Pahiatua Borough Council.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume II, Issue 131, 4 April 1894, Page 3

Pahiatua Borough Council.

Monday, April 2nd.

A uMisng of lh« Pa hiatus Ik)rough Council ww held on Monday awning when ther# were present . -Hit Worship Iha M»vor Mr O. 11. Smith). Cn Wilson. l>awson. Briggs. Yule. Toaawill, Burrow s, Hoitomley. and Bimis. Mr J. Vile, the newly elected Councillor, raada tha usual declaration and took his •oat at the Council table. ns amcial roamon. The Treasurer reported that the overdraft at tha Bank stood at £517 14s 2d. including six months interest £2l. « orrbsnokr»ra« ». Correspondent was read as follows : From Mrs Willoughby applying for continuance of assistance. Granted. From Treasury showing amount of advances made to the Council under the Government loans to Bodies Act. From R Mart*). Wellington, asking the Council to further consider the advisable ness of straightening the creek in Palmerston North road. From eecretat \ of the Tahiatua Fire , Brigade asking the Council to appoint two Fire Injector*. Captain Pickering being the Brigade's nominee. MR MARTIN * RSyt RST Cr Tossw.ll moved That Mr Martin be | informed that the Counei) cannot accede to the request contained in his letter. Seconded by Cr Vile and earned.

On themotionoffr Ik>ttomley seconded by Cr Burrows an account sf 7s owing to Mr Manns for one day * work at Manga is n. ka river, was passed for payment. t BARIT ABLE AID. Henry Barker, suffering from heart disease, made an application for Charitable aid.

Cre Bnggs and P rn e supported the application, and on the motion of Cr Toss will, seconded by Cr Bottomley. the sum of lt)s s week wss granted. Cr Hirme's aniendm* nt that 12s per week be paid was lost. REPORT. Tbs Mayor said tl»e sub cotmuittes would present their report on the bridge question. Cr Tosswill proposed that the Council g.< into committee. Cr Birni# made a vigorous protect agaimt going into committee. and ronsidered that on such a subject as this the ' di«* n«sion should be in open Council. Ths Mayor reported that Mr J. T. Can had been engaged as consulting engineer i vn 1 h id presented his report. \t this point Cr Briggs called attention J :•» the bye laws which made it imperative that ail reports of subcommittees should I be in writing. He would insist on the by law being followed. Cre Tosswill and Vile supported Cr j Briggs in this contention. Ths Council then adjourned for a quarter of an hour to enable the sub- j Committee to pres* lit a written report. On resuming the mayor read the report * vf the sub < ommittee as follow g : \ our sub committee have the honor to report that in accordance with the rcso j 1 :uon appv.nung them. Mr .1. T. Carr • was communicated with, and it was ar j ranged that he should attend at P&hiatua and inspect the bridge site and report ; I that Mr Carr • report was adopted by the committee nad hi* services as consulting engineer engaged . that he and the J Borough engineer have been authorised to do some necessary preliminary work ; and to call tenders for the erection of n groin, removal t f an island, and excava- ! Hon of the channel as mentioned in Mr C arr's report; that tenders for the erec- i lion of the groin have been called and ; closed this « veiling; the committee have j also instructed the engineers to prepare nlaus end specifications for the bridge. Mr Carr’' report is attached hereto, con- j taming details of proposed works and j schedules of charges which have been ! agreed to. Cr ule said no channel ahould be rut until the bridge was erected, otherwise traffic would be stopped. Cr Birni*' said this was an engineering difficulty winch, as all the Crs were engineer*. would present no difficulty. The ' approaches could be no worse than those ! alread* existing. He objected to the matter . be. rig hong up at all. lie wanted to know whether they were going io have the bridge built this year or in 20 years ? \N nat had been done .* The Mayor said the work had been , commenced.

Cr Birnie -aui he failed to see what had been done If he could see any progress being made he would be quite satisfied.

Cr hawton asked whether Mr Beaufort s signature, as Borough Engineer, ap peared to Mr Carr * scheme. Mr Beaufort was the p ucipal engineer, and he would like to know whether he agreed to Mr Carr’s report. Cr Vile held that they were out of order. He was sorry the matter had been rele gated to three members of the Council, but there wss no help for it uow and they had teller be allowed to do their best to push the work on. He moved : That the report be received. Cr Toeewill seconded, and thought they should have a report from the Borough Engineer as to what he had done. The committee should take the Council into their confidence at every meeting. Cr Birme wanted to know what was meant by adopting the report, and whether the snb committee had power to call for tenders for the erection of a bridge. Cr l*awson again a»ked whether the Borough Engineer approved of the scheme. Cr Briggs rose to a point of order. The Engineer would preeent hie report at the present time. Cr Pawson said he va« being burked in this matter. He wanted that question asked and answered b\ the Engineer. The Mayor said ths report was the result of a conference. In reply to the Mayor Mr Beaufort •aid he had not signed nis name to the report and had agreed to work under Mr Carr's instructions alone He declined to answer “ yes "or no "to this question. Cr Dawson said Mr Beaufort waa clear of reepoosibility. It aU rested on Mr Carr and considering the risk, he thought thev should hav»* another report on ths malt'* otherwise the £I6OO might be gone in s day On behalf of the ratepayers he felt impelled to speak on this matter. thought they should have a report from Mr Beaufort on this matter.

Cr linggs asked that the resolution ap pointing a sub committee be read.

This was done, and Cr Briggs said they had. in accordance with the resolution, hone their duty. Mr Beaufort had said fn presence of the committee that he ap proved of the scheme though it was a lot bolder than he would have advised. H# was eorrv tne sub committee had not got Mr Beaufort • signature, but for himself he considered Mr Carr's reputatiou snd his signature were quite sufficient. They had done more then was nace***ry to consult with the Council and had done their beet m every wav. The present was eot the time for the Borough Engineer's report that would come later on. As for Cr Pawson s statements, if they wanted their own engineer io take the response bihiy whv did thev engage a consulting

engineer at all ? They wanted Mr Canto be the responsible engineer. Cr Vila maintained that the Council made a mistake when they left the whole of this responsibility in the hands of three members.

The motion for receiving the report wiw then put and carried, Crs Dawson, Yule and Birnie objecting. Cr Tosswill moved That Mr Beaufort be asked to report on Mr Carr s scheme, and state his objections, if any. They had got into a rather serious position by Mr Beaufort's repudiation of any rerpon sibility for the report sent in by Mr Carr. He submitted that if Mr Beaufort did not consider the money m hand could be spent with safety and advantage the committee must uot proceed with the work, because the resolution oppointing the sub committee stated that both engineer* must approve of the scheme. Cr Yilesaid they had gone a long way, and what were they to do if Mr Beaufort said he did not agree wih Mr Carr ? The only thing they could do was to let them proceed with the work aud do the best they could. Cr Dawson seconded the resolution and said the two engineers must approve of the scheme. The Mayor said the Council appointed a committee of three aud he supposed they gave them credit for doing their best. The , sub committee got Mr Carr down. He , prepared a report and read it to the committee and Mr Beaufort distinctly con--1 ssnted to the work proposed. For him now to say his name was not to the re- ! port completely took him by surprise. He should say that Mr Beaufort had been discussed with outside. If this resolution were passed it would be treating the subI committee very badly indeed. If the report were given as the motion suggested and there was any difference of opinion the Council would have to decide between l them. Did it not stand to reason that Mr Carr being the consulting engineer his report must over rule the other ? The report was given to the sub committee as the report of both the engineers, and Mr Beaufort distinctly and in their presence approved of it. If they asked Mr Beaufort to piok holes in Mr Carr's report in the absence of Mr Carr they would he acting unwisely and improperly. At this point Mr Beaufort was asked if he were prepared to sign the report now and lie replied “certainly." Cr Tosswill thereupon wished to withdraw the resolution. Cr Dawson rose to speak, but Cr Briggs rose to a point of order. In explanation Cr Dawson raid there was no doubt the two engineers could not agree on this plan. The Mayor : If they cannot Mr Beaofort has misled us. Cr Dawson said he might agreo on the general plan but disagree in some particulars. Cr Wilson said he was satisfied that Mr Be aufort had approved of the scheme, which was mainly Mr Carr's. ( r Yule said that lie would like to have Mr Beaufort's opinion on this scheme so that in tiie event of it being unworkable in any particular they would know what course could be pursued. If any alterations were necessary during the progress of the work Mr Beaufort should ha\«* power tc have them carried out. The Mayor replied that he already had that power. In reply Cr Tosswill said if Mr Beaufort did not agree with the plan they w ere not acting fairly to Mr Carr. In fairness to him they should have an engineer on the works who had his heart and soul in the work. If they had an engineer there who did not approve of the scheme they had a right to know the why and the wherefore. He had every confidence in the sub-com-i nit toe and in Mr Carr. If Mr Beaufort were willing to sign that report he was willing to withdraw the resolution. Cr Dawson agreed to the withdrawal. Cr Tossw ill rose to speak again, upon which Cr Birnie rose to a point of order, and said Cr Toga will had bfgn six times to his feet on this question, and had not been called to order. He objected strongly to this being allowed. The Ma\or said on this particular ques Cr Tosswill had simply spoken and re plied.

The resolution was then put. For— Crs Dawson. Yule. Toss will. Against— Crs Wilson, Briggs, Vile, Birnie, Burrows and the Major. FINANCIAL. Accounts amounting to £62 7s 2d were passed for payment: also accounts amounting to £2B 14s 5d chargeable to loans accounts, and subject to the approval of the sub committee.

GENERAL. Cr Birnie moved That the Minister for Public Works be asked to have inserted in the plan of the new post ollice for PahiAtua a clock tower, on condition that the townspeople provide a clock for.the tower. Seconded by Cr Dawson. Cr Tosswill said he would vote for the motion if an addition were made that a telescope be provided in the business portion of the town for the purpose of assisting the inhabitants to see the clock. Cr Vile added that the telescope would have to be a very powerful one. The motion was carried. Cr Vile moved That the Council prepare before the next meeting its annual estimates of expenditure in accordance with section l.‘J6 of the Municipal Corporations Act 1886, such estimate to be submitted to the Council at its next meeting before publishing the same. Seconded by Cr Birnie and carried. Cr Vile moved That the Engineer be asked to call tenders for 300yds of gravel for Main Hoad repairs, and also for about 60 yards of metal for repairing footpaths. Seconded bv Cr Burrows. Cr Birnie called attention to the disgraceful and positively dangerous condition of the Mangahao road. It should be attended to before any more work was done on the Main Hoad. Mangahao Hoad had to bear very heavy traffic through the cartage of metal and timber, and in common decency that road should be made fairly passable. Other Councillors spoke in a similar strain. v Cr Vile said he had no objection to metal being put on the Mangahao Hoad. The resolution was lost. Cr Tosswill moved Thai, the Engineer report at next meeting on the amount of inetal that would be required on Mangahao Hoad and Mam Road. Seconded bv Cr Vile.

Cr Birnie objected to any piecemeal work on the road. It was quite time a proper street were formed. Cr Dawson moved is an amendment That 800 yards of inetal be* put on the Main Hoad and 50yards on the Mangahao Hoad. Seconded by Cr Burrow s. The resolution was withdrawn. Cr Briggs drew attention to the notice of motion re having metal broken for use in the Borough. On consideration, however, he withdrew the notice of motion. Cr Dawson's motion was carried. The Mayor moved That the Minister of Hands he informed that as the local Government Engineer did not approve of either of the competitive designs received re Mangatainoka bridge, the Council has engaged the services of the best obtainable engineer. Mr J. T. Carr, of Napier, to carry out the work. That the Council fed sure that the Government have con fiden< * that under Mr Carr the work will

be properly carried out, and requesting that the necessary arrangements be made ! to have the £SOO paid over as the work progresses. Seconded by Cr Tosswill und carried. Cr Wilson moved That the Engineer give a verbal report as to the petition of Mr Baker and others. Seconded by Cr Briggs and carried. Mr Beaufort briefly reported on the work required. Cr Wilson moved That the Engineer be instructed to have a culvert pipe put i across Arthur streqt. Seconded by Cr Dawson and carried. Cr Burrows moved That tenders for the groin in Mangatainoka river be opened bv the whole Council. Seconded by Cr Birnie and carried. The only tender received was that of Mr E. McMahon, which was considered excessive and not accepted. The matter was then left in the hands of the sub committee. MANGATAINOKA STREET. The tender of John McQuilken was accepted for forming footpath in Manga-tainoka-street. A MEMENTO. Cr Vile said he had had an enlarged piioto taken, and as the first Mayor of Pahiatua he proposed to present it to the Council.

The offer was accepted by the Council, and several Councillors spoke in hearty terms upon the action of Cr Vile, and the gift was acknowledged by acclamation. Cr Vile gave notice of motion. That I intend to move at the sitting of the Council to be held this day four weeks that a rate of one shilling and threepence in the £ on the annual value of the whole of the rateable property within the Borough be made for the period ending the 31st day of March, 1895, and that such rate be due and payable in one sum on the 31st day of May next. The Council then adjourned.