BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 7170, 14 September 1886, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The Borough Council met oa Monday. Present : His Worship th» Mayor (in the chair), Mesirs. Bellringer, Hughes, Small, Dockrill, Corkill, Cottier, Newmaa, Roy, and Rennell..

New Members. — The newly.- elected councillors — Messrs. Rennell, Hughes, and Corkill — took their seats.

Soldiers 1 Graves.— Mr. Newman urged that the Council should wait on Sir G. Whitmore, who was then in New Plymouth, and ask that the Government take some steps towards placing in repair the graves of soldiers who lost their lives | during the Maori war. — Mr. Corkill urged that it was more a matter for tho Taranaki settlers to take in hand than the Govorninont. They surely were not so wanting in gratitude to the soldiers an to refuse to subscribe to such an object.— Mr. Newman remarked that tho public had ' already contributed £30 — or he might say £60, i£ the £30 .donation was included — towards making paths in tho cemetery ; snd they .could .not well be asked f«r more. — Mr. Bellringer said it would need fully £100 to do the work properly. There were 150 ; graves to be attended to. — Mr. Corkill, replying to Mr. Newman, said that the sum mentioned had been raised, not for the soldiers, but for the civilian dead. — The subject waß then dropped . Works Committee's Report. — The Works Committee's report, as follow?, was read and adopted :— " That the Borough Surveyor be authorised to fix the permanent levels of Devon,. Robe, Queen, and Silverstreots at their junction at the Government buildings as near the present level as is possible, so as to avoid the removal of pipes and altering kerbstones and gutters as at present laid down, and that the same be substituted at once ; that tenders be called for carting 800 yards of earth, more or less, from Morley-street to the gully in Vivian-street adjoining it ; that owing to the culvert in Penderves-street near to Cameron-street having given way a tunnel be cut through at once ; that the sections at Seccombe's brewery be debited with the amounts expended in cutting the furze on same."

Watertoorks Committee's Report recommended "that tho Public Works Committee take into consideration the question of making or filling in that part of Powder-ham-street adjoining section 277, for the purpose of laying a water main; that the charge to the Hospital Grounds Committee for an inch supply pipe ot water, not exceeding 58 service per diem, be £6 per annum, subject to the condition of being cut off should the supply fail; that the charge to the Butter Factory be £12 a year, subject to the conditions as aforesaid." — Adopted.

Cemetery Committee's Report. — The Cemetery Committee's report was read, as follows:— -"That the tender Of A.Davidson for carting 130 yards of gravel, at 3s 5d per yard, be accepted— (tho other teniers were: H. Williams, 4s 9d; George Julian, ss); that the present custo lian receive notice that his services will be dispensed with from 30th September next, and that applications be invited for the office; that no fresh interments be permitted in the old parts of the Church of England or Weßleyan Methodist grounds, except by persons who have purchased ground there." Mr. Newman said that the Committee had ,had before them the Cemetery by-laws, but, as there was not a full meeting, the consideration of them had been deferred \o the next meeting. — Mr. Corkill said he noticed the cemetery regulations were posted up in a neat case at the Mortuary .Chapel, but he detected they were dated Ist October, 1886, while this was only September.— The Town Clerk explained that the regulations wer* dated for the time when they would come into operation.'

Public Urinal.— lit. Newman desired to know how matters connected with this fcecessnry public convenience Btood. — Mr. Beli.ringer explained that the tenders received had been for nearly double the amount authorised. The 'tender was £47 10a., while only £25 had been voted. He desired to ask the Council . for a supplementary rote of £10. — Mr. Nkwman seconded tit. Bellringer'a request, which Was acceded to. Standitig Committees. — The following standing committees for the year were appointed on Mr. Bellringer's motion, and after some discussion: — Waterworks Committee : — Messrs. Small, Cottier, and Roy; Finance:— Messrs. Cortcill, Hughes, and Rennell. Public Works: — Messrs. Bellringer, Newman, and Dockrill. Institute: —Messrs. Newman, Uockrill, and Rennell. Library:— 'The -' Mayor, Messrs. Newman, Dockrill, and Rennell. Cemetery: — Messrs. Newman, Cottier, and Small. Stratford ResnrVe: — Metsrs. Bellringer, Hughei, and Small. Unpaid Rates. — The unpaid rates for 1885-6 were stated by the Town Clerk to be £121 3s. lOd. . There had been £650 collected since last April. The amount Owing for terms farther back was only £20 or £30. — Mr. Bellringer was surprised to see on the defaulting list many burgesses who were well able to pay. — The matter was then referred to the Finance Committee, with power to act. , Water Charges. — Mr. Bbllrinqer moved, " That the public be allowed to use a hose free -of charge to the end of the present year." He explained that a person using water' for a garden hose was liable to an extra charge as hoses soemed to come under the head of extra supplies. His motive was to free the users of garden hoses from the liability to have informations laid against them for breach of the Act dealing with the question. — Mr. Roy supported the motion. — Mr. Small moved as an amendment, ' ' That tho charge for garden or ornamental purposes bo not less than £1 per annum." Ue also quoted tho law on the aubjecr, expressing the opinion that the Act specified gardefi hosts as extraordinary supplies, and that the Council could not make it an ordinary Supply. The Council Bhould act justly before it acted generously. The class which his resolution would affect were well able to pa}', nnd beßideß that the charge w.ould only amount to about a farthing, a day. — Mr. Hughes seconded Mr. Small's omendment. — Mr. Bellrinqbr explained that the adopting of his resolution was not intended to compromise the Council indefinitely, but only until the new regulations as to water charges were. passed. — Mr. Small said in that case he would suggest that the resolution stale bo — The amendment was rejected. — Mr. Shall, proposed another amendment, which the Mayor ruled was more properly a Dew resolution. — Mr. Bellringer's motion wai then carried on division, Messrs. Small and Hughei conitituting the minority,—

Mr. Small asked that his motion, which was with the object of having the question whether the use of a garden hoße was or was not an extraordinary payment Bubmitted to the Borough Solicitor, should be taken then. — Mr. Rennell objected, and wanted to know when tho discussion was coming to an end. The Council would be kept all night if everyone took as long over business an some people did. — The matter then dropped. Rendering Accounts. — Mr. Rot moved and Mr. Corkill seconded, " That all accounts for payment by the Council, with the exception of wages accounts and progress payments, be rendered to the Town Clerk five days before the ordinary meeting of the Council." — Carried. Sanitary Matters — Mr. Corkill said that' in some phces night soil was allowed to run into tho Huatoki, and some o£ the private drains were constructed of bits of boards instead of earthenware or metal pipes. He proposed, "That the Inspector of Nuisances bo instructed, to furnish the Town Clerk with a com- , plete liat of all breaches of by-lawß Nos. . 79, 81, 90, 109, as far as he may in the meantime bo able to ascertain the same." — Mr. Bellringer explained that the question re the drainage into the Huatoki had been referred to tha Borough Solicitor, who advised that tho Council could not take action. — The proposal was carried. "" The Council rose.