TOWN BOARD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 2199, 6 May 1874, Page 2

TOWN BOARD.

Tat Board met on Monday last. Frvwrvt • Messrs. C. Brown, Harris Ford, L. Hammer* ton, Laird, Scott, T. Sole, and J. Veale. Io the absence of Mr. Crompton, Mr. Vealo WM toted to the ohair. Disbursements for the months of March and April. — The payment of the followingamoantf was confirmed ;«-~For metal, £13 j oartage, £1 19s. 4d. ; kerbing and culverts, £8 6s. • labour, £14 18s. t fire brigade, £77 2s. 7d. • secretary, £18 10s. Total, £l3f 17s. lid.— Mr. Fobd asked if the Town Board labourer bad been paid for tbe days on whioh he had been absent when summoned on the jury f He brought the aabjeot forward because Beveral had spoken to him about it.— The SfiCßfTAsr replied that he had been paid, as he was employed by the week. — Mr. Laud said Mr. Walsh was often atworkover-honra, and it would be unfair to deduot from his wages if he was absent on any day from causes suoh as Mr. Fcrd had mentioned. Men were now employed at the rate of seven shillings per day, and they paid their labourer only five shillings | so he thought that those persons who had spoken to Mr. Ford about it, had very little to find fault with. Stopping of Potoderkam-streel.—A. letter from Messrs. Brogden and Son was read, asking that the traffic in Powderbam-street, between Mr. Gilmoar's and Messrs. Webster and Hulke's mill, might be stopped for a week or ten days, to enable them to proceed with the ontting there.— Permission granted. Erection of a Veranda.— Letter read from Mr. Wright, asking permission to erect a veranda in front of Mr. Honywill's shop in Brougham-street.— Tlie request was granted, provided that tho lower portion of it was nine feet above tho levol of the street. Payment of rates by a tenant,— A letter was read from Dr. Samuel, asking the Board to recover tbe rates from one of his tenants. He said he had been compelled to pay the rates for the property, which should have been collected from tbe tenant j aud if the Board did not oolleot them, he should be obliged to refuse to pay next year's rates. The Board considered it oould do nothing in the matter. Encroachment in Bidler-street.—A letter Was read from Mr. Bellringer, complaining that Mr. Cudd (who, he said, had for years fenoed in half the width of the roadway in Bailer* street) was preparing to enclose tbe whole of it with a li»e fenoe. This the ratepayers liv% ing in the neighbourhood objeoted to, and trusted that the Board would order him to Btop making any farther encroachments.— The Board decided that Mr. Cudd should re. ceive notice not to prooeed. Cutting turf from the roadway.-" Mr. Bell, ringer also complained of the practice of re> moving tnrf or soil, or in any way narrowing roadway * as it endangered the lives of children and others from cattle running there. He requested that the Board would prevent persons from skimming the turf from the roadway.— The Secretary was instructed to advertise the clauses which made parties liable to a five for removing anything from the roadway. Earth Closets.— The Becretarj read a letter from the Chairman of the Central Board of Health, stating that notices had been sent to Mr. Gilmour and others to have earth olosets made, aud requesting the Town Board to see the order carried out.— The Board considered it had no power to aot in tbe matter. Furze in Fulford- street.— Letter read from Mr. W. D. Webster, asking that the forte in Fulfordstreet might be oleared, as it ob* atruoted the footpath.— The Secretary was ordered to send a notice to Mr. Barton, re* questing him to remove tbe gorse. Edgecombe street. — A memorial was received from eleven ratepayers owning seotions abnt* ting ou Edgecombe. street. The petition re* quested that tbe Town Board would oause • side path to be made, aud a road formed from the Devon Line to Fulford.street with the least possible delay.— The Board oould dot entertain the memorial. Retiring members.— The Sccrbtakt an* nounoed that tbe following members would retire by effioxlod of time j— Messrs. Cromp* ton, T. Sole, J. Veale, Harris Ford, and C. W. Hurathouse. Footpath on the Devon-line. — Mr. Laibo brought to the notice of the Board the footpath in the Devon Line between Gorer and Elliot-streets. — Mr. Scott moved, aod Mr. T. Sole seoonded, "That the footpath be made forthwith as far as Mr. Arden's." Carried. Repair 0/ th* Road in Devon-street.— -Mr. Ford complained of the Chairman of the Board taking upon himself to interfere with the Working Committee by employing the prisoners iv putting the metal down 00 the read near Messrs. Shuttleworth Brothers' ■lore. Mr. Veale and himself had agreed that tt would simply be wasting money, and of no use doing tho Work that was proposed j but, notwithstanding that, Mr. Crompton had ordered the work to be done. He thought that this doable port of management would not work satisfactorily. — Mr. Vkalk ex* plained that the chairman had spoken to him on the matter, and said that it would be a benefit to Messrs. Shuttlewortb Brothers* —Mr. Laird thought the chairman had no right to interfere with what was the Working Committee's doty. Tho work should be under the supervision of the Worklog Com* mittee.— Mr. Scott suggested that it would be better to put their chairman (Mr. Cromp* ton) on the Working Committee — It was finally agreed that as the work was ordered to be done it should be finished. The Cutting in Elliot.strect.—AUautlou was called to the dilatory manner this cutting was proceeding, nnd the Working Committee was instructed to hurry the contractors on with it. Encroachment in Molesworth-street.—Yer* mission was given to Mr. Laird to make an eucrouolimeut in Molesworth-street, eobjoot to the approval of tho inhabitants about the plaoe. Fune notices. — Notices were ordered to be sent to Mr. Leeob, Mr. J. Hnrrison, and Dr. St. George to clear the furze from tbe front of their properties in Con rtenay .street. This being the whole of the business, the Board adjourned.

The Nomination or Candidates for the vacant seat in the Provincial Council wil take plaoe to-morrow, at noon, in tbe losti* tute, and the polling day is fixed for Saturday next. Thk Aurivai, of the Enomsh Mail.— Our portion of the English mail via California was brought by the ' Go-ahead* yesterday, thus enabling persons to answer their correspon. donee by the mail whioh goes out Friday. Tbif is the leootid time lately that Captain MoGii* livmry has brought the English mail down from Auckland, and as on eaoh occasion he has had to wait for it, we think the thanks of the community aro due to him for his fore* thonght. Aobicim.tubai. Statistics or Auckland.— Tho agricultural returns for the Provinoo of Auckland have bepn published, and show a decrease in the yield of cereals in 1874 OT»r 1873. The land broken up and not under orop in 1874, is 16,101 aores, as against 10,875} for 1873 ; and ntider orop the inorease is 13,7594 over 1873, tbe total being 227,4801 aores. The siattatios iudioate that gracing even more than hitherto has monopolised th» attention of the farmers to the exclusion of other crops ; of the total area nnder onlti« vation, no less than 214,699$ acres being in prftßS. The cenmis rotnrna of Auckland ohovr tho population to bi> 68,500 sonln, evclußivo of aboriginals. In 1871 the returns showed the population to number 62,335, so the iucreaao is G.2G5.