BLENHEIM BOROUGH COUNCIL

The fortnightly meeting was held last night. There were present His Wor •hip the Mayor (Mr W. H Macey), Councillors Penny, Conolly, Green, White, Obing, Shaw.

FINANCE

The overdraft was stated to be £837. The credit of the Gas Works account stood at £575.

The Finance Committee were requested to present at next meeting a statement showing the expenditure on roads and bridges during the current financial year.

. THE LONfi PADDOCK, Mr H. Bash wrote complaining of wandering; cattle, which cat up the footpath in Scott Street and trespassed on private property. Ootmoillors generally complained that the wandering of horses and cows on tbe streets and footpaths had be come a great nuisance all over the Borough. It was resolved that the inaponnder be eiven one month's notice, and steps be taken to appoint a sncceseor. Ar. the instance of Cr Conolly, the Town Cleric was instructed to call the Attention of the Sanitary Inspector to the fonliog of footpaths by cattle.

WUTATE DRAINS.

An application was received from Mrs Davies for permission to ran a drain from a shop in Market Street North into Collie's Hollow. Or Penny moved tbat permission be grant d in this case, and also in the eases of Messrs Adams Bros, and other applicants (whose requests were deferred at previous meetings) on con dition that the wo>k is carried ont to the satis! action of the Sinitary In •peotor and Borongh Inspector. Con ditlons could be made as to the construction of " «at" traps or whether It was necessary to prevent the drainage of undesirable matter into the Hollow. ■ Cr Shaw seconded. He thought it was time the Council faced the position and decided all cases on equal terms: Or Conolly moved an amend vent that all the applications be referred to the Sanitary Committee to report to the Council after consulting the Sani tary Inspector and the Borough In ■peotor. Or White seconded the amendment on the grounds that the Council should have the final *ay in the matter. The amendment was parried. On tbe motion of Cr Shaw, the Sani tary Committee were requested to alsb report on the number and nature of the drains* running into Collie's Holiow and Lock-up Creek.

SANITARY INBPEOTOB.

The Sanitary luspector reuorted that ! last month three oases of diphtheria in j one boase were given attention, all preoaotioa being taken to isolate the patients and prevent the spread of the disetxe. The Inspector also strongly drew attention to the state of the road and channels or water-tables in the vicinity of Grove Road, Henry Street, and elsewhere. They were nothing bat elongated pools of stagnant water, more or leas foul, and were a menace to health. There was no <all for tai» water, the fall having been lost throngh the doepening of the channel bed in the work of cleaning them oat. He suggested that properly asphalted obannela should be constructed, wbioa oonld easily be kept clean. There were a number of artesian wells in this dis trict without taps or pumps, and the overflow from these found its way into the nearest water table or hollow and became stagnant. If the owner* were compelled to fix taps on to the wells the position would be improved. The Mayor spoke of a fruitless attempt made some time ago to deal with stagnant water in watertables in the vicinity of Grove Road. Or Shaw described the conditions as disagreeable and unhealthy. Something should be done before the summer season.

Or Green said that the artesian well nuisance was a general one. He wonld like to see the Oouueil exert whatever power it had in the direction of compelling owners of wells to stop overflows.

The Mayor said that aoma time ago the Council passed a resolution prohibiting the drainage of artesian wells into the watertables or drains.

Or Ohing said that if there was a fall in Grove Road the nuisance wonld not be mo bad.

The whole question was referred to the Sanitary Committee, with power to take action with a view to the abate m«nt of immediate nuisances.

GENERAL. Mr 0 J Griffiths wan granted per mission to er«ct a verandah in front of •• Victoria Hall," the work to be done 00 the usual conditions, Messrs O. Clarke and S. Morgan wrote asking that Richmond Street (from Charles Street to Arthur street ditch) be metalled.—The matte- wa referred to the Works Committee with power to act. Mr Reid, manager of the Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, wrbte stating that the Company intended to extend its back store out to Sinclair Street. The work would improve appearances on tbe railway sid», and the Company asked for permission to build in wood and iron instead of brick

which would give an irregular appear- - — anoe to the t»tore —The application was^elerredio Che Building Committee for a report. It was resolved that Mr J. 0. Chay tor be allowed the use of the stone crusher for a fortnight on condition that be accept tbe responsibility of making good any damage, and that he he informed the Council would consider any offer be had to matte with regard to t >c purchase from him of crushed metal. •* Mr G. Mogridge wrote calling attention to the bad condition of the foot pa.ths in Park Terrace, and also claimed the right of the locality to another lamp.—Or Penny said there were about tweuty residences in the locality in question — The Inspector was in etruoted to att nd to tr>e footpath A tender of £215s from O. N .rgrove for the painting of the fence between the Literary Institute and Alfred Street bridge was accepted. The state of a portion of tbe footpath in Stephenson Street and the condition of the road from Maxwell Koad to the Taylor River were referred to the Inspector. The Town Clerk was instructed to wite to the Manager of Railways with regard to the promised delivery <>f road metal at the JNelson Street crossCr Ghiog suggested that a traction engine should be employed to press down the meal on Grove Road. The traffic avoided ie, and cut Uv the sides of the street The sug.e-.tion was •as^ed on t»the Inspect ir. The Manager ot the Abattoirs re ported that certain internal improve ments bad be^n carrieU out satisfac tonly.

WORKS. The Borough ftntdneer (Mr Muir) reported that, tbe roads leading to the wharves had been metilled, and ha was engaged in metalling a portion of Grove Ro*d. He proposed to repair Main Street nexfc. The quantifies of metal delivered during the month were .—Grove Road 93yds, Pell's wharf 85iyds, Opawa Street 81yds, Maxwell " Road 24yds, Stephenson Street, 7fcyds ; total, quantity of screened metal delivered, 386 yards. Be the quantity of boulders tho stonecrasher coald put through per day, the Engineer replied that 600 bonldera delivered In the yard could be crushed in six days. The crushed metal available for maintenance after passing

through th» machine woali be 510 yards ; total cost, carting boulders and crushing, £102 6s. Accounts were passed f«r payment.