MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 682, 2 February 1881, Page 2

MASTERTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of the Council was held last evening. Present—Hia Worship the.Mayor and Councillors . McOardle, Bish, Russell, Gray, Dixon, Gapper, Perry, Bentley, and Vile. STANDING ORDERS. ..*. .. The ohairman introduced to the notice of the Council a copy of standing orders compiled by Coleman Phillips Esq., and advised Councillors to study it and mend their manners accordingly, The Clerk distributed papers on the boarding out of industrial school children, received from the Government. . MINUTES. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed, The minutes of the special meeting re by-laws' were also read and confirmed, CORRESPONDENCE. Inward—From Mr J. Nicol re.proposed addition to his house in Chapel-st. Outward—To Mr H. Burgess accepting tender. RE MR NICOL'S APPLICATION. Gr Russell presumed that, notwithstanding the by-law, the Council' had a reasonable discretion in the matter of buildings, 4 ipn'.was'compelled'/ifho wished to build' ati additional etorey, to build the upper part of it'.oij—thus leavjng it lialf'vvopd'and half iron. He would move—That leave be granted to Mi'NicoltQ build the addition gf wood, 'with iron roof, " His Worship did not think a resolution would answer, as it would require to alter the byJaw to meet cases like these, •

Or Gapper thought that the framer of the by-laws never meant that they should be interpreted so strictly as it would appear. The covering of a house was not the sides, but the roof; and if they interpreted in this way he did not think they would be doing wrong, The Mayor pointed out that the word covering pa. ujjed throughout, and evidently meant both sides and roof. Cr McCardle thought if Mr' Nicol had merely asked to.raise his'rotjf anfl'put an iron one on there would not have Veil any objection ipde enquired. Or Vile thought that as the buildipg had at present a wooden roof,' tho substitution of an iron one would be a decided improvement, mi he thought permission should be given for the addition to bp made of wood, roofed with iron. His Worship thought the best way would be for the Council to modify bylaws Nq. 1 and 4 to meet such cases, He would move a resolution that effect, Cr .Gapp.er seconded; His Worship said the only thing to guard against was the abuse of thoir concession.

Or Bish agreed with previous speakers, and thought they would not be doing their duty if they went against the progress of the town by refusing such applications as Mr Nicol's".

jdr McOardle. thought the present byelaws were oppressive in this matter, and quite agreed with other speakers. If the by-laws weroaltered Hie alteration should be definite, so that no misconception should arise in the minds of the public. Or Russell thought that the Council would be accused of modifying the bylaws on every application, The resolution was then put and carried unanimously. FINANOE OOMStITTEE. The.Borough overdraft was stated by the Mayor to be under tiOO. HOKOUGH SUfiVBYOE. A letter was received from Mr E Brown, asking to be relieved of the duties of Borough Surveyor. The resignation was accepted, with the understanding that he acts until his successor is appointed. -■• AMALGAMATION OF OFFICES. It: was resolved on the motion of Or Bish, seconded by Or GapperV That a special meeting of tjio Council take place 'that day week to consider the question of amalgamation ,of offices, and also the appointment of Borough'surveyor andre> vision of by-lawsNos.-land 4." ' ,; , ...overseer's repokt, " ~;. The overseer reported that Mr Hounslow, was progressing satisfactorily with .his contraot in Vjctoria.-stree;t ) ,and would have the metalling completed by the end of this week, '■ That Mr Burgess had commenced 7 his 1 work in Lincoln;road, and Inking 'good ■progress..' .That the contractor for'maintaining Borough roads "was' trirnmirig' the^'sides 1 of High-street, Bannistei'-s'troet, and Ooluniba, road, 'so

that the storm water could nip off; andthat Mr McKillop had: completed the' authorised repairs in Hall-street; ■/ ARTESIAN WEH,. ■ ' jv. : The Mayor introduced the question of having a trialwell sunk for tbe'Borough, The Councillors had no doubt seen-that the Editor, of the Dahy had lately .vontilated the matter, but they-had' no positive 'data before thorni and for that reason" tHe ■ Works -Committee had made no recommendation in the matter. HVinvitedia .free*.discussion, without a formal resolu-, tion if.the Councillors wished,, stating thaf.he agreed with "the chairman : .of Orfunty West that informal-discussion at meetings of such public bodies as theirs were productive of good. : " •■•Crßeiitley spoko strongly in. favor of artesian wells, but was' doubtfuljf water ."could be obtained without a serious outlay, and did not think the Council Bhould •take the matter up, though he would hot object to a small subsidy being granted towards a trial sinking. Cr McCardle also spoke in favor of a trial sinking, He did not think it would cost LBO to sink a well, and thought they would get a flow at about 160 feet.

Cr Gapper moved—" That a sum of LlO bo granted to any person who undertook to sink a test well at the centre of the cross roads Queen, Church, and. Hall streets, or any place the Council might fix." He pointed out the ornament to the town they could make of this, as well as its usefulness. - Cr McCardle seconded.

Cr Tile's opinion was that if they wrote' to practical well sinkers, in Ghristchurch, they would find that a trial well could be sunk for. L 25. As he understood there was an artesian well sinker in the Wairarapa, he would move—That an advertisement be put in the Wairarapa Daily, inviting him to meet the Council and give them what information he could on the matter. Or Bish seconded.

Or Russell thought that if the Council wont in for the thing at all they would be responsible for the whole cost. He thought it was waste of monoyto go so far down for water, when they had so much of it in a pure state so near the surface, and in his opinion it would be raoro profitable to bring water into the town from one of their streams, than to waste money in experiments. He believed Canterbury was a poor place for water and that was the reason they sank artesian wells there, 'Or McCavdle stated that this was not the case, as one of the most beautiful streams in the colony ran through the city of Christchurch. The corporation of that city however, believing that the surface water was not a thoroughly pure drink, spent L3OO in sinking trial wells, and within a week after their Bucces's, private parties were sinking wells at a cost of LB.

The If ayor said there was no doubt they had plenty of pure water about Masterton, but £lO would upt bring it through .the town, but £lO would form the nucleus for the cost of a trial for a well, and if that wbb a success many prlyato persons would sink wells of their own. Ho was therefore in favor of granting the modest sum named. Or McCardle suggested that Jf ■the sinking was a failure as an artesian well they could fix a pump aud make an Abysinnian well of it, and use it for public purposes: Cr Tile's amendment was then put and lost on the vote of the Chairman, the original resolutionbeing oarried, . . . (Balance of report m next issue.)