OAMARU BOROUGH COUNCIL.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8082, 21 September 1894, Page 3

OAMARU BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The fortnightly mooting of tho above Council was" held tost night, thoro being preserit, tho Mayor ancji Messrs Brown, Jfljllikor, Aitjcen, Atkinson, M'Dowoll, lioo, fF Vernor, Jlamptfta and tfairloy. The minutes woro road and confirmed. Mr Hamilton montionod thatMr Buiclc, one of tho Council's employees on the race, wished to bo heard in respect to tho dispute between hjmpelf and apbthor employee, b«t Ityv 4%inspn i\vQW attpnj;ion to the fact that the Council had ajroady decided that they could not interforo in tho dispute, and ho objected to its being reopened, and Mr Bee's motion that ho , be heard was therefore ruled out of ordor. I Wi Wt Hi taw V9sm%o, thab ho

could not accept the plan of the lease of tho baths, and ho also objoctod to the road to tho boaoh close to tho baths, as tho carts passed over tho pipos ho pumped up water through. Tho letter was roforrod to tho Reserves Committee to deal with. Mr E. Sh ltd well a -iked for a loa^o of sections 24, 22, 20 and 18, block 6, Georgetown, and offered 5a a year for tho sumo. Mr Hilliker said if Mr Shadwell fenced tho land it would koop the oUtlo from tho raoe, and that would bo a benefit to tho Council. Tho offer was doolined. Mr Norman Lano wrote further dodining to continue tho lease of tho esplanando resor/o occupied by him, as owing to tho trespass of boys ib was rendered of no use to him. Tho letter was received. Mr Ilobort West aßkod that tho nuisanoo discharging from section 13, block 83, be removed. Mr Vernor said there wns ft nuisance, and something bhould bo donu. The mutt or was referred to tho Engineer. Tho application of Mr (roorgo Jones, junr., for permission to orect Additions to building on section 14, block 11, was granted ; Mr John Dalgloish, for buildings on section 5, block 10, was also granted ; Mr Thomas Williamson, for buildings on section 10, block 30 ; Mr John Vernor, buildings on section 7, block 78. * Mr John Barclay was granted permission to lay a dnin from section (5, blnck 7 ; as was also Mr Win. M'Donuld, from section 7, block 19. Tho following letter from Mr J. C» Black wag roud : In acknowledging receipt of your lottor, and copy of complaint made by Mr Thomas Jenkins, regarding tho manner in which 1 discharge tny duties as ranger, and your request that 1 reply thereto. Meantime, I consider it sufficient to say that tho statements made in the complaint arc contrary to tho facts of the case. His appealing to you tho other day against tho pound-keeper's charge for tho release of his horse is evidence that I have not been blackmailing him very often, otherwise ho would have known tho legal pound charges, I consider it wrong tliat fclio time of the Council and the officials should bo taken up with frivolous and unfounded complaints of this nature, and will consider it a personal favor if in intimating my reply you will bo good enough to inform nim that tho Magistrate's Court is the place appointed for determining such complaints, and that unless ho, boforo noon of Monday, the 24th current, makes liis complaint there, 1 will at onco take proceedings against him, in order that the Magistrate's docision may be obtained on tho legality of my notions in connection with theso matters, a course 1 long ago resolved to take, but was deterred by tho probability of being charged with partiality by whosoever might have boon defendant in the case. And in order that Mr Jenkins may not have cause to charge me with spite toward himself I thus publicly desiro to thank him, tho originator of tho complaint, for affording me an opportunity of having the matter laid before the proper authority. When writing J generally got hold of an illogical and ill-spelling pen, as well as thick ink, consequently would much rather discuss tho stray cattlo nuisance with any committee that might be appointed for that purpose, and respectfully request that this suggestion bo aoted upon. From my cxpononco here and elsewhere I feel I could indicate a Way whereby profit, as woll as greater conrenionco to the ratepayers, would ensue. Tho letter wag received. Tho Mayor fjaid ho had heard complaints from all ovor the town about tho way fcho duties of ranger wero discharged. Tho Finanoe Committee recommended tho payment of accounts amounting to LlB3 18s Id. Thoy also recommonded that all overduo rates for 1893-94 be sued for at once. Tho report was adoptod. The Mayor said stopa woro boing t+kon to tako possession of somo properties on whioh rates had not boon paid for somo time. There was eomo doubt about tho ownership of these properties. The Waterworks Committee roportod : "After discussing tho claim made by tho contractors on tho raco for an inoroaaa of 3d per yard* owing to tho altered nature of tho work, and their inability to make wages at the 9d por yard agreed upon, recommend that tho increaso bo granted from tho 32nd chain, but in order to. pro> tcct tho Council and ensure tho work being completed \0 por oont bo retained oft payments till work is completed, and tho contractors must complete up to tho D4th clwin in three weeks from dato. Ko Refrigerating Company's letter : No recommendation to make." Tho Council decided with reference to tho Refrigorafcing Company's Jotter to call in tho assistance of an expert, tho Rofrigorating Company to pay tho cost if the decision is against them. Tho following lottor from Mr S, Boro* ham was read : In order that you may clearly understand tho mission of the deputation from the men employed hero, who mterviod you on Tuesday last, I am instructed to place the nion'y request before you in writing, hence this letter. On Monday la«t the men struck work. Oil being called together thoy gave as reasons ior so doing: first, that the money received for constructing the raco was not sufficient, and that the price paid at present per cubic yard, viz, l)/d, bo increased by lid, for tho<jo reasons, viz,, that the natiu'c of tho shinglo they are now shifting has tylterod to such an extent in its pliability that ib is impossible to mako anything like an average wage ; secondly, the pwners of tho teams absolutely refused co work their horsey for tho gangs, as thoy i\]hgt> that the members of the gang working tho scoops wore endeavoring to take too much stuff, and so over-work tho horses in, order to make it pay ; thirdly, r^ojft have npt, up tp the pro,'>pn,t, rqftfl© sufficient money, in bokio ca'sca, pay ©yen the cook. The, men havo'instruclod ni,e to respectfully ask the Council to grant thorn the increase from tho thirty-second chain* Trusting, gentlemen, you will see your way clear to do this. P.S.— • Tho men instruct me to ask you not to impose any strictures upon them us a prevontativo to their striking again. They also desiro me to lay before you the fact that any gangs being paid up for work completed have alwaya a considerable amount of WPf.k done in addition to that {intulied up. lleneo, rj&ntlofocri, 'you *wiU midoratan'a "that' tho Council lias sufficient security in hand to ohock the men from striking, and you will also see that there is no necessity to keep back any money for work passed by tho engineor ; besides, even should you grant the extra 3d per yard tho men will not liavo much above thoir expenses next pay day. The Mayor snd tho Committoo had heard the men on Wednesday, and thoir report was boforo them. Mr Aitkonsaid ho thought the Engineer and tho Race Inspeotor wero to be precont to giyo information, Tho Mayor said the Engineer had roportod,' and it wao read as'follows : 1 have to roport that tbo contractors on the now watef-raco are 'making Very little' progress with the work, bebauss the men are leaving them, and they cannot got othorri to fill their pkcOs, "On Monday l'det thoy struck work altjo-^ gether, ' and sent ' a deputation down' to interview tho Council |or an advance of Ski per cubic yard. After ' Btathic'thonj grieva'neo to some members of r^h6 'Council they decided to' go 'on' with the ' work u,'ntjl the ordinary meetjng of '\i\ie Council, hoping for your favorable pqnßi^er^tion. " r (!hojr expenses, for- plant, oto,, have been very hoavy, joaviug thoir wages very small, aua now that they aro in a deeper cutting, and tapping tho water at from four to six fcot from the surface, thoy sec clearly that they cannot muktt W»gos ftfe tho pvesottt

If you accede to their request, it will be advisable — aa a guarantee — to enforce the retention clause of the contract, namely, that 10 por cent of all payments due (say up to L4O) shall be retained by the Corporation until the satisfactory completion of the j work, , , , On inspecting the fences of the Tynosfcrect Uardonß I find that those on the north and oast f?ide« require re-ereobing, one half of the poatw being broken off, and hold in position with stakes, etc. I bog to recommend that livo fences bo planted on these sidoa similar to the one which was planted on tho west side somo years ago ; also, that the fouces on tho south and west sides need trimming. Three separate drains discharge a large amount of sowago into tho gardens, and tho place, generally, seems so neglected that it should either bo improved or closed up. Mr Aitkon said as the Engineer had reported that tho men could nob make wages ab tho work, ho would move thab tho Watorworka Committee's reporb bo adopfco d. This was seconded by Me Brown, and carried. Mr Atkinson s<tid ho had taken an opinion on tho matter, and it was that tho aob thab tho Council was about uo c*o waa illegal. They could not legally incronso tho amount from 9d to Is. Ho believed the mon oould not nuke wagon, bub fresh conttactß must bo called for. Mr Aitkon said it was a matter of urgency. They had no time to call for fresh tenders as the river would bo up as soon |ns tho enow begun to melt, nod they would not bo ablo to goon with the work. That part of tho report dealing with tho watorworka waa adopted, and th**fc re* ferring to tho Tyno street gardens was referred to the Resorvoa Committee to report. It was decided thab somo foncing at tho reservoir bo carried out. Mr Aitkon m d their lease Bill had passed Parliament, and he would move that a committee bo appointed to arrange for » now form of leano, simpler in form than tho present one. The motion was carried. Votes of thanks wore, on tho motion of t Mr Brown, passed to Mr Duncan and the Hot). Me Macgregor for assisting the Bill through. On tho suggestion of Mr Vornor it was depidod that parb of Non street bo shingled. Mr Hillkor drew attention to the state of Lune street, which required repairing. Ib was decided thab the matter stand ovor in the meantime. Tho Council roie.