AKAROA BOROUGH COUNCIL

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 430, 3 September 1880, Page 2

AKAROA BOROUGH COUNCIL

The usual fortnightly meeting of this Council was held at their Chambers, Balguerie street, on Wednesday evening last. Present: His Worship th« Mayor, Crs McGregor, Cullen, Gutberlet, Bruce, and Henning. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Clerk read a long letter sent by the Council to Messrs Garrick and Cowlishaw, asking their opinion re the deficiency in the accounts of the late Town Clerk, and containing no less than nine queries. No reply had been received. CORRESPONDENCE. Letters were read— From Mr Silva, asking permission to erect a fence in front of his premises.— Permission was given. From the Colonial Secretary, re the Hospital and Charitable aid grants, and stating that the total cost of the Akaroa Hospital for 1880 was L 526, which was made up from subsidies payable to tha County of Akaroa, L 431, and the Borough of Akaroa, L«5. • The reply was hardly considered satisfactory, as the lump sum only had been mentioned, and not the details, aB applied for.

From Miss Hooman, giving notice that she had applied for a re-hearing in the case Borough Council v. Miss Hooman.

Cr McGregor moved that notice be given to Miss Hooman's counsel that the Council do not intend to proceed any further in the matter. Mr Cullen seconded the motion. Cr Henning thought for the Council to take such a course would be a mistake. He thought the case should be allowed to bo proceeded with. Cr McGregor thought tho thhg to consider was the legal point—Could Miss Hooman be made to pay or not, and it was certain she could not. The motion was carried. From Town Clerk, certifying that Mr CGutberlet had been elected a counsellor in place of Mr Charles Armstrong. From Colonial Secretary, stating that L 4 os had been paid info the Bank of New Zealand for fine.-; obtained through the R.M. Court "for breaches of the Borough Bye-laws. From Mr. Johnson, applying for a carrier's license.—Granted. From Mr Brown, applying for a license to keep petroleum on his premises.— •Granted. WORKS COMMITTEE. The Chairman ft a ted that a culvert had been placed near The Mail Office, and gravel put down ; that the stone wall had been built to the bridge in Aylmer's Creek, and gravel put down at Chadwick's corner. FINANCE. His Worship the Mayor stated, in the absence of the Chairman of the Finance Committee, that the overdraft at the bank was LlB7 Bs. PAYMENTS. The following accounts were passed for payment:—Yewen (lighting). L 6 15s 5d ; Clerk's salary, L 4 3s 4d ; Burke (labor), LI Is ; Wiggins and Co., L 4 10s ; insurance L 2 10s. Total, LlB 19s 9d. An account for the rent of the Town Hall, for LI 10s, was held over for the Clerk to wait upon the Secretary, to see if a reduction in the charge could not be made. HOsriTAL EXPENSES. Cr Henning proposed that the secretary for the Christchurch Hospital be written to, asking for the details of the expenses of the Akaroa Hospital for the year ending June 30,1880. Cr McGregor seconded the motion; quoting from the printed statement of receipts and expenditure of charitable institutions, where he found that the amount of 10s 3d was charged per diem ; he said he thouglt amount absurd, as surely a less rate would suffice. The motion was carried. TIGEON BAY MAIL SERVICE. Cr Henning moved that a refund of L 3 5s be paid to the Mayor for the expenses ha had been pui to by hi 3 visit to Christchurch in connection with the Pigeon Bay mail service. He said if it were considered that the Borough Council were tho proper authorities to pay for the rent of the Town Hall, they were equally so for Ilia Worship's expenses. Cr McGregor seconded the motion. Cr Cullen would like to see His Worship paid, but thought tho money should be paid by those who had boon the chief instigators in calling the meeting. The. motion wan carried, Cr Cullen alone d.,:-e.-!.i, ~--. ],\Mi'I.!P.I!TINO. ( S ;■.>•:■::;' w ■•ivj'nl ':;■■■> *<:a»wail ought to .'■■.'■ ■■,; s.> ■■••■■ :. >\r <' : <\\:; opinion of !

he ratepayers were asked, their wishes would concur with his. He said the walk was perfectly dangerous on a dark night. Cr McGregor thought Cr Bruce was out of order. Cr Cullen said he would oppose any steps taken towards lighting the lamps until the Borough were out of debt. His Worship stated that the discussion could not continue as it was quite out of order. MOTIONS. Pursuant to notice given at previous meeting, Cr McGregor moved for a return of the total liabilities of the Borough on Aug. 31,1880. His Worship in reply stated that the total indebtedness of the' Council to the date in question was £213 16s 9d. Gr McGregor moved for a statement of the exact condition in which the Ashburton Reserves are, as to amount of acreage leased, conditions and rent of same ; and also to lay all correspondence with the agent on the subject on the Council's table.,

His Worship state! that one of the sectionj of the Reserres had been let, and only one. The Borough Council had received a cheque for £14 15s 6d, and that was all they had received. Another halfyear's rent was due.

A letter was read from the agents, Messrs Edmiston Brothers and Gundry, advising that the reserves be put up for sale in April next.

Cr McGregor moved that the Clerk be instructed to write to Messrs Edmiston Bros, and Gundry, asking for all particulars in connection with the Reserves.

Cr Henning seconded the motion, which was carried.

Cr McGregor moved that with a view of reducing the Council's indebtedness to the Bank, the stock of Totara timber on hand for footway kerbing be offered to the Council of the Borough of Ashburton, Kaiapoi, Lyttelton, and City of Christchurch. Cr McGregor said the motion conveyed its own meaning. He thought there would be no difficulty in selling. It was the same size as tuat used for kerbing in the other Boroughs, and he had no doubt they would be just as glad to buy it as the Borough would to sell it. Cr Cullen thought it would be as well to keep it in the place. He thought purchasers might be found in tho Borough. Ho suggested that Cr McGregor should amend his motion to read that one-half of the timber in question should bo offered for sale in the place, and the rest retained by the Couucil. After some discussion, Cr McGregor moved that fenders bo called by advertisement for the salo of such surplus of timber as the Council may have on hand. The motion on being put waslost. NOTICE OF MOTION. Cr McGregor gave notice that he should bring the same motion on again next meeting. Cr Bruce gave notice that he should move at the next meeting of the Council that tenders be called for lighting the lamps along the sea wall. PUBLIC CLOCK. Cr Henning asked what had become of the public clock which belonged to the Council, the Church of England, or the Road Board—he was not sure which of the three. He had heard that it was in the hands of a watchmaker in Christchurch, who, he said, he had heard was willing to give it up to anyone who would pay tho expenses on it. Cr Cullen said it belonged to the Cb'irch of England, and he thought it was their place to get their clock back if they wanted it. He believed they did not want it, as it was no good. The Cou: cil then adjourned.