ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1490, 17 March 1885, Page 2

ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The ordinary fortnightly meeting of the Ashburton Borough Council was heM at the Council Chamber, Library Buildings last evening. Present—His Worship the Mayor and Crs A Orr, Sealy, J. Orr, Bird, Nelson, Thomas, Jameson, and Harrison. mayor’s statement. 'I he Ma> or stated that the overdraft at the Bank amounted to L 1677 Is Id. The amounts received since last meeting were—Library account, L2 13s ; dog licenses, L 7 10s ; rents of reserves, L3O 18s 4d ; channelling (refund), L 5 11s 3d ; license to boil tripe and cow heel, LI ; rates, 1814, L 4 8s; rates on Government property, L2O 3s Id; Government grant to Library, Lls 4s lid—total, LB7 8a 7d. The balance of rates for 1884 still due to the Council was LB2 6a Id. He had reported to a full meeting of the Council the result of his recent visit, in company with the Chairman and Engineer of the County Council, to Wellington, and it was unnecessary to recapitulate the statement, as it had Seen fully reported in the local press. correspondence The following correspondence was read: —(1) From Mr E. Q. Crisp, solicitor to the Borough, enclosing a cheque for Mr Fruhauf’s overdue rent, leas the amount of bill of coats. The action of the Reserves Committee in settling with Mr Pruhauf was approved of.—(2) From Mr H. W. Felton, calling attention to a resolution passed by the Council two years ago in response to a request for a gas lamp at or near the <;orner of Kermode street and ona Square, and to the bad condition of the part of Kermode street passing Mona Square. The letter was referred to the Lighting and Works Committees.—j(3) From the Railway Engineer’s Department, advising that a vouchor for L3l 7s 4d had been passed in favor of the Council and sent to the Treasury in Wellington, for filling in holes on the railway reserve.— (4) From the Crown Lands office, enoloa ing an extract from the New Zealand Gazette, delegating to the Mayor certain powers under the 12th section of the Public Domains set, 1881. — (5) From the Ashburton Domain Board, calling attention to the unsatisfactory state of a portion of the waterway leading to the reservoir from which the side channels of the Borough are flushed. The Board expressed a hope that in view of the Borough enjoying the use of a part of the Domain for the water supply, they would so far improve the water course between the lagoons as to do away with the shallow water and so abate a rising nuisance.— The Mayor said the letter opened a very large question. At the last meeting of the Board he had asked the Chairman of

that body if it would not be wise to hand over the control of the Domain to the Council, The Chairman had replied in a manner that had satisfied him (the Mayor) that a maj >rity of the Board 'had deter* mined to retain the control of the reserve.

The work referred to by the letter was not a latge undertaking, but jbefore committing the council to anything, he suggested

that the matter should be referred to a Committee.—Ot Thomas moved that the work required by the letter be referred to the Works Committee.—Or Jameson

thought the Domain Board should contribute some part of the cost of the work.— Or Harrison poncurrod with Or Jameson. There could be no doubt that the water was a great ornament to the Doma n, and he was confident that it could be readily obtained by' some other course.— Or J. Orr thought the Council should not lose sight of the fact that if they had used any other course for the water they would have been compelled, not only to form it, but to keep it clear.—The motion proposed by Mr Thomas was carried.—-Or Harrison asked that all correspondence in conneption with the election of the Dorpac. Board m'ght be laid on the tablp at the nexn meeting of the Council.— (6) From, the Secretary of the Industrial Exhibition, as follows “ I have the donor to inform you that, owing to thp numerous applications for space m tl.p general branch of the Exhibition, it hadeor. decided to ipeommond that the original plan of the Exhibition buildings should be somewhat enlarged, which recommendation I have no hesitation ip saying will in all probability bo carried ou% Ip cyder that no industry in the

c lony may bo unrepresented here in August next, it has been decided to rece've applications tor spice to the 31st instant, and I would moat earnestly request that you will lay this matter forcibly before the public, and mention that the object which Government have in view in the proposed Exhibition (the first of a series) is to test from time to time the i advance which is being made in the various industries that givo employment to labor. The sole object for which Wellington has been chosen as the place for the first Exhibition is on account of the great importance of having the merits and 1 c'aims of the various indu-tries brought at an early date in a concentrated form under the notice of the members of Parliament, in order that the subject of rej posting these Exhibitions in other places may command the full amount of atten--1 tiou which it deserves.” 1 ENGINEERS* REPORT.

The Engineers’ report was read as follows: Protective works, Old Men's Home : By the kindness of the proprietor of the Canterbury Mill* we have obtained a good supply of willow logs and fascines for the protective works at the rear of the Old Men’s Homo, and we are now only waiting for the rails for piles.—The labor gang has been engaged in forming embankment across old main channel in river bed, cutting and lying willow logs and fascines and carting them to the 1 river, shingling street in front of Library, cleaning water-races, making and fixing culverts, attending to water supply, etc.” 1 The report was adopted. 1 INSPECTOR OF NUISANCES REPORT.

The Inspector’s report was read as follows :—1 have the honor to report that since last meeting of the Council 1 have informed the butchers in the town that if they intend to boil tripe or cowheel they must apply to theConncil for a license to be permitted to do so. I have also to report that Mr R Lancaster ia not adhering to the conditions of his license, as on inspection last week I found he had bones in one boiler. After seeing him on the matter he informed me it was not his fault, as he had given orders that nothing but cowheel and tripe should be boiled in East I street. He promised that in future this would not occur. It was resolved on the motion of Cr Thomas, seconded by Or J. urr, that if Mr Lancaster again disregarded the conditions of his license it would at once be cancelled. FIRE BRIGADE COMMITTEE, I Cr Harrison submitted the re-written rules for the governance of the Fire BriI gade, which had been adopted at the I special meeting of the Council held on I Monday, 9th instant. He pointed out that the rule in connection to the custodI ian had been altered to read as follows : “ The custodian shall be the paid servant I of the Ashburton Borough Council, and

shall reside in the cottage adjoining the engine house. The custodian will bs responsible to the Borough Council for the proper custody of the Fire Brigade plant. It will be bis duty to [keep the engines and engine house and all plant therein ch-an and in good working order Immediately after fires and wet practice he must wash and thoroughly dry all hose and other plant that has been in use before stowing same away. He will also hare to attend at all fires and practices, and keep a stock book of all gear, and renort any loss or damage to the Borough Council.” The alteration was approved of, and the rules as a whole adopted. It was resolved that the names of applies its for enrolment as members of the new Fire Brigade should be submitted to the Fire Brigade Committee for approval. It was also resolved to refer the Brigade rules to the new Brigade for consideration. KERMODE STREET. Or Nelson referring to the letter received from Sergeant Felton, said that sums of money had repeatedly been placed upon the estimates for improvements to Kermode street, but nothing had yet been done. The Mayor assured Or Nelson that the matter would receive the attention of the Works Committee. STREET LAMP, BURNETT STREET. Cr I homas said that when returning from the school Committee’s entartainments at midnight or during the early hours of the morning, he had been impressed with the fact that the lamp n>w situated opposite the old Council Chambers might be removed with advantage He suggested that it should be moved nearer the Belt, —Crs Nelson, Sealy and Harrison thought it should be moved nearer to the centre of the town. —After a prolonged conversational discussion, Or Nelson proposed, and Cr Sealy seconded that the lamp be removed to the corner of Burnett and Cass streets.—As an amendment Cr Thoma* proposed, and Or A. Orr seconded, that the lamp be removed to the corner of Burnett and Williams streets. ■—The amendment was carried, THANKS. On the motion of Or Thomas, seconded by Cr Nelson, it was resolved—“ That this Council records upon its minutes a very hearty vote of thanks to W. 0. Walker, Esq., M.H.R., and Chairman of the County Council, for the very able manner in which, whilst in Wellington with his Worship the Mayor, he managed the bu iness relating to the Ashburton traffic bridge, and also for the very valuable! aid rendered to his Worship the Mayor in many other matters of importance to the Borough, and that a letter be sent to Mr Walker embodying these views.” The Mayor spoke in highly eulogistic terms of the service rendered to the Borough by Mr Walker. CHARITABLE AID. The Mayor said that he had been interview by a Mrs Boucher, a widow with a large family who had stated that she could support herself if she was provided with a residence free of rent.—After a desultory discussion of the circumstances in which Mrs Boucher was placed, it was resolved to leave the matter in the hands of the Mayor to deal with.

THE BRIDGE DEPUTATION.

On the motion of Cr Thomas, seconded by Cr Bird, it was resolved to reimburse the Mayor the expenses incurred by him in connection with hia visit to Welling-

ton. The Mayor briefly acknowledged the com liment implied ny the resolution. WILLOW SUPPLY. It was resolved t thank the proprietor of the Canterbury Mill for the willows supplied for the protective works at the Old Men’s Home VALUATION BOLL. The Mayor congratulated the Council upon the |roll prepared by the Valuator having passed the Assessment Court with so few alterations. Only a small minority of the objections made had been sustained.

ACCOUNTS

Or Orr referred to the fact of an account for L 3 12a having been rendered against the Council by his firm. He was aware that such a course rendered him liable to a substantial penalty, and he would like to withdraw the account. He explained, however, that the goods had been obtained by the Borough officers without his knowledge.—With the consent of the Council, the account vyas withdrawn. Accounts amounting to L 74 4s 3d were passed for payment, and the Council adjourned until Monday, v larch 23rd.