Town Council.

Clutha Leader, Volume II, Issue 82, 3 February 1876, Page 5

Town Council.

A meeting of the Balclutha Town Council was held in the Council Chambers on Tuesday evening. There were "present His Worship tne Mayor, and Conhcillors Mason,* rtogg, Tosh, and Hope. 4 . The minutes of previous iheeting were read and confirmed., The following letter was read from the Chief Commissioner of the Waste Lands Board : — Waste Lands Board Office. Dunedin, 26th January, 1876. His Worship the Mayor, and Corporatibn, Balclutha. Gentleukn. I have the honor to inform you -tliat an application ..was this day made to. the ..Waste Lands Board by Mr W, Brown on behalf of Mr JT.: B. Henderson,* to be allowed to"purchase •the triangular piece of larid opposite 'his section S cblock 9, Balcliitfjai (colored re 4on plan.) v As i?the part of Paisley, street, opposite (Reserved for 'Railway) is no.Jßpger required for that purpbse, the 7 Board resplyed v that you *. should be asked if you have no objection*? to Paisley street being straightened, with 'the', view to the deviation being sold to Mrr-Hondet^on. - 1 have the hori'br - tobe,.&c .*.-"■■■■ ' Ay '-, ; *,-,',.. , • . '-'." '*" -'"'•-, ' J -' Thomson, f . , sChief'Coinmissidrie-r. '< Councillor Hogg said he was afrare ' that a nttniber of the ratepayeres were opposed to the reserve /being sold, as it might afterwards Aha. required for other purposes, and it Was a very valuable

building site. Besides, it would very much improve the street to have the cbrner rounded, and give it a sweep to correspond with the corner of Elizabeth Street opposite. It would much facilitate the J&tfgg traffic which would exist in that-qu^ter at some future time. His Wotship did not see any necessity for having the corner rounded. The street was* quite sufficient as at present, and he saw no objection to the reserve being sold *- Councillor Mason, moved. that the Clerk be instructed to write to the Waste Eands Board intimating'that the Couucil offers no objection " to the straightening of the street. Councillor Tosh seconded the motion. Councillor Hogg moved an amendment that the Council is of opinion that it would be imprudent to sell the section.

There was no seconder, and the motion was carried. : His Worship reported tbat seventeen Corporation Bonds, for £50 each, had been signed) and he believed the money was now at the disposal of the Council. The following letter upon the subject was read;— •

The Colonial Bank of New Zealand. Balclntha, Ist February, 1876. The Town Clerk, Balclutha. Dear Sir. Referring to the 17 Corporation. Bonds for £50 each received from yb'&pn Saturday last. I have" now to advise havingWceived on account of same the ejum of £750, wHich. sum I hold at the disposal of the Council. >jhe balance wjll be accounted for so soon as t& various accounts ha,Y6 been made out. \ : It will be necessary for the Council to decide at which Bank in London, Melbourne, and Dunedin, the interest., -coupons will beXpayable at. Should the Council select the .Bank I represent the necessary advices will be given to our London and Melbourne 'Agents 'to pay the coupons on presentation.

Yours faithfully. T. T. Ritchie,

His Worship said, it was~necessary the Bank should be fixe-3, so that the name could be filled in the Bonds.

Councillor Mason said that the loan had been negotiated by Mr Ritchie, when agent for the National Bank, and as he had taken considerable trouble in . the matter, he thought it was due to the National Bank that it should be appointed the Bank of the Corporation. He moved accordingly. No seconder. "Councillor Tosh said Mr Ritchie had carried out the negotiations as a private individual—not as Agent for the( National Bank. The Bank refused to let them have "the money. He thought it was due to Mr Ritchie fbr the trouble he had taken that the Bank he represented should be appointed. He therefore moved that the Colonial Bank be the Bank of the Corporation. . Seconded by Councillor fiogg kncl carried. Councillor Hogg handed in the following petition, which was read: — Balclutha, January, 1876. To the Mayor and Town Councillors of Balclutha. Gentlemen*. r. ii ji .We the undersigned ratepayers of Balclutha wish to draw your attention to the state of William, George, and Charlotte streets, which .whenever there is a fall of rain, become quite impassible owing to the water standing on them. ; We would also draw your attention to the fact that if the streets were made gravel could be got froni the river much easier than at present, which would be a great boon "to the ratepayers. As (Very little mofeefy hsfe been spent in the North Ward we trust you will give this matter your early consideration. Weremain, Gentleman, Yours respectfully. (Here follow the signatures of 32 Ratepayers.) On the motion of Councillor Hogg, seconded by Councillor Tosh, the Standing Orders were suspended, in order that the petition might be dealt With. Councillor Hogg then moved that the Town Surveyor be instructed to lay down the permanent levels of the streets named, and thai; the same be permanently f'ornyd, under the direction ofthe Surveyor. He spoke at some length in support^of tile rftotion, pointing out that while alargfe amount of money had been "expended upon the streets in South Ward, nothing had been done in North Ward, the streets of which were so covered with water during wet weather; that the inhabitants could only get to j their houses by scrambling along the fences. He also pointed out that byopening up the streets easy access would ' be got to the river for gravel for other' streets, and thus the whole town would be benefitted. * The Mayor said he could endorse all Councillor Hogg had said regarding water laying 'upon: the streets in wet weather. The proposed works were very necessary, but he -supposed tbey would not be gone on with 'till after harvest. Councillor Hope said he did not think the argument as to facilitating the getting of gravel went for much, as it was just as easy got now as it would be* after these streets formed. fiEe also pointed out that nothing had been ' ddne for .East Ward. * Some of the' streets .there should have something, done ; to them,' and he considered it a great injustice to the ward that all the nioney should be spent oh North and South Wards, and none Upon East Ward. He, -hoWeVer, believed the streets named should be 'formed, and^ believed it Would not cost much to do so, and therefore seconded the motion. The motion was carried. The Mayor, on behalf of the Works Committee, .reported* that Mr D. P, - Mackenzie's contract fo"r efefcrin'g^ 'culr vert in HasboroUg-b toad had been completed. ,Ay , Th# account for the same, El 3 4s, was paVsed. ; j, . . £ ; Councilor ;Masoh, fti-terms of riiotidri given at last -meeting, moved .'?.« Tbat

the Town Surveyor be instructed to prepare plans and specifications for laying down drainage pipes 'in; the main street."

There was no seconder, and the motion lapsed.,. i Councillor Hogg explained, that he considered the better course would be to "bring the street to its permanent level, and have it properly channelled and kerbed, and then the Underground drainage would be unnecessary. Councillor Tosh moved, according'to notice given at previous meeting, tbat the culvert across the main road at the Southern boundary of the township be extended and deepened to its permanent level.

Seconded by Councillor Hogg. Councillor Hope said it would do no good to deepen the culvert until the drain on the lower side Were deepened. It would only make matters worse. He moved for delay till the ditch ' be deepened.

Councillor Mason seconded.

In reply to a question Councilor Tosh said a good many of the proprietors were agreeable to the ditch being deepened. He thought they all were except Mr John M'Neil, who objected to it, upon the ground that the drainage from the toWri might then be brought to it, which would polute it for his cattle. He (Councillor Tosh) was agreeable to delay "Until an understanding were come to upon the subject. The Mayor pointed out that it would be h great advantage to the proprietors to have the ditch deepened, and that surface Water would not polute the stream. ' "

The amendment was carried by the casting vote ofthe Mayor. Tbe Mayor reported that he had Seen the ' Secretary of works with reference to the removal of the bluffs on Hasborough road. He thottg*ht from what passed, that the Government pfiight give L 75 'towards the woTk provided the Council would give other LSO, and undertake to get the road made safe for traffic. A 'conversation ensued, and it was ultimately agreed that the Council would vote LSO. towards the work. The whole matter was referred to the Works Committee with power to act. The meeting then ajourned.