BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 314, 22 September 1888, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual fortnightly mooting of tho Borough Council was held last evening. Present; The Mayor (Mr G. W. Riley), Crs Cooke, Houldsworth, Ghing, M‘Artney, Sinclair, Jellyman and Bytholl. correspondence. The Secretary of the Lower Wairau Rivers Board wrote stating that the Board would not pay tiic account rendered for repairing LDdifax-streot.— The Mayor said that on a former occasion tho Council had repaired streets damaged by the flood and sent tho account to the Board. Thoy paid it, hut said in future the Board would do their own w ork. —Cr Bythell explained that the auditor would not certify to the amount, as he considered expenditure on streets was illegal.—Cr Jellyman said when the Council gavo tho Board permission to raise Halifax stroot it was on condition that tho Board should keep tho bank iu repair. lie moved that the account be again sent to the Board and the street called a “ bank,” with a request for payment of Ll 4s expended by Council iu repairs. Cr Cooke, considering tho amount of benefit that portion of tho town derived from tho hank, thought tho Council should keep the street in repair. —Cr Sinclair thought it was no part of the Council’s duty to repair tho bank. Tho Board ho understood did not deny liability ; they wero debarred from paying hy a technicality.— Tho motion was carried.

Mr Gerald Fitzgerald, Assistant Engineer, wrote thanking the Council for their kind message, the receipt of which he acknowledged.—Received. A communication was received from Gibbons Bros., Dudley, England, enclosing invoice for retorts shipped to the order of the Council per “ Orari.” They stated that they would shortly be issuing an enlarged and revised edition of their illustrated book, and that they would forward the Council a copy of it.— Received, and tho Gas Coinmitteo were authorised to pay freight, etc. The Controller and Auditor-General wrote as follows in reforencs to the balance-sheet: —“ In reply to your letter of 3rd instant, I have only to point out that no blame of auy kind has been imputed to you hy any communication from this office. The accounts are required to be kept as laid down by statute, and should you considerjit beyond your duty to make the trespass necessary to bring them into that form, I have no doubt that hy bringing the matter before your Council you will receive full authority to do so " —The Mayor explained that the transfer of the L 445 from the Gas Supply Account to the Gas Capital Account had, in accordance with the Auditor-General’s request, been complied with, and ho now supposed that the balance sheet would be certified to.

Mr M. F. Kennedy, ot Wellington, wrote in reference to tho now fire-engine which the Council intended purchasing, and offered, if they hud not yet decided on the firm in whose hands they would place the order, to furnish the Council with an estimate on behalf of Messrs Merryweather and Sons, the worldrenowned fire engineers of London, for which firm he acted as New Zealand agent. He advocated the purchase of a “Greenwich ” engine, which could always, be, relied on, and was easily worked" even by inexperienced firemen. That particular class of engine had always given tho utmost satisfaction to the principal fire experts of England and America. He would be happy to supply the Council with all particulars relating to same, and. he would visit Blenheim for that purpose, if tho Council desired to do business with the firm which he repreented. —It was resolved tlwit Mr Kennedy be thanked for his letter, and that bo be informed that the Council had made arrangements for an engine,

Mr H. ST Kell as wrote requesting the Council's permission to lay a culvert in Weld-street, at a propos d entrance to part section 4, Oniafca, and to burn rubbish on the said section,—Granted .subject to approval of Inspector of Works. Messrs Conollv and Son, solicitors, wrote as follows Wo arc instructed by Mr Charles Redwood that hy reason of your having neglected to keep the cooperative drain clear bis land, being sections numbered respectively 23, 27, 34, and 30 in the Omaka d strict has been flooded and he lias been prevented from cropping the same- He has in consequence suffered much damage, which will increase so long as the drain is not cleared, and we are instructed to inform you that he holds you liable for dm damage ah’ adv occasioned and wi 1 hold you liable for “any further damage from the same cause. P.8,-We beg to remind you that wo as yet have received no reply to our letter of loth August-” ■ it whs resolvi /] to consider this letter in committee after the ordinary business had been completed. The Secretary of the Blenheim Trades Protection Association wrote as follows : I above Association held on the 11th inst ■ ‘ That this As-ociation would urge upon the Borough Council and B enheim Fire Insurance Association the desirability of employing a night watchman, who shall be a member of the Fire Brigade, and a,i such to be paid by the Bor ugh Council and said Fire Association ’ ; and in accord uee with such resolution we now beg to call your attention to the desirabi ity of givjug effect to the same, and trust you will take prompt measures for doing so.”—ln answer to Cr {Sinclair, the J Mayor said that the order for the new fire engine would be sent Homo by next mail, and that probably six months would elap-e before it arrived. - Cr Sinclair said he had taken a great interest in the appointment of a night watchman. Oaring to the heavy insurance rates, the tradespeople could not see fhejr way clear to pay a night watchman The insurance companies l- —omised to rerl«ce tin/ rates when the new fire engine arrived, and then would ba able to pay a j night watchman. The application had j Mb warmest sympathy, and if be thought I Jje would succeed, be wquld mere & fps*

tiou that the Council take up the matter. He know that some of the insurance offices would assist. During the two years that Mr Fryer acted as night wat?hraau only one paltry firo occurred. When suspicions fires wore frequently occurring, it was a pity to have tho town unprotected. The tradespeople should club together, and pay a man oven until the engine arriovd. Ci” Ching did Dot feel justified in voting money, for such a purpose. The Council hud already paid LIGOO for protection of tho ceut.ro,of the town, while LSO per annum was voted to the Brigade, and that was all, he contended, that tho Council was called upon to contribute, seeing that they had not sufficient money to keep the streets in repair. Thu insurance companies leviad heavy rates, and they should put on a night watchman. —Cr Cooke stated that when tho matter was last before the Council ho voted against it, but ho had since been sorry for the part ho then took. The action of the Council resulted in the premiums being raised, aud it might be that tho rates would bo still further raised. There wus no doubt but that a fire-raiser was in our midst., and tlm Council should do everything in their power to assist the police in detecting him —Cr Sinclair moved that a coinmitteo consisting of the Mayor, Crs Cook and M'Artney and tho mover bo appointed to meet iu conference tho Trades’ Protection Association and as many tradespeople as could make it convenient. He corrected the statomont made by Cr Ching that fire appliances cost LIOOO, as the money was raised by special rate. —Cr Jell/iuan seconded tho motion. The best way in which the Council could assist in preventing fires was to build a two-roomed cottage at the station and let it to some of the young members of tho Brigade rout free. These men would be on the spot the moment an alarm of fire were raised, und could instantly light the engine fire. He failed to see how a night- watchman could have prevented tho big fire that took place over a twelvemonth ago. In time an engineer would have to be paid to look after the engine. —The Mayor said lie would support the motion, although ho was rather inclined to agree with some of Cr Chiug’s remarks, that it was really a matter for the insurance companies to deal with. The inner area people hid taxed themselves very heavily to provide a (ire extinguishing plant, and detached places derived no benefit from tho expenditure. —Cr Ching did not think it was right to appoint a coinmitteo to discuss tho matter, unless tho Council were prepared to vote a sum of money to a nightwatchman. Tho motion was put and carried.

A letter was read from W. T. Maxted, Borough I’oundkeepcr in which he drew the Council’s attention to the fact that ho did not receive on an average 6s per week. He asked the Council to fix a salary for him, or make some other alteration ; otherwise ho would have to go to the Board for aid. —Cr Jellyman said there had been no pounding during the past five or six weeks, tho drivers not being very energetic. He thought there should bo a change, and if Maxted thought he could do better as impounder, he should bo given another clianci. —Cr Houldsworth said that at one time tiis part of the town was clear of stray horses, but lately thero had been shoals of them, Ho was of opinion that someone else should be appointed impounder. The Mayor objected to a salary being paid : tho pound had always been self supporting.—On the motion of Cr Jellyman, a motion was passed to the effect that if the impounders did not attend better to their duties, thoy bo requested to resign.

OAS COMMITTEE. Tho Mayor reported on behalf of this committee, recommending that a fourroomed cottngo bo erected for the manager, also that a division be inado in the present two-roomed cottage, ono of which be devoted to an office and tho other to be used as au outhouse.—The report was adopted, ASPHALT TAVEMENTS. The Mayor moved that tenders bo called for asphalting tho footpath from the Colonial Bank to Maxwell Road Bridge. The Council agreed to the proposal some time ago on condition that property owners pay one half cost. Circulars had boon sent to those interested, requesting their consent to tho proposal. He had received a number of roplios, and he lmd reason to believe that nearly all would consent. The cost was estimated at 2s Gd per yard, but ho thought thcwork would be done for less.—ln seconding the motion, Cr Ching thought it would be well if tho Inspector wero to do a portion by day work, and then the Council would bo ablo to compute the cost as compared with contract work. —Crs Houldsworth, Sinclair and Bytholl supported the motion. —Cr’Houldsworth was of opinion that it would be better for the Corporation to do their half and let tho contractor arrange with property owners as to t.licir shave, —Tho motion was carried. GENERAL. Cr Sinclair explained the cause that led to his uon-attendaneo at the oonfe rcnco re the Co-operative Draiu. lie deemed an explanation necessary after the prominent part he had taken in tho matter, otherwise bis conduct might appear rude. Cr Sinclair called attention to the dangerous condition of culvert on the footpath on cast side of Walter-stvoet, to which the Mayor replied that the Inspector had been instructed to attend to the n;atter. Cr Ching suggested that tho Works Committee "should order snrao moro birch planking from the sawmill, as fh.o lot cost only Ila 3d por 100 ft, whereas tljey bad lately been paying 10s. IN COMMITTEE. The Council then went into committee to consider Messrs Conolly’s letter ro Cooperative Drain, and on resuming it was reported that the committee recommended that a further legal opinion be obtained. Tho report was adopted, and the Council then adjourned.