ORDINARY MEETING.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1784, 24 January 1888, Page 2

ORDINARY MEETING.

The business of the ordinary meeting was then prooeoded with. Or R. Friedlander took his seat.

' mayor's ST_.T*MBNT, The Mayor said that the debit balanoe _ at the Bank was £1532 19a lOd. Tne •mounts which hid been reoelved since last meeting were— Earth, £6 10s ; culverts, ' £1 10s ; refund cost stamping lease, 5s * i Oounty Council's share of fire at the i bridge, £1 12s 6d ; water supply, £2 ; excise Ho »"se, temporary transfer, £2 14s ; lloensei, £2 ; dog licenses. £3 ; rents of reserves. £2 7s; rates, 1887, £2 9». Total, £25 7s 6d. The amount of rates remaining uncollected was £36 2s 2d, OOREEBPONDSNCI, Letteri were read— (l) From Crown Lands Offioe asking for Informitiou regarding Borough reserves.— -Mr R. Frledlander objeoted to the return being supplied free, because It Involved a great deal of trouble. The Government had discontinued much of Its assistance to local bodies, and he would move that the Information be supplied provided the Government paid for the clerical labor required. — Or Soott seconded. — The motion was lost, aod It was decided that the Olerk should elve the information asked for. — (2) From the Oounty Council enolosiog its proportion of cost of putting out fire on bridge. The Council also asked for the Borough's share of certain repairs effected to the deokiag of tbe bridge. — Amount passed.— (3) From the County Council agreeing to Fire Inspector's suggestion that buckets should be plaoed on the bridge. — Or H. Frledlander said that ho had promised the County Counoil's Engineer that the Borough's foreman would attend to placing buckets on the bridge. — Or Frledlandsr's action was approved ,—(3) From tha Manager of Union Bank stating that he had referred the matter of rednctlon of Interest on the Council's overdraft to the chief effioor, and would Inform tbe Oounoli aa to tbe nature of tSe|reply when It was received. faix'onelf.n of|tlme to report was granted the Finance Committee.— (s) From Mr Neate, m reference to one of the Council's reserves. — Received. — (6) Mr W. Mitchell on a similar subject. — Referred to the Reserves Committee. engineer's rkport The Engineer's teport mainly referred to work done by tbe itbor gang. In ac oordanoe with the uau.l plan at this time of the year, all tha men, with the exception of five, had reoalved nottoe that their services wonld bo temporarily dispensed with. OOMMIITBBB RFPORTSf The Reserves Committee and Fire Brigade Committees submitted reports. The latter Committee said that it oon* templated meeting the Brigade m regard to some suggestions made by that body. It also suggested that to save the plantations from fire, the long grass growing round the trees should be out, Tbe suggestion In regard to grass In plantations was referred to the Works Cora- '• mittee with power to act* ' The J?ire Brigade reported the occurrence ] of a gre m plantation on Alford Fdjrest ! Road. The expenses were £? I*. A fire had also occurred on the North East Belt, and a four-roomed house was de- I stroyed. The expenses at the latter fire • ' amounted to £L s>, and the Brigade asked I , the Oounoli to tako into consideration the | ] payment of several men who worked to i popp'f tbo b*»d ptmpi t ltb water, [

It was dooidod tbat the amounts be paid, tho Hampstead Town Board to be applied to for a refund of the latter one, the question of payment of workers to ba also referred to the Town Board. The Brigade also complained of the ' Ineffiolenoy of the ringing gear of the fireball. i

Master referred to tha Fice Brigade Committee.

BETRB3OBMENT. Parsu*nt to notico, Or H. Frledlander moved- "That a Committee consisting of the Mayor and Ors Williamson, Bealy, Thnma'j, Soott and the mover bo appointed to look Into the CounoU'a finances, and ascertain what savings, if any, o»n be effected." He said that m moving m this direction he felt a certain amount of diffideno % , as ho thought the motion would Havo better come from" the Mayor, who at a recent public meeting had made certain remarks as regarded the expenditure of the Council. Either those remarks were not justified, or if they were, the Council was m duty bound to look into Its sxpenditure and Rea what saving could be made. He might say he was not m tho hall at thg tiraa when the Mayor rasde tha remarks he had referred to, and he on'y judged of them by what he had beard and read m the newspapers. The proposed Cjmmitteo's duty would ba to look into the Council's finances, and if thiy were living beyond their means or wasting money then thoy would have to ■top doing so. Ur Raid seconded tho motion. He did not expect that any great savings could be made, but they should retrench wherover they could. Tho Mayor said that he had been a little misunderstood as to what he had said at the meeting. He had advocated oare being oxercised and economy used wl.erever practicable. He had n>t pointed ! out any specific course of action, but had urged the necessity of economy wnerever possible. He supported tho appointment of the. Committee, because il might be the meant of doing good . Other Councillors having spoken, the motion was carried. SALVAGE COBPH, The Mayor brought up the question of the formation of a salvage corps, the desirability of such an institution having oeen evidenced at the late fire. Tho matter was referred to the Fire Brigade Committee. » S.W. CBNTEH_i_fcY. Or Reid said he had been deiirod to isk whether a holiday would be declared on Thursday next, tbe day of the celebration of tbe N.S.W. Centenary. The Counoil decided that the proper course would be If the burgesses desired a holiday to get up a requisition. LICENSES. Two kerosene licenses were granted. FAYMBNTS , Accounts amounting to £82 19j lOi were passed for payment.