AKAROA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 159, 25 January 1878, Page 2

AKAROA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Wednesday, Jan. 23. Present—His Worship the Mayor, Crs Waeckerle, Penlington, Billens, Sunckell, Meech, Cullen, O'Reilly, Wagstaff, and Annand. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE. From the Secretary of Crown Lands, Wellington, acknowledging receipt of the Council's letter of the 2nd instant, which asked that a grant may now be made to the Borough ""of the 2000 acres of land already reserved as an endowment in reply, begging to call the attention of the Council to the several trusts and purposes for which such grant may be made, as specified in section 351 of the "Municipal Corporations' Act, 187 C," and requesting the Council to state for which of these purposes the grant is required, or whether it is desired that different portions of the land should he granted for different purposes. Cr Billens proposed, seconded by Cr Sunckell, and carried, that the letter be answered, stating that the endowment was in aid of the Borough Funds.

From the Constabulary Department, Christchurch, informing the Council that the dog collars belonging to the Borough had been forwarded to the Police in Akaroa. On the motion of Cr Wagstaff, seconded by Cr Meech, an advertisement was ordered to be inserted in the Akaroa Mail, drawing, the burgesses attention to the fact that they must obtain collars within a month from date. From Messrs Bain and Warner, contract surveyors, engineers, &c, offering their services to the Council. The letter was ordered to be received. From Mr S. C. Farr, stating that he held no legal appointment as agent of the late Robert Cragie, but only acted privately for the interests of his widow and family. This letter was also directed to be received.

From Mr J. Daly, resigning his appointment as one of the Council's auditors. Cr Annand moved, seconded by Or Wagstaff, that Mr Daly's resignation, be accepted. Cr O'Reilly asked, on what authority six extra closet pans had been ordered from Mr Anderson, of Christchurch. The Clerk explained that they were for the Hospital and Immigration Barracks, and not for the Council.

His Worship corroborated this statement, and said that Mr March had asked that they might be ordered through the Council, for the sake of convenience. Cr O'Reilly said this was not right. Nothing should be ordered without having first been brought before the Council. Cr Meech agreed with this ; he was of opinion that no matter how small the article, every order should pass.the Council. His Worship said, it was allowed that people should purchase these pans from the Council, and, in fact, it was purposely permitted to save them expense. After some further discussion, Cr O'Reilly proposed, seconded by Cr Waeckerle, that the six pans ordered for the Barracks and Hospital be countermanded. This being put to the Council, the motion was lost by 6 to 3. Cr Meech moved, that any person requiring closet pans should write to the Council, asking them to supply the same, and that their applications should be submitted to the Council before the order was sent. Cr Billens seconded the proposition. Cr Wagstaff objected to the Council being turned into mere hucksters, especially for closet pans. His Worship said the Christchurch Council sold these pans. Cr Wagstaff explained that the case was different. There they had made a large order for some hundreds from England, with the intention, of course, of supplying the Borough. His Worship said that as yet none had been ordered by private individuals, only by the Government departments, and for sanitary purposes, and surely it was their business to to and assist all that related to the latter. The motion being put to the Council, was lost by 6 to 3. The Chairman of the Finance Committee here read his report, and considerable, discussion ensued with regard to the Engineer's account. It was proposed by Cr Meech, seconded by Cr Cullen, that the items of the account be taken seriatim. Finally, and after a great deal of time had been wasted, the report of the Finance Committee, as first read, was adopted, viz., that seven guineas be deducted from the Engineer's account payments. £_. d. | E. C. Latter 010 0 Letter-box ... ... 1 0 0 ! G. Black 011 0 A. Scott 11 6 J.Daly ... ... 0 6 6 Garwood and Co. - ... 0 7 6 Ernshaw (dog-collars) 4 .2' 4J On the motion of Cr Sunckelb seconded by Cr Cullen, the above accounts were passed for payment. Cr O'Reilly brought under the notice of the Council that he had been informed by Sergeant Ramsay that certain dog fees, properly accruing to the Borough, had last'year been paid to the County Council. He was of opinion that these fees should he refunded, and th_t the Council should ask that they might be so. After a long discussion, Cr Meech proposed, seconded by Cr O'Reilly, that the Clerk write to the Chairman of the County Council, asking him to refund any monies that may have been paid in error to the County Council, resulting from dog licenses. This motion was afterwards withdrawn. Cr Annand asked whether, when the bye-laws were sent up to Wellington, any receipt had been received. The Clerk explained that no receipt had been sent down, but that when such receipt was received then the bye-laws would have been passed and become law. Cr Waeckerle said the bye-laws should have been printed and in force by this time. It was resolved that the Clerk telegraph to the Minister of Justice, requesting that a receipt might be returned for the copy of bye-laws sent up on the 30th of May last. The Mayor stated that Mr Latter could not supply to Una for Higgins' bridge, but that he was n'ule to send black pine. On the motion of Cr Annand, seconded by Cr Penlington, the matter was referred to the Works Committee, with power to act. Cr Meeeh's notice of motion, " That the resolution to cut a drain through section 125 be rescinded," was withdrawn. The Clerk here retired to permit of free discussion. Cr Meeeh's notice of motion—"That an advertisement be inserted in the Akaroa Mail, inviting ap;:-iications for a Clerk, such application to be accompanied with the proper qualifications according to the Act," was then put before the meeting. Cr Meech said the Act demanded that any officer entrusted with the care of public monies should have proper security. Their present Clerk had not this qualification. The Council had been twitted that they were afraid to bring the matter forward. He did not think this was right. If they were working by an Act, then that Act should be strictly carried out. Their Clerk was Collector as well, an.l so it was imperative that he have proper security. The bond which had been put in that evening was no good. * -

Cr Wagstaef reminded the Council that the'collectorship had been forced upon the Clerk, and that he received no salary for it. The security required had been put in that evening in the shape of the bond before them, and therefore it would be better to let the matter rest.

-Cr O'Reilly thought it was a case of the biggest shuffling he had ever seen. Here they had a Clerk employed for such and such a time without proper security, and when attention is drawn to it, the Clerk "informs the Finance- Committee that he would not give the security; yet no aqtion is taken in the matter until ; the present notice of motion is tabled. The bond was put in now to shelve the motion, and he for one would object to the bond, and.he wished the motion to be considered by the Council.

Cr Waeckerle could not see the ute of the bond that was put in; It only applied to the Clerk, not to the, .collector. Before, when asked about securities/the Clerk had said he could not afford it; now, he is able to find this bond. He had nothing whatever to say against the Clerk person-

ally, but the Council must be placed in a legal position. " :

Cr Cullen thought it would .have been better if the Finance Committee had acted in a straightforward manner when the subject was first alluded to.

Cr Wagstaff said there was no good blaming him or the Finance Committee ; the Committee's report was read to the Council ; they heard it there stated that the Clerk did not feel himself justified in going to the expense of security, yet they took no notice or action at the time. He had never beard any complaint of the Clerk's manner of conducting his business, if there had been, they should give him a month's notice and dispense with his services ; but as it was, they had no reason to complain, and, at any rate, the month's notice should be given. Cr Penlington considered it was no fault of the Finance Committee, nor of the Clerk. No notice had been taken of the matter by the Council, as they considered the small amount of money passing through his hands, and. the fact of their having pressed the office of collector upon him, would not need his'having security. However, the proper way to have gone about it would hat-e, been to- have asked him to find pro per security, and if he was not able to do it, then" of course he must Cr Meech said he would amend his notice of motion, if the Council was agreeable. Cr Annand said he would not agree to an amendment. ' ■ , • •

Cr Meech thought that was just a-shuffle and nothing else, and that it was conduct unworthy of a councillor. CrGuLLEN said, it would be better to withdraw the motion, arid discuss the bond that had been handed in. He waa sure they could not get a better clerk in Akaroa. Cr Waeckerle proposed as. an amendment, '■• that the clerk get notice that his services expire one month after date, and that notice be given for a clerk and collector." This his Worship ruled could not be put, as being irrelevant to the former motion. The original motion was then pot r and 5 carried. Cr Waeckerle,now .wished, to bring forward his amendment as a substantive motion, but his Worship ruled it out of order. Great confusion and disorder..prevailed for a short-time, Crs Meech, O'Reilly, and Sunckell objecting to hi» Worship's ruling. Finally, however, order was restored, and the business proceeded with. A notice of motion, tabled by Cr Annand, was' ordered to stand over till next meeting. The Council then adjourned.