NAPIER MUNICPAL COUNCIL.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5398, 3 June 1879, Page 5

NAPIER MUNICPAL COUNCIL.

Monday, Jtfifß % The Council met at 7.30 p.m. Present— His Worship the Mayor (in j the chair), Councillors Swan, Tuxford, Ashton, Jacobs, and Large. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE. Copies of letters forwarded by order of the Council having been read, the following letters received were also read : — ■■' ! From the Colonial Secretary's Office (circular), stating, that the allowanqe or disallWance of bye-laws by the Governor had nothing to do with their validity, and recommending that bye-laws be prepared by the legal adviser to the Corporation. From Mr Kemsley, acknowledging receipt of, Town Clerk's letter obstruction in Browning-street, indents for goods from home, &c.

From the same, respecting the cheques received by him for the quarterly subsidy to the brigades, and pointing out the error committed by the Corporation in deducting £20 from the Napier Brigade.

From the Napier Gas Company, offering,^ supply the Corporation, free of coßt, with* tar required for the footpaths in Napier for a period or twelve months, provided the, work is commenced one month from date.

From the Commissioner of Crown Lands, informing the Corporation that they must at once cease' quarrying on the reserve near the goal. From the Crown Lands Office, Wellington (telegram) to the same effect. The Mayor stated that on receiving the telegram he communicated at once with the office of the Minister of Justice, and received a reply that the papers were in the hands of . Mr Sheehan, and that he would be seen about it on his return to Wellington.

Frota the police authorities, forwarding a statement made to Constable Byrne byone William Barry, to the effect that Mr Ready, . the Corporation's overseer, had on' a Saturday afternoon employed Corporation laborers in constructing a water table near St. Paul's Church, for which Mr Sidey had paid £2, the stone having been taken from the back of the Postoffice and from a culvert near Dr Caro's house.

Accompanying the above was a letter from Mr Ready, in which he stated that the men were not working during Corporation time, and that the stone used was not Corporation property. The Mayor stated that on receipt of the letter he had directed the engineer to suspend Mr Ready, and it was now for the Council to say what further steps should be taken in the matter. He thought the better course would be to appoint a select committee to investigate the subject.

Cr. Large suggested that the investigation should be made by the police.

Cr. Swan agreed with the Mayor's suggestion. The matter should be investigated by a select committee, and upon the issue of that the police could take action.

Or. Jacobs took the same view; He moved, "That a select committee, con- f sisting of the Mayor, Crs. Tuxford, , Swan, Large, and the mover, be appointed to take evidence and thoroughly investigate the charge made against Mr Ready, and to report thereon at the first meeting of the Council."

The motion waa seconded by Cr. Ash;on and carried.

From the Municipal Engineer, respecting the Beach-road and the sea wall.

From the same, respecting the supply of water to shipping at the port, recommending that tenders be invited from persons willing to undertake the duties of supplying the shipping for a certain sum per annum.

After some discussion it was decided that the supplying of water to the shipping be retained in the hands of the Corporation, and that the engineer provide hose for the supply of the water from the stand pipes to the ships' tanks ; the arrangement to be for two months.

From the Colonial Secretary's office, stating that the effect of the approval by the Governor of bye-laws under the Slaughtering-houses Act was that such bye-laws were presumed to be , legally in force until the contrary was proved, and were not thereby in any other way validated or legalised ; and recommending that such bye-laws be prepared by the legal adviser to the Corporation. From the Treasury, Wellington, requesting that" the Corporation balancesheet be sent to the Treasury in triplicate. From the. Municipal Engineer, respecting a map of the town.

From the Colonial Secretary, forwarding accounts for supplies to the hospital, and stating that they had not been passed for payment because the subsides to the borough and to the counties in the district were paid ' ■without deduction for charitable aid.

After some discussion, in the course of which ifc was generally admitted that the Council should contribute its proportion, it was resolved that the accounts be forwarded to the Hospital Committee, in order that that body might fix the amount which should be paid by the Municipal Council and by the County Councils respectively.

From Mr D. Levi, resigning the office of Councillor.

The resignation was accepted

PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE'S REJ?OB.T. The following report from the Publii Workß Committee waa read : —

The Public Works Committee, having met pursuant to notice, beg to recommend the Council as follows, viz. : —

1. That the proposed Swamp Bill, as drafted by the Municipal solicitor, be introduced during the ensuing session of Parliament as a private bill. 2. That the notice of demand for the payment of all future rates shall state thereon the office of the Town Clerk as the place for payment of such rates and tho " Receiver of Rates " as tho person to whom the said rates shall be paid ; that with respect to such rates the office of "Collector of Rates" bo abolished ; that some officer of the Corporation be appointed receiver of rates who shall find two sureties of £100 each for the due fulfilment of Ilia duties ; that the offices of Inspector of Nuisances, Valuer for the Corportation, and Server of Demands, shall in future be held by the same person ; that the present Collector of Rates be appointed to the above last-mentioned offices, and that Mr W. H. Shaw be appointed Receiver of Rakes on finding sureties as above, and that the salary of the Inspector, Valuer, and Server be £200 per annum, and that of the Receiver of Rates be £170 per annum. 3. That Mr Frederick Cox bo appointed impounder to the Borough, and he be paid by the fees as laid down in tho Impounding Acts for trespass and driving. ■ 4. That the sum of £10 be paid to Mr C. Mills, contractor, for extra work performed by liirn in Clivo-square. 5. That a select committee be appointed to confer with the Fire Engine Fund Committee together with two delegates from each firo brigade on tho subjects of indents, &c, required. 6. That the tender of Messrs Ruddock and Fryer for supplies of ironmongery be accepted. 7. That no exponditure for any sum opt

£10 shall 1 £0 incurred by any officer of the Corporation withouti due authority being given for the same from eifcher : ' the Municipal Council or, the. Public "Works Committee.

8. 'That the works proposed, to he done in the recommendation report of the engineer be authorised.

9. That the vouchers for expenditure during May, forwarded herewith, Tb<? paisod, and' ordered to be paid. — Gbso. Ht. Swan, Chairman.

On the sth clase being put, Cr. Large moved that the Mayor, Crs, Cornfoard, Swan, Tuxford, and the mover, be appointed as the select committee to confer with the fire engine fund committee and two delegates from each Fire Brigade on the subject of reqtiironients- for the brigades. The motion was seconded) by Cr. Jacobs and carried.

The otheß clauses in the report wore passed withotst amendment. INSPECTOR OF SftTISANCES' REPORT. The report of the inspector of Nuisances; was read to the effect that there were no cases of infringement of the bye-laws since his last report. During the late rains some sections had become inundated!, bmt thhoy were not swamp sections.

Cr. Swan said lie had noticed that all sorts of garbage and filth continued to be strewn along the beach. It was quite time the nuisance was put a stop to. The Council had gone to expense to make the place a promenade, and people rendered it a most filthy place. The Mayor said the matter would be mentioned to the Inspector of Nuisances, and he would report upon it. SWAMP RECLAMATION. The Mayor stated that he had last I week waited on the Hon. John Johnson and asked him whether ho would assist the; Corporation by paying for the cost of filling in his sections. Mr Johnson said in reply that the payment was not due till; October, and asked what interest the Corporation, w,ould give hiaa if he paid now. To that he (the Mayor) had answered that the payment was due as soon as the • sections were filled in; the Acj; gave six months before the Corporation could sell the sections, but allowed ,the Corporation to charge interest at the rate of 6 per cent., which would be 3 per cent, for the six months. If Mr Johnson wished to take advantage of that, all th at •the Corporation could give him for payment now would bo 1 per cent., which would make up interest at the to .to of 8 per cent, per annum. Mr Johns on said tse would consider it. : COLLECTION OF KATES. Cr. Swan movpd by leave, withe »ut notice, "That the 1 present Collector of Rajtea be empowered! to receive all ov. erdue and ontstanding rates. " He mov ed the resolution because the clause in t he Public Works Report omitted to provi de for the collection of outstanding rates. The motion waß seconded by Cr. Lar ge and carried. i PERSONAL EXPLANATION. Cr. Large desired to say a few won la respecting a "local"" in that evening" 's paper. The local gave the idea that some information had been given to the editor of 'that journal respecting corrupt practices in, the Council. He begged to saythat he never conveyed to the editor of that paper anything that could bear that construction ; and if any remark that he | (Cr. Large) had made to that editor was ] made to have that meaning it was not his. i No such idea had ever crossed his mind. ' He had asked for accounts of supplies, j but he had no doubt whatever that the | transactions were all honest. For him- ! self he had no objection whatever that . any of his transactions with the Corpora- < tion, either before or since he had become a Councillor, should be inspected. So long as everything was above board there could be no corruption, and the editor had no right to use the term. .The Mayor said that very likely the paper would have something quite opposite on the following evening, and that would balance the -account. STREET LIGHTS. Cr. Large drew attention to the necessity of having a light at the end of the Coote-road. On a dark night there waa danger of wayfarers going over the sea wall, particularly if they were strangers. Cr. Jacobs reminded Cr. Large that the gas main was not -jret laid as far as the Coote-road. Cr. Ashton though'.t that even if it were the Council would scarcely be justified in going to the expense,, seeing that while their income was only £400 a month the expenditure was £800 Aov May. Cr. Swan thought th. it a light was required in Dickens-street more than at the corner of the Coote-road. The Mayor said he could name twenty place where lights were required. If members would wait until the reclamation business was done with, aAI the lights required would be supplied. MUNICIPAL EXPENDITURE. ; Cr. Swan, referring to tbie expenditure of .the Corporation, remarked that it was very much too large, and he hoped the Mayor would instruct the engineer that ho works should be undertaken except such as were absolutely necessary. I ! The Mayor said that he intended to have an estimate of expenditure drawn up for the month of June, and if it should ibe too heavy he would call the Finance Committee together. i The Council then adjourned.