought the motion too ' t vague. They already let the _ Borough carting by contract. If / Cr Cullen had divided the into districts and left the Committee to draw up-estimates for - the work required for each district* approximately, ■ and call tendera fori:; » he could understand it. All above £2O was now always let'b*fS| contraot. They were all agieed thaM)^'

the present tnnewos the best for any charge to bo made towards reducing oxpondituro. Ho thought Cr Cullen should Imvo consulted < with the t Works Committee'before drafting his „ motion, and drawn up .something that could be a little better under ■ stood. Or Cullen said he only'wanted the . principle , affirmod, He was willing to amend hisAotion as far as details wore concerned: He did not propose tqjall tonJera for evoi-y' separate job. buffSSwould call for tenders at per chain for the year. .•:>■■■ • Cr Hessey said no one would tender in that way. They. would never tender. in tho dark, but require to . know what work was t to-be done first. .

Cr Gapper said it would be better for the Works. Committee to bo reorganised, and anyone with such a .. • plan as that proposed could be added A to that body. The Mayor said if, they would confirm the principle contained in jfej CrCullen's motion they could go into details afterwards. -Permission was granted Cr Cullen to withdraw his motion and substitute V the following: That with a view to the liiore economical working of the borougli, the present" surface men receive a month's notice, and 'for the future all road work maintenance ■ and repairs, ag far as practicable bo let by contract. Cr Carman seconded the motion, wbioh was put and carried. The Council then adjourned,