BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11644, 23 August 1905, Page 5

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Borough Council was held last evening. Present— His Worship the Mayor, and Crs G. Caiman, T. B. Williams, T. H. Battferß. Purser,' E." N. -Liffiton, R. W. Green, "H. T. Johns, and P. Bell. MINUTES. — The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. WORKS COMMITTEE'S REPORT.— Tiio" report of the "Works Committee was read and adopted as follows:— You* Com- . mittee met on August 21st, . and beg to rqpoit as follows: — We had under consideration 1 the ' report of the' Foreman of Works'; arid recommend (1) that' Mrs Maule be informed that the present sewers will ndl drain the low-lying sections in Niblett Street, and that the sections must bo filled up to a dqith sufficient to permit of drain pipes bei'n*" laid at the requisite grade on the 'filling; (2) that Messrs- Sigley and Co.- be informed that drainage for the service of, the houses erected by 'them- cannot be i laid until , a comprehensive plan of drainage '"for the Industrial School Estate has' bee'ii determined upon. - FIRE INSPECTOR.— Letter from Captain. Spriggens • accepting position of Fire Inspector. — Received. ' TtITQTJESt.-^essrs ' Hatherly and Jdhnston wrote re water supply being cut off. 'from' their- premises on account of a le^ky.tap. - They stated they, were willing to , pay account .(9s 6d) for repairs to the latter", "if tlie. Council" 'thought It a just claim, btit asked that the Council consider if : the* charge' could not be ' remitted. — Tlje Mayor said there had been a leaky tap" on" Messrs. H.atherly and -Johnston's premises, -vvhicii 'the" Foreman" of Works had'^asked ! them" to repair. No Repairs had been' effected, and the Foreman, acting, .lender the by-laws, cut off the water tiljL»they wer-e done, when the tap was at b;nc,e''attended to."' The Council had the power to cut off the water in similar cases. There were " a . good many leaky taps in Wanganui, and if this were Sone in all cases tnere would not, be so. much water waߣeS." >^f~ N #airiioi of so rinictf account nowV!but might be in years to come.— The request. 'was^ referred to the consideration of' itlie^ Works Committee^REPIIDIATION. Messrs Watt and Cohen 'wrote oii' behalf of Mrs Hylton, stating 'I/hat the' account received by her, : £8 98.6d,.i0r half post of fencing, was not acknowledged by her. — Referred to the Finance Committee. KEFtJND.— The' Rev. J. G. Chapman wrote on behalf of an old couple i"n distress, asking if the Council would remit the rates on their house. — Cr Liffiton said it was a' deserving case, where the Council could 'exercise its power to remit.* He moved- accordingly .—Seconded by Cr-Pur-ser arid -carried. ' .

PRISON LABOUR.— Mr R. T. N. Beasely wrote with reference to the work of 'the prison 'gang, arid" the amount paid by' the Council for the services of an extra warder. He estimated, that the work perforjned ljy the gang was worth 4a jtev day per "man to the Council, in fact some of the 7 'Council's officers had placed a higher valu'e'upon it. He considered the Cotmeil had' had full value for the money it had paidj f or. ■an extra warder. — Cr .Caiman 'thought' 'Mr BeasTey had "mulcted the Council in the" cost' of two warders instead of -one, arid the Council should -not pay forr.ibwo.,r^Cr. liffitpn said that Mr Beasely had rendered good service to the Council in "the past," and" it would Tie a pity to disturb- the" amicable relations that had existed, with 'him; though the Council should .not .have to pay for two warders.— After, some further discussion, the matter waff-'referied to' the Works' Committee. "■'STTAIiL:— An application -from- Mr J. C. Maxtor -for- 'permission,- to ' erect a' fruit and bo.ok stall :on the reclamation beside the! bridge was referred to the Works Committee.' "

NUISANCE:— A ' petition waft-received: from 33 ratepayers of Lov/they.and Tay Streets, complaining of a cowshed in Tay Street, wli,ich it was alleged was a menace' to health, and asking thaVthe Cduncil'cause it' to be removed. Mr Robinson, one of the petiti.^ima", said. the matter had been brought under the notice, of the Health Department over a year ago, aiid nothing was done. The cows-- strayed" on the footpaths and were darfgerous to ' children. — The ■ Mayor Said he jfronld have the matter brought under the, notice of the local Health Inspector, and*' 'if there was a nuisance' it wotild' be removed: " - " NIGHTSOIL CONTRACT. — The contractor,- -Itix; F; Atkins, wrote asking .if tlie Council would give him some assistance in 'the*'' 'collecting/ of fees. Many- people refused" to' pay, and ! hc was carrying on his contract at a;- loss.—T he "Mayor said it was' time there was ' a radical change in this matter. The Council should lot a fresh contract and itself collect the fees, •which" could be recovered like ordinary r ates.V- The- matter was referred to" ; the' consideration of the Sanitary Committed. Cr Caiman said it was 'time the pan system was abolished, and the by-law compelling people to "connect with the drains should be enforced. He thought they should have a' return of 'the number of houses using the pan system. — On the motion <}f Cr Lifliton, it was resolved that a return be furnished showing the jixnnber of TiOttses nftt cbnhecte'd that couia be, and'fche'ntAnber it was impossible to connect. LE&AL. — Several letters covering- legal matters" were received from the Borough Solicitor.

LIVERPOOL STREET EXTENSION.— The Mayor moved in accordance with notice previously given, "That the resolution adapted by the Council on the 27th day of June, 1905, r covering a recommendation of the Lighting Committee <that the application for a street lamp at Liverpool Street extension be not granted,' be and the same ia .hereby rescinded." CHPRTON'S CREEK.— On the motion of Cr'Williams,it was resolved to instruct the' Foreman x>i Works to prepare an estimate: of. the cost "of converting Churton's Creek into a" main sewer for the southern side.' of the town, also that he report whether "such sewer cduldbe'used to drain the' land above London Street. ' HEALTH REPORT.— The following report was received from tho • local Health Inspector, Mr';S.'~H. Sarjeant:— l have mafie :>: inspections of " various places throughout your borough, and v have Btudied the different" ways 1 householders have, of disposing of their house refuse, and" in many instances must say that the" metiho'ds of disposal are very insanitary 1 , especially as your borough is growing rapidly, I think that if you could promote a scheme to collect and remove such refuse it would be to the benefit of ' the public health' generally. In your by-law, clause" 57, part "XIV., provision is made for i occupiers to provide a refuse receptacle; but how very few in our borough do so. One' meets with all kinds of makeshifts,'such as kerosene^ tins, wooden keg's, wodde'n boxes; and 1 like, but very seldom with a properly constructed refuse receptacle; and in several instances I have come across places where no receptacle of airv J description is' provided, • refuse being dumped out on the" ground at the'back' or Bides of'dwelliny-houses, or "dumped into a pit,fqr the purpose. Many keep fowls, and so dispose of it;' others' again have it

collected two or , three times a k week by pio--keepcrs, who cart it away and feed th«ir pigs r: witli it; some" careful'- -lionSe-' keepers, having no fowls, put it on the' fire 1 -and burnt it. It is those who arc careless by throwing it outside, with the possibility of choking drains, or burying it in their back gardens, or throwing it into open pits, who require most attention, as their neighbours may be clean, tidy, and careful' people, but are mnning risks of contracting disease through others' negligence. I should ' recommend you to undertake the collection arid disposal of house refuse in a similar manner to that by which you dispose of night-soil. This should apply at least to the closer settled portions of the town.