Municipal.

Southern Cross, Volume 4, Issue 2, 11 April 1896, Page 8

Municipal.

INVERCARGILL Borough Council Thursday, 9th April. The fortnightly meeting was attended by His Worship the Mayor (Mr J. Sinclair), and Crs. Roche, McFarland, Mair, JBlacke, Goldie, Aitken, Rose, Thomson, McKeown, Batchelor and Hanan. A. B. Austin, Christchurch, asked for information as to the Borough loans and loan conversion operations. —To be supplied with balance-sheet. The Municipal Association of New Zealand invited the Council to appoint a delegate to the conference to be held in Wellington, at which the Local Government Bill would form the chief subject of discussion.—Referred to the Finance Committee for report. W. Nicol, caretaker of the town clock, wrote that it had been in use two years that day, and he asked for a return of the gas used. —To be supplied. An application from Eliza Blackwood, widow, for the remission of rates, was referred to the Finance Committee, with power to act. J. Stewart notified that at the request of the Fire Brigades’ Association he had re-considered his decision not to remain in the service, and now offered himself as a working member of the local brigade in any capacity. —Referred to the Fire Brigade Committee with power to act. W. Harris and Son, Christchurch,, asked particulars of the rates claimed on a section belonging to H. Davis, London, and which had been sold in default of payment'in December last. Mr Davis had not received any notice ; the section had cost ten times the amount of rates due, and he felt very sore over the matter. —Referred to the Finance Committee, the Mayor stating that he believed the section was not in the borough but in the county.. A letter from J. McKenzie, Te Anau, re rates on a town property was referred to the Finance Committee. T. M. Macdonald and Son, solicitors,, intimated that the new bylaws wouldbe ready by Wednesday.

A. McKenzie wrote that he could obtain no more gravel from the bqach north of the jetty. —Referred to Works Committee.

F. Dewe’s application for a cab licence was referred to the Finance Committee with power to act, subject to the approval of the Inspector. B. Watson, who had been unable to pay at due date, applied to be allowed the usual gas discount.—Dealt with in Finance Committee’s report. W. S. Stewart, who had complained of injuries received through a truck being left standing in Liddel street one night, wrote that he had heard from a man in the street that his leFter had been dealt with, but no reply had come to had from the Council.—Cr. Batchelor moved that the letter be received.—Cr. Roche moved an amendment, which was seconded by Cr. Thomson, to the effect that the letter be referred to the inspector for report It was the duty of the Council, added the mover, to see that the streets were not obstructed. Cr. Rose supported the amendment. Sometime ago, at their instigation, Messrs Bros and Instone had been put to a considerable inconvenience and expense to carry out the bylaws, and now apparently people on the other side of the street could do as they liked. —Cr. Blacke supported the motion, and stated.Afcat if no reply had been sent the omission should be rectified.—Amendment lost and motion carried. The following report was received from the Works Committee : 1. Report that the Committee agree to the Y. M. C. Association removing the dividing fence between their building and the Council Chamber, and making the improvements suggested in Mr J. 'S. Baxter’s letter, at their own expense, and to have the use of the right-of-way at the pleasure of the Council at a rental of 5s per annum. 2. Report that Joseph Sheriff’s letter in reference to protection wall at his section is held over for further consideration, and that the Committee intend to inspect the property in the meantime. 3. Recommend that the surrender of F. Mangan’s lease of section 8, Seaward Bush Reserve, be accepted, and that Charles F. Kiernan and William Moore’s application for the section be accepted on the following conditions: —That they expend not less than £lO a year during the currency of the lease in improvements, as follows : Clearing, draining, fencing, and sowing down in English grass, and that no timber suitable for sawmilling purposes be cut or removed from the property during the currency of the lease. 4. Recommend that applications be called for the position of Wharfinger at Invercargill jetty, at a salary of £2 per week. 5. Recommend that Mrs Lawlor and the other ratepayers signing the requisition to fill in drain in Nith street, be informed that the same will be attended to as soon as the outlet by the main drain in Nith street is completed. To a motion for the adoption of clause 4, Cr. Aitken moved as an amendment that the salary of the wharfinger be £2 10s a week, the position being a responsible one, and one for which a fair payment should be made. —The Mayor said he did not wish any one in the Corporation service to be underpaid, but they had no right to pay more for work done than a private individual. They were making a new departure in connection with the jetty and harbour, and if they increased the expenditure in other directions the change would be of no advantage.—The amendment was lost, the motion carried, and the report adopted as a whole. It was decided to insure the dwelling house at the Waterworks for £3OO in the Imperial Company. The following report was read from the Finance, Gas, and Water Committee :

1. Report that having fully and carefully considered the tenders for the supply of coal for the Gasworks, for the next twelve months, agreed to accept the Westport Coal Coy’s at 22s lid pec, ton, delivered at the Gasworks, over the Invercargill jetty, with the excep tion of the first two months’ requirements, which will be shipped via Bluff harbor. The Committee desire to call the Council’s- attention to the advantage that will accrue to the Corporation in having, after considerable negotiations, succeeded in stipulating for the coal being landed at the jetty, as the working of this department and the revenue from the harbour will be under the direct management arid supervision of the Council from 14th inst, on which date the existing lease expires 2. Report having agreed to renew the fol. lowing insurances, maturing duringthe month, as follows :—Dwelling house at Gasworks, £3OO, N. Z. Co., 4th April; building fire brigade station, £700.“ dandard Co., 11th

April; mortuary chapel at cemetery, £IOO, North German, 12th April ; enginehouse and plant in same, £SOO, Commercial Union, 21st April. 3. Recommend that the application from Mr T. Fleming and others for refund of discount on their gas accounts for January and February last be consented to, and that all arrears of gas accounts prior to the Ist January, 1893, be sued for payment at once. 4 Recommend that the Gas Manager be instructed to inform all gas consumers that in no case will they be allowed fhe discount on their accounts if not paid on or before the 10th of the month, and that the former resolution of the Council in reference to discount on gas accounts be strictly adhered to. 5. Recommend that the following for the Waterworks as ordered by the Engineer be granted : —SOO feet Jinch pipe and fittings, 700 feet finch pipe and fittings, 200 feet finch pipe and fittings, 281 bs of cotton waste, 6 files assorted, 1 30inch grindstone, Russian oil. 6. Recommend that the sanitary contractors having complied with the terms of their contract, their deposit be returned to them less the solicitor’s costa for repairing and discharging their agreement in terms of former resolution. The adoption of clause 1 having been moved, Cr. Blacke complimented the Mayor and the Committee on their action in connection with the supply of coal and the utilisation of the harbour.—Cr. Roche remarked that indirectly the harbour was of great benefit, inasmuch as it kept down railway charges. —The Mayor said that two years ago he wished the then mayor to see if the coal monopoly could not be broken up, and last year an effort was made to do so, but without success. When he became mayor, he saw an opportunity, backed up by the Council, to secure the Gasworks coal at a cheaper rate, and at the same time utilise the harbour. The policy of the past had been suicidal both for the harbour and the town. This year they would have a saving on the gas coal (over 1500 tons) ot 3s 7d per ton as against last year’s charges, a saving equalling nearly £3OO. Then he estimated that the harbour account would be improved to the extent of nearly £2OO- —practically a total saving to the town of £SOO a year. He hoped the Council would continue to utilise the harbour in this way. He believed that if there had been more time for negotiating with the Newcastle Co. the coal could have been obtained even cheaper. Their tender for coal delivered at the Bluff was I6s per ton, and if there had been time to make arrangements he did not see why coal could not be delivered at Invercargill for 18s per ton. If they took the matter in hand a little earlier next time they might be able to effect a still further saving, in which case he hoped the committee wquld see the advisability of still further reducing the price of gas.—Clauses 1 and 2 were adopted, and Crs. Rose and Roche moved the adoption of clause 3. —A question arose as to whether it quite represented the decision of the committee, and Cr. Aitken moved that it be referred back to that body for further consideration. —Cr. Blacke seconded this, expressing surprise that the committee did not seem to know what they had done. —Cr. Roche said they should meet people who were not wilfully behind with their payments, and added that the amendment was not made in the interests of the ratepayers, but was a kind of vindictive slap at the committee.—Cr Blacke asked that the word £ vindictive ’ should be withdrawn. —C. Roche inquired if it was not parliamentary, and the Mayor said he was sure Cr. Roche would not use an offensive expression.—Cr. Blacke insisted on the withdrawal of the expression ; the Mayor asked Cr. Roche to withdraw the word ; Cr. Roche said if he was to be driven he would walk out, and forthwith retired. —Cr. Goldie said, referring to arrears, said that although provisions was made for the removal of meters if gas accounts were two months owing, one customer last year had been allowed to run up an account for £4B. —On being put only the mover and seconder voted for the amendment, and the clause was passed and the report as a whole subsequently adopted.

Cr. Blacke moved that a return made to his order of the cost of drain pipes supplied for the year ended 31st

March He oh the table. He pointed oat that the amount was £656 4s 4d, and added that if the lowest had been accepted the cost would have been less by £42 2s sd. On that occasion, as now,.he stood up in the interests of the ratepayers to show that the majority of the members were so philanthropically disposed that they had paid £42 odd to a firm outside the town who did not contribute one sixpence to the rates, and rejected the tender of a firm who contributed £l3O a year to the rates, to say nothing of the amount paid by their employes. During the discussion which followed, Cr. Batchelor expressed his belief that Or. Blacke was not present at the meeting at which the matter was considered, and Or. Blacke retorted that if Or. Batchelor thought so he must have been asleep. Or. Batchelor called for the withdrawal of this remark, and Cr. Blacke offered to do so if Or. Batchelor withdrew his remark. In reply to Or. Batchelor the Mayor said Cr. Blacke’s retort was not unparliamentary. Or. Batchelor insisted on its withdrawal, and characterised it as mean, dirty and offensive. The Mayor : I have given my ruling. Cr. Batchelor still insisted. The Mayor : If you do not obey my ruling I will put the byelaws in force. Cr. Batchelor : Do what you like ! The Mayor: I will, and that quick ! Cr Blacke then resumed his address, during which Cr. McFarlane retired. At a later stage Cr. Batchelor moved, as ,an amendment, that the return be simply received, stating that he was convinced Cr Blacke’s calculations were erroneous. Cr. Goldie did not think it worth while to enlarge on the matter because he did not consider the return complete. Cr. McKeown pointed out that instead of losing £42 odd by the acceptance of Todd & Sons’ tender they had actually saved about £250 through the refusal of that firm to join a combination which would have maintained a higher rate, and which afterwards tried to cut Todd ■& Sons out. The latter had fought the matter out, and the Council had benefited by their action. They employed eight or ten hands, and their works were a local industry deserving of support, as against Timaru and other outside places. The Council had not only got the pipes cheaper than would otherwise have been the case, but they had affirmed the principle of supporting local industry, and instead of being discredited in the eyes of the public, he reckoned they had done a good thing.—The motion was lost, only three Crs. voting for it Cr. McKeown moved for 'a return showing the quantity and price of the gravel purchased by Ridland and Co. during the last twelve months. Carried. 0». Goldie moved for a return shewing the cost and locality of drain pipes laid in each ward, together with the amount of rates received from each ward during the last year. —Lost.

The Mayor moved—That this town, having suffered a great injustice some years ago through the removal of the railway workshops, would respectfully bring under the notice of the Hon. Mr Oadman the urgent necessity for re-instatement of the same, this Council believing that in the interests of the district, and in justice to the town such a course should be taken, and that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Mr Cadman. The Mayor said that up till this year the railways had been under the control of three Commissioners, and the steps hitherto taken to have the workshops reinstated had proved fruitless. Now the lines were under Government management. Invercargill was one of the largest railway centres in the colony, and it was necessary in the interests of the Department itself that necessary repairs should be carried out here. They had plenty of surplus labour to do the work, and he would ask the Council to join him as a deputation to the first Minister who

visited, the town with Jbhe view of plaoingsthe metier: Be Batchelor said he would second the" motion if the matter was. brought before the Government. throng hi the member for the town.—The Mayor explained that no slight was intended —a copy of the motion would be sent to Mr Kelly.—Crs. Goldie, Aitken, and McKeowu supported the motion, and it was carried unanimously, Six applications were received for the position of second lieutenant of the Fire Brigade, vacant through Mr Washer having been absent from three practices. Mr Washer was among the applicants, and explained that his absences were due to his having been engaged in night work at the time He had explained tho matter to the Superintendent, and although he did not give him leave, he did not offer any objection. The appointment was decided by open voting, the choice of the Council eventually falling on Robert Miller, a member of the Railway Fire Brigade. —Before the appointment was decided Cr, Batchelor said he had moved at a former meeting that Mr Washer be asked if he had any explanation to make, but the Council would not entertain his proposal, and had gone to expense and put people to trouble. The thing was a farce, and the Council were making idiots of themselves. Cr. Aitkeo asked that the expression be withdrawn. The Mayor said he did not understand the conduct of some Crs., and strongly deprecated the practice of making insinuations and using language open to question. If it was done to annoy him it was a most unfair thing to do. He asked them to act toward each other as gentlemen,' A report from the inspector regarding sanitary work in Dunedin and Christchurch was referred to the Sanitary Committee. Conncillor Mair moved that the resolution of the 29th July, 1895, authorising asphalting in Earn street, be rescinded, and that no asphalting be undertaken until all the open ditches have been filled in—Councillor Rose seconded the motion. The Mayor ruled the motion out of order as it conflicted with the schedule of works approved by the ratepayers. If its scope had been limited to Barn street it would have been in order. No work would be done in the meantime, and it could be brought up again. The Council adjourned at 10.15 p.m