MELROSE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4488, 16 October 1901, Page 3

MELROSE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

At last night’s fortnightly meeting of the Molroso Bcrough Council, there were present—His Worship the Mayor (Mr &. Frost), and Councillors Fullford, Jen, nings, Brown, Nicol, Keene, Crump, Heginbotham, Crawford and Jorgensen. lb was decided to ask Air Jacob Joseph if he would donate - for public recreation purposes a small strip of foreshore at Island Bay. The resolutions passed at the joint meeting of the Wellington Harbour Board and representatives of the Wellington City Council and the Melrose Borough Council, with reference to obtaining the foreshore at the head of Evans Bay for public use were unanimously agreed to by the Council. It was resolved that the committee of the Council be empowered to arrange for the erection of street lights at lartvillo and on Crawford road on. me most favourable terms that could be oota'iicd from either of the two Wellington lighting companies. Mr V. Beckett was appointed lamp* lighter for Island Bay ward. Dr Valintino, District Health Officer, reported with reference to certain swamps at Kilbirnie (1) That it was ne. cessary they should bo drained to such an extent that surface and swamp waters should be diverted from the houses in the neighbourhood of the swampy; and (2) that the pond behind Mr Kidd s house be cleaned out, filled in, and that the damming up of water be prohibited ; and that, after reasonable notice, persons throwing refuse into tho open ditches should be prosecuted. It was decided, on the motion of Councillor Jorgensen, that a copy of this report be sent to the City Council and that that body be requested, as ..he local Board of Health, to have recommendations of the Health Officer given effect to; that the City C’ounc.l be asked to call on its lessees to prevent nuisances arising on the town belt in the future; and that tho City Couu. oil be requested generally to exericse its powers (including those given under section 81 of the Public Health Act) for the prevention of nuisancesThe committee of the Council appo;uted to consider tho question of engaging an engineer for the borough reported that it had consulted with Mr J. E. FuL ton, O.E u on the matter. The committee recommended that Mr J. E. Fulton bo appointed consulting engineer for .the borough in terms of a report submitted by him, which provides that his services snail cost the Council nothing otherwise than for consultation or special wont; that applications bo invited for the posi. tion of engineer for the borough at a salary of £175 per annum.; and that on the appointment of an engineer the Town Clerk be relieved of all work outside his office duties and work appertaining thereto, and that the services ol the cadet be dispensed with.—A discussion ensued, and eventually the report was adopted unanimously. A discussion took place with, refer, ence to works in different wards recommended in the engineer’s report. Air Jennings moved that the works be not gone on with until the Finance Committee has a chance to discuss the Council’s finances. An amendment by Gouacillor Nicol, that the works lor island Bay be gone on with, and that all works estimated to cost over £lO be done by contract, was carried by V votes to 3. Accounts totalling £204 15s lOd wore passed for payment. • Councillor Crawford; .moved that the Lyell Bay road be formed 30ft wide, and metalled 14ft wide. In moving the motion, Councillor Crawford said that the landowners in the vicinity had had nothing spent tcvbenefit the road since the time they had taken over their sections. The Mayor said that the last loan proposals had specified lor carrying out the work. Personally, he would lute to see the work done out of revenue, but he did not see where the money could bo raised. Different councillors set down tho cost of the work referred to in the motion at sums ranging from £2OO to £7oo.—The motion was eventually withdrawn by consent. Councillor Crawford then moved. “That this Council take steps to find out ways and means to lower Constable street ' hill.” In speaking to the notion, Councillor Crawford said "that the (Kilbirnie hill wag the obstacle to the prosperity of the place. Now that the Council was about to get an engineer, it could easily get a full and reliable estimate prepared of the cost of lowering the hill. He would like to have a report by the new engineer mad? as early as possible. He would be agreeable to limit the motion to that.

.Councillor Jorgensen seconded the motion. He threw out the suggestion that the Council should promote legislation to grant it power to give a legal, charge to debenture holders for money advanced to open-up approaches to any part of the borough where such wore necessary. At present tho works could only be undertaken by a joint agreement with the Wellington City Council. Councillor Nicol thought that the City Council should be approached to ascertain if it could be induced to join in with the Melrose Council in such works. Councillor Brown supported Councillor Jorgensen’s suggestion. • The Mayor quite ageed-with the suggestion that a small Act should.' be passed to give power to the Meirose Council to raise money for the purpose of putting in order tne approaches of the borough. Councillor Heginbotham thought lhat the City Council should bo approached on tho matter. . The Mayor said that only a few years ago the City Council had refused, to move in the matter, when it had been approached by a deputation from Newtown and Kilbirnie. ; "Councillor Crawford said that, many yean ago the City Council had offered to pay a sum of £SOO towards the wort of lowerng the Kilbirnie hill approach The motion that tho new engineer report on tho project was carried without dissent. Councillor Crawford’s ■ motion, “That the resolution of the Council of October Ist, that Mr Baylis be not given permission to lay a tram across the Island Bay. Esplanade, be rescinded, and that his request bo acceded to,” was lost - .