Timaru Borough Council.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 5006, 14 May 1889, Page 2

Timaru Borough Council.

An ordinary meeting of the Borough Council was held last evening at the town hall. COUNCILLORS PRESENT. Eis Worship the Mayor (Mr D. M. Ross), and Councillors Sherratt, Delaney, Bruce, Hill, Jones, Drummond, Bennett, Burford, and Jackson. Councillor Bennett apologised for the nonattendance cf Councillor Owers. On the minutes being confirmed Councillor Bennett took exception to the entry that the motion appointing a committee on street lighting had lapsed, and Councillor Delaney asked if the account in the newspapers was correct that the council required “ 3 drums of oil and 5 cwt of hematite.” Councillors knew nothing at all about this matter. INSURANCE. The Borough Council of Sydenham forwarded a circular asking the Timaru council to support the bringing in of a “ Ratepayers’ Mutual Insurance Bill.” —Received, Councillor Bennett remarking that such a bill would be a very good thing for the borough. THE RESERVOIR. Mr Sugrue, reservoir caretaker, reported as from 22nd April to 12th May, the lowest depth during that period being i7ft 7in, and the highest 19ft 3in. THE POUNDKEEPER. Mr Hanson wrote complaining of the poundkeeper refusing to release h : s (Hanson’s) horse at 7 30 p.m. on 25th April, and charging 2s fid “ notice fee.” Mr Scankn also wrote complaining of excessive charges made by the poundkeeper. The poundkeeper forwarded a reply. He denied that the charges made to Scanlon were excessive, and said that a man named Huband had complained of Scanlon’s horse doing dajnage in his garden, and he (the poundkeeper) had paid Huband 2s fid on this account.

After reading the complaints and reply His Worship moved and Councillor Bruos seconded —“ That the services of Mr Butterworth as poundkeeper for the Borough of Timaru be dispensed with, and applications for the office bo advertised for, to be sent in by the next ordinary meeting of the council ; the town clerk to draw up specification of duties.” Carried.

The mayor said that at one time the pound was a source of revenue to the borough, but since February, 1835, not a penny had been got from it. In 1884 £5 8s had been raised from it, and turning back to previous years as high a sum as £49. Councillor Bruce, as seconder, said that these habitual charges against the poundkeeper made it simply necessary that they should made a change. The pound was wanted to keep the streets clear of stock, and they should see that a really good man was in charge of it.

Councillor Burford said that the fees in the cases so far heard were legally demanded, as being a sufferer more than once he had studied the Act and found that Mr Butterworth was acting rightly. In Hanson’s case the poundkeeper had also acted legally, for the Act stated that no animal could be released from the pound between sunset and sunrise. In conclusion, Councillor Burford said that he was not in favour of the motion —he would prefer to see the pound let by tender, as was done at Waimate, St. Andrews, and Fairlie Creek.

Councillor Delaney did not altogether agree with Councillor Burford about the charges being legal ones, but was quite of the opinion that a change in officers was desirable. He advocated a more rigorous inspection of the pound, for he said that it was not a rare thing for an animal to go in plive at night, and be carried out dead soon after, owing to neglect in feeding. He also suggested that the pound should be moved from its present site to a more public place, so that in the event of the poundkeeper getting on the spree or falling ill, people could see how the impounded animals fared, and, if necessary, report to the office. His Worship and other councillors quite fell in with the suggestion of a change of site, one naming the old hospital site, another the triangle, another the reserve at the back of the gaol. Finally Councillor Bruce moved, Councillor Hill seconded, and it was carried—“ That (he foreman of works be requested to report upon the condition of the present pound promises, whether the material is worth shifting to another site, and report as follows: —Cost of shifting the pound with any new materials required, also to complete new pound, with the cost of a three-roomed cottage in timber.”

Further enquiries are to be made as to site. Councillor Delaney took exception to tho pound being put in front of the church on the belt, and questioned the right of tho council to put it there. After this, Messrs Hanson and Scanlon interviewed the council, but after a few questions were informed that the matter had been dealt with. DEXTER. Mr James Barrie applied for and was granted a driver’s license. DOMAIN BFSINE3B. The ranger reported on tho work done lately, and the mayor said that the seats had been repaired at a coat of £4, and in reply to Councillor Jones said the fence had m. t been gone on with. A letter from Mr M. Fitzgerald, after being spoken on by tho ranger, was loft to the mayor to report on. HEMATITE AND OIL, Tho Town Clerk reported that Messrs Miles Archer and Co.’s tender had been accepted for a supply of 5 cwt of hemitite at 20a per cwt and 8 drums of oil at 3s 3d per gallon. Other tenderers were Messrs Priest and Holdgato, James Philp, and James Craigie. POREMAN ON WORKS REPORT,

Tho foreman of works reported that he had cleaned the end of tho bank gully sewer ; that he required a supply of tar for asphalting purposes, and for the want of that had knocked off two hands. During the season 3914 yards of asphalt had been laid, and the final touches in top dressing would be made as soon as tar was obtained. He reported that he was putting down an asphalt channel in Arthur street; that he had taken the levels from Barnard to Bank streets and found that the assembly room buildings and Mr Hciley’s shop steps considerably above tho adopted levels. On tho other hand there would be a bit of making up of the footpath in several places as far as Theodocia street. The question of t}ip Jeycls was discussed rather vigorously. Councillor Jackson said that he would noj; like to see the footpaths cut up in the winter time.

Councillor Bruce was strongly in favour of getting the work of the street and foothpath formation carried out in something like a ship shape way. If this wore not done, things would got very bad. He advised that extensions should be made from tho main street, and that thoy should work on a definite system and adopted levels. He did not desire to hurt anybody, but would like to see things clearly carried out. Councillor Bruce then spoke of the frontage to the Assembly buildings, and said that ho had on Sunday evenings, several times gone over bis boot tops in tho gutter there. Councillor Delaney said that they should abide by the resolution they had passed, namely, do formation in North, George and Kiilg streets in that order. It was strange that the council had had the last named street done Cjst of all. However he how suggested that

North street should be improved next in order, more especially as it was used by the many children that were attending the public schools.

Councillor Bruce remarked that they should do Brown street.

To this Councillor Delaney replied that before his term as councillor expired he hoped to see something more done to Brown street.

The mayor said he would see that North street was attended to as soon as possible. Councillor Bennett asked the mayor if ho ever went past the Clarendon corner, and had he ever noticed the nuisance in front of the Church street entrance ?

His Worship said that all that was required there was a connection of the hotel kitchen drains with the main sewer, which ran close to the front door of the hotel. The drains should be connected, and the nuisance spoken of by Councillor Bennett would then be done away with. Speaking on asphalt as a material for channels, His Worship added that it was used on some of the streets running down steep hills in the city of Dunedin, the asphalt being eloped off at the outer edge to form the channel. He concluded by stating that there had been a good deal of correspondence about the streets lately, and contended that in prosecuting work in the way they were at present, streets and footpaths were being surely improved. It was agreed, on the motion of Councillor Sherra't, seconded by Councillor Bennett—- “ That the foreman of works proceed with the levelling and preparation of the footpaths according to the levels; the mayor to be authorised to engage any necessary extra help for the furtherance of the works.” It was also resolved to get quotations for tar from other towns, for the supply of 6000 gallons, 500 to be delivered at a time. BUBGESS BOLL. No objections being received, the roll as made up by the town clerk was duly signed. TUB HALE HOLIDAY QUESTION. At this stage the following letter was read from the secretary to the Timaru Woollen Manufacturing Company:— “We respectfully request you to take into consideration the great inconvenience and loss of time the stoppage of our machinery for half a day would cause us in the enforcement of your by-law re tho half holiday as provided in the Employment of Females and Others Act 1881.

“If the matter is pressed farther we will be forced to take into consideration the dismissal of our females and boys. “In comparison with the other mills in this colony we would be placed at a great disadvantage indeed, and the serious damage a stoppage makes when our raw material is in process of manufacture can only be realised by one who has a knowledge of this very intricate branch of manufacturing. " We are the largest employers of labour in this town, having from 70 to 90 hands in work, and therefore wo think that a little consideration should be given us. “We have no wish whatever to break through the present arrangement as regards outsiders, but we are of opinion that a special permit should be granted us to work as we have done, and so place us on the same footing with all the other mills in New Zealand.

“ We have gone to the expense of procuring a legal opinion as to the legality of such a permit as we have described, and now enclose the letter received from Mr Hay.” The workpeople at the factory sent in the following:— “ Wo, the undersigned employees of the Timaru Woollen Manufacturing Company, desire to lay before the Mayor and Borough Council of Timaru, tho matter of the weekly half-holiday so far as we are concerned. We are all of the opinion that to alter our present arrangement and compel us to have Thursday afternoon as our half-holiday, will entail great loss of wages, and in some cases dismissal of some of the female hands employed at this factory, and we therefore pray that you will kindly allow the privilege of working on Thursday afternoons and stopping on the Saturday as heretofore.” (Signed by 53 persons.)

In reply to Councillor Jackson the town clerk said that so far as ho knew there were no other factories affected in a manner similar to the woollen factory under the by-law. His Worship said that as he understood the case, the factory objected to letting steam go down in the middle of the week, and then have to get it up again, thereby injuring their process of manufacture, and preventing them getting along with their work. As matters stood it was a serious thing to them. Councillor Jackson would like to see the request granted, and for one was in favour of changing the half holiday from Thursday to Saturday. As a factory owner the latter day would suit him best. Councillor Drummond said that he was one who had stood out strongly against the granting of the Thursday half holiday. Ho also was favourable to a change. Councillor Hill said that he would be very sorry to see any such alteration made. Under the present arrangement the great mass of townspeople were able to enjoy a half holiday. At the same time he was quite willing to allow the factory the Saturday half holiday so long as it could be done without interfering with the Thursday. Councillor Bruce recognised the difficulty all factories driven by motors laboured under in knocking off work in the middle of the week, and said if the Woollen Factory people suffered under the bylaw it was the council’s duty to meet and help them. Touching the Thursday half holiday ho admitted that matters did look awkward, but he would say nothing about them. He was strongly in favour of meeting manufacturers in every possible way. Councillor Bennett suggested that there should bo a half holiday for manufacturers and a half holiday for the shopkeepers. The mayor remarked that the shopkeepers would not close on Saturdays, as it was market day in Timaru and Government offered special facilities on the railways for visiting town on that day. Councillor Sherratt then gave notice of the following motion :—“ That the resolution passed on the 22nd February, 1886, proclaiming Thursday in each successive week the statutory half-holiday be rescinded, and the following be adopted at a special meeting to be held on the 27th :—‘ That under the provisions of section 3 of the Employment of Females and Others Act 1881 Amendment Act 1885, Thursday is hereby appointed to be the day in each week henceforth, on which females, young persons and children shall have holiday from 2 o’clock in the afternoon, provided that nothing herein or in the said special order of the 22nd day of February, 1886 contained shall affect the Timaru Woollen Manufacturing Company or its employees.’” This notice was given in accordance with an opinion forwarded by Mr James Hay to the company, which he contended would quite meet the case. SPALLS. Mr J. Pearson’s tender for spalls, at 3s 5Jd per cubic yard was accepted, the other tenderers being Messrs Kerby, Sibly, and Brewer. DANUBE. Councillor Sherratt called attention to the dangerous part of Sophia street in front of the woollen factory, and suggested that the foreman of works should have it fenced in.—■ Agreed to. THE NEW JSYE-LAWS. Bye-laws Nos. 19 and 20 were confirmed. As to the clause in No. 19, regulating 'the carrying of lights by persons riding oh bicycles after dark', the solicitors were of opinion it clearly meant that 1 " the fighf; nmsjb be in' some conspicuous place on the bicycle, in fro'nt pf it, so os to bo seen when approaching.” ACCOUNTS. Accounts were passed as follows: —Maintenance, £44 10s 8d ; special rate, £2115 15s; domain, £9.