BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 6963, 16 January 1918, Page 4

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

ORDINARY MEETING.

The otdiuary meeting of the Borough Council was held oti Monday night, the Mayor (Mr J. C. Adams) presiding. The meeting was aleo attended by Crs Ciowlay, Robbins, Macmillan, Crichton, Pemberton, and Whiting. Cr Tanner forwarded an apology for hie {inn-attendance. The following correspondence was dealt with:— Harbour Dredging. Meßßra Sharp and Tudhope wrote enclosing letter (already published) to them from Colonel Ward, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Harbour Board, and stating tha*. before the Board could proceed with the work it was necessary for them to have the approval of the Council. The proposal i was in accordance with the provisions of the Act, and if approved by the Council a resolution, aa submitted, should bs pssaei. The Mayor mov«d; "That the Tauranga Borough Council hereby approves of the proposal of the Tauranga Harbour Board for dredging the Narrows 8i set out in Colonel Ward'fe letter to Messrs Sharp and Tudhope dated 6tb January, 1918, and will accept the expenditure on such work as certified by the Government engrneer, ar,d set up in cuch proposal in satisfaction pro tanto of the debentures of the Harbour Board held by the Council in accordance with the terras of the agreement dated 23rd November, 1914, made between the Council and the Board." The matter, he said, had I been before the public for the past 1 four years, and it was desirable that [it should be brought to a conclusion at ' thf earliest possible date. Cr Whiting has much pleasure lit seconding the notion. He did not think that it would interfere with any arrangement the Council might deeire to make with the Public Works Department. Cr Crowley supported tbe resolution although tie could not feel cur.c that it was toe berit echeme. Such a narrow strip in a harbour with such a tide running might In two years silt up Bgain, but feeling that the work cf dredging should be gone en. with h? felt tbat the proposal should be fppioved. Cr Macmillan pointed out that the ii'beme as now outlined was much better than that wbicb certain members of the Council were credited with strongly opnoeing. Tbe original i scheme provided for taking the mea- [ surements on the punt, and in addition it would have been necessary to put a man on to check the measurement, li was hardly right to suy that there had been much opposition from members of the Council. There had been a certain amount of criticism but nothing unfair, and if the result had been to Ret a better contract, then it was perhaps a pity that they did not go on opposing it and so Ret a atill better agreement. Under the circumstances the Executive Committee of the Board had no doubt a>ade the best deal they could. The Hoard having gone thoroughly into tbe matter *nd >\s the Council was now getting a Letter arrangement than was at first thought possible h« was prepared to support the niotiuß. He Lcped rs a result of the work to be done the Public Works Department might by induced lv carry it on. Cr Robbins did not think there had been any alteration in the proposal bayor.d what whs originally cor.tern It was proposed at firet that Mr Mounce should be cjusulted as to whether he would accept the punt on the consolidated measurement, and also that the Public vVorka Uepartraent should be asked to allow their engineer to supervise tbe work, Cr Crichton also support the proposal. He agreed vitb Cr Macmillan that when the matter first came hefore the Council there was a fear that there would be a loss of coraething like 10 per cent between the punt and concolidated measurements, f.'ow that that difficulty had been removed lie was prepared to support the proposal. The motion was then put and carried unasimeuflly. Steamer Service. [In reply to a communication from tbe Council asking that the steamer service be altered to fit in with one of the Auckland Market days, Mr B. P. Andrews, local agent for the Northern S.S. Company, wrote as follows: — "You do not mention in your letter what days you would suggest for the Ngapuhi to leave Tauranga. If you consider it advisable I would be pleased to meet any members of your Council to discuss the matter." Cr Crowley. aB the mover of the original resolution moved that a special committee of tbe Mayor, Cr Macmillan, and the mover wait upon Mr Andrews and discuss the matter with them. Seconded by Cr Macraillar* and carried. Grazing Cows on Street?. Mr H. S. George wrote as follows:— "I understand that you have brought in a by-lw that no one be allowed to keep mora than three cows within the town Borough to Sixth Avenue, aleo that'there is a petition afoot by the remainder of the town ratepayers objecting to this. I may state that this will put me to serious inconvenience, lam making my living but of cows, of which many are grazing on the streets and will have to give up roy house and shift to aooiewhere paat the 6th Avenue. I am trying to make arrangements to do thin and find it extremely difficult, and shall be glad, therefore, if youjpan consider Riving me !an extension of time, say, to the end of February next. You can understand it is iraportnnt to me to know exactly how I stand before making fresb arrangements and would like to be assured that if I am able to get a house to suit me, that the by-law is not altered jo tliat I shall have to shift Sgtin. Trusting that you will give thi'B matter ycur favourable consideration. " Cr Robbins moved tbat action in the matter of enforcing the resolution cf tbe Ciuncil regarding the restriction of three cows north of Sixth Avenue be suspended till the end of February. This, he felt, would remove any possibility of hardship, and give those who wish to rooue hajond the restricted area tbe opportunity of doing so. Cr Crow ley seconded the motion. It had been the practice of the Council, he ssid, to pernm the cows to tun and ihe did not think the Cour-eil should now go out of its way to infiict c hardship. In future similar cireutn^r itßrcttß would not arise. f The motion waa carried. | Cr Pemberton recorded tls vo(§ against it. $ Keffiovel of Soil. i ! Mr John Gilraore wrote drawing at- i tentiun to the removal of soil from th« ] street ard footpath opposite lets 11)1 ] and 821, section 2, at present in his possession. At ilis present rate it

would all be removed in about two years and he desired to know what position he would then be in vntbin about five chains of frontage witfacut an entrance. He desired trat the rern j?el of soil from this locality be discontinueii. Cr Whiting said that he had seen Mr Gilmore on the matter a.-.d had infototed him tbat the men had elready been instructed not to take any mote spoil from this locality than was necessary to clean the bank down. It was resolved that Mr Gilmore be written to accordingly. Band Instruments. Mr J. M. Peebles, Bandmaster, wrote asking authority to purchase one clasß'"A" Bcosey plated cornet with case and fittings complete, asd also two dozen spring clip music .holders, ! I Cr Crichton said the cost wcuhl be fabaut £17. It waß perhaps the last re?quest he would be able to make Dn behalf of the Band and he would like to see it granted. The Council still had in band some £40 for the purpese. The purchases were authorised. Railway Works. Cr Robbins said that he noticed that at the Waihi end uf tbe railway ebout one hundred men had been secured for tbe railway works, and tho Chairman of the Auckland Railways League had stated that he could find an engineer. He thought that we should help in the matter and moved—"That the Hon. the Minister for Public Works be respectfully urged to avail himsdf of tli3 labour offering for the WaihiAthanree section of the railway and tbat he have the work pressed on wiih at once," Seconded by Cr Crowley and carried. It was also resolved on the motion of Mr Macrnillan, seconded by Cr Rcbfcins, that application be made to the Minister of Public Works to have rsilway works started from Taurai'gß westward, and that he be informed that if desired the Council will aaei?l in etideavcurhig to secure rn^.n. Electricity for Te Puke, Mr Maudeno tubiniltetl conditions under which it was proposed to offer to sell power to the Te Pu!;<J Town Board. These we?e considered and vvitb one at two amendments egretd to and will be eubmitted to representatives of trie Board in due course. Power far Te Puke Quarry. It was resolved on t^e motion of Cr Macmillan, seconded by Cr Pernbertou, that Mr Mandeno be asked to pre pare a repoit with a view to opening negotiations with the Public Works Department to induce (them to iisstal electric power in their quarry at Te Puke.