AKAROA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 331, 19 September 1879, Page 2

AKAROA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Wednesday, Sept. 17. A special meeting of this Council was held at their offices, Balguerie street, on the above date. Present—His Worship the Mayor (in the chair), Crs Cullen, Wiggins, O'BeilJy, Bruce, and Armstrong. The two latter councillors made and subscribed the usual declaration. The object of the meeting was to confirm a resolution passed at a special meeting held on August 20, to the effect that the by-law against furious riding be amended by adding to the words " any street or private street" the words "or any thoroughfare." i ■■ } The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed, Cr O'Eeilly proposed that the foregoing resolution be confirmed. Carried unanimously. This terminated the business of the special meeting, and the Ordinary Meeting was then held, the same councillors being present, with the addition of Crs Mcccli and Penlington. . The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. - CORRESPONDENCE." .The Clerk read the outward correspondence, including a letter to the eontracter for the lighting, calling his attention to the unsatisfactory manner in which he was carrying out his contract.

The Mayor asked for an expression of opinion as to the advisableness of enforcthe penalties already accrued. Or O'Reilly thought that since the last meeting there hod been a marked improvement in the lighting. No councillor could be more in favor of enforcing the terms of a contract than himself, but he believed that the neglect had been due to a misapprehension, and he thought they might leave the matter as it was for the present. This appeared to be the general opinion, and the matter dropped. On another letter being read, the question of the Council being called upon to furnish levels to every person requiring them for the purpose of building, fencing, &c.f was considered. A long discussion ensued on the question, but ultimately the matter was allowed to drop, it being understood that each application should be dealt with on its merits. Letters wero read— From the agent of the Bank of New Zealand, calling attention to the state of the Oouncii'a account, and asking by what time the rates could be got in. From the Chief Surveyor (circular), asking the Council to give notice to their contractors and others, cautioning them against destroying or removing survey marks. From Mr A. T. Johnson, calling upon the Council to bear their share of fencing section 279G5, adjoining the Borough Reserve, Ashburtori. Consideration of the letier was defarred till nest meeting, in the meantime a copy of the Fencing Act to be procured. '

From the Colonial Secretary, explaining that the deduction of £12 from subsidy under the heading of Chaiitable Aid waa on account of the maintenance of tho Lyttelton Orphan Asylum and the Burnham Industrial School,' arid "not for charitable aid proper which had been taken over by the Council. ,- •The gerieral opinion of councillors was that when the Council took over the care of; their own poor, they were absolutely freed from all other liabilities. The Mayor promised that a letter, embodying these opinions, should be written to the Colonial Secretary. REPORTS OF COMMITTEES. Cr Penlington reported on behalf of the Finance Committee that £28 15s Id had been received since last meeting, and that the disbursements had bepn £52 10s 3d. The overdraft now stood at £252 17s 9d. Cr Meech, on the part of the Works Committee, stated that this Committee had little to report since last meeting. Two accounts had come in for day labor, which were duo at last meeting. The question of the bridge in Jollie street had engaged their attention, and they had consulted Cr Penlington as to what was best to be done, and as to sizes of timber to order, but had deferred submitting a specification of the work until they had put the matter before the Council.

Cγ Penlington explained that they had made a partial survey of the bridge in question, and found it would require 44ft of stone walling, on account of the nature of the banks, being all washed away. He thought it would be better on account of the bend of the creek to carry the stream straight. In any case, it would be an expensive work, and would require consideration. He found the water was from two to three feet deep, and they would require to go two feet below this, making the concrete foundation walls from four to four and a half feet high. Whatever was resolved on, he \v:>uld not be in favor of putting in the foundation walls by contract ; they should bo done by day labor, under proper supervision. They had had enough of bridge foundations of. this sort. Farr'a bridge was now quite undermined. The question was, is it absolutely necessary to do the whole work nt present? He was in favor of patching up the bridge and repairing the bridge at Halm's first.

Cr Bruce was also in favor of letting this bridge stand and doing the bridge in the main street. Both weather and funds might be better by-and-by. Cr O'Reiliy would like the bridge put up suitable for traffic, and would like to hear a suggestion how it could be done with a few days work. At present it was not safe. But he thought a little expense would enable horses to go over. As to the other scheme, he did not see where the money was to come from. ■ The Mayor was of opinion that the bridge could be made serviceable at a little cost by putting planks, of which they had plenty in stock, before the present beams of the bridge, and filling up the hole in the street;. Any extensive works as suggested must wait until the summer. Cr Meech was not in favor of rushing into expense. The- bridge in Lavaud street had certainly prior claims, but it was all a question of expense. If the rates could now be got in and the present overdraft cleared off, ho was informed by Mr Westenra that they could then have a permanent overdraft of £500 or £600. The rates, in any case, should be got in, as they were paying interest on an overdraft. He, at the same time, thought specifications should be prepared and the tenders called for. No payments would require to be made until the end of the year. Cr Cullen then moved that the bridge at Goodwin's in J ollie street be temporarily repaired for horse traffic. The motion was seconded by Cr Bruce and carried. ASHBURTON RESERVES. Mr C. F. Barker, Christchurch, Avrote, enclosing duplicate copies of the accounts for advertising from the Lyttelton Times, Press, and AslibWrtorl Mail, amounting in all to. £48 15s 9d. /The -.letter further stated that his;client io the previous correspondence, and 'would make no definite offer in "reference" tpMeasing r the reserves until the Council would state that they would accept, the terms of the Canterbury Education' leases as the basis of their .lease; and at the'same time suggesting that the Council should not miss the opportunity of coming to what he had reason to believe would be a favorable arrangement. Cr Meech was of opinion that they should come to some resolution first as to the conditions of letting. He was not in favor of rushing so important a matter; he thought a special meeting should be called on the subject, and that'Mr Barker's letter should receive their test'attention. Cr O'Reilly was still therel was something under the whole thing. I He did not see the good of protracting the correspondence./ 'The last reply ,of,the Council was that he had the conditions of the Council before him. These conditions had been carefully consideied by that Council, and if Mr Barker did not like them he could leave them. He began to to think that they had about enough of Mr Barker and his clients. i

Cr Penlington was for proceeding with caution. If the conditions were unsuitable, he would like to know in what respect. There surely could be no difficulty about coming to the basis of a lease. At present they were challenged to fence, and they were liable to be so every day. He would like to see them in the hands of a tenant. Cr Wiggins was in favor of Cr Meech's motion. He thought that at present they could not recede from their previous conditions, and should not import fresh matter into the discussion. Mr Barker's letter should be carefully considered, especiallyas there was no rush of tenants after the property. They were there to do the best they could for the public estate, and such an important matter required deliberation. He was in favor of a special meeting to revise with care their present conditions, and compare them with those of the Board of Education. Cr Bruce moved that a sub-committee, consisting of the Mayor, Crs Meech, Penlington, and O'Reilly be appointed to examine the conditions of letting, and report to a special meeting of the Council The motion was seconded by Cr Armstrong, who was in favor of letting the reserves by every means. Cr Penlington was in favor of the matter being considered by the whole Council, and would move as an amendment that a special meeting of the Council be held on Monday, the 22nd instant, for the purpose of considering the conditions of letting the Ashburton Reserves, in connection, wtth Mr Barker's letter.

The amendment was seconded by Cr Cullen, and Cr Bruce withdrawing his motion in its favor, was put and carried. PAYMENTS. A letter was read from Messra Jolly and Slater, the contractors for the footways in Jollie street south, stating ■,that they considered the work finished six weeks ago, and asking for payment of the balance of their account, £21 Bs. Cr O'Reilly said he .considered such a letter an insult to any I public; bodjr, and that the Council should it. Cr Wiggins moved that the writers be informed that the Council adheres to its former resolution. The motion \va« seconded by Cr O'Beilly, and carried, Cr Bruce dissenting. An account for £3 and a letter was received from Mr F. Arming, butcher, being a claim for damage to his cart and harness, the result of an accident in Ay liner's j Valley on account of the defective state of the roadway in that street. Cr O'Reilly admired the cool audacity of the demand after he (Cr O'Reilly) had been informed by Arming himself that the accident was the result of part of a load of sheepskins falling upon the horse and making it run away, thus causing the accident. It was not the first time the horse had bolted, and under the circumstances he had great difficulty in making up his mind how to word a resolution on the subject. His first impression was that Mr Arming should be requested to see his lawyer again. However, he would move that the account be rejected. Cr Meech, in seconding the resolution, said that Mr Arming had also told him the sheepskin story. A warm passage of arms here took piece between Cr Meech as the Chairman of the Works Committee, and Cr Cullen as a member of the same Committee, in regard to the day labor employed oh f Aylmer'a Valley road, the outcome,of the discussion being generally that the road in question was in no better condition than.it should bo.. ...... , , „ Or Bruce thought thai Cr O'Reilly;, was a little too fast in his remarks in reference to Mr Arming's letter. The principle involved in the demand was a serious one, and they would see from that evening's papers that the Cust Road Board had been cast in heavy damages in a similar case. Cγ Wiggius hoped that every letter that was respectfully worded and received by the Council would be answered. It was the duty of the Clerk to see that this was done. Cr O'Reilly's motion was then put and carried. On the motion of Cr Wiggins, seconded by Cr Bruce, the following accounts were passed for payment:— . '".. C. F. Barker £48 17 1 Ryan, day labor ... 212 6 T. Hunter, do ... 2 2 0

£53 11 7 OUTSTANDING BATES. Cr O'Reilly brought under the notice of the Council the number of persons who had not paid their rates for 1877, and 1878. He was sure it was time that prompt measures be taken to recover them. It was quite unfair to himself and those that did pay. People living here paid rates and thus improved the value of the properties of absentees who were never asked to pay. He should like to see summonses at once issued for the whole of them. Cr Wiggins quite concurred in what Cr O'Reilly had said. The paying of rates here was at present only a farce. Those who paid willingly could, and those who did not were not compelled to, in this way shortly they would riot be able to collect any rates at all. By the action of the Council it appeared that so long as they did not pay they were not bound toJ A deliberate resolution of the Council had been passed some time ago, that'on a certain day, which was duly advertised, all outstanding rates would be sued for, and yet not a single summons had ever been issued. He wished to know why that resolution had been quietly ignored by th 3 executive officer of the Council. Cr Cullen moved, that all outstanding rates for past years be sued for at once. The motion was put and carried. Cr O'Reilly, while on the subject of rates, suggested that it be an instruction to the Clerk that he make a house to house visit for the purpose of collecting the current year's rates. BALGUEBIE STBEET DBAIN. Cr Armstrong supposed it fell to his lot, as the only member for Balguerie street, to draw the attention of the Council to the state it was in. The drain was worse since it had been cleared out. In thie street they were constantly paying rates, and could get nothing done. He could not get to his own house without getting wet, but he did not mind that. Something should be done to the drain ; it should be filled up with pipes or stones. Little or no water came down it, and he was sure what there was would run through stones as well as pipes. Guindon's place was very bad, and he would like to move that something should be done. The Mayor informed Cr Armstrong that the matter of this street and drain had frequently been before the last Council, and that the timber was now on hand for the work. As soon as the money was available it would be the very first job that would be done. He could not say more. ; COMMITTEES. j His Worship suggested that as the hour j was so late the appointment of th& new Committees and their Chairmen should be left over until next meeting of the Council. The suggestion was agreed to. The Council then adjourned.