AKAROA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 576, 20 January 1882, Page 2

AKAROA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual fortnightly ."meeting of this Council took plaoo on Wednesday night. Present—His Worship the Mayor imd Crs Gutberlet, Brown, Black, Mcecb, Bruce, McGregor, and Culen. MIMDTKS. The minutes of the former meeting were read and cuifinned. OUTW \RD CORRESPONDENCE, The outward correspoudence was read and approved. INWARD CORRESPONDENCE. Letters were read— From the Returning , Officer, announcing the election of Mr Waecker c as a Councillor. From Miss Hooman, asking for charitable aid. It was resolved, on the motion of Ci McGregor, seconded by Cr Meech—" Thai Miss Hooman's letter should be forwarded to the Christchurch Charitsblo Aid Board, with a recommendation from the Council that the request should bo acceded to." From Mr Billens, as follows:— "Akaroa, Jan. 10, 1882. "Gentlemen, —Please grant me permission to erect a verandah along the whole front of my house and shop in Lavaud street, any of the kerbing I may have to remove I will replace to the satisfaction of your Clerk of Works. I shall not interfere in any way with the footpath. Yours, etc., "H. Billens. " P.S.—The height of the lowest part of the verandah will not be less than nine feet. Framework of totara, roofed with iron. " H. Billens." It was agreed that the request of Mr Billens should be granted, the bye-law on the subject being complied with. INSURANCE. It n*as was reported that the Council buildings had been insured for £100 as agreed and the interim policy was laid on the table. REPORT. The poundkeeper's report was laid on the table. FIXES. A letter from the Treasury was read stating £2 10s had been paid to the credit of the Council for fines. FINANCE. Receipts since last meeting—Pound fees quarter ending December 31, £2 0s 6d • Fines, 11.M. Court, October, £2 10s ; do., November, £1 ; dog tax, £7; total, £12 10s (sd. Credit balance at date, £9G 0s Id. Accounts to be presented—ll. O. Jacobson printing and stationery, £2 10s 6d • Akaroa Mail, advertising, £2 0s 6d ; a! Scott, cartage, £1 19s 3d ; H. Billensi nails, &c, 13s Id ; H. Burke, incidents, 7s 6d ; do, day labor, £2 2s 0d ; total £9 12s 10d. The accounts as read were passed for payment. LETTERBOX. The sum of £1 was voted to pay for the Council's letter bos for the year. WHARF DUES. The Mayor, asked if anything had been done in this matter. The present tenant's term of office would expire in sis months. Cr McGregor said that he had not attended to the matter during the holidays as he had not thought there was any immediate necessity. The matter would be '■ attended to in due aourse, and there was I ample time at the Committee's disposal. He had been touch occupied with private business. . Cr Cullen proposed that Cr Meech should be a member of the ; Wharf Committee,

and thought there li.ul been a i|"hy rlint should not hiive , o<x»rr.*<i. The pro-«unl lessee's term of oecnp.im-y expire , ) in six months, and they oimht to advertise. Uβ did not think th.it the work of tin Council should be delayed because cert-iin mi'inhers had much business to ntie/id to. In (hat case they should get the aid of other Councillors. It was for this reason ho proposed Or Meech. Cr McGregor said there had been no negligence of any duty on his par). Be denied that the business of the Wharf Committe.e was in arrear. At the same time he should be glad to see Cr Meech's name added to the- Committee. Cr Bruce seconded the resolution. Cr Meech said he was glad at being placed on a committee. He bad nowfyeen in the Council about three months, but'had had no duty assigned lo him as n commit-tee-man. He was anxious to ansinfc In the work, and u;ii.st say that he had felt slighted at not having been put on a committee before. On the resolution being put, Cr McGregor said he wished to have matters thoroughly understood. Something had been Kaid about Cr Meech fillin" , a vacant seat on the Wharf Committee , . There was no vacant seat unless His Worship the Mayor w»s not a member of the committee. He wi«!ied to know if they were adding a member to the committee or whether CrMeeoh was taking His Worship's place. As ho had said before he had no objection whatever to Cr Meech being added to the committee, but he wished them to proceed in proper order. Cr Cullen said all he wanted was to see the work carried through. Cr McGregor : " All I want, Cr Cullen, is to see the resolution carried in a proper form. I wish distinctly to understand whether Cr Meech is an additional member to those elected on the 14th of last Sept., or whether he takes any other members place. May I again ask your Worship if yon are a member of the" Wharf Committee."

His Worship : " Certainly, I am a member of the Wharf Committee ' ex officio.'"

Cr Cullen . " Oh, well anything to please you. Will this suit you. That the Wharf Committee be increased by the addition of one member, and ihat Cr Wm. Meech bo elected."

Or McGregor : " Perfectly." The Clerk then altered the resolution to the form last agreed to, and Cr Bruce, the seconder of the original motion, having assented, the resolution was pnt and carried.

WORKS COMMITTEE, Cγ Meech was appointed a member of the Works Committee. Cr Gutberlot was astonished Cr Meech should be elected on this committee also, after complaining he had been neglected Hβ did not think Cr Meech had been neglected. Hβ might have'been elected throe months, but had only been at the Council about twice altogether.

UvCKEASR OF THE CLEBK's SALARY. On this subject being introduced by the Mayor, Or McGregor asked if this matter came before the Council .is a notice of motion. The Mayor said the discussion had been postponed from Inst meeting 1 , in consequence of there being a small number of Ors present en that occasion. No notice of motion, however, had been given. CrCnllen thought the discussion should proceed. Ho was surprised to see Cr iMi'GrejiOT trying to Ihrow obstacles in the ' way, whtri be bad been the very person who on ii previous occasion iiad proposed without warning that £10 per annum KhouM i,e given to the Inspector of iN (usances, Them was no surprise about th.i resolution. It had been talked over in the Council, bad been a ooinmon topic of conversation in the borough for a week or two, bad been reported in tbe paper, and a letter on the subject had appeared in the Mail also. Was not this publicity enough ? Surely no notice of motion was required. It had been adjourned from last meeting because only a few Councillors were then " present. At that meeting the Mayor had agreed to its btinu: discussed at the next ; meeting, and had said nothing about a * notice of motion being necessary. He was ''„ sure all the Councillors knew all about it and as there was a good attendance, let " them settle h now. Cr Bruce said his objection last meeting had only been because there were then only a bare quorum present. Now that there was a full meeting, the matter should be discussed and done with. Cr McGregor said his only object was ~.to proceed properly. H e was willing to have it discussed if it could be discussed safely, but he did not think it could. The matter had certainly been reported in the newspaper, and he acknowledged seeing it there. Newspaper reports, however, were not tbe proper notice. Due notice of extraordinary business should be given by notice of motion in the way provided by the Act. He #ould not agree with Cr - Cullen that sufficient notice bad been given. In bis opinion it bad assumed the form of a surprise motion. Cr Black mid be also had only been enlightened on the subject through the medium of the newspaper, and not in an official manner. Cr Cullen said that the mere fact of the Mayor allowing an amendment to his proposition to be carried was enough to show the matter should be discussed that evening. His Worship said ho had certainly allowed the amendment, which made tho discussion take place that evening, to be put and carried. On reflection, however, he was of opinion notice of motion should have been given. Cr McGregor asked if His Worship ruled that the question under discussion was extraordinary business, of the kind specined under clause 79 of the Act

The Mayor said " yes, 1 ' but that as he had allowed the discussion to be post- X poned from last meeting to this, he thought they might talk it over, unless a resolution was passed to the effect that notice of motion should be given. He thought this latter course would put them all in order; Cr Meeoh thought trie affair unsatisfactory. Hβ came there prepared to discuss the matter. He objected to the course pursued by bis Woiship in ruling, it was extraordinary business and yet leaving it to the Council to decide whether * it should be discussed or not at that meet- \ ' ing V

Cr McGregor said if Cr Cullen would only give proper notice of motion in the book, everything would be in order. Cγ Cullen : » All right, I will give notice of motion to please you all, though I see where we fire drifting to." _ This concession being made, the discussion which was characterised by a slight dash of acerbity throughout, terminated