AKAROA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 177, 29 March 1878, Page 2

AKAROA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

A meeting of the above Council was held at their offices on Tuesday, 26th March. Present—His Worship the Mayor, Crs Annand. Waeckerle, Penlington, Sunckell, Meech, Billens, Cullen, and O'Reilly. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE. The Clerk read the outward correspondence, among which were the following : — Letter to Mr Vangioni, promising that his complaint should be immediately attended to. To the Town Clerks of Lyttelton and Kaiapoi, re the 2009 acre reserves. To the Town Clerk, Christchurch, stating that the Mayor would attend the conference of Mayors and County Chairmen.

With reference to ■ this, the Mayor explained that ho had been prevented by the visit of Sir G. Grey from fulfilling his promise in this matter. To Messrs J. Daly, G. Scarbrough, and the proprietors of the Oddfellows' Hall, calling their attention to the necessity of licenses being taken out for the Town Hall, the Masonic, and Oddfellows' Halls respectively. To Dr Watkins, Messrs Davis, Bushell, and Black, re fencing. To Mr R. Noonan, asking for report of Fire Brigade. The following letters, comprising the inward correspondence, were then read :—

From the Colonial Architect, intimating that the Government will not be prepared to erect a Court-house in Akaroa until the new loan is raised. From the Treasury, Wellington, stating that if the Borough shall, by the 30th June, assent to the proposals of the Government, and take upon itself the control and maintenance of its Hospital and charitable institutions, the sums heretofore deducted for those purposes would be repaid, and the special grant of pound for pound would be payable. From the Colonial Secretary, informing the Council that the Borough had already got the foreshore, and that, if any land had been reclaimed, a survey plan should be furnished. From the Town Clerk, Thames, re the formation of a Municipal League, for the purpose of securing combined action in municipal matters. From the manager of the Bank of New Zealand, calling the attention of the Council to the state of its account, and requesting liquidation of the overdraft. A conversational discussion ensued, in which it was mentioned that the overdraft amounted to something over £96. The question of sums due for footpaths also cropped up. Finally, it was resolved, on the motion of Cr Annand — " That the Finance Committee be requested to wait on Mr Westenra in reference to the matter."

From the Crown Lands Office, a telegram, stating that the Minister had no objection io tbe Council letting the pasturage of reserves proposed to be granted. ' accounts. . A small account from G. Lardner was oassed for payment. One from the Akaroa Mail was referred back to the proprietors of that journal. TENDERS for reserves. Prior to the opening of these tenders, Crs Waeckerle and Penlington withdrew, as being interested in the matter —the former because he claimed a right over one of the reserves, and the latter as a tenderer. The following tenders were then opened for reserve No. 1901 :—F. Aiming, £11 per annum ; W. Penlington, £8; P. Brown, £10; E. Lelievre. £12.

At the request of Cr O'Reilly, the Town Clerk read the conditions on which it was proposed to lease the reserves in question.

Cr O'Reilly objected to one of the conditions, viz., that the lessee should have power to fence, and that tho Council should be bound to take over the fence at a valuation.

Cr Cullen concurred with the last speaker. He considered that the intention was to bring in a little money, whereas, under the conditions stated, the Council might be brought in debt.

Crs Sunckell and Meech thought all the tenders too low.

Cr Annand considered the reserve was worthless unless there were power to fence.

Cr O'Reilly proposed — " That Mr Lelievre's tender be accepted, subject to clauses 9 to 12 of the conditions being struck out," thus leaving the lessee, if he fenced, to do so at his own risk and cost. The motion was seconded by Cr Cullen. Cr Sunckell proposed —" That no tender be accepted for reserve 1901, all the tendors being too. low:" " Seconded by Cr Billens. Cr O'Reilly thought that half a loaf was better than no bread. It would be better to have even £12 a year than nothing. They had gone to a certain expense about them already. Crs Billens and Meech thought it would make the Council look very foolish first to advertise tho reserves to be let on certain conditions, and then, on receiving offers for them, to tarn round and alter those conditions. A division then took place, with the following result: — For Cr Sunckell's amendment—Crs Sunckell, Billens, and Meech ; against — Crs Cullen, O'Reilly, Annand, and the Mayor. For Cr O'Reilly's motion—Crs O'Reilly, Cullen, . and the Mayor ; against — Crs Billens, Meech, Sunckell, and Annand.

Both resolution and amendment were consequently negatived. Cr Annand then moved —"That the tender of Mr Lelievre be accepted, subject to the conditions as read." The motion was seconded by Cr Billens. Cr Waeckerle here took his seat, it being held that he was not interested in this reserve. - The motion was carried, Crs Sunckell and Waeckerle dissenting. For what is called the Roman' Catholic Reserve the following tenders were received : —F. Hahn, £12 ; T. Adams, £15 ; E. Ditely, £20 10s. Cr Penlington moved the acceptance of Mr Ditely's tender. The motion was seconded by Cr O'Reilly. Cr Meech said he considered thatCr Waeckerle had a right to the possession of the so-called reserve on the ground of a letter (produced), dated 1872, from the then Provincial Secretary for Public Works. Cr O'Reilly thought if Cr Waeckerle had any claim, the tribunals of the country were open to him to enforce it. The motion was carried, Crs O'Reilly, Cullen, Annand, Penlington, and the Mayor voting for, and Crs Billens, Meech, and Sunckell against it. lighting. On the motion of Cr Penlington, it was resolved—" That the attention of the lamplighter be called to the terms of his contract for lighting and cleaning the lamps." obstructions. The Clerk was instructed to proceed against a storekeeper, charged with obstructing the footpath. PROPOSED LOAN. Cr O'Reilly moved pursuant to notice— " That the necessary steps be taken under the borrowing clauses of the k Municipal Corporations Act, 1876,'t0 raise the sum of £3000, to be expended in constructing roads and bridges within the Borough of Akaroa."

The mover called the attention of the Council to the state of the roads and bridges within the Borough. The bridges all needed extensive repairs, if not renewal. The roads would be impassable after a month's rain. The Act gave them power to pay the expenses of raising the loan and the first year's interest out of loan ; after that, he hoped the revenue derivable from their reserves would enable them to carry on.

Cr Waeckerle agreed with the mover as to the necessity of the works mentioned, but considered the Council was not in a position to borrow money. He thought no capitalist would lend it on the security they could offer. Their rates were only about £300 a year. Cr Meech asked if Cr O'Reilly would be willing to reduce the amount to £2000. To a certain extent he was in favor of the proposal, though he would like to take time to consider the question. He would be in favor of the consideration of the question being adjourned. He would second the motion pro forma. Cr Billens proposed, and Cr Cullen seconded, the adjournment of the motion to Wednesday, April 3. Cr Annand would rather it were settled now. He thought the whole thing was ridiculous.. never be able to pay the second year's interest. The motion for adjournment was then put and lost, Crs Cullen, O'Reilly, Billens, and Meech voting for, and Crs Sunckell, Waeckerle, Annand, Penlington, and the Mayor against it.

Cr Penlington" concurred with Cr Annand. He thought the matter premature. Let them see what their landed estate would bring in, and then let them go into the money market. In reply, Cr O'Reilly contended that the works he had named7were of urgent necessity. When these ek>ential works were completed, they would not require much more to be done for years, and by that time they would have a good income. If the Council refused to entertain this proposal, he only saw one other thing for them to do, and that was to bring the last clause of the Act into force, and shut up. He hoped the Press would bring the financial position of the Council before the public. On a division, there appeared :—For the motion—Crs O'R'silly and Cullen ; against it—Crs Billens, Meech, Sunckell, Waeckerle, Annand, Penlington, and the Mayor, The motion was con; aquently lost. The Council then adjourned.