BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 59, 10 March 1903, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Thx Council met 011 Monday evening. Present: His Worship the Mayor (Mr E. Dock rill), Ors. Oonnett, Bellringer, Lealand, Broking, Caiter, Tisch, and Webster. The Miyor intimated he had reeeived a wire from Or. Oollis from Ohristohdroh apologising for his absence. The Railway Department notified they did' not intend to do anything with regard to Ourrie-street extension, except the filling up of the dip where the siding crosses the street. In a farther letter they declined to do the work of making and metalling the street and notified that if Mr King lifted the line of rails across the street thetollow would be filled and metalled bat nothing more done. | The Mayo? stated that after the opinion of Messrs Govatt and Qailliam. - the Works Committee considered the Council ccu'd eot spend money on the; Street. After an interview with Mr' King, who raised no objection to lifting the rails, it was considered that the necessary money could be raised for this work by sending roand the ha*. Or. Oonnett regretted that Mr King had noli given way earlier. Or. Brooking s'ated that he had informed Mr Jones that if he would give the Ooaocil the use of three hcrse boxes his occupation of a portion of the street would not be interfered with. The M iyor said the Oouncil had no power to erect nrinals on the street and that Mr Jones could properly object to these conveniences being put in front of his property. Or. Brooking reported that he had been unable to do any good with Mr Webber over Lemon-street widening, and therefore the Committee had de' cided to go on with the work and leave Mr Webber to his legal remedy. Subsequently Mr Webber bad come to terms.

In reply to the Council's claim of £22 12s 2d for drain at goods shed, the District Engineer forwarded account for work done by the Department amounting to £7O 8s 9d, in addition to the oost of the Council's work £3O 2s 10d, and stated that he was passing a voucher of £5, which would make up the amount of the Council's claim. Mr W. H. Skinner wrote relative to the refusal of the Building Inspector to sanction improvements to the property known as " Richmond's." He asked that the Council would permit Mr Messenger's proposed plan ba carried out, —Dealt with by Works Committee.

Mr Schauer, Sanitary Inspector, wrote submitting suggestions for sanitary improvements in the town, especially as to removal of night soil. Dr. Valintine wrote stating that be would like to wait on the Council before they decided on the diversion of the Mangatuku stream. The Engineer reported having interviewed Mr Mestayer on several matters relating to the drainage and water acheme. Mr Mestayer was anxious to St farther infom&tion as to the route r the supplemental service. He also saw Mr Fulton as to the Henui bridge, and that gentleman considered 25 feet was ample width for tha bridge, even with a tramway. With regard to the Band Bokunda, he recommended tha' the site be altered to 8 spot marked on the plan. He recommended iron batk timber for gutter coverings, and that new tenders be called for regradiog Standish'B Hill. Also that tenders b> called for 200 casks of cement. Good progress bid been made by the con tractors in street work. A dog kenne had been made at the pound. The Turncock's work daring the month wadetailed. The Sanitary Inspector re ported there were 32 cas-w of kerosene on the reclaimed land and 145 cases in shops. The Building Inspector hit placed Mtfsra Sparks and Jury's breac of bye-ltwß in the solicitors' hands. Cr. Brooking Stated with referenc to the route for the supplemental watei servic?, that it bad bean arranged tha Messrs Spencer and Sladden, with him ■elf, should inspect the proposed routes and he invited any Councillor tv be present. The report was received. The following report from the Works Committee was submitted: —That Mr Hood'a letter ra Mangatuku Stream encroaching upon his property be referred to the Chairman to make enquiries and report; That a g*a lamp be placed at tke corner of Gill Street east and Brown Street; That Mr W. H. Skinner's letter re alterations to build ing in Devon Street be received, and he be informed that the buildiog bylaws must ba complied with; That tha right-of-way between Messrs Skinner and Mills' buildioga having been laid out prior to the passing of the Council's retoiation of June 18th (dealing with widths of rights-of-way) consent be given to the registration of such right-of-way ; That the Engineer take steps to prepare plana of the reticulation of th 9 town and schedules of sizes of pipes etc, laid down ; Tint a four inch main be laid in Youog Street aa far as Mr Gordon's property; That the Engineer be authorised to erect a carpenter's shop at Gill Street yards (estimated fo3'. £50); That applications be called for a certificated engine driver for th traction engine, etc.; Tint the Engineer be authorised to procure 1000 feet of iron-bark timber; That Mr Coker be infoim d that the portion of Gilbert Street mentioned by him will be attended to at the earliest oppcrtuni'y; That the Eogineer make an inepicti.m and report upon the condition of the present sewer in Devon Street. In moving the adoption of the report Or. Brooking raid the Borough was getting a bit mixed as to the size cf the water pipes in different parts of town.

Or. B:llricgercontended (hit it was never intended by the bje laws that if there was a rotten plate the buildingshould hepulleJ down and re erected in brick, instead of being allowed to be lepaired, whereas if a fire occurred the building could bs reinstated as previously buil". If the bye-laws had that effect then it was desirable as coon as possible to alter them, so as not to place obstacles in the way of repairing buildings. As at present framed the bye-law was unjust and oppressive.. Under the circumstances of Mr Skin- j ner's cat-a it would be exceedingly! unfair, and he took it that it was the' duty of the Council to put the bye-law into a common sense shape. j Or. Connett contended that having made bye-laws tney must be adhered to, or every meeting there would be cases brought forward. j The Mayor agreed with the decision of the Engineer, but he bad again and again expressed to the Council that the building bye-laws would have to be altered. The principal object of the bye-lawa was to deal with new buildings ertcted in place of old ODts. He thought it was never intended that a building should be re-built just because a wall plate hid rotted, 80 lopg as the bye-laws

exiatsd they muat beeiiflji-ced, aDd probably th' 3 hardships en'ailed by that course would all thesoncer bring about an alteration so as to put matters in a move satisfactory state. Or Garter urged that action in recons:doring the bye-laws should not be delayed.

J The Works Committee's report wai . adop^ecL I The Reserves Committee reported re commending : 1. That the Council agrei to .sections 404 to 409 (inclusive) beinj vested in the Taranaki Hospital anc Charitable Aid Board, provided land equal in value is given to the Council in exchange;' such exchange to be effected without cost to the Council, 2. Thtt upjn the Borough Solicitors reporting that all papers are in order, and all rents and costs pud, consent be granted to a mortgage. The report was adopted. I The Health Committee's report was submitted. Tha Mayor inquired it the Committee thought a weekly service" of night soil removal was necessary. Cr. Tifch considered it was. The Miyor considered the nesv regulations were fair.

Cr. Bellringer advocited fixing a minimum are* held by occupiers which entitled them to dispanse with the compulsory servic?. He suggested a quarter of an acre.

Gr. Carter said the whole matter had been gone into with the sanitary authorities.

Or Lealand was of opinion that it would be unreasonable to c impel these who held a quarter of an acte section or over to ba obliged to have the night soil removed by the contractor.

After further discussion it was decided to amend the report by inserting a proviso excepting holdera of sections of a quarter of an acre or over in the. East and West Wards from the operation of the night soil removal regulation. The report was then adopted. Accounts were passed for payment subject to being duly certified. Or. Carter brought up the qu?stioa of the bye-laws relating to licensed plnmbers and suggested that notice should be given. The Mayor thought the matter was prematura and should be brought up j when the bye-iaws were discussed. Cr. Brooking said there were plenty' of other things in the bye-laws that affected people, and those who were interested should inspect the bye-laws before they were passed. Jn reply to Or. Bellringer, the Mayor said that in dispansing with Mr Free's services it was considered that it was only with regard to health matters, and that he would cohtigue to discharge other duties.

Or. Tisch moved that a Committee, consisting of Crs. Brooking, Bellringer, and the mover be set up to inquire into and repjrt on the Borough Bt.ff. He mentioned that besides the various duties hitherto affecting Mr Free, there was the question of the Turncock.— Carried,

The Council then went into Commutes on loan joatterp, which were discussed in camera,