Towyn-on-Sea and Merioneth County Times

L ABERYSTWYTH TOWN COUNCIL. HEATED DISCUSSIONS. A meeting of the Aberystwyth Town Council was held in the Town Hall on Tuesday, when there were present the Mayor (Councillor Hopkins) pre- siding; Aldermen Palmer and E. P. Wynne, Coun- cillors G. F. Roberts, Capt. D. James, Wm. Thomas, Daniel Thomas, John Gibson, junr., R. Doughton, T. H. Edwards, R. J. Jones, C. H. James, and T. J. Samuel; with Mr A. J. Hughes (town clerk), Mr H. L. Evans (borough accountant), and Mr Felix (rate collector). The Borough Surveyor (Mr Rees Jones) was unable to attend through indisposition. A WARM DISCUSSION. Mr William Thomas made reference to the letters received by the Mayor and read at the last Council meeting, relative to the sending up to the Local Government Board of certain returns. He thought it was in fairness, and for the sake of truth and of the honour of the Mayor and the Councillors, that he asked the Mayor to whom did he shew those letters before they were read at the last meeting. It was assnmed in a certain local paper and elsewhere that they were aware of the existence of those letters. He for one was not aware of the existence of those or any similar letters in lis life. At the same time he under- stood that a junior member of the Council knew of the existence of the letters before they were read at the Council meeting. He (Mr Thomas) asked the Mayor to say to whom he showed the letters. They had been strongly blamed for not taking notice of letters that they knew nothing of, and he was there to say that Councillor John Gibson was aware of the existence of those letters before they were read there, while his father blamed the old members of the Council that they knew.—Mr Gibson said it was a former mayor that kept the communications back.—Mr Thomas appealed to the Mayor, knowing that he was in favour of every- thing being made public and asked him to whom he showed the letters.—The Mayor replied that he shewed the letters to half a dozen members.—In further reply to Mr Wm. Thomas, he said he did not show them to any outsiders.—Mr Gibson (to the Major): Had you better not have some more confession ?-The Town Clerk pointed out that it was not part of his work to send in the returns and he explained to the Local Government Board that owing to the illness of the Borough Accountant the delay occurred.—Mr Thomas: I only wanted to protect the innocent. At the same time, although I had not seen them, a junior member had.—Mr Gibson The junior members have an equal right to that of the old members. Mr Thomas' righteous indignation in this matter is misplaced. We have a right to see them.- Mr Thomas: And, still, not to blame those who had not seen them.—Mr C. M. Williams said it was stated that the communica- tions were shown to others than members of the Council.-The Mayor said no.—Mr C. M. Williams said he had been told that the contents of those letters were well known to outsiders days before the Council meeting. Mr Williams then read a cutting from a local paper in which it was pre- sumed that the "old gang" on the Council knew of the existence Ii f that correspondence. That statement, as far as he was concerned, was not correct.—Mr Edwards rose to a point of order.— Mr Gibson This correspondence has been kept back a year whether you are responsible or Mr Evan Hugh James.—Mr C. M. Williams All I say is that I knew rothirg of the existence of this cor- respondence.—Mr Gibson You ought to have got to know.—Mr Williams: How could I get to know. -Mr Gibson From the Mayor.—Mr Williams said he hoped that after that denial the statement would be withdrawn. Mr Evan Hugh James said he did not show the papers to anybody, not even the clever men. He sawthat the work was done.—Mr. Thomas said Mr. Gibson assumed that the old members knew of those let- ter?.—Mr. Gibson If they did not know they ought to.—Alderman Palmer said if the Local Govern. ment Board made a complaint why did not the Mayor go to the Town Clerk and see that it was done ?-Ivlr. Gibson: The Mayor was asked to place the correspondence before the Council. Some member said something about misrepresentation and others spoke at the same time, and Mr. Gibson said the members of the Council were to blame.— Mr. Williams said he did not claim to be infallible as some people did.—The discussion then ended. THE HARBOUR WORKS. Mr. Walmesley, the Engineer, wrote with refer- ence to certain information required by the Public Works Loan Board, and saying the Board required to know what security the Council had to offer for a loan.-The Town Clerk stated that he had replied to the questions put by Mr. Walmesley.—It was agreed that, if necessary, the Town Clerk should also see the Board.—Mr. Lester, the contractor of the works, wrote saying he was being charged har- bour dues for material which he brought in for the construction of the works. He said this was unusual, and asked the Council to consider the mat. ter.The letter was referred to the Harbour Committee. LIBRARY SITE. A communication was received from Mrs Emily H. Lewis, 21, Bridge Street, stating that she had a house for sale, which might be a suitable site for a free library.-The Town Clerk reported that lie bad seen the Rev. J. Hugh Edwards as to the Alfred Place site, but the family declined to reduce the price of X400, which they.required for the sur- render of the lease of the premises. The matters were referred to the Site Committee. WATERING THE COALYARD. A letter was received from Mr A. J. Collin, en- gineer of the Cambrian Railways Company, saying that when dust rose in the coalyard the Borough suiveyor would be applied to to water the yard.— It was agreed that the Town Clerk should reply pointing out that any person committing a nuisance on his own premises must abate it. THE FORESHORE. A letter from the Board of Trade in reference to the encioachment on the foreshore was referred to the Law Committee. THE EDUCATION ACT. The Beard of Education forwarded copies of applications for orders under the new Act, and draft final order for the appointment of foundation managers for the schools to which the applications referred. PENPARKE FOOTPATHS. Mr Dd. Owen, Great Darkgate St, wrote com- plaining of the state of the roads and footpaths at Penparke, and asking the Council to do as they formerly did, namely, place gravel on the side walks. —It was stated that the Council discontinued putting gravel down because of a report made by the Town Clerk.-The letter was referred to the Public Works Committee. THE EX-MAYOR RETURNS £ 66. The Ex-mayor (Mr James), handed in a cheque for zC66 19s. 2d. being the amount unspent out of a salary of Y,100 voted him last year. THE LIBRARY RATE. Mr C. M. Williams called attention to the fact that in this half year and the previous half year, a penny rate on each occassion had been demanded for the Library, whereas they could not levy more than a penny rate.—Mr G. F. Roberts explained that the rate appeared on the demand note in error, but o. that account a penny had been taken off another rate to balance things. The total rates were not affected at alL-It was agreed that the matter should be placed on the agenda for next meeting of the Council. THE CASTLE GROUNDS. With reference to the Castle Grounds,a committee of the whole Couucil made the following recommen- dations:-The coneitriietion of a pathway along the northern side of the Castle for a distance of 40 yards with a gradient of 1 in 10 as near as practi- cable. To improve the steep path leading from a point near the Battery to the Beach, to provide an easier gradient by extending the existing pathway towards Graiggoch, and to plant the ground as altered and the roadway with suitable shrubs. With reference to the suggestions in paragraphs 3 to 6, both inclusive, of the said Committee's report, your Committee gave instructions to the Borough Surveyor to prepare rough plans and approximate estimate of the several suggestions made with regard to the retaining walls and the sloping of the ground eastwards from the Castle at different points between the point about midway between Graiggoch and the Camera point, and a point near the Northern Tower of the Castle, and that the plans and estimate should be pres- ented to the Public Works Committee at their next meeting. At a meeting of the Public Works Committee held subsequently, the Borough Sur- veyor submitted alternative sketch plans of sug- gested improvements and alterations on the Castle Grounds. The Committee recommended that plan No. 3 be adopted, at an estimate cost of 9554 12s. 6d., and that the Borough Surveyor be instruc- ted to prepare detail plans, specifications and estimates, and that he be authorised to obtain the necessary assistance of draughsnian, &c. This plan involves (1), the construction of retaining walls, varying in height from Oft. to 8ft. where necessary, between Graiggoch point (en the south) and the landslip, and the ground sloped and plan- ted. (2), Building a retaining wall from 6 yards south of the Camera to the cave, with 4 recesses on the northern side. The existing wall at the Camera point rebuilt close to the same. (3), Slop- ing of the ground from the inside boundry of the footpath at an angle of 50 degrees (about), and construction of a path along the top of slope for the whole distance—Mr Edwards said he wished to refer to a statement made in the town that the discharge of Corporation workmen off the Castle gronnds work, was due to the new members, and that statement had been back- ed up by old members. The reason they were stopped was because no plans to carry on the work were ready and no provision bad been made for borrowing money to proceed with the work.- The Mayor said he would like to know if he and the two ether junior members of the Council had stopped the men on the Castle, who gave the men orders to work again. They were working there that day.—Mr Gibson said as far as he was con- cerned he had no explanation to give to the rate. payers. If they were going to stop extravagance and expenditure somebody must lose it. Mr Thomas said some of them were anxious to proceed with the work and have it completed in time for the gardener to plant shrubs, &o., on the slope around the Castle. A report was presented to the Council a fortnight ago but was not well accepted, and in order to lose no time, a committee of the Council visited the Castle. Nothing was said about not carrjing out the work. Three plans were drawn up and considered by the committee. The Mayor, himself, and Alderman Palmer, were in favour of the cheapest, perhaps not the best. Neither the Mayor nor anybody else said a word a fortnight ago against proceeding with the work cn some lines to be agreed upon. Mr Edwards (interposing) Who do you mean by saving you."—Mr Thomas The Mayor. I am addressing the chair. Mr Doughton: Go on (laughter).—Mr Thomas: Thank you, Mr Doughton (more laughter). Proceeding, Mr Thomas said the majority of the Council voted in favour of another scheme, a scheme which he liked very much, only it was more costly, and Mr Gibson voted with the majority. He (the speaker) admitted that Coun- cillor Gibson had nothing to explain; he had acted straight from the beginning to the end. When the vote was taken the Mayor said he would stop the men and the money, and he would call a public meeting.—The Mayor: No, I said nothing about money.- Mr Gibson said the members acted on the advice of the Town Clerk, who stated that they could not proceed without get.ing a loan.—Mr Thomas said the Mayor voted in favour of doing certain work, but with regard to the supplementary work, there would be no difficulty in getting a supplementary loan for work of that kind, if the Council were unanimous that the work should be proceeded with. Other Corporations provided work for idle hands to do. Mr Gibson Not idle hands. Mr R. J. Jones: The un- employed.—Mr Thomas, proceeding, said there were idle hands in Aberystwyth and it was their duty to find work for them. It was a shabby thing to stop the men working just before Christ- man.-The Mayor asked was it right that they should spoil the Castle grounds. He thought they should have a proper plan and an estimate of the expenditure and then they could carry the work oat. Mr Thomas said they had both the plan and estimate before the Committee.—Mr I. J. Jones, who first brought the question of the improvement of the grounds forward, explained what had been done. He was sorry, he said, that the men had been stopped, but not only that, the work had been postponed indefinitely. If they were going to have a loan the Local Government Board enquiry would not take place for 12 months perhaps, with the result that the grounds woald be left in their present condition and the new promenade exten- sion would not be opened this Bummer.—Mr C. M. Williams thought the proposed plan was the beat, namely, proceeding with a portion of the work and obtain a loan for the rest. He did not see why the men should be stopped, but the work had been stopped in consjquence of certain action at the committee.- Mr Samuel seconded the adoption of the report. He said it was a pity to see so many men out of work about the streets.— The Mayor said he hoped workmen who were rate- payers would be engaged on the work and not outsiders.—The Mayor then put the proposition in favour of plan number three and he declared it carried.—The Town Clerk, on a question being put, said he advised the Committee that until they hai a definite plan and until they got a loan they had better not proceed with the work. There was some work however, which might be proceeded with now.—Mr Thomas moved that number three scheme be carried out forthwith and Mr R. J. Jones seconded the proposition.—Mr Gibson moved that the Council accept the advice of the Clerk and apply for a loan.—Mr Edwards seconded this.- The Mayor having said that the Council bad voted, there were several cries of no, whereupon the Mayor ruled Mr Thomas' proposition out of order and Mr Thomas said he would bow to the ruling. FINANCE. Mr Fossett Roberts submitted the report of the Finance Committee which recommended payments only to R286 18s lid. The remainder of the report was as follows :—The Committee recommended that an address of welcome be presented to the Right Hon. Lord Stanley upon the occasion of his visit to open the Volunteer Drill Hall. The applica- tion of the Aberystwyth Cycling Club for a lease of a portion of the Flats was discussed, and the further sonsiderationof the matter was deferred until the next meeting. The plan and specification, which acoompanied the application, were ordered to be left at the Corporation Offices for inspection. The Town Clerk was instructed to ask Messrs Owen Bros., to state the number of bouses they proposed building in Greenfield Street, in the event of the Corporation granting them a lease of the sites.— The report was adopted. THE HARBOUR: MORE DAMAGE BY THE SEA. Capt. James brought up the report of the Harbour Committee. The Committee reported that the tender of Messrs M. H. Davis and Sons, for spikes for the Harbour, being the lowest, was accepted. The Borough surveyor was iustructed to remove stones at the Harbour. The Committee met to consider the state of the Harbour at Rofawr, south of the Harbour Stores. Considerable inroads have been made by the sea at this part of the Harbour, during the recent rough weather. In order to protect it the Committee recommend that an enbankment be made of Ystrad Meurig stone, 220 feet long from the Quay wall, and filling behind same with boulder stones so far as to form a barrier against further damage by the sea, and that the Borough Surveyor be instructed to proceed with the work forthwith. The estimated cost of the proposed work is £ 202.—The report was adopted. PUBLIC WORKS. The Committee reported that The Borough Surveyor was instructed to prepare plans, speci- fications and estimates of the cost of additional groyaes and other proposed work between the Harbour and South Terrace. Plans of workmen's dwellings proposed to be erected by Messrs Owen Brothers in Greenfield Street were examined and approved, subject to certain alterations suggested by the Borough Surveyor. The Borough Surveyor presented plans, &c., of paving and channelling in front of South Marine Terrace, which were approved, and the Town Clerk was instructed to apply to the Local Government Board for their sanction to the borrowing of the sum of zC378, the estimated cost of the work. Rsad a letter dated 24th November last, from Mr H. Babington Smith, asking for the consent of the Corporation of the placing of an overground telegraphic line along the street running paralled with and between the Cambrian Railway Station and Smithfield Road. The Committee recommended that the permission be granted, subject to such reservations as tho Town Clerk may deem necessary. Read a letter dated 26th November, 1903, from Mr H. H Montague Smith, Chairman of the Vale of Rheidol Railway Company, with reference to the Plascrug Embankment. The Committee recommended that the Borough Surveyor be directed to furnish the Town Clerk with a report upon the allegations made in the above letter, and that the Town Clerk on receipt of same, was instructed to again com- municate with Mr Smith, calling upon the Vale of Rheidol Railway Company to comply with the undertaking dated 18th December, 1902. Read a further letter datel the 24th November, 1903, from Mr Montague Smith, with reference to the repair of the roadway on Rofawr. The Committee recommended that the necessary work be carried out, and that the Town Clerk present a report upon the right of the Corporation to recover the cost of such work from, the said Company. The Committee recommended that the Borough Surveyor be instructed to arrange for the weekly removal of house refuse from Penparke, and that a handbill (in Welsh), be distributed announcing the arrange- ment, and stating the day on which the scavengers would attend for the purpose. The question of erection of an Isolation Hospital was considered. Alderman Peter Jones, Councillors R J. Jones and G. F. Roberts were appointed a Sub-Committee to endeavour to select 9 suitable site, and to report upon the matter to your Committe3. PUBLIC LIGHTING. Mr W. Thamas submitted the report of the Public Lights Committee and said the matter could be placed on the agenda for next meeting for confir- mation. The committee recommended the accept- ance of the tender of the Electric Light Co for lighting the Promenade and certain streets for the sum of z6395 29 6d per annum. In the summer months the 29 large type lamps will be lit at the charge of £7 103 each and in the winter 29 small type lamps will be lit at a cost of £6 2s 6d each. In addition the Town Council will have to purchase new small lamps at a cost of £ 210.—Mr W. Thomas moved the adoption of the report and said that the new arrangement would mean a saving of X123 lis 2d in a year, which they could devote to lighting Penparke and round the castle. The re- payments for the new lamps would be made in the second week in April next, £ 110; and in the second week in October, X100. The arrangement was to continue for two years, with the option of further extension.—Alderman Palmer seconded. Mr Gibson moved that the matter be referred back to the committee. He thought the proposed arrange- ment ill thought out and that by it they would be going from worse to worse, instead cf from worse to better. Mr Fossett Roberts said the surveyor had been instructed to get some gas lamps for ex. perimental purposes. The question was whether they were having the maximum candle power from the arc lamps. They might be able to get a 500 c.p. gas lamp which would give equal light to the present arc lamps. He seconded the amendment.—Mr Samuel said he knew Mr Thomas had taken a great deal of trouble in the matter, and deserved the thanks of the Council. The electric lighting was not what it ought to be, and before they committed themselves to a scheme for any length of time they should have a better under. standing with the Company.—Mr Edwards sup- ported, and said there should be better light in other parts of the town.—Mr Thomas having replied, a. vote was taken when five voted for the amendment and six for the report. MISCELLANEOUS. The corporate seal wai affixed to the security on a sum of zEI50 recommended on mortgage at 3 per cent for the workmen's houses account from Miss Maria Jones. The transfer of Cl500 from the water works fund account to the general district rate fund account was ordered.—A general district rate of Is 5d in the pound and a water rate of 7d were made and signed.—The mayor affixed the seal to a new lease to Messrs D. and S. Owen of houses in Smithfield read.-The seal was affixed to a lease to Miss Felix, of 58, Cambrian street.-A motion of Alderman Palmer in favour of erecting a shelter and lavatory accommodation on the new prome- nade were leferred to the Public Works Committee, and a motion by Mr D. Thomas to appoint a Foot- paths Committee was referred to committee. The council rose at 1 30 o'clock.