NAPIER MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6987, 16 October 1884, Page 3

NAPIER MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

Wednesday, October 15. Present— His Worship the Mayor, and Crs Margoliouth, Graham, Faulknor, Comford, Rob Johns, Cotton, Neal, and Lee. WIDTH OV STREETS. Or. Cotton moved " That Mr Ormorid be requested to get a clause inserted in the Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Bill now before Parliament, with the view of amending clause 24 of the Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Act, 1878, so that private streets laid out abutting on public streets of less width than 40ft shall be of not less width than such streets." He urged that it was absurd to demand that all private streets must be 40ft wide before they could be dedicated, seeing that in many instances they abutted on main roads of less than that width. Or. Margoliouth seconded the motion pro forma, though he believed the Amendment Act referred' to had passed the House of Representatives. Cr. Cornford said the bill had not passed the Upper House, and the clause could be inserted there. Doubtless Mr J. N. Wilson would take up the matter there. Cr. Margoliouth was afraid that it would be too late.. For the suggestion to have any weight it must come from more than one borough, and though doubtless other boroughs were in the same position, there would not be time to secure their co-operation thiß session of Parliament. . Cr. Gotton remarked that it would be all but impossible to lay out roads 40ft wide on the bills. He did not think that there was any other borough in such a position. '. Or. Margoliouth : How about Auckland, Wellington, and pu'nedin V ,;; „; Cr. Cornford said he had every sympathy with Or. Cotton's object, but he agreed with Cr. Margoliouth that it would, beuseless to attempt to. get such a clause passed unless other boroughs joined in the application. He must therefore vote against the motion. The motion was then put .and nega-. tived. ; : COBBESPONDENCE. v The following- correspondence wah read : — iJ From the Acting Tinder-Secretary ..fojr Justice, asking for information relative toifees received in the borough under the' Licensing "Act.— The Town Clerk said he had furnished the Information required. From the waterworks engineer (Mr King), stating that by test he had ascertained that the pumps were capable of discharging 15,000 gallons of water per hojir into the low reservoir, and 12,000 gallons into the high reservoir. To discharge 15,000 gallons per hour into the high reservoir would require the pumps to 'be one-fourth larger^ or to be worked at a much higher rate of speed than at present. — Dealt with by Public Works Committee. [From Messrs Sainsbury and Logan, borough solicitors, with reference to the propriety of Belling sections in respect of which judgments for rates due had been given. They advised that the Council should resort to the power of sale given to; them if for no other purpose than to recover the outlay incurred for Court fees arid expenses of advertising. — The Town Clerk explained that the Council had already decided to sell the sections, subject to the approval of the borough solicitors. He . presumed that he was to take the necessary steps to carry out the resolution ?— The Mayor: Certainly. (From Messrs Wilson and Cotterill, on behalf of Mrßobjohns, offering to"' meet the objections raised by the Government to; the sale of Stamford-street by purchas- . ing half the width of the street for £150, add for the other half to exchange a portion of the section on the other side of the street, giving access to the railway from Wellesley-road. The width left would be 50 links, and if that were not , enough Mr Rob]ohns would give another 20j links from the section on theiother side : bfjthe road. — The matter was referred to the Public Works Committee. : . ■<'•'. .'■ - ; road overseeb's bepobt. . -The road overseer presented a report in whiqk.he stated that the improvement of . the ' "paths in Dickens-street was an authorised work, and was ; in course of progress. With reference to the times of j sweeping the channels he explained that the whole of the staff were engaged on the work every Saturday, from. 5 o'clock in' the morning in summer and 6 o'clock in. winter. Priority was given to H'as-tinga-street, then to Emerson and Tenny-son-streets, Dickena-street being last. He diii not recommend any alteration." With reference to Park-road^ he •.reported that the formation was merely, clay, so that vehicular and passenger traffic could onlj 3 be carried on at considerable' inconvenience, especially in wet weather. The f cost of widening the road, Improving the t grade, and coating with rubble he estib mated at £30. There was a short piece 3 of road leading from th 9 hospital pate tc ',- Park-road not yet dedicated to the public i but that piece might be improved at very 1 A little cost, so as to meet all requirement!

"untilit was dedicated. As to Lucknowterrace he suggested that the footway in front of "Mr Hood's should be improved by the construction of steps, with a handrail fence, to prevent cattle passing up and down ; 'cost £6. He found the height of the high reservoir to be 332 ft above the level of the pumping-station. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE'S REPORT. The following report from the Public Works Committee was read : — Your committee having met pursuant to notice . beg to recommend the Council as follows : — 1. That with reference to the letter of Messrs M'Ewan and Co., on the eubject of the waterworks engine, <Lc, the committee .have nothing to recommend. 2. That the overseer's .'report re Luckuowterrace he adopted and authorised. 3. That the Dunedia City Council be notified that this Council declines to take any action with reference to the Fire Brigades Bill forwarded by them. 4. That the overseer's report re Mr Scarfe's letter on tarring Dickens-Btreat, &c, be adopted and authorised. 5. That £5 be authorised for repairs on Park-road. fi. That Mr Harker be informed that as the Council have no pipes on hand bis request for a water supply cannot be granted. 7. That the vouchers herewith forwarded, £36 6b 9d, bepissed and ordered to be paid. The various clauses of the report were adopted without discussion. PASSING THE HAKBOR BILL. The Mayor said that since the last meeting of the Board the Harbor Board's bill had passed both Houses of the Legislature, and had become law. This had not been accomplished without great trouble, and he thought it would be only an act of graceful justice to place permanently on record the Council's appreciation of the efforts of those who had taken that trouble. He therefore moved, "That this Council records its thanks to the member for the borough for the great servico he has rendered the town and provincial district in carrying the Napier Harbor Board Loan and Empowering Bill through the Legislature ; and also to the members for Hawke's Bay, Waipawa, and. the East Coast, and to Col. the Hon. Sir George Whitmore, C.M.G., and the Hon. J. N. Wilson, M.L.C., for the assistance they have rendered, in the passage of the bill through both Houses of Parliament." Cr. Cornford said he had very great pleasure in seconding the motion. Though there were still difficulties ahead the whole district owed a debt of gratitude to the representatives of the district for the way in which they supported the bill. Even with all their efforts they oould only secure its passage by agreeing to a compromise which some people seemed to regard with feelings of trepidation. For his part he did not think there would be any difficulty in carrying out the objects of the bill, for it only required that the people should be true to themselves. If they were supine and neglected to go to the poll they would jeopardise the whole future of Hawke's Bay, but he did not indulge in any such gloomy anticipation, for he believed the great majority of the people thoroughly understood the necessity for action in the matter. The motion was then put and carried unanimously. MISCELLANEOUS. Ors. Graham, Neal, and Margoliouth were re-appointed members of the Finance Committee. Councillors Neal and Margoliouth were appointed to sign cheques, and Crs. Neal aud Cotton to sign contracts. As the outcome of a somewhat lengthy disoussion of a conversational nature it was decided that in future all contracts with specifications should be submitted to the Public Works Committee before being signed. Cr. Cotton asked whether any report had been presented by the committee appointed some time ago to inquire into the dedication of private streets in the borough? — The Mayor said that the committee met, but passed a resolution to the effect that they could not make any report.— Cr. Cotton said he would give notice of a resolution that Bteps be initiated with the view of dedicating the streets. — Cr. : Cornford said that no sweeping motion would accomplish what Cr. Cotton desired, as the circumstances of nearly eyery street varied, and each casa must be considered on its own merits.— Or. Cotton said that in that case it would be Useless for him to carry out his intention, but he had a strong feeling that something should be done in the matter. , - Cr. Graham said he had received a letter -{which, as it was not properly addressed, he could not present it. to the Council. It suggested some alterations in the work now beingcarried outin Thompson-road, with a view of making the work more efficacious. — Cr. Graham was authorised to see the road overseer on the matter. ■ Vouchers to the amount of. £36. 6s 9d were passed for payment, and the Council adjourned.