HAWERA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Issue 215, 27 February 1882, Page 5 (Supplement)

HAWERA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The Council met at 7.30 p.m on Friday. Present — His Worship the Mayor, Councillors Prichard, Syme, Riddiford, King, Hobbs, Partridge, Thomson.

CORRESPONDENCE. The Secretary to the Hawera Cricket Club wrote asking the Borough to grant the lease promised by the late Town Board of the cricket ground.

After some discussion, it was resolved that steps should be taken to bring the land under the Domain Act, so that it might legally be leased to the cricket club, on the understanding that such lease would not interfere with the right of the public to visit the ground free of charge on ordinary occasions. It was also resolved to bring all rereation grounds under the operation of the Domain Act. Mr. Alfred Kirk wrote asking that work might be done which would enable him to fence in properties in High.street. Tne clerk was directed to inform Mr. Kirk that High-street was one of the 'streets which it was proposed to improve.

FINANCE. The Finance Committee brought up the following report : — 1. We recommend that the Institute committee be arranged with for the, use of one of tbe front rooms of the Institute building as an office, and the ÜBe of tbe long room for meetings, at a rental of 10s. per week. 2. That the rate for the current year be Is. in the £.

3. That a loan be raised for public works purposes and to construct a suitable building in which to conduot tbe business of the municipality. 4. We submit the following estimate of revenue and expenditure, exclusive of revenue derived from the office building reserve, which is 7s. 6d. per annum, and cannot be used as ordinary revenue. ESTIMATED REVENUE. Is. rate on £9700 £485 Licenses — Auctioneers' ... 80 Publicans' ... 160 (In prospect) — Two publicans' 80 Billiard tables ... 15 Town Hall ... 3 Carters 5 Slaughter-houses 10 Dogs 25 Available rents 100 £963 EXPENDITURE. Working expenses — Clerk, &c £150 Engineer 100 Rent 26 Inspector of nuisances ... 20 Advertising and printing ... 75 Surfacemen 100 Conducting licensing elections 25 Office expenses 30 Incidental expenses 20 £546 Cost of present wages work, cleaning streets 50 Estimated liability to date £596 Balance of revenue £367 is available for carrying out the proposals of the Public Works Committee.

PUBLIC WORKS.

Councillor Prichard, in bringing up the report of the Public Works Committee, said the committee had collected the best information from practical people, and had made their report as comprehensive as they could under the circumstances. There was a great deal of work which must be done at once, but it would cost a large amount of money, and it was for the council lo decide how much it could afford. The report set out : —

The following works are in our opinion r>f the first importance, and we would strongly urge upon the Council the necessity of immediately calling for tenders for their completion :—: — That tenders be called for reforming and metalling Regent-street, and forming and gravelling the footpaths on each nide from High-street to Great South Road.

Tbat levels be taken of the new street ■\rbich runs through from High-street to ihe Railway Station, and that tenders ite invited for gravelling the street, and torming and metalling the footpaths on ooth sides from end to end.

That tenders be called for tbe formation and gravelling of "Victoria-street ; also, for the formation and gravelling of a footpath on the east side only, right through to the Great South Road. That tenders be called for forming and gravelling Wilson-street, and for forming and metalling the footpaths of tbe flame on both sides, through to Glover Eoad.

Tbat tenders be called for the formation and metalling of Glover Road, from the Church of England corner to Mr. ■Eloper's corner. And for tbe formation and gravelling of a footpath on the Borough side of the road, extending from the Church of England corner to the comer of Wilson-street. And also for veducing the grade of the cutting on this road to lin 15 ; and for fencing in the water-hole.

That tenders be called for the formation and gravelling of the east end of High-st, from the Town Hall to Block 26; and for forming and gravelling the footpaths on either side. Tbat tenders be called for tbe formation and gravelling (where necessary), on each side of the Princess-street footpaths from Great South Road to the Church of England corner. That tenders be called for the metalling of part of High-street, extending from corner of Victoria-street to Wil-son-street, a? I forming and gravelling footpaths on each side. That tendere be called if*" the foi _.i-

tion and metalling of a footpath on the western side of Disraeli-street.

Appendix to Public Works Report, showing estimated quantities and costs of works proposed : — Formation, Gravelling, &c. Gravelling to be twenty feet wide, with an average depth of one foot. All footpaths specified in tbe public works are intended to be thoroughly finished, and kerbing laid down in every instance where a foothpath is recommended. Estimated quantity of gravel required for carrying the Public Works Committee's recommendations into effect, calculating 50 cubic yards to the chain.—

11,600 yards of gravel, at 4s. 6d. per yard Probable cost of formation and gravel, as recommended ... 400 Cost of 232 chains of kerbing, at £4 928 Incidental and extra expenses ... 50 1-3988

Councillor King proposed, "That the report be received." The committee had evidently gone to work in a thoroughly practical manner, and deserved the hearty thanks of the council.

The motion was duly seconded and carried, the Mayor remarking in putting it tbnt the Public Works Committee had gone to a great deal of trouble.

Councillor Thomson moved — " That the report be adopted." The proposed expenditure was something like .£4,000, and he thought the recommendations were very well so far as they went, but he could not say the report went far enough, for he should hope that Hawera was a place that would bear a much larger expenditure than that to put it in thorough going order. However, he supported the report so far as it went, and he hoped that at other meetings, not very far distant, they would have more comprehensive report? from the public works committee, including the water supply, lighting, sewage, and other things that were absolutely necessaay for the borough. Councillor Prichard remarked that the public worN committee would make plenty of recommendations if the finance committee would provide ways and means for carrying them out. Agreed to. BOROUGH CHAMBERS.

The following report was read and received : —

In the first place we have to report that the balance of money lying in the bank to the credit of the borough building fund is £123 17s. 6d. The total revenue accruing to tbat fund is i; 143 per annum. The only section available for our use is section No. 8., situated nearly opposite the Institute. We recommend tbat competitive designs be invited for the following, viz. — A twostorey building containing seven rooms. These seven rooms will comprise one office each for the Mayor, Town Clerk, and Borough Engineer ; also two spare rooms which may be let to Boine public bodies, Biicb. as the County Council, or Race Club, for instance. By letting these rooms we should greatly add to our revenue without materially increasing the cost of the building. The five rooms described above would form tbe ground floor. Upstairs would be the Council Chamber, with, committee room adjoining. All tli ese rooms should, if possible, have suitable chimneys and fire-places. The council room should be an especial feature in the building, and should be roomy, well finished, ventilated, and provided with such furniture as will be necessary for the use of the Council and the public. vWe are of opinion that a town clock should form a part of the design, as a clock would add greatly to the appearanca of the structure, and also be of great use to the inhabitants, as well as an ornament to tbe town of Hawera. Such a building as we have described above might be built and finished throughout for the sum of .£IOOO. We have the sum of over £100 lying to the credit of the building fund, and as tbe revenue from the reserves (£143 10s.) is set apart by law for a building fund only, we consider the Council would be quite justified in raising tbe necessary balance, about £ 900, by loan, which might either be a special one, or incorporated with the larger one proposed 1 •"> he raised. By adopting tbe latter couvm.. wo should probably obtain the moJi<\y ;u a cheaper rate. If the sum of i.'."! ) v.ye borrowed as a special loan, at the :atx of 7 per cent la rate of interest which we think reasonable, considering the long term over which the loan must of necessity extend), we should be able by means of our reserves revenue to pay interest and finally extinguish the debt in about 8£ years. The price of tbe town clock is of course estimated in the sum of £1000 which we have put down for building.

On the motion of Councillor King, the report was adopted.

BY-LAWS.

Councillor Thomson moved — " That the printers' proofs of the by-lav.a be revise? by the by-laws committee." 4 gi\ d to.

TOWN BOARD ACCOUNTS.

It was resolved that the finance committee take over all accounts, and arrange all matters in connection with the late Town Board.

COSTS OF ELECTIONS.

A letter was received from the Colonial Secretary, enclosing accounts in connection with the Borough elections, and requesting the Council to pay them. The accounts were — Stationery, 9s. 9d.; advertising, ,£11 ; Town Hall, £3 35.; Eeturning Officer's expenses, £12 Bs.

CLEANING THE STREETS

An abstract amounting to £34 6s. 9d., for cleaning the streets was passed. The Mayor explained that the amounts paid had been 7s. a day to surfacemen. He thought they had worked well, and that it was better to pay a good price to good men. For horses and carts and men he had paid 12s. 6d. a day.

THE PROPOSED LOAN,

Councillor King moved " That this Council considers it advisable that a loan of £2,501) be raised for the purpose of carrying out the works recommended by the Public Works Committee." Hesaid: The programme I set forth prior to my election I see no reason to change, and, having been elected on that ticket, I shall remain faithful thereto until it is shown that a loan is not necessary at all, or that my proposed loan is too large or not large enough. If it can be proved that a loan is not necessary, that the council could, even during the current year, carry out a sutotaniial portion of the road improvement necessary, then I should most joyfully withdraw the resolution ; if only a smaller loan is necessary I should be pleased to a less extent. But should it, on the other hand, be proved expedient that a much larger loan is necessary, and that that money can be spent with prudence and with permanent benefit to the borough, I should, of course, do my best to carry out the wishes of thejcouncil. Well, then, what is the financial position of the borough? The estimated income of the borough is, in round numbers, £963, whereas the total estimated working expenses for the year is about £596, leaving a balance of about £367. In case this item should be considered high, I must mention that the printing in the first year is a heavy item, that the Engineer may not be required in future years, and that the item £100 for surface man is really a street improvement item. You are aware that the council have not yet received any income, that the roll has not yet been passed, that it will be three or four months at least before any funds will be available, for the bulk of the licenses will not be paid for some months to come, and yet our indebtedness is accumulating. For instance the streets are being cleaned up at a cost of little less than £50, our byelaws are being printed at heaven knows what cost, the salary for the town clerk and rm of offices are running on. The Municipal Corporations Act anticipated this difficulty by granting powers to Borough Councils whereby they can hypothecate their year's income by means of an overdraft at the bank, but one clause prevents any council mortgaging the next year's income of the borough. The clause is, "The Council may, in anticipation of its current revenue, from time to time borrow moneys from the Bank by v/ay of overdraft ; but the amount of such overdraft shall never at any time exceed the total amount of the income of the Council for the year ending the thirty-first of March previous, not including any moneys received by way of grant from the General Government, or any moneys borrowed or any moneys received for separate rates or special rases." Well then we made arrangements with the bank for carrying on the business of the council, by means of an overdraft, to the full extent of the year's revenue — about £1000, if necessary. Now, the mention of this overdraft of £1000 has glazed the eyes of many who have not looked closely into the matter : even the Star has been dazzled by its magnitude. To a certain extent it is a myth, because, in the first place, though we could spend that £1000 at once, yet we should first have to pay in advance the sums already appropriated, including the salaries, and then there would be a hide over £300 for real public works. But this is how the overdraft will work : Accounts will come in from time to time for payment. Cheques will be given. Thus it may be in four months' time our overdraft in this way would be £300 or £400, when our revenues will begin to come in ; our rates, and our licenses, and our rents would be payable; and thus preventing increase ; and in tne event of a loan being carried, that £1000 could be spent in anticipation of such loan. I would point out that the money available for road improvement would not be sufficient to carry out the necessary improvements in Princes-street. If a loan is to be laised, I cannot see why it should be tlefv,:'.' -' ratil the spring. Ther^ire

no engineering difficulties to overcome ; no bridges to plan and build ; the levels of the town have been taken ; and the streets can be formed at a trifling cost upon those levels ; the chief requirement is gravel, and any school boy could calculate how many yards so many chains would take, and the map shows us how many chains ; bo where the ability, the judgment, the nice calculation comes in, and why the winter's study is necessary, I cannot see. Gentlemen, it means that unless we have a loan, the roads during the coming winter will be far worse than they were last winter, owing to the increased traffic — for you know that the heavier the traffic is, the more the roads are cut up : it means also that there will be a general scramble for the £300, and if that £300 be divided so that every street should get a portion, it would accomplish nothing of a permanent nature. The ratepayers have elected a mayor, but without money he can do nothing, because " it is money that makes the mayor to go." [A laugh.] They have elected a council with the assumption that they would push the place ahead. The council has gone into calculations, formed itself into innumerable committees, and if no loan be raised the greater part of that labor has been thrown away, because those reports are useless without funds to carry them out. The Municipal Corporations Act provides that loans can be raised for certain purposes ; it provides that the loan cannot be raised without the direct vote of the ratepayers, and that it cannot be raised without ample time for consideration (clause 139, &c). No councillor ever dreamt otherwise. The Act is so plain, so simple, that he who runs may read. I have pondered over this subject many months ; it is no sudden dash, but has been before you in the public press for nearly two months. The estimated income I knew, although the expenses are somewhat heavier than I anticipated, owing to the estimate for printing being low, and the surface man having been omitted. I have advocated what I promised to do before I was elected. I make no special plea in favor of the proposition, but leave it entirely to your judgment as to whether it is advisable that a loan be raised, so that the town may receive at once the benefit of good roads, instead of waiting for future years, and still groping in the mud and mire. I do not say I should be disappointed if the motion were amended in some simple form. My reason for proposing so limited a loan was in the first place to avoid frightening the people too much and in the second place we must not forget that the income of the borough is limited. However, if it can be shown that the income of the borough will stand a lesser loan, I shall be happy to support it. But I think we should have a small loan now and in future years as the town advances then a larger loan can be entered into which will extinguish this smaller loan. My estimate of what we require at once is as follows : — 250 chains gravelling £6 per chain £1500 ; 250 chains formation etc., £2 per chain ,£500 ; thorough report for a water supply .£150 ; thorough sewerage scheme report «£100 ; incidental expenses .£250 ; total .£2500. With these remarks, I beg to move the motion standing in my name.

Councillor Thomson, on being informed that he might second the motion pro forma and still preserve his right to move an amendment, seconded the motion. The amendment he had to propose was as follows : — That all the words after that be struck out for the purpose of inserting the following : " The finance committee report at next meeting on the subject of a loan ;" and in speaking to his proposal he said : We have already adopted the report of the finance committee that a loan should be raised for the purpose of carrying out public works, and I think it is advisable for us to get a full report from that committee as to the best mode of doing that. I fully approve of Councillor King's resolution, and of everything he has said in the matter, but I move the amendment so that the council may have full information before it before we decide. I do not think thero should be any delay, and with reference to what has been said about the loan not being required before the winter, I would point out that if we float the loan it is not necessary that the whole of it should be raised at once. There are a variety of ways of raising a loan. It may be raised by debentures issued at different periods ; or at once, in which case part of it may be reinvested at a rate almost as high as that which would be paid for it ; — so that really there would be no loss to the council if the money was raised at once, even though it could not be spent. I have no doubt we can raise the loan at 6 per cent., and it would be part of the duty of the committee to write to Major Atkinson to soe if we could not get trust funds for our debentures, in which case we might have to pay onjv 5 ncr (*?n*- From

his position I should think he could do that for us.

Councillor Riddiford — I must support the amendment. Another week's discussion will not delay us much, and if the finance committee go into the thing thoroughly, it will be able to give some further statement of the case, so that we may be able to understand it better than we do at present.

Councillor Partridge — I also think it would be advisable to carry Councillor Thomson's amendment, because it is desirable that we should have better information. I agree that it is necessary to raise a loan, and I will state some of my reasons. It seems the immediately available revenue is some £960, and not £1,400, as I stated at the last meeting that sum including rents from the Borough reserves, and also a subsidy of 7s. 6d., which it seems we are not likely to get for this year. Then the working expenditure will be nearly £600, so that the balance will only be about £370. Of course, that would go a very small way. The overdraft must not be treated as a permanent loan, because the rates as they come in must go to liquidate it. If we were to treat it as a permanent loan, as the public press is disposed to do, it would be like one of us settlers going to the banks and getting £300 or £400 as an overdraft on a mob of fat cattle, selling the cattle and not applying the money to liquidating the overdraft. I think the most important question for the Council to consider is that of time : whether, if we raise the loan now there will be time to make use of it before the winter. I think there is time, because all the gravel will be brought by rail, and that will expedite matters greatly ; and we shall have up to the end of May to work. If this town is to go ahead, a loan — smaller or larger — will be necessary ; if we do not borrow, we shall lag behind townships of a similar size and standing. The criticisms of the press are quite reasonable ; but I hope myself they will not carry the votes of the ratepayers. The best argument advanced is that in reference to the shortness of the time ; but if we get the gravel by railway, I think there will be plenty of time. The report of the public works committee does not say anything about deep drainage, or a water supply, and properly so, because those ai*e works which will involve a large outlay, and are to some extent less necessary in consequence of the adoption of the earth closet system. I would, before sitting down, like to ask Councillor King how he proposes to provide for interest and sinking fund.

Councillor King — That would be a matter for after consideration.

Councillor Partridge — It is rather important to know that, because it would weigh in carrying the resolution. Councillor King — My object in proposing this resolution was to bring the subject before the Council for discussion, as no time was to be lost, for if we are going to have a loan it will be necessary to have it at once. However, I will ask permission to withdraw my motion in favor of the amendment.

Leave given, motion withdrawn,

The amendment now became the substantive motion, and this was carried unanimously. A motion, of which notice had been given by Councillor King, for calling for tenders for the supply at once of 4000 yards of gravel, was allowed to lapse for the present. It was understood that the i*eport of the Finance Committee would be sent to members a da,y or two before next meeting, so that the Council might be able to act upon it at the meeting.

DOG TAX,

There were five applications, and the tender of S. Adauison, at Is., was accepted, and the Mayor was empowered to arrange in reference to collars and badge.

INSPECTOR OF NUISANCES.

This appointment was ordered to stand over, none of the tenders being regarded as quite satisfactory.

DRILL-SHED,

It was resolved that the drill-shed committee be allowed tf>e choice of any available section on the Church reserve, it being stated that there were four open for selection.

The Council adjourned till Tuesday week.

) Regent- street Prosser's-street Victoria-street Wilson-stret alover-road High- street east High-street west Princes-st. (Post 0. to S. Ed.) Princes-st (P.O. to Rail. Sta.) Disraeli-street chains, yds, 27 135 C 31 155 C 27 135 C 37 185 C 25 125 C 24 120 C 10 50C ) 20 100 C 22 HOC 9 45C ' Total 11.60 C 11,6(