The monthly meeting of the Limerick No. 1 District Council was held on Saturday with Mr John Ryan presiding. Several council members, including Mrs. O’Brien, Miss Barrington, and Messrs. Charles O’Neill, T Lane, J F McDonough, J Hayes, and more were in attendance. The Chairman opened the meeting by addressing an important matter that would be of interest to the members. He announced that at the next meeting, a rate would be struck, and he proceeded to provide an account of how matters would stand for the upcoming year.
According to the Chairman’s report, there had been an increase in the demand for the No. 1 District compared to the previous year. In 1903, the demand for the district was £13,207 14s 8d for the Union, £2,641 for the District Council, and £485 for separate charges, totaling £16,333 15s 9d. However, for the present year, the demand had risen to £13,205 15s 8d for the District Council, £114 for separate charges, amounting to a total of £16,628 5s 8d. This indicated an increase of £294 9s 4d compared to the previous year.
The Chairman further explained that the rates for the county at large had decreased by £913, allowing for a reduction of 4d in the County Council. As a result, despite the increased demand in the No. 1 District, they would be able to remove 5d from the general rate this year. Additionally, they expected to carry forward a credit balance of approximately £641 for the district. The Chairman expressed his intention to hand over this balance to his successor, which was met with applause and jovial remarks from the council members.
Amidst the lighthearted atmosphere, a letter from Mr F. Dudley Fletcher of Castleconnell, addressed to the Local Government Board, was brought to the attention of the council. The letter highlighted a nuisance near the village that had been repeatedly reported to the District Council but had not been addressed. Mr Fletcher emphasized the adverse impact on the health of the local residents and urged the council to take immediate action.
The matter was subsequently referred to the medical officer for further examination and consideration. Additionally, the report from the Local Government Board Auditor was read but deferred to the next meeting for in-depth discussion.
Another letter, this one from Mr Archibald Murray, raised concerns about a persistent nuisance on the North Circular road in front of several residences. Mr Murray requested the No. 1 District Council to address the matter promptly, as previous attempts by the Borough Council had yielded no positive results. The Clerk noted that Mr Murray had already taken legal action against Mr O’Malley regarding the issue.
During the meeting, Mr William Hourigan proposed a resolution suggesting amendments to the Labourers Act. The resolution aimed to include occupiers of land located half a mile or more from the public road under the Act, as long as there was public passage. It also called for labourers living in good houses to be included and for young men over the age of 21 to be covered by the Act. Mr John Lynch seconded the resolution.
While the Chairman recommended postponing the discussion until the Labourers Bill was printed, Mr Hourigan insisted on pressing the resolution forward. Eventually, the resolution was adopted and would be forwarded to the Chief Secretary.
The meeting concluded with an adjournment, leaving the matters of rates, nuisance complaints, and the proposed amendments to the Labourers Act to be addressed in subsequent discussions and actions by the Limerick No. 1 District Council.
Limerick Echo – Tuesday 09 February 1904
