BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Northern Advocate, 13 February 1912, Page 5

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

ORDINARY MEETING

Crs. Bray and Harrison were absentees at the ordinary fortnightly meeting of the Borough Cpuncil, which was held in the Council Chambers last evening. COUNCIL TO COURT. Notice was leceived that Mr Geo. Smith's claim fur £100 compensation against the Council in regard to damage done to his property during the installation of the drainage system, would be heard in the Compensation Court at Whangarei on February 21st. TO BE OBEYED. A letter was received from the HosV pital Board in connection with the Council's order that a water meter should be installed at the local institution as a preventive of unnecessrfjk waste. Willingness was exp«sSed that the meter should be installed, but the Board objected to being charged for water, and instanced Kensington Park, where the supply was free. Without further ado, the Council decided that the Board should instal the meter within 14 days; otherwise steps would be taken to Compel them r o do so. SNAPPING THEIR FINGERS. With reference to the Council's letter about the refreshment rooms at the Railway Station, Mr Koch, under instructions from the chief engineer, reminded the Council that the Railway Department, was not bound by any Borough by-laws. However, the expansion and consequent necessity of removal of station buildings made it inadvisable at the present time to erect permanent buildings.

The letter was received .without comment. , WAIAROHIA WILLOWS. Mr James Jackson complained of the danger of floods caused by the damming of the Waiarohia stream near the Walton-street bridge with willows, and requested that the obstructions be removed. . The Council felt disposed to fall in with the suggestion and consequently the lette r was forwarded on to Mr Lovatt, witL a tag attached to it ordering him to remove the willows immediately. MR METCALFE'S PROPOSALS. Mr Metcalfe forwarded estimates of the cost of the extension of Kauikaroad and of tho necessary road work at Woodhill. The engineer also pointed out that, with the existing drainage scheme, it would be impossible to have subterranean conveniences.

After a short discussion it was decided to request Mr Metcalfe without fail to have plans and specifications of the Woodhill roads at the next meeting of the Council. ,

The man recommended by the Engineer as overseer for the roads will be ottered the position at £3 10s per week.

It was also decided to hold over the question of Mill-road until Mr Metcalfe came to Whangarei again and interviewed the Works Committee. TO SETTLE THE QUESTION. Mr Pullen who declared that he did not owe any arrears in his rates and that he held receipts from Mr Wilson was invited to send the receipts to Mr; Weaver for production to the Council.! COUNCILLORS TO MEET THE i BISHOP. An invitation to the Councillors from Father Weintjes to meet Bishop Cleary at the Convent on Sunday, 18th inst., on the occasion of his first visit to Whangarei, was accepted. KENSINGTON SWAMP. Mr J. Andre, secretary of the A. and P.* Society, asked the Council to take steps to cut off the water draining onto Kensington Park from the adjoining sections of the Borough. The Mayor t,aid that the Park was on a lower level and the natural flow of water was onto it. He suggested that the Society be asked to formulate a scheme, and the Council might then meet them by subsidising them and charging the property owners bene--fjted. • Cr. Weaver said that the Park Committee was going to improve the Park, and the intention was to work with the Council to find the most suitable place i'cr a drain. The Mayor moved that a reply be sent that the Council could not recognise any right of the Park Committee to ask them to cut the water off from its natural course, but when Mr Metcalfe came up again, he should be asked to assist them, and a committee of the Council would be prepared to confer with the Park Committee on that occasion. The motion was carried. LADDER TO THE STREET WANTED.

Mr F. W. Tothill, acting for Messrs D. W. and J. A. Munro, wrote concerning the filling in which had been done opposite their property, part of block No. 68 Norfolk-street. The section laad depreciated in' value on account of the filling and his clients considered that they were entitled to compensation in the form of a flight of steps to their property, or a sum of money sufficient to provide same. At present it was only possible to gain access to the property with great difficulty. From legal experience his Worship was that there was no claim Council. The house had been built an the hollow without any attempt having been made to ascertain the levels of the road and consequently there was no compensation due to them, either legally or morally, and it was decided to communicate with Mr Tothill to that effect. MUNICIFAL STABLES. -Specifications, prepared by Mr Cockburn of the proposed municipal stables and cart-shed we r e submitted to the Council. The costs of timber was estimated at £13 15s 7d and the necessary 2 tons of iron would cost £40.

It was decided to make a few small alterations to the plans and to have the stables built of iron throughout. FOLLOWING THE LEAD. Mr S. Hutchings sought exemption from being compelled to instal drainage connections with his shop in Cameron-street for a period of three months, as he intended to have building operations carried out in the meantime. The request was granted, provided Oiat the applicant made the necessary sanitary arrangements. BUILDING PERMITS. The following applications for building permits were made: —W. Parkes, additions to High School; J. Cadman, dwelling in Norfolk-street; F. Cutforth, additions to shop in Cameronstreet; J. Brocmfield, two dwellings in Third-avenue; J. Eccles, additions to shop in Can-eron-street. As Mr Eccles' additions were proposed to be made in iron, and consequently were not in accordance with the by-laws dealing with the brick area, permission to build was refused. A permit for .Mr Broomfield's buildings will only be made subject to a block plan being submitted to the Council. MISCELLANEOUS. In the building up of Water-street 1000 yards of spoil from the Town Hall site has' 1 been accounted for.

The Abattoir Loan has been finally approved and the debentures have been forwarded to the Council; for signing.

Mr Koch, district railways engineer,

forwarded the necessary permission to the Council to lay additional water mains and drainage pipes under the railway line, and a resolution thanking him was recorded.

The plans of the Town Hall site, prepared by Mr Finch, were approved, and the seal of the Council will be affixed thereto.

The questio.'i of gravelling DeveronpJreet was held over.

It was decided not to place more metal on Cameron or Bank-streets until the road roller arrives, and the job can then be thoroughly done in a permanent manner.

Messrs Keane-Clark and Storey and Wilson had not complied with notification to instal water meters. It was decided to cut off the water supply if the meters had not been put in within a week.

During the month 52 animals were impounded by Mr Moore.

So far, 62 dog-? have been registered within the Borough for the current year.

Vehicle licenses issued during the month netted £5 10s to the Council's finds, and six drivers' licenses an ndditional 15s.

Mr Moore wa;? granted a fortnight's leave of absence and Mr Nicholls will take up his duties pro tern.

Water service connection have been laid for the following applicants:—H. H. Vyle (Bank-street), W. H. Main (Princes-street), W. Chadwin (Percystreet), D. Winclust (Powhiri Avenue), E. J. Jones (Cameron-street).

Excavations for the new main in Shortland-street have been completed and the connection with Mill-road has been made. Pipes will be laid and joined up during the week.