AKAROA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 275, 7 March 1879, Page 2

AKAROA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Wednesday, March 5.

The usual fortnightly meeting of this * Council was held on the above date at their office } Balguerie street. Present—His Worship the Crs Penlington, Meech, Billen's, Alger, Bruce, Cullen, and' Bridge. , ' The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed.

CORRESPONDENCE.

The outward correspondence was read Letters were read—

From the Colonial Secretary, informing the Council that Mr R. M. Barry had been gazetted Registrar of Dogs for the borough, and that the appointment had been advertised in the Lyttelton Times ; also, informing the- Council that for tha future the local bodies mustJ>ay for the advertising in what the Uuder Secretary chooses to call a local paper. (N.B. —Published sixty miles away.) - .

From J. Aylmer, Esq., forwarding his award as Commissioner between tho Borough and Road District, amounting to £270.

It was resolved that a letter be written to the Chairman of the Road Board, requesting a cheque for the amount awarded.

REPORT OF FINANCE'COMMITTEE.

Cr Penlington brought up the report of the Finance Committee on the matter of summonsing defaulting ratepayers.

The Committee reported that they had instructed the Clerk to visit the burgesses personally prior to taking the extreme measure of summonsing.' The personal canvass so far had been fairly successful, about £47 having been collected by these means. He (Cr Penlington) was averse to taking the extreme measure of issuing summonses unless it were shown to be absolutely necessary. One reason he had for this opinion was that he felt sure that in several cases it would be impossible to prove that notices had been served.

Cr Meech concurred in the remarks of the last speaker, and moved the adoption of the report. Carried.

works committee's report

Cr Meech. brought up this report. They recommended an alteration in the approaches to Meech's bridge, necessitated by the height of the bridge being raised one foot.

That the method of keeping op n ttaffic during the building of the bridge near Hahn's corner be left in the hands of the Chairman and his Worship the Mayor.

That the state of the footbaths, side channels, and streets in the Borough be taken into consideration, and tenders he invited for cleaning them, also that the persons tendering for cleaning the footpaths and side channels furnish the cost of forming footpaths in Upper Jollie street (timber.provided by the Council), to be in unison with the footpaths already in the Borough.

The Chairman and Mayor to be authorized to determine on the alterations required for the bridge at Halm's corner.

That three additional lamps he erected in the Borough, v»_., one in Balguerie street, one in Bruce's terrace, and one in Church street. That the Chairman confer with Mr Fenton with regard to drawing out plans and specifications, taking levels, and preparing estimates for works required in Balguerie street.

That on one of the panels of the piers of each of the new bridges the name of his Worship the Mayor be inserted.

With reference to the last paragraph but one of the report, Cr Meech staled that he had arranged with Mr Fenton for the work referred to.

On the motion of Cr Billens, the report was adopted.

BRIDGE AT HAHN'S CORNER.

A lor.g discussion ensued on the alterations required in this bridge. The contractor was in attendance, and made a claim for certain alterations required in this bridge. The general opinion seemed to be that the alterations required would result in the contractor making a saving instead of its costing" him more. At the same time, it was-felt that he was master of the situation. Ultimately the matter was left in the hands of his Worship the Mayor and Cr Meech.

With reference to the maintenance of traffic, his Worship reported that Mr Hahn had made a demand of £5 for leave to ufee his paddock as a thoroughfare. He was against this himself, and thought they could do without stopping traffic over the bridge at all, by building it in three sections instead of two.

The matter was left in the hands of his Worship to arrange.

SANITARY.

The report of the Inspector of Nuisances was read. He had found twenty-six cesspools in use in the Borough. Several conveniences also were too near the creek, and there was a practice of emptying nightsoil on the beach. Some back premises were described as being in a very bad condition. \

Cr Meech moved that the whole matter be referred to the Sanitary Committee, and in the meanwhile the Inspector be instructed to give notice to those persons creating a nuisance to abate it at once.

Cr Penlington thought that the matter could not be thoroughly dealt with till they had their by-laws in force. The persons creating nuisances should certainly be compelled to abate them at once, but they would have to grapple with the whole subject shortly. The motion was carried. PAYMENTS. The following accounts were passed for payment: — C. Burns, Muter et. contract £16 0 0 W. Jones, progress pajmient 60 0 0 W. Parsons, clerical assistance 0 10 0 H. Burke, burying carcases .. 0 10 0 Clerk's salary ... ... 16 13 4 £93 13 4 ! LIGHTING. With reference to the claim of J. L. Manning for lighting and maintenance of lamps, Cr Meech thought it should not be passed without comment. He did not think that either lighting or maintenance had been carried out. The Council had power to stop the payment in the event of non-fulfilment of his contract. He did not wish to press for this at present, but he thought that he should receive some warning for the future. Crs Penlington, Cullen, Billens and the Mayor corroborated what had fallen from Cr Meech as to the inefficient manner in which the lighting was carried on. Cr Bruce stated that the contractor had hurt his foot, and had had to employ assistance. It was resolved that the contractor be written to, expressing the dissatisfaction of the.Council at the manner in which he is carrying out his contract. CLEBK'S SURETIES. The Mayor reported that the Clerk's sureties would be completed to-morrow. KAITANGATA BELIEF FOND. Cr Billens had seen something in the papers to the effect that it had been left in his Worship's hands to take some steps towards organizing subscriptions for this fund. He would suggest that Borne subscription lists be printed and sent round to ihe most influential men in the different localities.

His Worship promised to have this ■done.

The Council then-adjourned.