NAPIER BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4159, 20 November 1884, Page 3

NAPIER BOROUGH COUNCIL.

■' The Council met at 8 o'clock last evenin*' Present: His Worship'the Mayor (in the chair), Crs. Graham, FaulknorLee, Margoliouth, Cornford, Robjohns, Cohen, Cotton, andNeal. ' : ■ : ' MOTION. ' Cr Cotton moved that a fiTC-rjomed cottage be erected for the use and occupation of °the ; turncock. It would be a great con - venience if the turncock was handy, and the cleaning of the offices would be equal to a rent to the Corporation. In his opinion the keeping-of the buildings clean was worth 15s a week.-Cr. Margoliouth seconded the motion pro forma.-Gr. Leo moved that the • mutter be, referred to the Pubhc Works Committee, which was agreed to. CORRESPONDENCE. From G. S. Cooper stating the Government would pay expenses (£485 Gs 8d) incurred in connection with the outbreak ot "small-pox. Under ordinary circumstances the chargo was one which should fall on the'-Corporation,.:but considering the very judicious steps taken by the Mayor, in the emergency by which the colony had probably been saved from an outbreak ot the disease, the accounts would be paid by the General Government.—Received. From Boad Ooverseer suggesting to the Council that circus companies _in future should be charged £10 in addition to the usual license fee for the use of Chvo square— Dealt with in Pnblio Works Committee s ■ report. - . ■-'•■ .. „. J From P. Birch, sheriff, forwarding £1/ for water rates to Supreme Court, which he offered without prejudice.—Cr. Neal pro- ' posed the offer should be accepted.— Carried. : ■ PETITIONS. .Cr Graham presented a petition from residents of Thompson-road, asking to have the road widened. The cost would only '"amount to about £IG. ,; Cr Cornford presented a petition from . residents of Htivelock-road, asking that a footpath might be made. . Cr Cotton presented a petition from - residents of Port Ahuriri, asking that Collins and Campbell streets might be formed and metalled. .."■.' ~..,■ ' -, The three petitions were received ana referred to the Public Works Committee. Tho : overseer in the meantime to report on them. . ••■' ■■■ rUBLIC WOBKB COMMITTEE S BFPORT. Your committee having met pursuant to notice beg to recommend the Council as fol--1 That "the overseer's report re Clivo- , : gquarcbe not let for circus purposes unless x-e sum of £15 (£5 license fee and £10 as securityf or the proper repairs to the ground) be first deposited with the Town Clerk. 2 That notice be given to Mr Garry that, ■ beyond his present stock in hand of Go, no ■ further trapped gates will bo required under the existing contract, and that the contract is accordingly terminated. ; 3 That the lamp in France-road be allowed to remain where it isfor the present. 4. That Mr G. Lucas be appointed poundr ' ke sP<T'hat5 P< T'hat the report of tho furnishing committee be adopted and authorised. _ 6 That Mrs Pinhornc be informed m reply' to her application that the Council rey e t they cannot do anything with regard to the drainage from Shakcspcaic-terrace 7.'That £50 bo voted as a grant in aidfor Athenceum improvements. _ ■ - 8 That the vouchers herewith forwarded £47 3s) he passed and ordered to be paid. Clauses 1 to 6 were adopted without discussion. . ' ■ , ~ . c Cr Margoliouth moved the adoption ot clause 7. The step was one in a right direction, for before many, years had gone ' by tho borough would be m the possession of a fine public reading room. - Cr Faulknor objected to the vote as they. ■would have to borrow tho money, to vote it, . besides the Athenceum was a private speculation. . Tho money could bo bettor spent on roads. Cr. Cohen .would oppose the rote as the ratepayers had pointedly shown they obiected to being rated for an Athenceum of ' the kind they at present had. Before such a vote was passed the Council should have information as to what the Atucnreum authorities proposed to do. He would like the motion withdrawn for a month. iney had got quite enough to do with tho means at their command, and it was not advisable to vote money away without knowing what they were to obtain for if. Ho was under the impression that there' was no intention to enlarge the reading-room, which was the only room that the public were entitled to enter. Nice improvements wonld, of course, be made in the chess and conversa-

tion rooms. _ , . Cr. Ncal said the position ot the matter 4' had been throughly explained in the committee, they would have a voice m tie management of the institution, and the benenteto be derived were very great. The tee reading-room alone would be worth X.;. the money. In addition there was to be a reference, library and a museum. Voting the £50 was the first step towards obtaining a valuable property for the borough ' Cr. Lee said some councillors seemed to think it wns outside their power to give such a vote It was as much within then province 'us the maintenance of a road. - T Cr. (Word said the grant had not to be paid down on the nail. Cr. Margoliouth said the Council were always ready to repair and maintain whatever, roads they had. It was , understood that the Athcnceum property in a short time would become a portion of the Corporation property. The majority of the ratepayers would think the money well spent. . Cr, Graham thought they should have plans before them to sen what they were Toting money for. He would like the vote postponed for a month, so that an expression of outside opinion could be got. V ", Cr. Cornford said the project now before the Atljcn'reum involved the predion of a • handsome building at a cost of £laoo. That project would not bo adopted unless the body corporate wore satisfied that they woiild receive outside assistance. TbeMayor said the vote was oue aflecting the progress of the town and borough; Iv

order that the town might advance with other towns they had to look to the establishment and Biipport of such institutions, 'bo that they might have moral and intellectual advancement. Tho clause was adopted, Crs. Faulknor and Cohen voting against it. ACCOUNTS. Vouchers to the amount of £-17 oswero passed for payment, and the Council adjourned.