Timuaru Borough Council.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 5030, 11 June 1889, Page 2

Timuaru Borough Council.

The Borough Council met last evening. Present —His Worship the Mayor, Councillors Sherratt, Bennelt, Owers, Delaney, Burford, Ball Jones, Jackson, Drummond, and Hilt. Councillor Penrose apologised for absence on account of indisposition, and Councillor Bruce, being absent from town. CORRESPONDENCE, From the Charitable Aid Board asking for payment of £135 2s lOd, a moiety of the council’s contribution to tho board’s financial requirements. A statement of the position of tho 7 per cent Waterworks Loan account in London was received from the Bank of New Zealand. From Mr F. W. Marchant, under instructions from Mr Zieslor, giving the council notice that the excavation now being carried out opposite tho assembly rooms was calculated to cause settlement of the foundations and walls of the building, with possible danger to tho stability thereof. The council would be held entirely responsible for any damage that may happen to tho building and for any injury to person or thing, in consequence of their action. j The mayor said the council had nothing to fc»r, tho letter need only bo received. 1

Councillor Sherratt asked whether the builder had paid his guinea and obtained the proper levels. The building surveyor, Mr Dale, said the council ha-e never given any levels to anyone since Mr Dobson’s levels have been adopted. The Mayor: The legally adopted plan of levels is in the office, and it is for builders to see that they get the proper levels. Letter received.

From Mr 8, Kirby, offering to supply broken metal, delivered within certain distances, at 5s 6d per cubic yard. Letter received, as the council have a contract current.

Two applications for leave to transfer leases of municipal reserves were received, and for leave to mortgage an interest in a lease. —Agreed to. Replies were received to enquiries by letter as to prices for gas tar From Christchurch, 2id per gallon for 6000 gallons at the sellers’ siding; Ashburton, 4d at the works; Dunedin and Oamaru have none to sell.—Referred to the works committee. THE HAU’-HOMDAT. A letter was read from Mr A. Perry, borough solicitor, giving his opinion that the council have not power to make any exceptions in changing the statutory half holiday for females and young persons from Saturday to any other day of tho week, and any attempt to make such exceptions would be illegal and void. Tho mayor remarked that some comment, both public and private, bad been made on the fact the council did not at the last meeting decide upon the petitions presented to them. In the first place, it was usual not to act upon petitions until a fortnight had elapsed. In the second place, as tho Timaru Woollen Factory Company had produced an opinion from their solicitor, he thought it prudent to submit the question to the council’s solicitor, and the result was the letter now read.

Councillor Hill said, as tho council could not make any exceptions, they had better let the matter stand over till next session, when they might get the member for Timaru to introduce an amending Bill, to give borough councils tho power required. Councillor Drummond said they could not make laws to suit everyone; they must stick to one day, and make everyone comply. Councillor Bennett remarked that as far as report went, there were only five persons in the woollen factory affected by the present rule, and there were, they knew, 300 in favour of Thursday.

Councillor Hall-Jones moved, and Coun* cillor Hill seconded That the council regret that they cannot meet the convenience of all parties, and as Thursday suits the greatest number, the same bo adhered to.” The mover hoped the motion would be carried unanimously, for if there should be any division it would give reason to hope for success from a continuance of the agitation, by those who wished to change the day. The alteration of the day had been made after very careful discussion.- If they made a concession to the Woollen Company, others would follow in asking for concessions ; they had seen that already in fact. He had no doubt that the half holiday did a great deal of good j see the number of athletic clubs that had been started that could never have come into existence but for the half-holiday. A very much wider question was opened up by this half-holiday question. He believed one remedy for the existence of the unemployed was reducing the hours of labour,; he believed it would come in time. ' '

Councillor Drummond did not object to the half-holiday, but he did strongly object to business people having to close their places of business, It was not the thing to close places of business in the middle of the week. Ihe Saturday half-holiday would not make much difference to him. Councillor Bennett remarked that the council had nothing to do with the closing of places of business. The mayor said that Timaru and Oatnaru

were the only towns in the colony that had changed the legal holiday from Saturday to any other day. Councillor Sherratt expected they would go back to Saturday yet. Councillor Owers said the majority of people in South Canterbury now recognised that Thursday afternoon was a holiday in Timaru, and whenever they opened on Thursday, closing some other half day, they hardly saw a soul. He did not think the halfholiday made twopence difference to any, business man. The motion was then put and carried unanimously. Councillor Jackson was slow in putting up his band, and when asked why, said he would vote for the motion,; he did not like to bring pressure to bear on anybody, nor to injure anybody. DOMAIN BOARD. The council sat as the Domain Board, and transacted routine business. WATERWORKS. The reservoir keeper reported a full head coming down. The inspector of waterworks reported in detail on the condition of the fences along the water-race reserve, and on the progress of the painting of the flumes by the contractor. He suggested that in repairs for fences live poplar or willow stakes be used to grow up, and make a permanent job. The whole of the repairs at present neeeded along the race, however, would not take a couple of men more than a week. It was the contractor’s duty to keep ths fence in order. At the reservoir section, however, some 200 posts or live stakes were needed- The inspector said that a good many standards in the wire fencing had been bent by farmers wfcon ploughing, by the swingle-tree catching, them. The standards could not be straightened again ; they would break first. It was resolved that the mayor make arrangements for the supply of material required for fence repairs. Councillor Hall-Jones urged that some planting should be done on the race every year; the timber would bo a valuable asset by-and-bye. He moved for a committee to prepare a list of suitable trees, and call for tenders. He suggested that they should spend £IOO.

Councillor Delaney asked why they could not act upon last year’s specification. The mayor doubted whether the council could afford £IOO for planting. They might have some heavy maintenance contingencies before the winter was over. The motion was carried, the amount to be spent being reduced to £SO. ACCOUNTS. A copy of the audited balance-sheet of the borough funds for the year 1888-89 was submitted and adopted. Accounts amounting to £209 8s on general, to £66 17s on waterworks accounts, and to £l4 on domain account, were passed for payment. Among the items were £7 11s lid paid for knapping stones (61 yards), subsidy to Fire Brigade £25, and £3 2s 6d for appliances. The mayor asked if the council intended to appoint a cadet in place of Mr Wood. —Do without one, said Councillor Bennett.— Cadets, are they not as much trouble as they are worth? asked Councillor Hall-Jones.— The matter dropped. THE I'OUNDKEEPEE. There were six applicants for the post of poundkeeper. One applicant offered £lO a year for the post; another by mistake enclosed £3 “as a deposit in accordance with the conditions.” Councillor Delaney said three men bad told him that the poundkeeper was to pay £l2 a year.—The appointee is to pay £1 a year. L’ouncillor Burford said it should be a condition that the poundkeeper should live near the pound. Councillor Delaney looking at the mamisscript ’ specifications declared the “£1 stg ” looked so like “ £l2 ” that it was no wonder people made a mistake. He would protest against any appointment being made, when there had been so great a mistake made by people who bad been to look at the specifications, Several councillors urged the desirability of insisting that the keeper ehould live near the pound. After a long and desultory conversation, and tho suggesting of several amendments, John Anderson-was appointed to the office. VACANT SEAT. The seat of Councillor Smith, for tho Southwest ward, was declared vacant through repeated absences, and the necessary, steps ordered to be taken to fill the vacancy. The mooting then closed.