ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 943, 15 May 1883, Page 2

ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Berough Council was held last evening in the Council Chambers Burnett street. Present—His Worship the Mayor (in > the chair), and Councillors Nelsota, J. Orr, A. Orr, Bird, Ivess, St. Hill, and Harrison. ' BANE OVERDRAFT. The Mayor'announced that the bank overdraft amounted to L 1,323 17s 3d. CORRESPONDENCE. Letters were received from the Hon. Major Atkinson, acknowledging receipt of the Council’s communication re railway building sites, and promising to bring the matter under the consideration of the Government. From Mr G. F. Scott, asking that his carriage license might be transferred to Mr John Hefford. From: Mr James Mcßae, asking to be relieved of the reserve he held under lease from the Borough Council. —Application refused. engineer's reports. The following reports were read, the first of which was left over from a previous meeting : FIRST REPORT. We have the honor to submit our usual fortnightly report, as follows :—ln obedience to resolution of Council, passed at the last meeting, we have referred to levels and notes of Alford Forest Road and N. E. Town Belt, and submit approximate estimate of cost, of formation, etc. (i) Alford Forest road : This road, which is about 41 chains from Park street, to the N.W. Town Belt, requires reforming in the greater portion of its length, as well as lowering for a few chains at the crossing of Winter street and for the upper 14 or 15 chains towards the Town Belt. . This latter portion of the road was not formed originally within its proper boundaries, the sections on the eastern side having been surveyed subsequently. There would be some surplus stuff available for raising some of the side streets requiring it. We estimate the cost of re-formation at eighty pounds (L 80), and additional shingle for metalling, forty pounds tL.4O), —(2) N.E. Town Belt from railway, to S.E. Belt: This belt, about 33 chains, requires' to be lowered in more than half its length about 21 inches average depth, a large proportion of the stuff to be used in filling adjacent streets,* and the old gravel pit near the gas works. The cost, vre estimate, would be about LiSO. We do not anticipate that much metal would be required from the river bed, as a considerable portion of the stuff moved would: 'be shingle and available for the purpose. The Works Committee received an offer from Messrs Davison and Co., to crush boulders now on Council’s reserves or that may be raked off the streets, at 4d per yard. As this arrangement would make broken metal much cheaper for the Council, the Committee have accepted the offer. The Committee , also recommend the purchase of a horse for the .spare dray, on the ground of economy, and commence in carrying out the works. The spare team is much wanted for odd work, such as carting rubbish and other minor jobs, so as not to disarrange the larger and more important one of formation.—(3) The labor gang have been engaged in re-forming Cameron street and carting shingle from same to Havelock street, carting broken metal to railway crossing, and repairing roads, clearing rubbish, etc., from streets, making and fixing culverts and bridges, clearing grass off footpaths, clearing side channels, attending the water supply, etc.

SECOND REPORT. Concrete Channelling : The contractor has completed 11 chains of channelling and kerbing and about 44 chains of channelling only—equal to 22 chains of kerbing and channelling, making a total of 33 chains out of 50 chains, the extent of the present contract. Ten chains of the balance remain to be dene at the southeast end of Havelock street, which was delayed for the purpose of allowing some made ground to consolidate.—River Encroachment : The recent freshes in the river have carried away a portion of the road at the back of the Old Men’s Home, two or three chains of the fence having been destroyed. The main stream is now running under the east bank between Winter and (bigg streets. It is proposed to open a channel on the farther side of the riverbed, which may take some of the water ; and for this purpose we have arranged to try an experiment with dynamite, which we are expecting every day. An equally threatening encroachment exists on the river bank, a short distance above the intake of the mill race, where the river has cut into the land for some distance, into a shallow channel which leads to the Alford Forest road, down which a heavy fresh would bring the water into the mill race, and thence into the large gully running through Mr Williamson’s and' Messrs Tancred and £ Hen's land to the town. We believe this encroachment is more important than that near the' Old Men’s Home, where the water has not for the last week caused any more scour, —Aitken street, etc. : We have nad the footpaths cleared of tussocks, as requested. The footpaths in the Wakanui road, complained of by Mr Beecher, will be repaired at once, as we are now obtaining a supply of footpath shihgle. According to the Council’s resolution at their last sitting, a horse lyas purchased Jast Saturday. The labor gang have been engaged in carting boulders to crushing maclpne, and broken' metal to . railway crossing, clearing channel in river-bed, clearing grass frorq footpaths and side channels, cutting tussocks in Aitken street, carting rubbish, making and fixing culverts and bridges, attending to water supply, etc. It has been arranged to pay the men when engaged on the river 8s per day. ; His Worship said that owing to other urgent work the formation of the Alford

Forrat road[ nh&ttponetldn the report, had besn' put pff rot the 'last two or three years, but InoMf the river was encroaching it watfijeally necessary to go on workigiOn/the motion of Jus -Wbrahip Ihe Mayor / seconded by Oh St fi/lfP’t whs resolved'to go on with the some ring the winter months. —Respecting the suggestion contained in the report, that the : Nprth-eaßt ToweFßeh; 1 frota the railway to the Southeast Beit for about 33 chains/ Required ,te be-lowered, Or Harrison’ said he did hot Belts when the- streets in the centre lof the town needed more attention. -■■■Thjsy, should radiate from the centre, and iinprovc where it was most required, besides which the Belt did not prove a source of revenue.—Or Nelson endorsed Cr 1 Harrison’s remarks.—Or J. Orr thought that the Wakaiiui Road Board should take the lead in this matter. Cr Bird Waw of the tame opinion.—His Worship stated he had no personal interest in the matter, but had often noticed in passing along the road that it badly required repairing, and it was in fact dangerous. Although it was not in the centre of the town, it was) a road used very much by our own ratepayers, and he thought if the Road Board, would assist the work should certainly be gone on with. It was true the overdraft appeared on the increase, but then that,would not last long, as the licenses and' a large portion of the rates had yet to be collected. —Or St, Hill would like to she the road levelled.—Or. Harrison considered that there were ‘other wonts that should be taken in hand before this one. As the Road Board 1 received all rates they should do .it at their own expense, and he should not object to its being done under the supervision of the Council’s Engineer. He would move as an amenement that the work be deferred.—The amendment was put and lost, and the motion carried. , ; Both reports were adopted. 1 ‘ inspector’s of nuisances report. | :

: The Inspector’s of Nuisances report was then read and adopted. | Cr Ivess drew attention to the state of She footpath /ia/.BWb /stijeati.'nesqJMr Tasker’s shop, and Cr St Hill explamecf' that the Works Committee had the matter in hand.

OVERDUE BATES. , Cr St Hill moved—“ That all outstanding be recovered if not paid by the Ist June.” He had given notice of this motion at'the last' rpeetihg, in order that ratepayers might have a fortnight longer to think over the matter. It was necessary.to (dq something! ( to, reduce i overdraft. i , The motion was carried. • : COfICpETB OHASKBiIitNO. ; Or St. Hill moved—“ That a concrete: from /Winter street' toPartr’ St&dft" street was already kerbed, but the mep, in clearing out r the channels, had left, several'holes; in whibh'the : Wat6r remained and became stagnant, and was at times most unbearable. -rOr J. Orr would he willing to support’the motion if'the chan-., nailing were carried on to West street.—. Councillor St. Hill agreed to this, and motion was carried. auditors’ salary. j „ Owing to the auditors’ work becoming more arduous, it was decided to allow each of the auditors three guineas, instead of fiWP, r .yi fowffieriyw "iu’lWaA'l OT I ARREARS OF BATES I 1 On the motion of Cr St. Hill, it was decided to put: all ’rat44 da- arrears in the hands of a solicitor, who should be appointed at the next meeting. , ■ EXPENDITURE. j Accounts to the amount of LB7 18s then passed for payment. • • .