TIMARU BOROUGH COUNCIL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 8131, 15 January 1895, Page 2

TIMARU BOROUGH COUNCIL.

An ordinary meeting of the Timaru Borough Council was held last evening. Present —The Mayor, Mr Hill, and Councillors Stumbles, Grandi, Sherratt, McQueen, Houston, Burford, Crannitch, Hole, Mair, Bennett, Owers, and O’Bryan. CORRESPONDENCE. Among the correspondence was the following:— To the Colonial Secretary stating that the Council did not feel it their duty to undertake the care and maintenance of the Post Office clock, giving reasons therefor. —A reply had been received that the Government, declined to reconsider their decision to cease paying for the regulation and maintenance of the clock.—Councillor Houston moved and Councillor Burford seconded—“ That the Council take no action towards maintaining the Post Office clock.” Councillor Houston said that was the only way to bring the Government to their bearings. It was a ridiculous sort of petty retrenchment. Let the clock stop and there would be a howl from the public that would make them glad to’ start it again.—ln reply to a question the Mayor said that the clock belonged to the Government, who paid £2OO and the borough £IOO of its cost.—Councillor Owers asked that inquiry be made as to the cost.—Councillor Sherratt said they should ask to have the clock given up if they were to be responsible for it, so that they could move it in their own building if they chose. He had spoken to the postmaster about it, and Mr Goodman said he would give every facility to the Borough Council for attending to the clock.—Councillor Houston’s motion was carried, Councillors Sherratt and Owers dissenting. The Town Clerk had replied to a query from the Colonial Secretary, that the cost to the borough of the local option poll and licensing election in 1891 was £ll 4s 6d, and for 1894—£82 3s Bd. In the latter case the total cost was £97 Is 2d, a balance being paid by Levels County. Correspondence which had passed with the committee of the Mechanics’ Institute before the poll was taken was read.

A return of recipients of charitable aid supposed to be from the borough, was received. The Town Clerk said there were 16 names, and only eight really belonged to the borough. He would have the report corrected. Mr Tripp, on behalf of Rhodes’ trustees, wrote in reply to a request that the trustees would give to the borough a narrow strip of land on the main road near Sarah street, where the main street had been driven back on the freeholds by the construction of the railway. The trustees could not give the land, but

they would give the Council a lease of it at Is a year, the lease to be terminable by one month’s notice from either side. —The Mayor and one or two Councillors considered this a very liberal offer. —It was agreed to refer the matter to the works committee, with instructions to verify the plan produced on behalf of the trustees.

Mr Radcliff applied for permission to erect a moveable shade over one of his windows.—The Mayor said there was a by-law prohibiting the use of such things. It was objectionable, as flapping things were apt to frighten horses.—The town clerk referred to the by-law dealing with such objects, and the Mayor concluded that the Council should not grant the permission without some conditions. In fact he did not think they could legally grant the permission. The Council must protect themselves.— Councillor Owers argued that if the thing was legal, and the Council gave permission, they could not shelve their., responsibility.—Councillor Grandi suggested that they should take no notice of the letter and let Mr Radcliff put it up at his own risk, and then if it was proved to be a nuisance orders could be given for its removal.—Councillor Houston argued strongly that the erection would be unobjectionable and that the application should be granted, and he moved to that effect.—Eventually the Mayor ruled the motion put of order, as contrary to the by-law, and the letter was “ received.” The fire brigade applied for 500 feet of new hose, to be kept in reserve.—Referred to the works committee. The secretary to the Harbour Board requested the Council to arrange for holding an election of three members to the Board on the 11th February.—The town clerk stated that he had decided, as returning officer, to make the date for receiving nominations as late as possible. ; The Lady Superior of the Convent wrote, asking that the inspector, of waterworks be instructed to flush the Convent drain from time to time. — Agreed to. THE DOMAIN. The Council sat at 8 p.m. as a Domain Board. The ranger reported on the work he had been engaged on. Councillor Burford said the domain looked as well now as ever it did. But something should be done with the triangle. The man who undertook to clear it had not got it clear yet, though the year he was allowed for that expired two months ago. —The Mayor said he was to have the triangle for two years, so that he had pleny of time yet. He would, however, call i meeting of the committee to visit the place and see what should be done. LICENSES. Auctioneers’ licenses were applied for and were ordered to be issued to Messrs Glasson, Guinness, Mundell, and Bland. . The dog tax for the year was fixed at 10s, and Mr Lough was appointed registrar and collector. THE HALE-HOLIDAY. A special meeting was held for the purpose of passing a special resolution fixing the day for the half-holiday under the Shops and Shop Assistants Act, and Thursday was formally fixed. Councillor Sherratt raised the question whether shops must be closed on Thursday afternoon if there had been a general holiday observed earlier in the week, such holiday not having been proclaimed a public holiday.—The general opinion of councillors was that proclamation did not affect the case; to have kept holiday would be sufficient. STREET WORKS. Councillors Bennett' and Burford moved —“ That in future the foreman of works have full control of the men under him, and that if any man does not suit him he may be allowed to dismiss him and-his dismissal be final, and in no case do the Council interfere.” At the request of the Mayor and others the movers agreed to strike out the words after “final.” An animated discussion took place on the motion,' The movers spoke of the foreman’s authority being weakened by influence with the Council; others would give the foreman full power over the casual hands, but not over the permanent men. The Mayor asserted that the foreman had full control. Councillor Bennett said the foreman did not think he had, because he dismissed one man, and tlie Council reinstated him at once.—The foreman being called on for an explanation, stated that men had been put on by the Council or the works committee, not recently, but some time ago.—Mention of one man’s name set the Councillors off on a discussion of the histoiy of nis case,— Councillor Grandi moved as an amendment—“ That the foreman have ; power to take on men and dismiss them with the consent of His Worship the Mayor.” Councillor Burford demanded full power for the foreman, or else control by. the whole Council. —Councillor Hole suggested that both motion and amendment be withdrawn, in view of the proposal to let the work by contract, and this course was agreed to. The overseer reported on the work done by his staff on various streets. A lot of gorse needed cutting on the South Belt, if the Council approved. A good deal of the asphalte needed top-dressing, but that would have to wait. —In reply to questions Mr Dale added that there was no tar in stock, and he had attended to a hole over a drain near Houston’s shop that day. The overseer read the specifications he had drawn up for the maintenance and cleaning of the streets, footpaths, channels and drains. The principal streets are to be kept thoroughly clean,the rest of the streets to be cleansed once a fortnight at least. The list of general works to be attended to was a long one, and there were separate specifications for street watering and asphalte work, and the document, a dozen pages of foolscap, closed with a list of suggested fines for neglect of duties. —The specifications were accepted and ordered to lie on the table till next meeting. It was agreed that the overseer should reduce his staff Rom 7 to 5, and Councillor Grandi’s amendment previously withdrawn was revived and passed. WATERWORKS. The Cemetery Board offered £8 per annum for a supply of water to the cemetery, and to pay the estimated cost of laying the pipe, £2B.—The Council had previously fixed the annual charge at £lO, and the Mayor supported the higher claim as reasonable, and as the Council could not afford to be generous with the waterworks revenue.—Councillors Grandi and Mair concurred, as a protest against the Council’s decision being underbid in the way proposed. After an animated discussion, Councillor Hole moved that the offer be accepted, urging that the water was needed by the public, mot by the Cemetery Board, and the cottage alone would not be valued at more than £3. Other councillors spoke in favour of upholding their officer’s valuation. Councillor Burford pointed out that the board only needed the water for the benefit of the grave owners, and they were not in any way bound to supply it. Councillor Hole’s motion was lost, leaving the Council’s offer at £lO open to the board. The waterworks inspector reported at some length. Extensions had been completed in Hartjstreet, and along North and Gibson streets. In making the connection in the latter case, he trusted to two 6-inch mains running full (the mills being shut down) to keep the towq

supplied. This, however, they failed to do, and he had to temporarily connect the principal main again till night. During the progress of the extension of the pipe trench in North street two lamps were kept burning at night for the protection of the public. During the early hours of New Year s morning larrikins of the very worst stamp smashed the lamps up and left the trench without any protection. He reported the matter to the police, but, nothing had come of it. —The report was adopted. ACCOUNTS, The town clerk repprted that £lO 5s 7d had been paid by the Levels Road Board for half cost of road works on the Belt, and £7 10s for gas lighting. The town clerk stated that the overdraft on 19th December was £3OBO. It had now been reduced to £2338. There had been collected since last meeting £76418s 7d, including.£l7 16s 7d received from the Levels Road Board. There was £1166 due and to be refunded by the waterworks interest account, which would reduce the general account overdraft to about £IOOO, and by 31st March it promised to be down to the figure he had estimated it would be, about £2OO. Councillor Hole added that the banker had agreed to charge 7 instead of 8 per cent, on the overdraft. Accounts amounting to £l6O 10s lid general, £36 5s 8d waterworks, £25 16s 6d loan account, and £8 6s 8d domain account were passed for payment. EXTENSION OF THE BOROUGH. Councillor Burford gave notice of motion for next meeting requesting the Mayor to call a meeting of the ratepayers in the suburbs to explain the proposed boundaries, and take steps to join the borough. The Council rose at 10.15 p.m.