ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1408, 16 November 1886, Page 2

ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL

The ordinary fortnightly meeting of the Ashburton Borough Council was held at the Council Chambers) Baring Square West, last evening. Present: The Mayor, and Councillors Harrison, Williamson, Bird, Tucker, Craighead, and Reid, mayor’s statement. The Mayor said the debit balance at the Bank was £143013a Bd. The amounts which had been received since last meeting were : Library account, 6s; licenses, £3 ss; rents of reserves, £29 ss; rates, 1886, £2 10s. Total £35 6s. The amount of rates remaining uncollected was £4B 3s 3d. The proposal by the Council to raise a loan under the provisions of the Government Act had, as Councillors were rwnrn, fallen through, Boroughs not coming within the provisions of the Aot, except in connection with works specified. He was pleased to announce that Cr Williamson had been elected Chairman of the Works Committee. CORRESPONDENCE. Letters were read (1) From the executors of the late R. Wilkin with respect to the lease of a Borough Reserve.—Referred to the Reserves Committee. (2) From the Master of the Hospital acknowledging with thanks receipt of newspapers and periodicals. (3) From the borough solicitor giving his opinion that the steps token by the Council to raise a loan under the Government Loans to Local Bodies Aot were useless, there being no power in the Act for the granting of such a loan. —Received. (4) From the Ashburton Fire Brigade, nominating Mr J. Pauling as a member of the Brigade.—The Council approved of (be nomination. THE UNEMPLOYED, A requisition was read from 22 of the unemployed, who asked that work might be provided for them. They complained of the injustice of a number of men from Christchurch being employed in the district, and asked the Council to interest itself in their behalf, in order that they might have employment provided sufficient to tide them over the slack season. The Mayor said if the Council would leave the matter in his bands he would see the Chairman of the County Council on the following day, as he had been informed that that Council bad a number of works to be undertaken, on which the unemployed might advantageously be engaged. The matter was left in the bands of the Mayor, ENGINEERS’ REPORT, The Engineers reported as follows :—The labor gang was taken from the Domain improvements the week before last, having completed the work intended to be carried out. Borne soil and rubbish remain on the banks that require to be removed, but can be done by the drays when convenient. The men have since been engaged in scooping in the river at the head of the mill race, carting rubbish from streets, cutting water race in paddock below the bridge, putting in fascines, etc., for protection to river banks In the lower paddocks, attending to water supply, clearing side channels, eto. The footpath in William and Aitken streets has been put in hand. Three of the men have been discharged, and only a sufficient number retained to carry out work in hand and a few necessary repairs. The report was adopted. FOOTPATHS. It was resolved on the motion of Cr Harrison that a hole in the footpath in East street near the Somerset Hotel be repaired. TENDERS. Tenders for compiling the valuation roll were opened, and that of Mr W. Horne accepted. * The time for receiving tenders for dog collars was extended for a fortnight. THE PROPOSED LOAN. Cr Williamson moved “ That the resolntions carried by the Council at last meeting with reference to borrowing be rescinded.” Seconded by Cr Tucker and carried. LICENSES. A carrier’s license was granted to Charles Brown. DISPUTED OWNERSHIP. Or Harrison detailed circumstances which had occurred in oonnoo ion with a spade which had been brought to his yards for sale, and which had been claimed by the Council’s foreman as borough property. He said that he had given all the information he had at his disposal to the police, but he did not know what action they purposed taking. PAYMENTS. Accounts amounting to £6O were passed for payment, and the Council adjourned.