BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9940, 17 January 1900, Page 1

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Tho usual fortnightly meeting of the Wanganui Borough Council was hold last evening, when there were present — the Mayor, Mr A. Hatrick (in the chair), and Crs 8,. M. Gatenby, D. Peat, E. Perrett, p. Bell, E. N. Liffiton, G. Caiman, sV. G. Baasett, and J. C. RicllardEOI 1 , Finances — A credit balance of .£2050 ! was reported, as against a debit balance of a similar amount last meeting. The Mayor explained that since the last I meeting of the Council they had drawn the first instalment of the .£16,000 loan (X 2000). He mentioned that he had made a very advantageous arrangement with the Australian Mutual Provident Society, by which, in place of drawing .£4OOO every year for four years, they could take .£2OOO every six months. The loan, ho thought, was most satisfactory to the Council, particularly as immediately after concluding arrangements with tho Society the money market had considerably hardened. They had borrowed the money just in the nick of time. ,Town Bridge— The Harbour Board r wrote drawing tho attention of tho Council to the necessity for re-erecting the notice-boards warning drivers of vehicular traffic from proceeding faster than a, walking pace over the bridge. Tho Foreman reported that the uuderplanking of the structure was in a bad state of repaif, and the vibration of fast traffic was injurious.— lt was decided to erect a notice-board at once. -Railway Sidings— la connection with the proposed deviation of the railway through the property known as "Smiley's paddock," near the Recreation Reserve, . the_ Mayor mentioned that a number of ' • sidings would be available for local business men.— Cr Bassett asked if the ! Railway Department had fixed any particular price for the sidings, and was informed by the Mayor that no arrangements had yet been made. Cr Bassett stated -that the Department had charged him a rental of .650, and others but .£25, and this without any reasonable grounds. Corn Market Reserve— Cr Peat, referring to the Corn Market Reserve (the triangular piece of property on the River < Bank on which Mr Notman and othei s . reside), stated that the Council had ob- ' tamed a particular, grant for it. He pointed out that the farming community had no place to meet, and he thought they were entitled to some consideration, Beeing that the Com Market Reserve was set aside for them 1 . If they stood at the street corners to transact business they were told to move on. The Council derived considerable revenue from this particular reserve, and they had also turned the Market Square into gardens, thus sweeping away all reserves that would be useful to tho farming conijnunity. Ho had no definite proposal to make, but suggested that the Council might consider the matter. — The Mayor, while expressing the opinion that the Market Square would never have been , tised for the purposes for which it was set aside, thought "the Council would be only 'too pleased to set aside part of its reserves tor tho erection of a farmers' club if they so desired it, and suggested a 'site either in Eidgway Street or in 'Queen's Gardens. EeserveR — A desultory discussion took place on the advisability or otherwise of applying to the Government for power to _ change the purposes for which the original grants of reserves were given, Cr Bassett advocating that Cook's Gar- , dens should be placed under the Domain j Act, as under present conditions it < might be cut up and leased, and the community thus deprived of a recreation r&- , serve. He pointed ont that in Welling- • ton the City Council had been called on il to spend considerable sums of money in securing reserves for the people, and he desired that Cook's Gardens should be ' secured for all time a 8 a recreation ground. — CrXifflton did not concur with tho suggestion of Cr Bassett, and pointed out that the frontages of Cook's Gardens were of no use as a reserve, whereas they brought in a considerable revenue to the' Council. — Eventually Cr Perrett gave notice of motion to the effect that tho necessary steps be taken to place the Market Square and Corn Market under the Domain Act. Drainage— The question of the drainage of certain properties in town at present uudrained was introduced by the Sanitary Inspector, who referred to the typhoid outbreak on the Eiver Bank. — The Mayor mentioned that a drain was at present being put down on the Eiver Bank and other parts of the town hitherto neglected in this particular would soon be attended to. Tenders— The tender of Messrs Horsley and Co was accepted for the supply of firewood. Building Eegulations — Messrs John Anderson and W. Pinches waited on the Council and asked for a concession in regard to the party-walls in connection with theJJroposed alterations to ilis old Druids' Sail. — The Inspector was asked to report. Accounts were passed for payment, and tho meeting adjourned.