AKAROA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 211, 26 July 1878, Page 2

AKAROA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Wednesday, Jdly 24. The ordinary meeting of this Council was held as above.

Present—His Worship the Mayor (in the chair), Crs Waeckerle, Annand, Meech, Sunckell, Cullen, O'Reilly, Billens, and Bridge.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.

CORRESPONDENCE. The outward correspondence was read, Letters were read—

From W. Montgomery, Esq., M.H.R., enclosing copies of letters which he had written to the Government re the vesting of the reserves in the Council, and also about the Court-house.

Cr Waeckerle thought that the Council ought to ask for two pieces of land within the Borough which were not reserves. The Mayor said he had written and telegraphed about the matter to prevent the land in question being purchased.

Cr O'Reilly said the lands referred to, though not reserves, had been set apart as town lands. He believed their application included these lands. They were not reserved for any special purpose, but were reserves to all iitents and purposes. Cr Bridge thought that all correspondence on the subject should be looked up, and laid before the next meeting. In the meantime theletter could be acknowledged with thanks. He moved a resolution to that effect, which was agreed to.

From the Colonial Secretary, enclosing Gazette notice re extension of boundaries, and explaining cause of the delay which had taken place in answering the Council's letter on the subject. From MrC, F. Barker (telegram), stating that the completion of the survey of the Ashburton reserves was delayed owing to a discrepancy between the Government measurement and ground ones. auditors' repori. The auditors' report on the accounts from 31st March to 17th July was read. PAYMENTS. The following accounts were passed for payment:— £ s. d. H. Billens ... ... 16 10 0 A. Mitchell , 4 4 0 Incidental 0 6 3" J. Allott 0 12 0 Press Company ... 012 4 Lyttelton Times ... 010 0 Ewan ... ... 0 2 6 £22 17 1 Two accounts forwarded by the late Town Clerk were, on the motion of, Cr O'Reilly, seconded by Cr Sunckell, referred to a Committee for examination.

An account from Messrs Lake, Christchurch, was ordered to be returned for amendment, as s«tne of the items were not chargeable to the Council.

One from Wise and Co., Dunedin, for a New Zealand Directory, was disputed, as the Council had not ordered or received the work in question.

BY-LAWS.. Cr O'Reilly proposed that the Clerk be instructed to write to the proprietors of the Akaroa Mail, the Press, and the Lyttelton Times, asking for tenders for printing the by-laws. .- < Cr: Sunckell seconded the proposition. Cr Bridge thought that before going to any further expense, they ought to make sure that the copy forwarded tfc the Colonial Secretary was a,legal copy., It appeared that the late .Town; Clerk-had ■sealed them-himself. N '•- The Mayor corroborated this statement. Cr O'Reilly thought this was foreign to the. subject. If they got the tenders they /were* "hot' bound"- t_ a'ccf"pf _ny, <iff they ' found the by-laws illegal/ i V ; i l Cr Annand said, arrangements had been made with the Akaroa .Mail for printing thejby-laws. ,C,r O'Reilly 'said that the acts of a former Council could not bind this one. Cr Sunckell: Certainly not; Cr Bridge thought investigation should be made as to whether such an arrange? ment had bepn entered into, j . ■ ■. The.^motion was then put and carried. Ayes*—Crs "\Vaeckerls, SiinckeH, Meech, Billens; Cullen, and, O'Roilty. Noes— Crs Annand and Bridge, , . Cr Bridge moved that the Colonial Secretary be written to, asking copy of the by-laws forwarded' should be returned, as it appeared ,that they had been illegally' sealed. ■ .v'••"''' . Cr Waeckerle seconded the motion. The Mayor thought the only safe course would be to have a fresh copy made and 'sent.-- -- ...... ... Cr Meech cbncurred. **■ _ a The mo ti6n was agreed to. * BANK ACCOUNT/ ; The bank book was laid on the table, showing an overdraft of £86 5s 4d. The Mayor stated that accounts amounting to over £30 had since been passed for payment. * On the motion of Cr Meech it was resolved to procure a receipt book. FOOTPATHS. ' ' A conversation took place about the footpaths, during which the Mayor stated that there were no documents in the office containing any particulars about them.. The question was referred to the Works Committee, with power to have them remeasured, if necessary. The Works Committee was also authorised to employ an additional laborer for a few days. FARR'S BRIPGE. . Cr Waeckerle laid on the'table plans and specifications of a proposed bridge to be constructed of-brickj and sßtone. The expense would be hW'thau fia|£ that of the j plans formerly received. " £ ; The plans were referred to the Works j Committee, with power to act. LIGHTING.. ~ , JCr O'Reilly as_ed ; if any reply had been received from the Road Board respecting the proposed lamp at, Waeekerle's corner. The reply was in the negative, but the general impression appeared! to be that the Road Board would pay half the cost as soon as the lamp was erected.

WHARyES AND JETTIES. On the motion of Cr Bridge respecting taking over the wharves being read, Cr O'Reilly objected to its being brought forward, relying on section 80 of the Municipal Act

His Worship ruled the motion m order

Cr Bridge then proceeded to speak to his motion, which was to the effect that the Government be moved to hand over the wharves to the Borough. He said that since the cessation of Provincial Government, nothing had been spent on them. There was a sum of about £240 in the lessee's hands, and before this went to the Government, he would like to see the Council take them over. They would never get a harbor board here. The Council was the proper body to be a harbor board. The rates needed revision, and the wharf which had been erected partly by subscriptions would yield a revenue. There appeared to be a scare about expense. He could not understand that. The revenue derived from the wharves would keep them in repair, and, if they went in for them now, they would get a grant for extension.

Cr Annand seconded the resolution, and said that the longer they delayed taking tliem over, the worse position they would be in.

Cr O'Reilly said he was fairly taken aback. He had expected that Cr Bridge would bring forward something new, but nothing but the old arguments had been adduced. The question had been fully discussed at a former meeting, and it had been shown that the wharves were ma state of decay. Let the Government make the extension, or let a public meeting be called and a harbor board formed. The wharves were not safe for heavy traffic. The Government could not, and. would not, hand over the money in the lessee's hands.

Cr Bridge wished to make a" few remarks in explanation, but was called to order by Cr Meech.

:Cr Meech endorsed the statements of Cr O'Reilly as to the wharves being rotten. With regard to the one at that end of the town, they would not get as much out of it as would pay expenses. He believed the public fully approved of the former action of the Council in the matter. Cr Bridge had not supported his motion by any figures. The jetty would need to be lengthened two hundred feet to be of any use. Until the Government put the wharves into thorough repair, he would object .to their being taken over.

Tiie motion was then put, with the following result:—Ayes—Crs Bridge, Annand, and the Mayor. Noes—Crs Waeckerle, Sunckell, Meech, Billens, Cullen, O'Reilly. It was consequently lost. , public gaol. Cr O'Reilly moved " That the Minister of Justice bo written to, asking that the necessary steps be taken to proclaim the lock-up here a Public Gaol, with a view to economise prison labor in the Borough." He thought the : proposal would meet the approbation of the Government, on the ground of economy in saving travelling expenses.

Cr Cullen seconded the proposal. Cr Bridge would like to know whether any expense would bo involved.

Cr Waeckerle thought the only expense would be the employment of their fore-, man as special constable, to look after the prisoners while at work. *'

The motion was put and carried, Cr Annand dissenting.

The Council then adjourned till Monday evening next.