BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8537, 18 March 1908, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Tho ordinary fortnightly meeting of the Borough Council was held last night. Present —'iho Mayor (in the chair), and Crs. Nash, Haydon, Stubbs, Clausen, Armstrong, Matheson. Bennett, Holben. CORRESPONDENCE. From residents of Park Road, asking that ditch in front of their properties be filled in.—Held over. * From Barraud and Abraham, applying for a weekly or monthly account for weighbridge charges.—Weekly account granted and, -at Cr. Nash's instance, it was decided to render all accounts for weighbridge weekly. From the borough solicitor, stating that tho lease irom the borough to Mr Hollis had been registered incorrectly. The matter could bo fixed up at some expense. —Borough' solicitor instructed, on (Jr. *• Stubbs , motion, to take steps to adjust tho matter and to call on the person responsible for the error to pay tho cost. From A. Coombs and E. M. Lane, asking that part of Manawatu Street, between Ruahine and Pahiatua Streets, be formed and metalled..—Work to be done under tho supervision of the engineer. From A. H. Ihlo, asking that lease of borough section in Avenue Road be transferred to Mrs H. B. Tucker. — Granted. From 8.. H. Just, complaining of damago to property from drain on north-west side of College Street, and asking that samo be attended to. —Engineer to report. From S. McNabb, stating that £Z per annum for an artesian well was too high, and offering to pay 30s a year; also asking for information re fencing at septic tank. —Permission to have water for '60s granted on Cr. Hay don's- motion ; Mr McNabb's tender also accepted

tor fencing. A letter asking permission to erect a signboard over the footpath in Church Street for stables next to the Presbyterian Church was received. —Cr. Stubbs did not think it advisable to allow a signboard to be put across the path at the entrance to the church and on the way to the Opera House. The request was granted, provided the board is not put across the path. From Chief Health Officer, stating that the Minister for Public Health declined to pay more than £20 a year towards Mr Perry's salary.—Cr. Stnbbs said the Council's request was for £50, and that he understood Dr. Frcngley had agreed to recommend that £35 be granted. Now only £20 wiis offered. Ho moved, and Cr. Holben seconded, that the Health Department be notified that the Council cannot accept £20 for the payment for Mr Perry's services, but is of the opinion that the Council should find its own inspector or pay the £35 required by the Council. Cr. Clausen moved an amendment, that the present arrangement by which the Council receives £20 from the Government be continued, and this was carried.

Messrs A. Jack,' O'Reilly. F. Meyrick, McColl, and Withers, plumbers, wrote to tho Council stating that they were at the Council office on March Bth with ventilators, but there was no person to take delivery or make a test. —The Town Clerk read the resolution, stating that tho test was to be made "not later than the Bth," according to the resolution. Councillors pointed out that the Bth wa3 a Sunday, and the opinion was expressed that the plumbers should have applied on the Saturday. On Cr. Nash's motion it was resolved that the engineer arrange for a day on which the ventilators could bo tested. From L. Pascal, complaining of fence broken adjoining his property.—Referred to the Public Works Committee. From Troasury, forwarding £5 towards sanitary inspector's salary. —To be jiaid to Mr Perry. From Wanganui Education Board, asking if tho Council will contribute tov/ards the salary for an instructor in plumbing they proposed appointing.— Cr. Armstrong asked .whether the local Technical School did not conduct classes in plumbing. The Mayor said the borough was contributing to that school and it would be unfair to take away that contribution. Cr. Holben said ho did not see why the Education Board should go past tho local Technical School, which was providing tho necessary instruction in plumbing. The young men of the town, he said, were doing very well at tho school. He suggested that the letter be referred to the Technical School Board for their opinion. A motion to this effect was carried.

From W. T. Wood, M.P., and foreman of running shed, etating that supply of cinders for cycle track work Was granted tuid now available. —On Cr. Nash's motion Jt was decided that the work be proceeded with in Broad and Fitzherbert Streets, the Public Works Committee to decide on which side of the streets the tracks shall be made. THE USE OF WATER METERS. Messrs R. S. Abraham and E. Barber waited on the Council with regard to the supply of water to residents outside the borough boundary at Fitzherbert. Mr Abraham said that the arrangement with tho Council was that •tho residents should put in their own pipes, which they did at considerable expense, and aftorwards pay £3 a year. Since the present Council had come into ofh'ee, it had decided that water meters must bo put in, no doubt for good and sufficient reasons, and the water paid for in that way. He thought this hardly fair after they had put in their own pipes, a mile of which cost him a penny a foot to lay. However, if the charge then made was now considered to bo too low, ho had no objection to paying a reasonable sum, but did not think they should bo charged just double tho rate in town. Mr Abraharn pointed, out that ho was a heavy ratepayer* in the borough, from which he got no benefit from the water service. Ho said, also, that he had no faith in tho accuracy of the met?rs, giving some details of their vagaries. In answer to a question. Mr Abraham said his water supply was costing now £15 or £16 a year. Mr Barber also spoke pointing out that the borough derived its supply from the stream through their properties, and its volume was seriously diminished thereby. The Mayor informed the deputation thafr their request would bo fully considered.