ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1051, 18 September 1883, Page 2

ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Borough Council.took place last evening. Present —His Worship the Mayor (in the chair), and Councillors J. Orr, St Hill, Leggett, Sealy, Nelson, Bird and A. Orr. An apology was received for the absence of Or Harrison, who had gone to Dunedin. The minutes of the previous meet ing were read and confirmed. mayor's statement. The Mayor stated that the debit balance in the Bank was now LI,OIO 8s 2d. CORRESPONDENCE. A letter was read from the Canterbury Fire Assooiotion enclosing a form to be filled in showing the returns of the Fire Brigades, Received. James Macpherson wrote asking to be allowed to remove, on wheels, a small wooden building off his section.—Granted. Edmund Connelly applied to have the reserve adjoining sections 1248 and 1249 fenced.—Referred to Works Committee.

An application from Mr Peter Walker for 500 loads of soil or clay to fill up his section was granted. The Clerk of the Wakanui Bbad Board wrote, calling the attention of the Council to the way in which the footpath on the South Bast Belt was being cut up by certain persons trespassing on it with horses and carts. —The Clerk to write stating the matter had been attended to. The Secretary of the Western Fire Brigade wrote asking permission to cut one length of hose which was inconveniently long : also,to obtain the necessary unions etc.—Granted.

A letter was read from Mr Peter Walker, claiming L 34, damage done by watbr flowing on his section, owing to what he considered the neglect of the Council in not providing proper means to carry Off the storm water. —As several Councillors were of opinion that if Mr Walker had complied with the by-laws and filled up his section he would not have sustained the loss for which he now claims damages, it was resolved on the motion of Cr J. Orr, seconded by Cr St Hill—“ That the claim be not entertained, but that the Engineer be recommended to take steps to have the evil remedied. ”

MOUNT HOMERS RAILWAY. 'i he Olerk of the Mount Somers Road Board wrote, enclosing copy of resolution passed at a late meeting of that body re the extension of the Mount Somers railway. A letter from Mr Hugo Friedlander on th« same subject, which had been held over from last meeting, was not received by the Council. Dealing with the resolution from the Mount Somers Road Board, his Worship scarcely knew whether a public meeting should be called, or whether the Council or a portion of it should form itself into a Committee with power to add to their number t > deal with the matter.

Or A. Orr would suggest that the Council form itself into a Committee to gather what information they could to lay before the Commission. Cr St Hill agreed. Cr A. Orr said the Commission would sit in about a month’s time, and it would be necessary to have a few meetings before then, so as to have things properly arranged. Cr Sealy thought the Commission would be guided to a certain extent in theirdecisions by the recommendations of the Council. It was resolved. on the motion of His Worship the Mayor—“ That the Council form itself into a Committee with power to add to their number to consider the whole question.” Crs Leggett and Nelson were of opinion, however, that a public meeting should bo called to hear both sides of the question.

engineers’ report. The following report was read : River Encroachment near the Old Men’s Home. —We have carefully examined the locality of this encroachment w.ith the view of initiating or suggesting a scheme of protective works. We find that the river has scoured a deep channel under the north bank for a distance of about eight chains, and has carried away a strip of land in some places of a width of several yards; and owing to the depth of the channel at the end of Grigg street, we feat that the work will be somewhat costly, and to be carried out effectually only in a gradual and progressive manner. We have a plan in preparation which we trust will be found practicable and siiitkble : but before we lay it and oiir estimate of cost before the Council we wish to take some further levels, which we hope to complete in the course of the week. Speaking approximately, we consider the works required would consist of a channel on the south-west side of the river-bed about six or seven chains long, one main groin to be finally extended to about three chains in length and two smaller

auxiliary groins ; these groins to be formed of brushwood or gorse with bags of concrete, strengthened with iron pipes well driven into the shingle bed. The total cost of completed works we estimate at about Luo.—The labor gang have been engaged in lowering the Alford Forest road, filling in Walker street, re-shing-ling part of Burnett street west, laying pipe across West street, working oh plantations, attending to water supply, etc. The report was adopted as read. inspector’s op nuisances’ report. This officer's report was read and adopted. A WARNING. Or St Hill moved—“ That the Clerk write to Mr Oram warning him that unless he at once fills up his section the Council will do it at his expense.” Seconded by Cr Nelson and carried. NEW COUNCILLORS.

The Returning Officer announced the result of the late election. The newly elected Councillors were then appointed to fill the vacancies made on the Committees by retiring Councillors as follows:—Cr St Hill to take the place ho formerly held, Cr Sealy to take Or Roberts’s place and Cr Leggett to takeCr Ivess’s.

RAILWAY SITES. The following correspondence was read :

Ashburton, September 17, 1883. His Worship the Mayor of Ashburton, Dear Sir, —On receipt of your last communication re railway reserve, I at- once conferred with Mr Wright as to the best joint action to pursue, in order to give effect to the wishes of your Council, when that gentleman informed me that as he had to bear the whole of your Council’s censure in the matter of our failing to name the lessees who were infringing their leases, he had decided to act independently, and that he had already taken action in the matter. Under these circumstances, I therefore thought the best course to adopt was for me to communicate with the Minister for Public Works, a copy of which letter is herewith enclosed.—l am, etc,, Joseph Ivess.

[Copy.] Wellington. August 31, 1883. The Hon the Minister for Public Works, Sir, —The Ashburton Borough Council has requested me, in conjunction with Mr E. G. Wright, the member for Ashburton, to draw your attention to the fact that a number of persons leasing the railway reserves at Ashburton have broken the conditions of their leases by permitting the sites to be used for other purposes than those which the terms of their lease authorise- In order to ascertain if any of the lessees have infringed the conditions of their leases, I would respectfully suggest to you the advisableness of your appointing some officer to visit Ashburton, for the purpose of examining and reporting upon the different businesses which are being carried on on the reserves in question, and at'the same time he might be instructed to report if any of the lessees have infringed their leases. The Council has also requested us to state that it would be willing to take over the whole of the Railway F eserves situate within the Borough from the Government, and pay a fair annual rental for same. If the Government were willing to accept this proposal, the Council would then be in a position to exercise control over the lessees, and would see that no infringement was made in their leases.—lam, yours respectfully, Joseph Ivess. The Mayor proposed that a vote of' thanks be passed to Mr Ivess for the manner ho has assisted the Council dur-

ing the past two sessions inJPayliaSMnt. A discussion folldweii of which Cr J. Orr proposed as an amendment,|that Mr Wright’s name be included. This was supportedby the majority of the Councillors, itnd ultimately accepted by the mover of the original motion, which was passed in that form. - FOOTPATH. In reply to Cr St Hill, who asked what should be done in the matter of-the footpath in front of Friedlanders’ store, and whether it should be reduced to its proper The Mayor said the Engineer bad ab ready given notice, but he held the matter over till after the-election.

It was moved by Cr St Hill, and carried —“ That the Engineer be instructed to reduce the footpath at Friedlanders’ store to proper level. ”

A OOMPiAINT. Cr Leggett drew the attention of the Council to a pool of water lying at the junction of Cox and William streets.— Referred to the Works Committee. A WORK REQUIRED. Cr John Orr thought it a great pity that the stagnant pool behind the railway station and opposite the post-office could not be removed. He would suggest that a few loads of gravel be deposited there so'as to enable pedestrians to cross over to the station. The Mayor the Council could do nothing in the matter, and it would be referred to the District Engineer. PAV-SHEBT.

Accounts to the amount of L9l 8s 9d were passed for payment, and the Council adjourned.