ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1551, 9 June 1885, Page 2

ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Ashburton Borough Council was held last evening. Present His Worship the Mayor (in the chair), Ors Bird, Quill, A. Orr, Harrison, Jameson, Thomas, Nelson and Sealy mayor’s statement The Mayor said the debit balance at the Bank was L 1,512 9s 7d He regretted to state that some ratepayers had not taken advantage of the extended period allowed them for the payment of their rates, and it would be neoassary for the Council, in all faith with the burgesses, to take immediate steps for their recovery. Since last meeting he had hai an interview with the Chairman of the County Council with reference to the Ashburton Pound, and satisfactory arrangements had been arrived at. ■CO >IRESPON PENCE, The following correspondence was read: from the Borough Solicitor, with respect to the claim by Mr M- FriedUndur fur value of a horse drowned in one of the Council's water-races, advising the Council to pay the amount, as the vrlue put upon the horse was very small. The Council sh >'ild, however, make it distinctly understood that they were not establishing a precedent.—Or Thomas said that the Qouaoil should be acquainted

with the facts of the case before considering the matter. This was the first time he had heard of this matte' - , and he thoughtjjthat the Council might wisely defer it till next meeting for the purpose of ascertaining particulars of the case. He moved a resolution to that effect —Or Bird supported the suggested of deferring the matter to a future meeting.—The motion was carried unanimously—On the motion of Or Bi'd, a committee, consisting of Crs Thomas, Quill and Harmon, was appointed to make enquiries and report to next meeting.—From the Ashburton Gas Company, requesting the Council to furnish the Company with information r.a to partiou lars of lamp-;, and dates on which lamps were extinguished before the fixed time Councillors mentioned several instances, but were unable to fix exactly the dates —From the Secretary to the Ashburton Fire Brigade requesting the Council to confirm the appointment of Mr Matthew Smith as a member of the Brigade.— Request granted.—From Mr Peter Rattray asking permission to remove a bouse from the rear of the Somerset Hotel to

Trevorton.—Application granted, subject to the usual conditions. —From the Crown Lands Office, Wellington, informing toe Council that reserves 300, 301 and 2668 were temporarily reserved in Gazette No. 26, of April 30. The latter added that the lands in question would shortly be brought under the Public Domains Act 1881, and the powers of management delegated to the Council. In the meantime the Council could commence planting. ENGINEERS’ REPOBT. The Engineers’ report was read as follows:—The labor gang has been engaged In forming Havelock, Cameron, and Grigg streets, carting to section, fixing and plantiog willows, etc., spreading shingle, clearing raupo, etc., in Domain channel, attending to water supply, etc. The formation in hand is nearly completed, and the gang will be ready to commence work in the south-east side of the line in a few days. The extra works such »s the protective works and son ries now finished, the works expenditure will be considerably reduced. Report adopted. PISE BRIGADE COMMITTEE.

The Fire Brigade Committee reported as follows:—Your Committee met, as requested by the Council, to consider what payment should be made to the engine cleaner, ha now being a servant of the Council. Yonr Committee are of opinion that LlO per annum would be fair remuneration for the work, and recommend that tbatsum bepaid. — Alfred Harrison, Chairman.

Crs Thomas and Quill stated that they had received no notice of the holding of the ab >ve meeting. Or Harrison said this had merely been an oversight on his part. If these Councillors wished it, he would agree to the matter being referred back to the Committee. The Councillors, however, expressed their agreement with the report. Th y only wished to draw attention to the fact. Report adopted. library committee. The following report was read :—Your Committee has the honor to report having met on the 6th instant, when the following matters were considered :—Rules for Library and heading Room—A draft copy of rules were read and approved, and 10 10 copies of Library rules ordered to be printed, to be. pasted in the books, and 25 copies of Reading Room rules to be printed on cards and placed in the room. —Messrs Wise, Baffin and Co enclose an account for LI 12s for copy of N.Z Directory for 1885 6, which the Committee, as the book has bean sent, decide to recommend that it be kept, being of great use for reference. Mr Spillard offers some works to the Library for LG, the money to go towards liquidating his debt to the Council. Your Committee have not taken action in the matter, but refer it to the Council. The desk for papers in the Reading Room has been put up, and gives satisfaction. The Committee recommends that the following accounts be paid ; —Wise, Caffin and Co, LI 12s ; Otago Daily Times, LI 6s. Mr Spiilard’s collection of books was laid on the table and inspected by mem here.—lt was decided to authorise the Library Committee to purchase the books at a price to be arranged. LOCAL OPTION. Mr 0. Braddell, the Presiding Officer, stated that the result of the recent local option poll was against the increase of licenses in the district. —Gr Thomas pointed out the absurdity of snob a poll, and said it was a mere waste of public money. AITEEN STREET. Or Harrison drew attention to the bad state of the sidewalks in Aitken street east, and asked that some shingling be done in that locality. —Matter referred to the Works Committee, with power to act. BOROUGH EXPENDITURE. Or Thomas moved the following motion, notice of which he had given at last meeting—“ That the whole expenditure within the Borough be at once curtailed so as to bring the expenditure somewhat in unison with the income.” lie pointed out that

the Borough had already expended about one-fourth of its income for the current year, while the overdraft was considerably larger than at the commencement of the year If an immediate curtailment in the expenditure were not effected, a special rata would have to be struck, and this the burgesses would at once object to.

t He asked leave to amend the resolution 0 as follows —“ That the whole of the works 1 now being carried on in the Borough be s at once discontinued, with the exception , of absolutely necessary works, so as to ) bring the expenditure more in unison with the income,”—Or Jameson seconded the motion —Or Harrison said he agreed b with Cr Thomas that a reduction of expenditure was necessary, but ha would t not consent to the stoppage of the works i now going on in the Borouvh. He would move as an amendment—“ That a Committee be appointed to make an exhaustive i enquiry as to the best means of curtailing the expenditure, and report to next meeti ing of the Council ” —Or Quill seconded the amendment. Ors Orr and Bird, spoke in favor of the amendment.— . The Mayor said remarks had frequently been made at the Council table with respect to the extravagant expenditure of the Council, but he could safely say that no other Borough in, perhaps, New Zealand, could show such good results The burgesses had never been called upon to pay more than a shilling rate, and with careful management he hoped they woul I be able to carry on without increasing this tax. He would vote for the amendment for the reason that he thought if the Council in these depressed times could effect a saving, they should by all means do so.—r liter some further desultory discussion, Or Thomas withdrew his motion, and the amendment was carried.—A Com mittee consisting of Ors Harrison, Nelson, A. urr, Bird and Quill was appointed. FIRB BRIGADE. Cr 1 homas said he thought as the members of the Five Brigade were servants of the Council, they should be made free members of the Library. The Mayor said this suggestion had come upon them unexpectedly, and he thought it would n be wise for the Oounciil irs to express a hurried opinion on the ma ter.—At the J Mayor’s suggestion, Or Tnomas gave j notice of motion for next meeting j THE GAZETTE. Cr Jameson eujge- ei tint the Library j Committee should procure a copy of the J Oaaette for the t.ibrary —l’he Mayor said t ha matter would receive the attention of I the Library Committee. u ASHBURTON POUND. » The Mayor said be had arranged with J t the Chairman of the County Council that | ti

the Borough should pay L2OO for the Ash* yi burton Found, to be payable in yearly in- a stalments of LSO —The Mayor’s action hi was confirmed. —Further consideration of gi matters in connection with the Pound was In dm erred until a reply had been received b from the County Council with regard to tl the above arrangement. r« PAYMBVXS ai While parsing the accounts, Or Nelson b drew attention to the fact that the Engi s> neer had estimated tho cost of the groins fl , for the proiective works at the Old Men’s tl Home at about LlO. while the Council si now received an account for L2O from a the contractor for the work.—The matter t was referred to the Engineer for an ex- t plauation. s Accounts amounting to LlO7 8s lid s were passed for payment. i LOAN PROPOSAL, C Cr Quill said before considering the loan proposal, he would like to state, as a f member of the Works Committee, that s the matter had been put before the Coun- ] cil in an altogether different phase from , what it had appeared to him at the meeting of the Works Committee. He had understood that an estimate was merely to be prepar d for the Council's information of the probable expenditure on works, and he had supported this proposal as being of great benefit to the Council. When Or Bird raised the riueationin thi present form at the Council, he had been taken by surprise, and he desired it to be understood that the proposal to raise a loan had not 1 emanated from the Works Committee. He might state that carefully looking at the position of the Council, he was en- • tirely against any loan being raised at the I present time. He thought the Council’s i affairs were in an exceedingly satisfactory ; state, and he might venture to say that I few other public bodies in Canterbury 1 were in such a flourishing condition. — ■ Or Sealy bore out the statement made by - Or Quill that the Works Committee had > not propounded this scheme, and ho obf jecied to the Committee being saddled » with the re«ponsibility of the suggestion 8 The’Mayor remarked that ho was of - opinion that the Works Committee, instead of deserving censure, were entitled to with the highest praise for bringing such an important matter under the 1 attention of the Council.—Cr Jameson ■ pointed out that Or Bird at last meeting t had stated he had made this proposal on o his own responsibility. e Or Bird said he had stated at last meetu ing that ho had taken the whole responi- sibility of originating this scheme. He 3 wished the matter to be first referred r, to the Finance Committee, and if the scheme were found in any wise practicable, y it could have been brought under public if notice. He had little doubt, from reis marks which had fallen from members, of ;. the fate of the scheme, but to test the, d feeling of the meeting he would more—fc —‘ ‘ That it is desirable that a loan i, be raised by this Coancil for the h completion of necessary works within the w Borough." —Or Nelson seconded the motion proforma. —Cr Thomas expressed himself in favor of the loan. He thought that as the Council did not appear to be r willing to curtail the expenditure, it was g almost absolutely necessary that they r - should borrow to carry out the works. >r They now had an overdraft of about y LI ,500 at the Bank, for which they were d paying interest at the rate of 9 per cent., e and a loan of L 3,000 could be obtained at d a lower rate of interest. He would also ie point out that io case of loans you were i. allowed ample time to make payments, u while the Bank wonld at once close with i- you if your payment were not made at a s, fixed date. All of those gentlemen who had the roads to their houses in excel - it lent order would strongly oppose this fa loan, and persons living on the outskirts >e would probably have to wait some years it before any money was expended in their e neighborhood. He would assure the ir Council that if the Borough works were n carried out on an extensive scale, instead d of the present perfunctory method, they i- would be done at about half the cost; e ten years’ experience had taught him ; that.

Gr Harrison said it was almost useless to argue the matter, as he thought most of the Councillors knew the opinion of the burgesses. If a loan were raised, he was quite sure that many streets wouid be formed the growth of weeds upon which wouid gradually destroy all traces of previous formation He was of opinion that if the Council now had L6OO at its credit in the Bank, they would not expend it in the manner proposed, and this alone was sufficient argument to crush the proposal. Ha refuted Cr Thomas’s assertion that those who enjoyed good roads and other advantages afforded by Borough works would alone oppose the proposal, and took his own case as an instance, where he had not even a means of entrance to his place by a road, and had to wade through a field of mud to gain his door He could see the that money would, in the event of che loan being raised, be expended on the formation of the Belts, and the Road Boards and the residents immediately outside the town, would thereby receive their share of the Bororgh’s loan, without making any return. He wished to correct Cr Thomas in the statement that the Council were

opposed to the curtailment of the expenditure. The general opinion expressed that evening was in favor of this step, but Councillors objected to the stoppage of the works now being carried out. He would most strenuously oppose the pro-

posal. Or Sealy opposed the motion. Cr A Orr said he concurred with the remarks which had fallen from Gr Harrison. He contended that the works carried out by the Council compared favorably with those undertaken by other municipal bodies. He instanced Dunedin, the streets of which city, he said, were no better formed than those of Ashburton. He did not think it would be prudent to saddle the burgesses with a 2a rate

Or Jameson expressed his intention to vote against the motion. The Mayor said that at present he was opposed to Cr Bird’s proposal. The amount of the proposed loan was not nearly sufficient to complete the works required. (f they borrowed at all they

should obtain not less than L 15,0110, and if possible have it made available as required by the Oounoii. Even if they borrowed LIO,OOO, L6OO would be required annually for interest, and a sinking|fund would be required. (Or Thomas: No.) Well, they might certainly bequeath the debt to posterity, as suggested

by Or Thomas, but he (the Mayor) thought it would be 'much better to appropriate for works the sum Or Bird proposed to pledge annually for interest. He readily admitted th.t without a loan it would be necessary to considerably reduce their expenditure, but he did not feel any of the alarm which had been expressed in reference to their financial position. If demanded by their bankers he felt confidant he would have no difficulty in extinguishing their overdraft in less than a month. Let them collect their rates, licences, and rents, and the thing would be accomplished He contended that the position of the Bo ou»h fu*!y jus ified an overdraft of at Last L2 000, ami he woulo lie ashamed to preside at ch« Council un le-s tiny wore at liberty to incur such a

lia nitty without oot.tnung tho consent of the barge <ses -'everai Councillors ha ■tul, in effect, tint the moiie, of th» B r ugh had been squandered. He took thip as a reflection upon htrpself, as t e burgesses very natqrady looked to tbe occupant of tbe Mayoral chair to exercise some chuck upon the Council’s expenditure. But he did not admit the allegation, Or Thomas had i*id th*t in

years the overdraft bad bean reduced to a few hundred pounds, and Or Harrison had pointed to the fact that the labor gang had, contrary to the osoal practice, been retained through the summer months but, he (the Mayor) reminded Councillor* that the increased expenditure and the retention of the labor gang bad been authorised by them. The works effected by this additional expenditure ware necessary and of a substantial character reflecting credit upon their Engineer’and their Works Committee. Or Thomas bad said that if the works were all undertaken at once they could be completed at the cost incurred under the present ays* tern. They might, as a matter of fact, save a little in that way, bat he thought still it would be better to do the work required, as funds were obtained from the ordinary sources.

The motion was then put and lost. The following was the division—For— On Bird and Thomas. Against— His Worship the Mayor, and Cm Jameson, Harrison, Sealy, A. Orr, Nelson and Qnill.