HAWERA TOWN BOARD.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 33, 4 August 1880, Page 2

HAWERA TOWN BOARD.

The "usual monthly meeting was held on Monday evening. Present — Messrs. Spence, King, Dumll, Cockburn, Dingle, and Stevenson. ' .'.

In the absence of the .chairman (Mr. Winks), Mr. King was voted to the chair.

MINUTES.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.

CORRESPONDENCE.

From Hugh McDevitt, stating that he had sent an account for £ 13 10s to the Board for gravel which he had supplied about five months ago ; that he had been informed the Board did not intend to pay him, and that he should therefore be compelled to sue for the amount. When asked to do the work by Mr. King and others he had refused, as he had to do some gravelling on the Wannate Plains. Mr. Cockburn told- him that the Board wanted the work done, and did not care paying for it ; so he agreed to do it at 13s Gil per chain. ,

From William Noble, drawing attention to a nuisance near the front of his dwel-ling-house, which had been created through the erection of a closet by Mr. Lynch.— Left in the hands of Messrs. Dumll, Cockbum, and King to deal with.

From W. A'Court, High-street, asking permission to erect a crossing in front of his forge. — Rv quest granted, on- the motion of Mr. Dingle, seconded by Mr. Cockbum.

DEPUTATION.

Messrs. Syme and McLdowie waited upon the Board, in reference to the drainage which passes through High-street. Mr. Syme explained that the stagnant water lies near his place for a considerable time. _-,' Mr. Cockbum proposed, — " That *Ccutvert be placed across the road; between Messrs. Syme's and Sweeney's, and that the ditch be deepened." Mr. Spence seconded the motion, which was carried. . ,

FOREMAN OF WORKS REPORT. '''

Mr. Twigg reported that he had cleared the ditch on one side of High-street,- and that he had deepened the other. - A culvert was wanted at the entrance to the cricket ground, another between Coonan'a and Bamford's paddock, and 'the one at the entrance to the latter place required lengthening. He recommended deepening the other side of High-street, as the water would never run freely unless it was done. - Some discussion took place, but it -was not deemed advisable to proceed with airy new works until the Board had. more money hands. -' CONTINUATION OF HIGH-STREET." ' ' It was decided to write to the" NsttiVe Department, asking a vote towards; the continuation of High-street, as it would be for the use and convenience of' the Matangarara natives, who had now to pass through the cemetery. PEINCES-STEEET RESERVE. Mr. Cockburn proposed,-:-" That all heavy traffic be prevented from going' on to the Princes-street reserve, and that .a notice to" that effect be put up." The motion not being seconded, no action was taken. Mr. Duffill proposed, — "That a committee, consisting of Messrs. King, Stevenson, and the mover, be appointed to inquire into the desirability of leasing the reserve, and report to next meeting. Mr. Dingle seconded the resolution, which was carried. FOOTPATH CROSSINGS. Mr. Dumll considered it a mistake to leave the malting of the footpath crossings to the individuals who required them. He considered the Board should do them, and charge the parties with the cosfc No action was taken, as it was stated that the crossings-would have to be done according to plans and speculations, and that they would have to be approved of by the foreman of works. WORKING COMMITTEE. The Chairman proposed, — " That Messrs. Dingle, Dumll, and the mover be appointed a working committee for the ensuing year." — Carried. PUBLIC MEETING. The Chairman suggested that they; should take action, now that the Royal Commission had reported in favor of the railway from Stratford to Hawera, to have the section between Normanby and Hawera commenced as soon as possible. He was of opinion they should also endeavor to get a court house built, and they would be able to point out to the Government that a saving of £50 a year could be effected if a building was put up, as that amount had now to be paid to the Town Hall Company. He would move, — " That a public meeting be called on Saturday evening to take steps for attaining these objects." — Carried unanimously. The Chairman proposed, — " That the Board be appointed a committee to draw up the resolutions and prepare for the business of the meeting ; three to form a quorum ; to meet on Thursday evening, at 7.3o."— Carried. TOWN DISTRICTS ACT. The Chairman proposed, — "That a telegram be sent to the Hon. Major Atkinson, asking him to have Hawera included in the schedule of the Town Districts Act, now before Parliament." Several members expressed an opinion that it was strange, whilst Carlyle, Waverley, Inglewood, and a lot of other places were placed in the schedule, that Hawera should have been omitted. The motion was carried unanimously. . CEMETERY RESERVE LEASE. It was resolved that Mr. Carroll's lease for the cemetery reserve should be. cancelled, unless the rent was paid within fourteen da3's. GRAVELLING CONTRACTS. The consideration of Mr. McDevitt's account of 10s, for gravel supplied to' the Town Board, was discussed at some le,ngth, and eventually it was decided that £9 5s 3d should be tendered as payment in lull, being at the rate of 6s 6d por yard. That amount, it,. was stated, Mr.

&trd«n, the Eatea County Council Engineer, considered fair, and was similar to that paid by the County Council to Mr. McDevitt

When the tender of Messrs. Dingle and Newsham, amounting to £68 16s (being at the rate of 8s per yard for gravel supplied), was laid before the Board, Mr. Stevenson expressed an opinion that it should be dealt with in the same manlier as Mr. McDevitt's contract had been. The working committee had only been authorised by the Board to give 6s 6d per yard, and if more than that was required, tenders should have been called, or else the working committee should pay the difference out of their own pockets. Mr. Cockburn expressed a similar opinion. The Chairman said that the committee bad tried all they could to get the work done by other people, and they had to employ considerable persuasion to get Messrs. Newsham and Dingle to do the work at all. Mr. Stevenson ought to be the last person to find fault with the working committee, considering the way he had performed his duties when a member of that body. The gravel was of a superior description for footpath work. He moved—" That the account be passed for payment." Mr. Dingle seconded the motion. Mr. Dufflll was of opinion that the account should be paid, as the work had been satisfactorily done. It was the committee who were to bl ime, and not the contractors.

After some further discussion, the motion was carried, Mr. Cockburn considered that Mr. McDevitt should get 8s per yard, as the others, and that he was as justly as well entitled to it.

DITCH AND BANK FENCE.

The Chairman proposed— " That £1 be spent in making a ditch and bank fencing in the Recreation Ground, opposite Mr. Hunter's, and that tenders be called for that purpose." The sooner they made a start in tree-planting the better. Mr. Duffill seconded the motion, which was carried.

ACCOUNTS.

Accounts, amounting to about j£l2o, Were passed for payment.

MEETINGS OF THE BOARD.

The Chairman, m pursuance of a notice of motion given at last meeting, proposed — " That the meetings of the Board should in future be held on the second Thursday in the month, and that three days' notice be given by the secretary before each meeting.' '—Carried. The Board then adjourned.