PICTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 215, 10 September 1908, Page 5

PICTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING

• The usual monthly meeting of the Pieton Borough Council was held last evening. There were present: The Mayor (Mr G. Maitland), Councillors Riddcli, Fredericks, Peek Pugh, Smith, Wilkins, Simmonds and McCormick. BAND ROTUNDA. Mr A. j. Bush, on behalf of the Picton Band, wrote asking the Council to excavate a flat place on tJio v side of the hill to serve as a bandstand on the Victoria Domain so that) the Band could give open-air con.certs. The size required would be about 20ft by 16ft. He also gested that the floor, be asphalted, and a few seats provided. Councillor Riddell could not understand why the Committee appointed to decide as to the expenditure •or money on the Domain had not been called together. ,- The Mayor moved that the application be referred to the Special Committee, which should have met during the month: the Committee to meet on Thursday the 17th, at 2 p.m. —Carried. : PIPES. John Duthie and Co., wrote stating that they had ordered 169 9-inch pipes as desired by the Council, and they should be out from London in about ten weeks.—Received. . j SUGGESTED BY-LAWS. j ■ The Chief Health Officer wrote en- j closing a copy of a suggested model! of sanitary by-laws for use in sewered ■ towns.—Received. • j PIPES THROUGH SECTION. j Mr W. D. McKenzio wrote stating ! that the only stipulation he had to make with regard to the laying ijf ' water pipes through his section was' that they be at least three feet.under j the ground, the rent to be Id per j year. . i Councillor Wilkins thought it; would be necessary to have a deed in ; regard to the matter: He moved that the matter be left in the hands i of the Mayor and the Town Clerk to ] deal with.—Carried. j I LOCK-UP. The Police Department- wrote stating that the matter of erecting a lock-up near the wharf or Post Office at Pieton would be inquired into. Councillor Riddell moved that a letter be forwarded to SergeantMajor Mason stating that they needed increased police supervision in Pictoii, and requesting him to report to headquarters. When they had a big vessel in the port* it was frequently a case of there being a lot of drunks about the,town. . '. Councillor Simmonds seconded the motion. The.Mayor said that the SorgeantMajor was there tho other night when they had the trouble with the Otterburn men, but the difficulty was that Picton was put down as a two-maa, station.—The imotion was carried. It was alsc resolved that the Mayor interview the Minister for Justice in regard to the matter on liis visit to. 'Wellington. ' . '

FEItRY 15RIDGE. The, Spring Creek Road Board wrote to the Coiincil in regard to th© proposed allocation of chares towards the expense oi building the new traffic bridge over the Wairau. (A copy of this letter was also forwarded to other local bodies, and has been greyiously published). The Picton buricil were asked to contribute 2£ per cent, of the total amount of £5600, which was the estimated cost of the bridge, less £1000 grant by the Government. The same body also wrote, -asking the Council to, appoint a. delegate to join with their deputation to wait on the Premier and endeavour to get an additional grant for the bridgel '• ■/ ■■' v "' .. ' .i'-';\ . V ■■' Counoillor, McCormick moved that the matter be deferred till next meeting.—Carried. ■■"■. ..;,■• : ■ LOANS.. A letter yns received from, the Treasury saying that, the Council's application for a loan of £500 to fili in a hole at the rear of the Post Office would receive immediate attention. A telegram was , subsequently received asking the Council to state rate and currency of the loan.

A further letter was received from •the Treasury stating that the application for a loan of £2500 to drain a portion of the town would receive attention.

Councillor Riddell took exception to the Council's paying 4£ per cent, (as was proposed) for the loan for the £500 to fill in the "stink hole" out of the general fund, .when they could not get anything done in the streets. The Government had created the " stink hole," and they should fill it in. Further, before any application be made for the money, authority should be given by a resolution passed in the Council. The Mayor explained that the negotiations were only in the preliminary stage.

The Town Clerk here made an explanation as to the paying of the interest on the loan.

Councillor McCormick thought it would be a good thing to set up a special committee to go into the matter, a,nd lay it before the Council in a concise form! He would move to that effect, the Committee to consist of the Mayor, Crs. Riddell, Simmonds and the mover.

Councillor Riddell seconded, saying that he quite agreed with the mover. They should not let slide the question of handling £500 or treat it carelessly.—The motion was carried. PROCURING PIPE-DIPPING MIXTURE. Messrs John Duthie and Co. wrote stating that they could procure trinidad of bitumen in quantities of ten tons and upwards at £11 per ton. In quantities of less than one ton, at 14s 6d per cwt, f .o.b.—Received.

DOMINION DAY. The Mayor read the telegram sent to all boroughs and cities (which has already been published) in regard to the celebration of Dominion Day. Received. PORTERS' LICENSES. Messrs R. Briscoo and F. Rouse applied for licenses as wharf porters, and iorwarded references.—Received. SANITARY INSPECTOR'S REPORT The Sanitary Inspector, in his report, congratulated the Council on there being no notifiable infectious diseases in the Picton district at the present time. Several minor nuisances reported had been inquired into, and immediate steps taken for their abatement so-far as was practicable, lliere were still a number of nuisances in existence, but* on the installation or the drainage scheme they should have no further existence. The Inspector also understood that it was the mte'ntion of the Council to proceed at once with the filling-in of the beach at the rear, of the shops in Wellington Street. When this was

completed it would remove an eyesore, and a menace to public health. It was the Inspector's intention to cornmerice a house-to-house visit at an early d^te, advising, where necessary, .as to any sanitary improvements required, and he would report to the Council on the matter next month. — Received. THE DRAINAGE SCHEME. The Mayor stated that word had been sent to Messrs Langlands and Co. accepting theiiv tender for the > drainage works, provided the work were j done in four months. The company wrote stating they agreed to this but explained that the sum of £75 must be added to their tender, as this amount was allowed for maintenance. The Town Clerk wired back that the Council objected to the £75 being added, and the company thereupon refused to take up the work at all, and the negotiations between the Council and the firm lapsed. The Town Clerk had received a wire on Monday from Henderson and Coady, and as a result j of this a meeting had taken place between Mr Henderson, the Mayor and Town Clerk, Mr Henderson promising to do all he could for the Council. He subsequently sent a wire from Nelson in regard to the day labour system, which was being tried there. The result, as the wire explained, was unsatisfactory to all concerned. He subsequently sent another telegram stating that he would carry out the work as per the plans and specification's of the Council for £1773. i It was decided that the drainage i question be considered at the special ! meeting on Thursday week. JT" ACCOUNTS. ;'• Accounts amounting to £620 4s 7d Were passed for payment. FOREMAN'S REPORT. I The Borough Foreman reported on 'the; various works done during the 1 month. There was still a fortnight's work in the dam, which should be done before the summer set in. i Various connections and extensions j had been made,'and there were still i more to do. A number of streets rej quired to be metalled, and one or two 'other little jobs required attention. | Councillor Smith moved that the Foreman be instructed to improve the Kent Street ditch when at liberty.— Carried. , Councillor Smith moved that the Foreman be instructed to lay a 3-inch pipe to Sussex Street, and the ls-ineh pipes that are taken up bd laid down Sussex Street as far as theyvwill go.— Carried. \ Councillor Riddell moved that in front of each of Mr. Allport's six houses, some metal be placed? as an approach to the front gate. : Councillor Smith moved an amendment that the Council accept Mr Allport's offer to pay half tne cost if the Council; would metal the footpath in front of his houses. amendment was carried. The meeting ttten closed.