AKAROA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 136, 6 November 1877, Page 2

AKAROA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Friday, November' 2,

Present—His Worship the Mayor. Councillors Meech, Wagstaff, Penlington, Waeckerie, Sunckell, O'Reilly, and Annand.

CORRESPONDENCE. A letter was received from the Minister of Public Works, saying ihat the office now used by Mr Fenton would shortly be vacant, and that its use had been granted to the Council. Cr Wagstaff moved, seconded by Cr Sunckell — v That the letter be acknowledged, and that it be ascertained at what time the Council can get possession." The following letter was received from Mr Montgomery : — " Wellington, 27th October, 1877. " Dear Sir, —1 have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 22nd instant, and in reply to the various matters therein mentioned, I have to state that the Government will not grant any portion of the town reserves to the Maoris for the purpose of building an hostelry, as it is not considered that such a building is necessary.

"Tiie Minister of Lands assures me the Bill te make the necessary alteration in the v_orporation Act, to enable the reserves to be conveyed to the Borough Council will be introduced without delay.

"I have seen the report of Mr Williams, the engineer instructed by the Government to examine the public buildings in Akaroa.

"He recommends that the present buildings be re-shingied, and that a Courthouse should be built on reserve No. 83. He estimated the probable cost of the building at £400. "I pointed out to the Minister for Works that the amount named would be quite insufficient, and he increased it to £750 —the sum now down on .the Supplementary Estimates. I fear this amount will provide only a very plain building, and not one of the style you would like to see, and which you might reasonably expect to see erected in your town. " Respecting the piece of ground occupied by the engineer's office which you wish to have made over to the borough, I am not quite certain of the locality. You say it is part of the Custom House Reserve. Where is that reserve situated ? " I remain, " Dear Sir, " Yours faithfully, " W. MoNGOMERY. " A. Innes M'Gregor, Esq., Akaroa." The clerk was instructed to acknowledge receipt of the letter, and to give the neeesexplanation.

Cr O'Reilly wished to know if +he Road Board got compensation for the buildings at present on the Municipal Reserve 83 if any part of it would be coming to the Council. The Mayor said that a part of the offices belonged to Akaroa on the formation of the Borough, and that the Council would be entitled to a share, as provided for in the Act.

Cr Wagstaff thought the Council should not part with reserve 83 without aiiother effort, as it was one of the most valuable sites in Akaroa, and, if any reserve belonged to the .Council, that did. as it had been deliberately set aside for municipal purposes by the late Provincial Council.

Cr Meech thought it was a waste of time to squabble over what they would take and what they would not, as they had the letter from the Minister for Lands, saying that all reserves would be handed over to them with the exception of 83. The Council would simply make themselves ridiculous.

Cr Wagstaff moved—" That Mr Montgomery be written to, asking him to endeavour to get the Customs Reserve handed over to the Council instead of 83." Seconded by Cr O'Reilly.

A letter covering the Reserves Bill was read from Mr Montgomery, stating that the Bill had passed all its stages in the House of Representatives, and now stood on tin.' order paper for second reading, and that as soon as it became law the Government would be advised to transfer all the Akaroa Reserves to the Council With the exception of No. 83. GRAVEL ON FOOTPATHS. Air Davis complained that the gravel oh the footway opposite his shop was too rough, and asked the Council to blind it with some finer stuff. Cr O'Reilly thought it would not kill any one to rake off the rough gravel themselves opposite their own doors. The Mayor said a most dangerous precedent would be established by nliowing every one to tinker the footways, and one which the law distinctly forbade. Cr Annand moved—"'That the matter of the gravel on , the footways and Air Davis' letter be referred to the Works Committee." Seconded by Cr Penlington iid carried. ROAD BOARD WEN. A claim was received by the Council from some men employed by the Road Board to do work on Aylmer's Valley road, who found lhey had been working in mistake within the boundaries of the borough, and for which the Board objected to pay them. Cr Sunckell was of opinion that the officer of the Board was the person responsible, as the boundaries had been pointed out to him, and he should

have taken care to start the men in the proper place. Application refused. MEMO. FROM AUDITORS. The* auditors reported that they had examined .the books, aiid found them correct. The cash account and bank book agreed. Also making several suggestions in reference to keeping the books for convenience of audit, as the method required by the Act was too-cumbersome. Cr Wagstaff "moved—" That the_ auditors' suggestions be referred to the Finance Committee to' report at first meeting of the Council." Seconded by Cr Meech, and carried. ROAD AT CEMETERY POINT. Cr Meech drew attention to the fact that the clerk had gone beyond his instructions in writing to the Road Board in reference to a pathway round the rocky point below the cemetery, for the convenience or bathers and others ; it was no part.of, the resolution that the Council should pay for any part of it. Cr Wagstaff believed that the public would support them in the small expense j required beyond their bouundary, and he thought the letter better remain as it was. Complaints were made daily in reference to this point, and it certainly was a disgrace that the inhabitants of Akaroa could not, in the interests of decency and cleanliness, get round the point to bathe without running the risk of breaking their necks. Cr Annand moved—" That the clerk be instructed to say that the latter part of his letter was a mistake, and that the Board be requested to do the whole of the work." Seconded by Cr O'Reilly, and agreed to, Cr Wagstaff dissenting. RATES. Cr O'Reilly moved—"That the instructed to make personal application for the amount of all outstanding rates before summonsing, and report the amount collected at the next meeting of the Council." Seconded by Cr Wagstaff, and carried. PAYMENTS. Cr Meech moved, and Cr O'Reilly seconded, that J. Vangioni's account of £3 4s be paid Carried. RE-PAYMENT FROM BOAD BOARD. Cr Waeckerle moved — "That, as Aylmer's Valley road was a boundary road the clerk be instructed to apply to the Road Board for half the cost of repairs as required by the Act." Seconded by Cr Meech, and carried. NEW LAMPS. Cr Meech brought up his .notion of which he had given previous notice, in reference to an additional lamp on the sea wall below Cr Penlingtcn's property. Cr O'Reilly objected to it on the ground of want of funds. Cr Waeckerle said he was authorised to state that if the Council would erect a lamp at his corner at the entrance to the town, the Road Board would pay half the cost of erection and maintenance. Cr O'Reilly said the}' would again be going beyond their boundary, and as the Board had plenty of money in the bank doing nothing, they had better erect it themselves. Cr Wagstaff seconded the motion of Cr Meech, and the clerk was instructed to have the new lamp erected. AKAROA LIGHTHOUSE. The following motion was tabled by Cr Meech, and unanimously agreed to, viz :— " Thatthe member forthedistrict, W. Montgomery, Esq., be requested to draw the attention of the Commissioner of Customs to the injustice done to the Peninsula, and from which we are all suffering, viz., the want of the long promised lighthouse. The Council has been informed that the road to the lighthouse was to have been coinniPiiced in the spring, and nothing has hitherto been done. That the Council request immediate attention to the matter. DOCKS IN STREETS. Cr Sunckell was of opinion that it was now 'time the docks and weeds on the the streets and footways'should be cut up.

The Council resolved to let this matter stand over until nearer the 16th of December. HOSPITAL. Cr Penlington moved —" That this Council take steps to have such sum placed upon the Supplementary Estimates as will enable the suggestions of the architect to be carried out, and the building opened for the use of the public." Seconded by Cr O'Reilly, and carried. The clerk was instructed to communicate with the proper authorities at once on the subject. LAV AUD STREET. Cr Sunckell drew the attention of the Council to the stones in Lavaud street, opposite Kissel l's, and the necessity for lengthening the culvert at Armstrong's. On the suggestion of Cr Meech. the work would be done as soon as funds were available. The Council then adjourned.