AKAROA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 115, 24 August 1877, Page 2

AKAROA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Special meeting, August 20th. Present—His Worship the Mayor, Crs. Waeckerle. Penlington, Cullen, Brace, Chadwick, and Annand. The Mayor explained that the meeting had been called to consider the following letter from Mr. Montgomery re the matter of the grant and site- for the new public buildings :— r Wellington, August 13, 1877. Sir, —I have the honor to acknowledge a receipt of your letter of the 7th instant, and I immediately waited on the Colonial Secretary, relative to the reserves. The matter has been referred to the Crown Law Officers, and after they have examined the papers, I will call again on the Colonial Secretary, and push the matter forward with all speed. Respecting the grant asked for by the Council, for Government buildings, I had a long conference with Mr. Brown. He stated that the amount asked for was much" in excess of what the Government could grant, regard being had to necessities and the limited amount of money at the disposal of the Government. He also said he thought the present site was the best for the public offices. I pointed out to him the necessity of increased playground for the children attending the public school, which he acknowledged.

He sent for the plan you furnished, with the reserves marked therein; and, after examination, he , remarked that he was aware that the site proposed by the Council was objected to, by many of the inhabitants. We theij considered the site on which the Road Board Office stands, and he then suggested that a Courthouse might be built thereon. I pointed out that this would only be & half measure, and that the post and telegraph offices were miserable buildings, and that the ground was required for school accoraodation. The result of the interview is this.— Mr. Brown is to consult the PostmasterGeneral, and I am to obtain the views and wishes of the Council respecting the site. Please let me know at , your earliest convenience as to your approval or otherwise, of the site now suggested.—l have the Honor to be Sir, Yours faithfully, W. Montgomery. Cr Watkins thought it was a matter calling for careful consideration and dis 1 ciission ; he therefore moved " That the Council formed itself into a committee of the whole." Cr Ann and seconded the proposition, which was carried. Cr Waeckerle said, in the first place the General Government had not seen the site already proposed. lii the second place, he considered the way the Council had acted in the matter had been unfair. The Mayor called up-m Cr Waeckerle to explain. Cr Waeckerle repeated that the action of the Council in this matter had been underhand. (Cries of order.)

The Mayor called Cγ Waeckerle to order, requesting him to adhere to his subject. ■* Cγ Waeokerle resumed : He was glad that the General Government had, selected a better site than the one proposed, but that the Council should bear in mind that the section' on which the-Road Board office now stands in reality 'belonged to the Municipal Council. It was down on the Estimates as Municipal ground. It was his opinion that the present site of the public buildings should be kept, taking in tho sections next to it, and including the reserve on which the police barracks, lock-up, and stable were situated, which should be removed ac unsightly, and out of place in the middle of the town. In this way, too, increased playground accommodation could be acquired. If the General Government intended to build, he thought it advisable that these sections should be mentioned. He would not make any resolution, but strenuously opposed the Magazine Reserve being used by the General Government. There was another plan, if the Council would recommend it, namely, to move the present school buildings, which were not in the proper place, as the Councillors would agree, the Government paying so much towards finding a better site. The Mayor agreed that the school was not in a proper position. Cr Penlingtoi? said that the position suggested by the Government only granted half measuies, and would not suit the re-, qnireinents of the town, which would not be benefitted by it. What was wanted was more room. As to the addition of the sections suggested by Cr Waeckerle, that was of small importance. He was of opinion that the new buildings should be on a roomier site, an ornament to the town; and more commodious. Cr Watkins said the public had suffered great inconvenience from the wretched state of the public buildings for a long time past. The Council had taken the matter in hand, and had initiated steps towards procuring better buildings, and had suggested a site for the same. Since this action on the part of the Council the public had. become divided on the question of the site, one end being against the other. When the Council went into committee to consider the matter, they took the trouble of making enquiries as to the various sections likely to suit the purpose. The Magazine Reserve was proposed, and Cr Waeckerle had objected to it, and. also to his section next it. He agreed with Cr Waeckerle that the Council should not give up the reserve. As to his proposal of the police section and those next the present court-house, it was absurd ; those sections were not disposable. And us regarded the General Government taking up their side in the matter, it was not worthy of mention. Since Mr Bowen had visited Akaroa the town had made great strides in improvement. Placing the public buildings in the centre would suit all parties, and their being a little nearer the English end was merely done to save expense. Councillors would agree that the centre of the town was the best position for them. Should the Government agree to grant the money asked for them, the ground in the centre of town should be reclaimed, the buildings placed there, and the school buildings, if necessary, placed on the remaining portion of the reclaimed land. As to the matter of the present school buildings being in the wrong place, that was not the matter under discussion. Cr Waeccerle proposed " That the representative of the district be requested to obtain as much as possible from the Government as a grant towards the new buildings, the site to be a matter for after consideration; and that it should be strongly urged that the site of the present Road Board office be reserved for municipal purposes." The motion fell though for want of a seconder. Cr ChAdwick agreed with Cr Watkins as to the position for the buildings. Cr Cdllen judged from the tone of the letter that Council were not likely to get the money asked for, though perhaps enough to build a court-house alone, in which case it would be better to take it, and never mind the rest for the present. Did not think by Le Prou's was a good place. The Mayor failed to see what difference it made which end they were erceted. He would like to know if anyone knew where the centre of the town really was. Cr Watkins said the centre of the town was just beneath Cr Penlington's house. The Mayor considered the opposition shewn by the public premature. Should obtain the grant first, and settle as to the site afterwards by a public meeting. He agreed with what Cr Watkins had said. The Council were placed there to do the best they could for the burgesses, and they had done so. Now they opposed their action in the matter. Cγ Annand thought that the site suggested by Mr Bowen belonged to the Council, and should be kept by them. Merely talcing the court-house away would be of no benefit. All the buildings should be removed. The sections next the courthouse, together with the police section, would be of no use. The only proper site was that afforded by reclaiming the land spoken of. He was not particular as to which end of the beach they were placed, so long as they were within ieach of all. Mr Bowen had no right to recommend the site he had done.

Cr Cullen was agreeable to reclaiming the land if the £3000 could be obtained. Cr Watkins said if £2000 were obtained they would be able to put up good buildings, though with not much style about them. The attention of the member for the district should be drawn to the bad state of the buildings for this long time past. • ■ Cr Penlington was of opinion as to the reclamation of the land, that they were ignorant of what it would cost. He thought £2000 would not far. The cost would not be less than £3000. He was in favour of reclamation, and the buildings being in one block, but reclamation was very expensive. Cr Chadwick said the site proposed by Cr Watkins was in the centre of the town. It was not expensive to reclaim the land, at any rate it was far cheaper than buying ground. Cr Waeckerlb would object to the site. . Cr Penlington asked« whether it was necessary to answer the letter at once. It was better to ascertain the cost of the reclamation. Cr Waeokerle thought it was the Government's business, not the Council's, to reclaim the land, and build upon it. Cr Penlington said it would benefit the town considerably. He would move

"That some competent person draw up an estimate of the..cost for filling up that end decided on for site, and report to the Council." Then they would be in a posir tion to shew a plan of what the Council intend to do. The site suggested in the centre of the , town was not in conformity with Mr Montgomery's letter. ' The" motion was subsequently withdrawn. • Cr Waeckerle thought the centre should not be-judged by measurement, but by the convenience afforded to the public. He maintained the buildings should he on the present site. Cr Annand said their objection to the site proposed by Mr Bowen should be notified, also a statement of their views as to reclamation. Cr Watkins proposed, and Cr Chadwick seconded, " That this Council are of opinion that to meet the wishes of all burgesses, the Council recommend putting the new buildings in the centre of the town, as shewn by the Borough map." The motion was carried, Cr Waeckerlo dissenting. Cr Penlington suggested that it be added to the'letter that the Council object to the Governmem taking the Magazine Reserve as being municipal property. The Council then adjourned.