120 18th December, 1944* A meeting of the General Purposes Committee of the Corporation was held this day at the Town Clerk1 s Office, Town Hall, Wexford, at half-past seven o 1clock p.m# The members present being Richard Corish, Esq., Mayor (in the Chair) Councillors Roche, Moran, Gaul, Crosbie and sinnott. It was decided to have the public lights in the Town lighting all night on Saturday and Sunday next the 23rd and 24th instant* Complaint was made regarding the carrying out of repairs to Corporation houses, and the Town Clerk was asked to devise some system whereby the Rent Collectors would have a duplicate book to take notes on complaints made by tenants and pass them on for attention. LAND - ST. JOHN *S RD The Town Clerk pointed out that there was a small piece of ground at the rere of Mr, William Gaynor!s property at St. John’s Road, which he held from the Corporation. Since the erection of a new school there entrance to this piece of ground was now impossible except through % • Gaynor *s property, and Mr. Gaynor desired to have it let in with his land for the unexpired term of his original lease. The matter had been before the County Manager, who recommend the Corporation to lease the land to Mr. Gaynor for the unexpired period of his original lease at a rent 6f l/- per annum, Mr. Gaynor to be respcj^ible for the legal costs incurred. As the members were not quite familiar with the piece of ground in question it was decided to adjourn the matter until the next meeting, and in the meantime, the Mayor undertook to see the place. Complaint was made regarding the entrance to No. 52, Whiterock View, occupied by a person named Saunders. The meeting then terminated. Chairman ©: Wexford Borough Council 121 8th January, 1945. A Quarterly Meeting of the Corporation was held this day at the Town Clerk's Office, Town Hall, Wexford, at half-past seven o'clock p.m. The members present being:- Richard Corish, Esq., Mayer (in the Chair) Alderman Thomas Byrne, Councillors Gaul, Hadden, Roche, Sinnott, Mcr an and Crosbie. MINUTES The following minutes were submitted for ratification and signature:- Minutes of Corporation on the 4th ultimo; General Purposes Committee on 4th and 18th ultimo; Town Planning Committee on 4th ultimo. After the heading of the minutes had been read it was unanimously agreed on th© motion of Alderman Byrne, seconded by Councillor Crosbie, that the minutes as submitted be taken as having been read, and signed by the Mayor. SYMPATHY The Mayor moved that the sympathy of the Corporation be extended to Mr. Patk. K. McNally, Borough Surveyor, on the death of his mother. This motion was seconded by Councillor Gaul and supported by all the members present. The Mayor also moved that the sympathy of the Corporation be extended to Mr. J. J. O'Leary, Rate Collector, on the death of his son. This motion was seconded by Alderman Byrne and supported by all the members present, as well as by the Town Clerk on behalf of the staff. Both motions were adopted in respectful silence. PUBLIC LIGHTING Complaint was made by the Mayor on the number of lights out on the Town from time to time. On Sunday last he complained that 4 or 5 lights were out from Spawell Road to Rowe Street, a list of which he had given to the Town Clerk that night• The Town Clerk intimated that he had called to the Electricity Supply Board Offices on Monday morning and complained about these lights being out, and v/as informed that they were short of lamps and hoped to have them in that day when they v/ould be made good. The Mayor, however,thought that there should be more supervision by the Electricity Supply Board over the Public Lighting System, as it v/as becoming necessary for members of the Corporation to call the attention of the Board to lights being out for two or three nights in succession, and he proposed "that we enter an emphatic protest against the treatment meted out to the Corporation by the Electricity Supply Board." Alderman Byrne seconded this motion, which was unanimously adopted. WATERWORKS SCHEME Complaint was again made regarding the failure of the booster on the Waterworks Improvement Scheme, and a lengthy discussion followed on the scheme generally. In this connection the Town Clerk read a lengthy letter from the Minister for Local Government and Public Health on the question of renewing the main from Coolree to Wexford, in v/hich the Minister pointed out that the matter was one for a decision, in the first instance, by the Local Authority, acting on the advice of their Consulting Engineers. The Minister also pointed out certain aspects of the matter which should receive special consideration before a definite decision was made. The Town Clerk intimated that this letter had been before the County Manager that afternoon, who had ordered that a copy be sent to the Consulting Engineers and the Borough Surveyor for their observations. ©: Wexford BoroughChair man Council 122 8th January, 1945* The present meeting suggested that when forwarding the letter to the Consulting Engineers that they should be asked for a quick decision on the points raised by the Minister. DEPUTATION A letter was read requesting the Corporation to receive a deputation from the residents of King Street, whose houses were flooded there on two occasion during the past two months, and It was unanimously decided to receive this deputation at the meeting of the General Purposes Committee due to be held on the 22nd instant# It was also decided that Mr. O fConnor, Consulting Engineer for the Sewerage ^cheme, should be asked to make his report on the King Street area available as soon as possible, and to attend the meeting of the General Purposes Committee on the 22nd instant. W. PLOT OF GROUND On the motion of Councillor Sinnott, seconded by Alderman Byrne, it was unanimously decided on the recommendation of the County Manager, to lease to Mr. William Gaynor of St. John s Road, a small plot of ground at the rere of his residence for the unexpired term of his original lease at a rent of One Shilling per annum. CART In accordance with notice given Alderman Byrne moved that the County Manager be requested to provide a "covered inft Scavenging cart for the collection of house refuse on the Main Street. Councillor Sinnott seconded this motion which was unanimously agreed to. RELIEF WORK In accordance with notice given Alderman Byrne moved that the County Manager be asked to give an explanation ax to why no Relief Work was available for the unemployed during Xmas. In this connection the Town Clerk explained that the County Manager had asked him to inform the Corporation that Immediately he got sanction for the Relief Grant work he had put the scheme into operation. A number of men were at present employed at Kerlogue quarry quarrying stones for the work, but the scheme was not proceeding to his satisfaction owing to lack of gelignite for blasting purposes. In this connection the Meyor proposed that the Manager be asked to call the attention of the appropriate Minister to the fact that Relief Grant work was held up through lack of gelignite, and if gelignite could not be procured that the Manager consider having the work carried out with gravel. Alderman Byrne seconded this motion, which was unanimously agreed to. HOUSING In accordance with notice given the Mayor moved that at the next meeting of the Corporation the Manager should submit a report on the steps which have been taken to enable the building of houses to commence immediately after the present emergency. Councillor Sinnott seconded this motion, v/hich was unanimously agreed to. On the motion of Councillor Crosbie, seconded by Councillor Gaul, the seal of the Corporation was affixed to a deed of a small plot of ground at St. John*s Road, Wexford, leased to Mr. Thomas P. Clarke, at a l/- per annum. Chairman ©: Wexford Borough Council 123 8th January, 1945. RESOLUTION Referring to minutes of the Corporation in November when a resolution was adopted calling on the Government to increase the benefits paid -under the National Health Insurance Acts the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister intimated that any suggestion of the Corporation in regard to such benefits would receive consideration. DANCING Alderman Byrne moved that the Corporation appoint a deputation to await on His Lordship the Bishop to discuss with him the present restrictions on the hours of dancing in the Town with a view to their relaxation. Councillor Roche seconded this motion, which gave rise to a lengthy i; discussion at the end of which the motion was defeated by six votes against to two for. Alderman Byrne thereupon demanded a poll, when the voting was for the motion - Councillor Roche and Alderman Byrne (2) against the motion - Councillors Crosbie, Moran, Sinnott, Hadden, Gaul and the Mayor (6). The motion was declared lost. FREEDOM OF THE BOROUGH Councillor Roche moved that the Freedom of the Borough be conferred on the Mayor on the occasion of his Silver Jubilee as Mayor of Y/exford. When this motion was proposed Alderman Corish vacated the Chair, which was occupied by Councillor Sinnott. Alderman Byrne seconded the motion which appeared to be unanimously received by the Corporation, but the Town Clerk intimated that this could not be decided at the present meeting, and notice of motion would be required so that every member of the Council could be informed of the proposal* Councillor Roche thereupon gave notice that he would move at a Specail meeting of the Corporation to be held on the 22nd instant that the Corporation grant the Freedom of the Borough to Alderman Corish on the occasion of his Silver Jubilee as Mayor.