ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1829, 1 May 1888, Page 2

ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

+ The ordinary meeting was held last evening. Present— Tho Mayor and Crs Williamson, Soott, Bird, Roberts, Reid and Thomas. Cr Tucker's absence was apologised for. mayor's btatkjibnt. The Mayor said that the debit balance at the Bank was £1368 lla 6d. The amounts whioh had been received since lasb meeting were : — Earth, 63 ; oulvorts, 6s ; Borough Real, £1 la; licenses, £15s; dope, £5 10a : Library, £1 9s ; ratea 1887, 198; rates 1888, £69 13s ; rents of reserves, £105. Total, £185 Ba. CORRESPONDENCE Letters were received (1) Prom Audit Office stating Inspector would visit the district at an early date; (2) Prom United Charitablo Aid Board stating that Borough's contribution for ourront year was £94 13s, or ]-13th of Id m the £1 on the fuaessed value of property m tho Borough. — The Mayor explained the system on which the estimates were based. He said that Mr Walker, to whom great oredit was due.and himself, had succeeded m getting the estimaiea reduoed by some £1500. — i Letter* reoeived; (3) From Grown Lands Office requesting information regarding Borough endowments. — This letter had been attended to ; (4) From Mr R. W. Joneß enolosing testimonials respecting Merry weather's fire engines He would be pleaßed to bring an engine to Aahburton for exhibition or competition. —Received ; (5) Prom Mr W. H. Collins, on behalf of the Wealeyan Ohuroh Trustees, making application for lease of Reserve, adjoining Library.— Referred to the Reserves Committee, with power to aot ; (6) From Mr J. Anderson, Ohristohuroh, offering road soraper for aale,— Letter reoeived ; (7) From Mr Q. W. Andrews making application for permission to shift the Templar Hall. — Permission granted subject to the usual conditions; (8) From Mr Mitohell m referenoe to offer to lease a Reserve, requesting reply.— lt was decided to refer the matter to the 1 Reserves Committee; (9) From Mr 0. E. Fooka acknowledging' award made by Council for extra services. He expressed his regret at severing his connection with the Counoil, and his acknowledgement for the oourteay with whioh he had been treated. He asked the Counoil if it would expresa its opinion of the work that had been done by him during his nine years oonneotion with the Council.— Cr Williamson spoke very eulogistically of the exoellent work oarried out by the Engineer, and whose servioea to the Counoil merited a very flattering testimonial indeed. He thought a Committee might be appointed to draw up a testimonial, and he moved that the Mayor, Crs Thomas, Bird, Friedlander, and the mover be appointed for that objeot. -Or Thomas seconded the motion, heartily endorsing the remarks of Cr Williamson, and regretting that hard times and the necessity for retrenchment had made ,it neoessary to dispense with the services of Mr Fooks. — The Mayor, and Ora Reid and Bird also spoke m a very flattering manner of the valuable services that had been rendered by Mr Fooka. — The motion waa oarridd unanimously. engineers' report. The Engineers' reported as follows :— Metalling : Aa there has been no meeting of the Works Committee, this matter, as well as an application for soil, has been left m statn quo. It would be desirable that the metalling should be done soon, before the roads are cut up by the carfctraffio. — Protective Works : There have been one or two small froahes, but we have no particular damage to report. We have had some damaged trees put m some weak places, and would suggest the Council should get some gorse fasoinea cut and ready for an emergency, also the advisability of driving a few piles and making some good of the protection fenoes m the river-bed. Clause 1 was referred to the Worka Committee with power to aot. Clause 2 was adopted. STEAM FIRE ENGINE, Cr Roberta had muoh pleasure m reporting that tho £200 the Counoil had resolved Bhould be subscribed outside before tho steam fire engine was secured, had now beon promised. Cr Tucker, tho Chairman of tho Committee, was absent, and lie supposed the matter had better be left m abeyanae till hia return. FIRE BRIGADE. A report from the Fire Brigade, deferred from last meeting, oama up for consideration. The various matters referred to wore dealt with, , lUE/I1 -reaHTlNor ' " " Cr Reid moved that the attention of the Department be again called to the matter of [ tree planting on the Railway Reserves, and I that the members for the district be urged I to raovo m the matter. Cr Roberta seconded the motion, whioh was oarried. ... MISCELLANEOUS. A carriage and a driver's license were granted to Mr Ohas. Brown, payments were passed, a quantity of miscellaneous business was transacted, and the Counoil adjourned.