The North Wales Chronicle and Advertiser for the Principality

LLANDUDNO IMPROVEMENT COMMISSIONERS. The ordinary monthly meeting of the board was held on Monday, the 27th March, Mr Wm. Bulkeley Hughes, M.P., in the chair. There were ataopreoent?MeMra T. Williams, Reran, Woodley, Robert Hughe?, Morris Pritchard, R. M. Pres'uo, J?,h. J. Thomas Parry, Morgan Williams, Abel Roberte,Thom.)sn.L?d, David Davies, Thomas H?gb?,, ?.,l E. H. Williame. TUt; PROPOSED ORNAMENTAL' KKECTION BETWEEN HOIIIH I AND SOUTH PARADES. I Mr Thomas Williams moved, iu accordance with notice, that the resolution of the 29th November last, fixing the site for Mr Clegram's drinking fountain between North and South Parades, be rescinded, and that the fountain be fixed at the apex of the triaugular piece of laud opposite the Tudu. Castle Hotel. He ex- plained that his reaSODS for this motion were, that Mr Clegraua s fOllnaiu WM but eight feet io height, and he did not consider tie North and South Parades' site » slIihble one for a drinking fountain, inasmuch as it wOMld be an aunoyance to the visitors in the aJjtÏning houses. The Tuduo Castle site was close to the rail way station, where the water would be most conveniently phced for excursionists coming into the town. Mr II illiams explained the nature of the structure which lie proposed to get erected between North and South Parades, and drawings and sections of which, executed by Mr Nelson, architect, were shown iu the room. A description of this erection may be read in another column. Mr W. Woodley secouded the proposition. Mr John Jones asked whether Mr Williams would guarantee that his scheme would be carried out, and whether lamps would be included in the design. Mr T. Williams replied that four ornamental lamps would be included in the design. He should not leave a stone unturned to carry out the scheme, but he should want Mr Jones' assistance towards it. In reply to a further question, Mr William8 said that the structure was estimated to cost abou t L500. Mr Parry and Mr Morgan Williams supported the pro- position, which was carried unanimously. A DISQUALIFIED MtlMJBEH. Mr John Jones said he saw Mr Robert Hughes pre- seut as a commissioner, and although be was pleased to see him at their meetings, yet, his period of uon-attend- nnce had been so long that he wished to know whether or not he was disqualified from sitting at the board. Mr Robert Hughes said the reason of his non-,ttend. ance was ill-health, but if he was disqualified, he should be pleased to walk out. The chairman asked the clerk to find out whether Mr Hughes was disqualified or not. The clerk referred to the miuute book, and it was found that Mr Hughe. had not attended once during t? last six months. It was stated that he was therefore disqualified from sitting at the board. THE WATERING OF THE STREETS. A letter wxe read from Mr Robert Clay, of the Baths Hotel, acknowledging ,.?ipt of a minute of the t (,,rd in which they accepted his offer of supplyiwg water for the streets at £120 per anuum. In this letter Mr Clay also leaned hi. seat at the board. Mr Preston rematke;1 that Mr Clay must certainly hare resigned his seat, aud the chairman expressed he same opinion. Mr Preston reminded the board that their position would be very different from what it was in three years. Mr Woodley said the reason the board had accepted Mr Clay's offer was that they had the,. a certaiu supply of water, and they did rot see that there was any pros- pect d getting water in the town before three years. It was pretty certain thit three seasout would elapse be- fore they got the water into the town. Mr Preston agreed with Mr Woodley tht pel haps under the circumstances three years would not be tou long for the contract. But he should like to know what penalty was to be enacted iu case of the non-fulfilment of the contract to supply constant supply. The chairman said there was a clause in the contract that Mi Clay was not bound to supply water during neap tides. Mr Preston s-ud that they should insist on some penalty for a detident supply. Mr M. Pritchard said that they could not bind a man to do what WtI" impossible. The chairman said thern were so irar,y complaints of the want of water upon the streets in summer that, he thought a c-ititractor should be bouud down to provide them with water from Kome source or othr constantly. He thought Mr Clay should be requeatel to attend IDe board, and have thede points exploined to him. The agri'fint'Dt might theu l e referred back to their solicitor t) insert such a chuse. Mr Clay Subfa<.1uel,tly attended the board, and the views of the chairman were explained to him. The chairman asked him whether if his supply of water failed he intruded to get it elsewhere. Mr Clay replied that he certainly did not. The deficiency would not arise more than four times at the III 1st iu the season. He had already speut a large sum of monny ia making the necess-iry preparations for supplying the matter, and he would do his bejt to keep up" constant supply, but he would not bind himself in any penalty for non-fulfilment of the contract. He w., making a tank to hold 15,000 gallons, "ud the price he was to get for supplying the water would not allow uf hi. running any risk of loss. Mr Prontou said all the board wanted ras to ecsure a coutiuual supply, aDd Mr Cby was not bound down to provide this. He did not wish the board to enter i.t,) blind bargain, and hi. opcniqu was that a pen tlty, however nominal, should be fixed suppi sing th-it the supply of watar was not kept up. He md not thiuk this cither uufair or unreasonable. Mr Clay said he thought the board might rest satisfied that ha would do his best not to do anythiug that was detrimental t.) the town'# interests. A breik down iu ins wachiuery would cost him about £6 per day, and he should certaiwly do all lie could to keep up the supply. It was ultimately arranged that a nominal penalty of 100 should be inserted in the a^reatneut for any day or part of a day that the water was not supplied. THE I'Ki QUESTION. Mr AM Roberta asked what was to be done in the m,tl,, f the pigs uear dw.11?.g h.u.es. mt;r Ji elill.d>k:t ::rg lO\ f"ct that Mr Roberta was a subscriber to support the defence in the piig proseeutiou. h was currently reported so in this town. Mr Roberts >aioi he enuld support anything as a ratepayer, he supposed. The question W08 not a proper one. Mi Jooes thought a Conservative ought not to try and act adverse to the wishes uf the board. Mr Preston retnarkc I that the matter rested between Mr ADd bis conscience. The Injector of Nuisances in his report stated that on the 18th of March b.thøded the police court to pro- aeoote ".Y'D offenders. Mr Cham""h;n wan in 8upport of the summonses, and Mr Uewelyu Joi es, of Cunway, defended the pig owners, and asked for an adjournment 00 the ground that Mr Davies, of Holywell, w" unable t i be pres"nt, The adjournment was granted on the seven d.feudauts each paying half a guinea toward Ir Ch .mberlaiu's fee. Mr Parry remarked thai pork was getting dear. Mr Roberts observed that he thought the prosecu- tien would break down. TUE SIGNING OF CHEQUES. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr Bevan, that in future no cheques of the board be negotiated unless signed by three members. This course, he said, had been much desired by the bank. Mr Preston deeired that Mr Bevan should add to his motion A proposition to the effect that the accounts of the board he audited yearly by a professional accoun- tant, The board were now dealing with large com- plicated accounts for drainage and other matters, and it would be satisfactory to all parties if they knew the correctstate of their accounts. Notice of this motion was given for the next meeting. THE SURVEYS FOR THE DRAINAGE WORKS. Mr Baldwin Latham wrote to the Board as fol- lows ;— Llandudno Drainage. To the Improvement Commissioners. Gentlemen,—I enclose you an account I have re- ceived from Mr Felton with reference to surveying for Llandudno Impiovement Commissioners, and a copy of my letter to him. These charge, if not already borne, will have to be borne by the Improvement Commis- sioners, as Mr Felton entered into a definite arrange- ment with me as to the cost ot the surveys, which were included in the estimates supplied to the Local Gevernment Board, and also to the Public Works Loan Board." Mr Latham enclosed also a copy of the account ren- dered to him by Mr Felton, the items of which were to the following effect Terms as agreed upon between Mr Baldwin Latham and myself, £ 210 expenses in con- nection with taking tidal observations, £67 10 6 pro- paring large cartoon map, £5 10 total, £330 Os Ihl. The letter of Mr Baldwiu Lathllm to Mr Felton ran thus Llandudno Sewerage.—" I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter tor the account for X330 0s 6d, which arrived during my absence from town. I may state that the charges which you make, if legitimate, would fall upon the Improvement Commissioners, and I shall therefore refer your account to them, with the observation, however, that I had a distinct understand- ing with you that the whole of the charges for survey- ing, tidal experiments, and such maps as were required, would be 209 guineaB. Siuce the time of making that engagement you have performed no work for me, and I should very much like to ask you, seeing that you mak separate charges for tidal observations, and for a plan, what the 200 guineas you charge is for. The item of 200 guineas was the amount you gave me as the full cost uf surveying, &c., and that amount was included in the estimates submitted to the Local Government, and also to the Public Works Loan Boards. In the aame estimate my assistants' time in proceeding to Llandudno and making a survey of the district, including ray own time aud travelling expenses on this survey, which etn- braces cansiderable mere than you bavt1 supplied to rue, was only GO guineas. I should certainly recommeud the Commissioners not to pay the account as it stands. I bold myself responsible to pay you the balance of the X210 on the terms arranged; viz.:—That when I re- ceived payment you would receive payment in due course. This balance, however, will not be repaid unless I have a full discharge as against the Improvement Commissioners and myself as to the particular items of your account. At the time I entered into the arrange- ment with you for the survey, I was not then aware that the town survey bad theu been p, id for by the Com- missioners. I looked upon that plan us your own pri- vate property, and in assessing the amount due to you I acted with extreme liberality. Moreover, I may in- form. you that I have no plan except that which is the prupe, ty of the Improvement Commissioners. All doewmeuts in my possession relating to the works at Llanduduo have been hauded over to the Commissioners or will be handed over ou the completion of the worb." The Chairman said the Board made no agreement with Mr Felton. Mr Parry said the agreement was between Mr Latham and Mr Felton. Mr Preston remarked that all these matters were in- cluded in the £ 1000 estimate sent to the CommissionerH. The p an of ihe survey was a contract plan for X60, and this was a bill concerning Mr Latham. He should move that it be referred back to him. The Chairman said the reply of the Board would be that they knew nothing at all about the arrangement. The ellgineer8 report upon the circumatauces attend- ing Mr Winter's failure to carry out his comtract was brought up and referred to Mr Hughes, solicitor of Bangor, to report upon. DKAlSAGB MATTERS. lIfr Henry Crook, resident eugineer, reported upon the progreHs of the drainage work, and explained that Mr Latham had made arrangements to send the cement re- quired by sea, and he should like that a cheque should be drawn to meet the freightage on 200 tons, £120, when it arrived. Mr Bevan said there would be plenty of time to draw the cheque. In the ordinary course it woold take the vessel a month to come from Locdor), and a week to unload at Conway. Mr Crook explained that they would unload the cement into lighters, and so bring it iuto the bay. In reply to Mr Parry, he said they would require about 901 tons of it. THE COMMISSIO:olERS' II'OHlDIEN. Mr Bevan said that he had nothing to say against the inspector, but tbe??, had been great c..Pl.it? in the ?.W@ ahou the men in the employ of the board, and he knew for certain that they bad often been seen leaving work at half-past eleven and half-past five in the day. He should move that time-sheets be supplied to the wen, and that these be entered into a book kept by the inspector. I insŠ1:c:'ry approved of the reflation, but thought if they enforced ?t now all their carter" would leave the.. One oi them had already done so. The Chairman seconded the resolution, remarking at the same time that it was in no st-nse a censure up )u the inspector. Mr Parry remarked that some of the men had sent ill a demand for more waes. Mr Preston said that they should be given to under- stand tbat if they left the service of the commissioners they would not be received into into it in another form ou the drainage works. The Chairman said the men aeked for increases of 3* and 2s a week. Mr Morgan Williams stated that the men were now getting 21s a week. The Inspector said one of the carters bat' already gone. He said the work was too hard for him. the Chairman asked if the caitvrs BOW asking more wages were good men. The Inspector said they were active men. Mr Parry asked since when the caitcr, Will. Roberts, had become an active man, and The Inspector replied that LIe could not tell. Mr J. Jones asked what the men in the drainage works were pnid. At Rhyl they were lnid 3s a day, but tie heard that here they got 5s. Mr Abel Roberts aid he heard great complaints from their workmen, who Raid they could get 5. a day on the Mr Crook explained that 5s a day was only paid to special men, such us timber and totfcem men. The average wages varied from Si to 43 6J. In any place where draiuage work. are carried out, the rate of Wigea was al wiya higher than the ordinary town wage*. Air }'r.lol1 .aid he h»ped Mr Crook would -oe that none ot th., men leaving the commissioners' service were taken on the drainage works. THE noun OF MEETING. Mr Bevan gave noticp that at tbp next meeting he would move tbt the hour of meeting ue altered from ten to h.If-past eleven a.m. Tfn; COLLECTING OF HONBY. Mr Be ran moved that all monies due 10 the board be received hy the collector, ond be paid by him iUl,) the bank. Hitherto th« money bad heeD collected in a very irregular wiy, and he proposed this R8 a guidance to the collector ill future. The Chairmau said of course the proposition of Mr Bevan implied DO distrust of the inspect' He had kuown Owen Jones for a great nnmher of yews; in fact be was one of is bondsmen, and could vouch for his honesty and integrity in all matters. He though the inspector should b" given to undeistand that it wan through DO mistrust of him that this was proposed. Mr Morgan Williams eutirely concurred in the obser- vations made by the chairman. IIlr John Jones seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. TENDERS FROM TRADESPEOPLE. Mr Bevan proposed that tenders for six months be invited from the different tradespeople for the various necessaries the board might require, s)ch as fodder for the horse*. L..t mcntu th^re was a bill of £1[. for metalling the streets, aud the Roads Committee knew uothiug of the matter until the bill was sect in. He should move further that the inspector order nothing Oil his own responsibility, but only upon the instruc- I tious of the Roads Committee. Their horses had cost an average of £1 7a 6d rv week for fodder alone, from July to Juntiary last, and this he thought extravagant. The Chairman seconded. On the Mention of Mr Thomas Hnghee. the reeo- !utM? WM altered to tendering for three moatho ia?t?d of six. THE STiTK OF THE ROADS. Mr John Jones asked the resident engineer whether be inteuded to counect the houses in Chapel-street aoon or not, 11 the roaki wanted repairing. Mr Crook said that the connecting of tre honsen would not affect the gide of the atreet that wanted metalling, so that the ccmmifisioners could repair that as Boon as they liked. The Chairman eaid it must be left to the Roads Com- mittee. A CASTING ACCOUNT. Various bills in connection with the drainage works were brought up from the Finance Committee. Among them was one from Messrs Griffith and Jones, for cart- age, at 10s a day. In reference to this item, Mr Crook explained that there was a combination among the carters in the town not to work at less than ten shillings a day. THE TIMEKEEPER S WAGES. A letter was read from Mr Balolwin Latha-n stating that the timekeeper, Henry Jones, bad applied to him asking for an increase of wages. Mr Latbam said he should recooimeud that his wages should be increased from 30s to £ 2. The Chairman said he supposed such a recommenda- tion must be complied with. Mr John Jones thought 30s was enough. Mr Crook observed that it was absolutely necetsary that a man in the position of timekeeper should have good wages. Mr Winter's timekeeper bad £3 a week. Mr Bevan did not think the timekeeper's services worth t2. Mr Crook said the timekeeper was up all Fiiday night to make up the pay sheet, and his average hours were fifteen a day. Mr Thomas Hughes knew that the timekeeper was working very hard. Mr Crook aaid 250 men to look after was a large number, and the timekeeper had to go round four times a day. The Chairman moved that they adopt Mr Baldwin Latham's recommendation, and give the timekeeper t2 a week. Mr Abel Roberts [proposed that he be given 35s a week. Mr Thomas Hughes seconded this amendment, saying it was best to advauce wages gradually. Mr Preston seconded the chairman's proposition, but the amendment was carried for 35s. CHAIRS ON THIi TROMKUADE. A letter was'read from Edward Hughee, represent- ing that he b"d for seven years pmt been granted tb privilege of placing chairs on the promenade and charg- ing for admisMouto hi3? the baud phy, and he thought it very hard that he should be ùepnved of this with.?t notice, especially as he had lately provided 300 chairs at a large expense. He trusted the board would grant him the usual permission or take the chairs off his bands at a fair valuation. Mr Thomas Hughes, one of the Band Committee, said that he had a letter from Mr Hattou tbat morning, iu which that gentleman intimated his willingness to bring the band here on his own responsibility. Mr Preston supposed the board would exercise some control as to the hours of playing. Mr T. Hughes said Mr Hatton was willing to serve the board on the same conditions as he had last year served tne committee, aud these arrangements gave gmeral s.tisfaction. The subject was not further discussed. THE SKATING RINK. A letter was read from the Gas and Water Company's directors to the effect that Mr Cadle, one of the direc- tors of the Roller Skating Company, had offered the Gaa Company a rent of E70 a year for a lease of seven years for the surface of the low surface reservoir, and theslupc down to the road by the Happy Valley, being all that piece of land now eucluseJ by the company near the F.ich. The Gas Company had resolved that this otter be accepted by them subject to the approval of the Commissioners. Mr Preston remarked that tbe board could do nothing, an opiuion with which the chairman agreed. Mr Preston moved that the reply of the commis- sioners be that they were uuable to entertain any suc'.i proposal. THE COMBUSTIBLE BUILDINGS OF LLANDUDNO. The IoBpeetor brought up a Jist of the combustible wooden bnildiugs in tue town, aBfollows :Btw",n Mssonic Hall and Mr Williams' chemist, 5 in the front of Jlarket Hall, 6 j also the laige building in Chapel-street, erected by Mr Jackson on the plot of land between Bodbyfryd gardes and Gloddaeth-atreet, 2 on the large yard belonging to the cowmissioner8. 2 in front of St. John's Market Hall, 3 on the pre- mises of Mr T. Roberts, I at the back of St. George's Crescent, 2; by the large yard iu Lloyd-street, 1 in the yard belonging to Mr William Hughee, painter, Madoc-street, 2 at the Happy Valley, 2. The matter was not furtuer discussed, owing to the lateness of the hour the chairman rising. THE APPOINTMENT OF ACCOUNTANT. Mr Thomas Hughes said that an appointment had been made by that board aome time ago which had I causedwide spread dissatisfaction throughout the town, an appointment which carried with it a very good salary with but very lew duties. He referred of course to the appointment of accountant at the rate of £300 a year, aud be thought it would be well if the board could put themselves in a better position with the ratepayers. It wai brought forward at the time as very urgent, but it seemed at present as if the appointment were likely to continue a very long time. In order to allay this feeling, and to ventilate the matter a little more fully, he gave notice that at the next meeting he shonld move the reconsideration of this appointment, and of the salary attaching thereto. He wished it, however, to be understood that he did.this from no feeling against Mr Evans, whom he believed t. be a very worthy man, but from a desire to reconsider the whole matter. This concluded the business of the board, which had occupied five hours in transaction.