THE FOXTON HARBOR BOARD.

Manawatu Times, Volume V, Issue 106, 8 January 1881, Page 2

THE FOXTON HARBOR BOARD.

A letter was received from Mr. Alexander % Gray, Chairman of the Foxton Harbor? Board, m reply to one asking for tome m- ' formation as to the proposed harbor surrey. ; Mr. Gray stated that the Board estimated the expenditure would be about £100, of which the following amounts had been voted : — £2s from the County Council, £10 from the Foxton Local, and £10 from the Manchester Highways .Board. ~\ Councillor M'Nsiii coufd not we by what \ right^ the implication had been made, or -why-it . should be granted.- . *, The Matob explained that the Harbor Board wished to make a surrey with a view .' of asking the Government •to give it some •; sort of an endowment. At present they had nothing m the shape of land, and it was m order to procure some data wherewithto go. ' to the Government it was sought. Councillor Batchbsab thought » small donation would be politic. Of course any* thing which improved the port, must necet* sarily benefit Palmerston. Councillor Colbman said he did not know whether the Council was m a position to spare the money, but if .so, he agreed that it would be a wise expenditure. : Councillor Dungan then moved — "That m order to enable the Foxton Harbor to supply the data asked for by the Government, and secure, an endowment wherewith to developelthe Port of; Foxton, this Council will contribute the sum of £10." This was seconded, by Oonncillor Coii»> , MAN, and carried. r, ißNonro A bbotkht. Letter was received from an absentee ratepayer, Mr. Robert Gray, m reply tttno* tice calling upon Hrn to fence. Mr.' <9ny wrote to say that if the Council could point out: to him that the public health and safety demanded that he should fence, he would be quite willing to do so. ' The Town Clerk was" instructed to take the usual course if the bye-law were not complied with, AIT AFPIIOANT. Mr. Edward Bright well wrote with reference to his. rent for the reserve which he had leased from the Council. During the discussion it appeared i thatrj although the payment were supposed -to- be make m advance, hitherto such had not been done. ■ The general opinion' of the Council wa» that Mjv Brightwell l 'ha'd already received very considerable concessions, and it was resolved that the Town Clerk should intimate to him that if the conditions of the lease were hot complied* with, the Council would re-enter and' take possession: •"; : ■. THK POOTPAT^S ON THB BQTTAJtI. The Matoe brought under the attention of the Council tlie necessity of having some uniformity m the footpaths on the Square. At the: present time they were anything but reputable, with patches unmade her* and there. Councillor^M'Nsni moved, and Councillor Colbman. seconded— , : t^ . r " That the Engineer be instructed, to call tenders for forming and kerbing the footpaths round, the Square, the owners to pay their share of the expenses/ Carried. :':.j :..;;■. MTBW/ ? STBBBT. C- ... Michkai Hxt&hbs- made application for permission to lay off a street dividing section 300 and 301, as shown upon .a plan which had b'eeii' forwarded! ! * ■'■ ■ ' Councillor DuNQAN . presumed that m granting the concession, the Council bound themselres . to nothing, and had nothing' whatever to do m taking over the street; As they had lately complied with a similarrequest made by Messrs. Riehter, Nannestad and Co., which was only done m order tohave the street registered, he could not see bow the application conld be refused. His WOSBHIP stated that the facts of the case- were as bad been explained, and of course his sigriatore »s Mayoc would not be .attached to any plan which was not m aq*^ eof dance with the' Aoti ■•■ ' ; Counnillor M'Nbil moved, and Councillor DtnieAir- seconded-?-; L> ' • " That the street, as shown on the plant of survey made by Messrs. Palmerson and Scott; surveyors, of , sub- division of section 300, be allowed by this Council, and that it be callediLombard-street." Carried. PTTBIJO WOBES OOMMITTRI's RKPOBT. - We, your Public- JWork» Committee, have the honor to state, m accordance witl r-- th» resolution passedat the last meeting of theCouncil, instructing us to report upon the work required to the street fronting the Cemetery, and likewise the approach to Yogel street; that? we-. hare, m company with the Engineer, visited the same and recommended; afte*» taking into consideration that the whole of Main-street, with the exception of such portion aiTww graded last year, requires immediate attention; that the whole street be graded and metalled* from the western boundary oftthe Borough,, to the Bailway erbssing at Terrace End, arid continuing along the southern boundaryof the Cemetery. We beKe»e that grading small .portions at a time would not be found as economical as doing the. whole, as thework m the; former case would probably have to- be gone over- more than once. Wewould also recommended that the approaches to Vogel T sti|eet be completed m accordance with sugge'stiona of the Engin« eer. ' ■'"'" ; : '"""■'' -'..... .' We hare further torepert that we hareaccepted the tender of S-. Gedge at £1 5§.6d^ per chain for the second portion of Vogel^. street biishfellirig; and that we have an* proved of the draft of the agreement with, ' the Engineer as prepared : by the Borough. Solicitor, after allowing pertain amendments, and modifications susgested.by the Engineer. We wotfld: furfcber-J recommend that thefootpaths round the Square be graded an* kerbed upon the payment of half the cos*, by owners of section's abutting on to it*. The Engineer estimates, such moiety at tikerate of 30/ per chain. The Engineer report* that there are numberless jobs m the way. of "repairs cropping up from time to time, but which are too small to'be tendered forr until by neglect they become, formidable andcosilyl To obviate- this difficulty yourCommittee would recommend the purchase by the- Council of a horse and cart, which, * coidd he used when. . tenders were- unneces-«. sar-y. : *^ Before- the adoption of the report sonm considerable discussion ensued upon tljfc matter of the grading of Mam-street, which/ was recommended therein. "- - Councittoß.Bti'BCßSßMßt thought that it would be advisable- *6 oawy out the suggest tio». The street was^of course, the principal thoroughfare of thrown, and; it diet nofc. look well to see it i* its present condition; The Mayor sa&* tljat the proper grading of Main-street had been hanging over forseveral years, m fact it bad' been spoken of m the old Local Board, a^di belogje-the-town had been proclainied a borough.. They werefixing their permanent leyeh\ ami the- timefor undertaking the work wa& njpsfe oppor-t tune. Beside the unsightliujMa appkjen of by Councillor Batchelaib there were.poJj*i)nß, where it wss positively dangerou* for t*aflfa\ When the work had been constructed by the, Public Works Department^ -the road wast elevated to a. most, unnecessary heighten, some places, with deep and open drain* alongside, and the settlers had escaped accident for so long- and it was something morethan surprising. If, however, such an un fortunate contingency 1 did arrive, the Council was liaMe ;to y be mulcted m very heavydamages. -7 '"" Councillor DtTNftAK said that when the matter came before the Council at its last meeting, it very wisely determined to deby dtfinitt action, an* it nil decided Hu* ia

tfte meantime the Public Works Committee should 'confer with the Engineer, and after; receiving; data and estimates of the cost of ' the work," report to the full Council. He presumed that" course had been followed, and as, after getting all; necessary inform*- ' tion from the Engineer, they recommended the work, he thought the Council could not well do otherwise than adopt the report. - *ÜBOHASINGK A HOESB AND OABT. Councillor Batohblab said there wasanother item m the report upon which he would like to say a few words befare it was passed. That was m reference to the purchase of a horse and cart for the use of the Corporation. He would like to know, by whom the purchase would be made. . The Matob said he thought that was a matter which might well be left also to the. Public Works Committee. Its members were —himself and Councillors Jensfsen, Ferguson, and M'Neil, and he felt sure there were few, men more adequate for such a •ommissipn than the latter. The report was then adopted. INCUNBBB's BBPOBT. The various works m progress during the month of December' were as follows :— Contract A, Terrace E»d.— Bushfelling and formation 19i chains. — Of this contract »bout 9 chains of road formation are nearly oompleted. v - ~ ;'.•.• Contract B, Church-street East.—Formation for first 50 chains.— This contract is far advanced towards completion, the un- , finished portion may be taken as represented by 10 chains. The work so far has - been Satisfactorily executed. Contract C, Church-street East.—Formation for second portion, 44} chains. — This contract is almost finished, .a small section ■ of the. bank and some eight days' work on -the other portions being all that remains to oomplete beyond the special clauses m the •peoiications. :.•'-;«.. Contract D, Church-street West. — Formation for 37 chains and 6 chains m Cookstreet.—This work is progressing steadily. The finished portion may be taken as represented by 25 chains. Contract E.Churoh-street West.—Bushfelling and clearing second portion, 49 chains.— The underscrubbing is finished and the trees fallen for about 19 chains. This wbrk is m hand by. three men but the progress made is rather slow. - Contract F, Park' Road.— Formation 77 #aains.— About 10 chains of formation are - completed, and about 50 chains : of watertable excavated and culverts placed. . Contract G, Park Boad.— Metalling 77 chains.— About 4} chains are oompleted. Contract H., Botanical Boad. — Bushfel ling and clearing 53 chains.— J. Laurenton •hd partner hare made rapid progress with this contract, having the 53 ohains under•crabbed and about 35 chains fallen. Contract I, /Boundary Road West.— - Bushfelling and clearing 49 chains.— There . hare been five men working on this contract. , The underscrubbing and- felling of the smaller. trees are completed, the larger trees to stand until the fire has been through. I, -. •■ Contract J, Vogel-street. — BushfeUing and clearing first 40 ohains.— On tHiM contract the undersorob and smaller trees am •ut down and the larger trees remain also for the fire to first pass through. \ ' ' Contract K,Vogel-«Btreet.— Bushfelling ftbi clearing second 40 chains. — This has. been taken by the same party of men at 15/6 achain, then* tender being the lowest. The foregoing represent the whole of the lettered contracts m hand or authorised. The advance made during the month with such contracts collectively is satisfactory. The smaller contracts and other works m progress are Jr-f.;'. Forming and curbing footpath m front •f the Royal Hotel and widening road.— This work is apparently finished but it will Mqtiire amending before it can be passed. Forming and kerbing footpath m Cole.man Place. -This work is completed. Bushfelling m College-street.— lo, accordance with instructions, I have let this work In a lump sum of £3 10s for the 40 chains. Underscnibbing, logging-up, and clearing about 18 ohains m Boundary Koad West.— : This I have let to the same party, who are : bushfelling. there at 12/ a chain, also m ac- : cordance with instruotiens. I have taken the levels of Fitzherbert- . street from the Square to the Manawatu Bridge. For the lower portion of Cook-* street and fora portion of F«rguson-»treet, I shall have the plans and seotioas shortly for consideration. : I have also taken the levels for the footpaths around the Square; The plan and. sections of this portion are complete and banded m. ■ :■■-:' ■■■ •'. ■'■■■'- :t •'" ' The Daymen have been principally employed m cutting the weeds and tall grass m the main thoroughfares. They have also assisted m making the footpath m Coleman Place,— the time so employed being separately returned,— in improving the water exit from the gravel pit on the south side of Main-street West, and to a small extent - bj myself m chaining and levelling. 11l VOXTOK BOAD. ■ Councillor. M'Niik drew the attention of the _ Council to the fact, that a resolution which had been .passed some months ago with regard to the drain at the Western ' boundary of the tows, had never been put into effect. .' Councillor Fnamov said that, as a member of the Public Works Committee, he might be allowed to explain; The work had been postponed. for some reason, and lost sight of altogether. JTow, of course, that the committee had been reminded of it, the work would be done. . * A DBPITTATIOir. > Mr. If ilverton interviewed the Council with regard to the damage done to his property by some work m Ferguson-street ; also bave a small portion of a street formed. His . remarks were listened to with much attention and the Couppil promised that both; matters, should be considered and dealt with Iff tl» Public Works Committee.