TOWN COUNCIL.

Clutha Leader, Volume II, Issue 98, 26 May 1876, Page 5

TOWN COUNCIL.

A meeting of the Balclutha Town Council, was hold on Tuesday evening. There were present His "Worship the Mayor and Councillors Hope, Kilgour, Hogg, Mason, and Dunne. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. * THE TOWN CJVEKK'S RESIGNATION;' Councillor Mason said that before proceeding with the ordinary business, he wished to move, that a vote of thanks be recorded to Mr Fleming the clerk. . Ho regretted the Council was now to lose his services, and made some remarks expressive of the assistance in the matter of correspondence and otherwise, he had rendered to the Council during the time he had hold the appointment. . Councillor Hogg seconded, and other Covicillors supported the motion, which was carried. Mr Fleming, in thanking the Council for the vote said he had rather *to thank them for the uniform kindness and courtesy he as their clerk had experienced. Although his other duties now compelled him to resign the officoj he would he always ready .to afford them any. assistance' in his power. There were some matters now/; in progress which required to be thoroughly understood before being further proceeded with, but whoever his successor might be, he (Mr Fleming) would be glad to'give him'any necessary inforriiation and assistance. . INSPECTOR OK WORKS. Councillor Mason on behalf of the- Works Committee, reported that they had secured, tho service of Mi- Sinclair as Inspector of Works, at a

salary of 10s a day^ and that he was proceeding with the works referred to the Committee. Approved of. ELECTION OF TOWN CLERK Applications for the appointment of Town Clerk were then opened and read. The Council resolved to vote upon the matter by ballot. Upon the vote being taken, it was found that MiThomas Patterson' had-' the largest number, and that gentleman was therefore declared elected to the office; • < '■■ ' DRAINAGE. . The following letter from the Town Engineers was read :— • . ' ' Dunedin, 20th May, 1876. To His Worship the ; Mayor and Councillors of Balclutha. Gentlenen —With reference to the resolution of the Works Committee, and subsequently adopted by the Council, and referred to us for action to carry the water from the corner of Clyde and Lanark-streets, direct into the Clutha River, instead of iDto the natural creek crossing Lanark-street, about three chains from the junction, we would beg, to point out some objections to that course, which wo think ought to be stated to you before the works are commenced. In the first place the creek in question has been from all time the natural drainage, of that part, and no one has any right to block off the water from it, which naturally falls that way. In the second place, to carry the, water by pipes to the rire'rbank would involve the cutting of it to a depth of eight feet, and the disturbance of the ground upon a portion which at.any time may be flooded, and therefore the risk would be run of having the banks and tho ground upon each side of the pipe trench very much and seriously damaged by the action of ; the flood water. Furthermore,; quantities of sand getting into the- pipes by the flood water at the mouth, would to a great extent, silt them up and Btop" the drainage at the very time it was most wanted. Even a flood-gate at the river would not prevent this, as the sand would still gain access from behind. ; Under conditions such as these, it is scarcely necessary to point out that the flood waters would be forced to go by the natural creek presently objected to by the Works Committee, notwithstanding that pipes were laid down to the river. The matter of expense is a Beriou3 objection to direct drainage to the river. To provide for sufficient water-run a 16in. pipe would be required, of length, 350 feet, and depth of cutting at the river-bank (the highest ground) of 8 feet. We estimate the cost of this at £178, while, by pitched crossing at Lanark-street, and fall into the natural water-course, the cost would not exceed £20. In view of the above, we have considered it to be our duty to lay this matter before you for re-consideratiori, and shall await further instructions in the matter before preparing any contracts. '""'., We have the honor to be, &c, Barr & Oliver. C.K's. Councillor Masou thought the Engineeis had made a mistake inthe-matter,- as sometimes the creek filled^up, and flooded instead of drained the township. Councillor Dunne thought engineers very dangerous gentlemen to interfere with. The Council should be guided by the engineers in such matters. He proposed that Messrs Barr and Oliver's recommendation be acted upon, the work to be carried out by the Works Committee, by day labor, \inder the superintendence of the Inspector of Works. Seconded by .Councillor Hope, and carried. JAMES-STREET. ' The following letter was read : — ■ : Balclutha, May 23, 1876. To the Mayor and Councillors, Gentlemen, — I have no doubt that you have individually seen and heard of the annoyance caused almost daily in James-street, through cattle of every description being collected at Messrs Grigor, Maitland, and Co.'s sale yards, likewise the same being driven through in passing the township, the street being a narrow one and unmade • the filth caused is unbearable, and the danger cannot be overlooked. I. understand there is a clause in the Municipal Ordinance forbidding sale yards within townships, and f urtl e/, you as a governing body, ought to put a stop to tho driving of mobs of cattle through the street in the daytime, and likowiso atop the driving of cattle through James-street at all times through its narrowness.

Trusting you will give this note your consideration, I am, &c, . ■Robert D. Kelly. Councillor Dunne said there was a great deal of truth in the letter, but he thought the time had scarcely arrived for them to force sale-yards out of the township- If such removals were commenced, then they would have to turn the township upside down. ' There could be no doubt the sale-yard would have to be removed some day, but the time had scarcely come yet. Councillor Kilgour said if the residents in that street wanted the Council to recognise it, they would first have to widen it. The Mayor said they had the remedy in their own hands ; they could put a gate at each end of the street, and shut it up. Councillor Mason moved that the Clerk reply that the Council cannot recognise the street until the same is widened. Seconded by Councillor Dunne, and oarried. ACCOUNTS. Account. — A. Briacoe and Co., for weighbridge, £81 Is. Councillor Dunne reported that according to instructions ho had waited upon Messrs Briscoo; and Co. with reference to the machine, but could not at the time get an invoice. He had also seen Mr Blair, C.8., and suggested that the machine aliould he handed over to the Government at cost price, to be erected by them at Balclutha. Mr Blair seemed to be favorable to the proposal, and said if the Council would make an offer in writing, he would be glad to forward it to Wellington. , , The report was approved of, and the Clerk' | instructed. to wxite to Mr Blair accordingly. It was also mentioned that the whole of the machine had not yet. arrived, and the account was therefore referred to the Finance Committee. An account, A. B. Henderson, £2, foes as Inspector of Carriages •, and another, J. S. Fleming, £34 15s, salr"'y as Town Clerk, were passed for payment.' Account.— A. Doull, labor, £15 12s 2d. The Mayor said the account wasfdr, work done by order of the "Works Committee. 1 It should have been handed to the Committee to' be examined and certified. - • Councillor Hogg moved that the account be referred to the Finance Committee. ;He was not at all satisfied with it, and thought the day-man, hail been k6pt" at works not authorised by the: Council, while others they were specially ihBtructei! to' carry out at once had been quite neglected, and left undone. - Councillor Dunne said the account, if incurred by the Works Committee, would have to be paid, ; but it should first -be 'attested by them. ; ;

Councillor Hope, objected to:: accounts beitig* rushed- in and passed: for -payment, without full 1 enquiry and explanation. : . ; : : . ; v :•■ The, Mayor said it was mentioned in/ihe Council at the time. that ; a hole in the, road ;o.n. the' Matiiu side of the Bridge had been ; filled up by the dayman, and the Council approved, of, the work. - • c -•■ CoancHlor Hogg said tlisit so far from that being the case he had repeatedly spoken to the Mayor uytm the subject, -and protested ag-iinst '

Ihe man being employed on Hasborough road when the instructions of the Committee were to employ him elsewhere. Councillor Hope concurred in the remarks of Councillor Ho£f. . .".,._ The Mayor said it was distinctly understood thnt the part of the road beyond the Bridge was to be repaired by the Council. . - Councillor Dunne said ho did notjcnow whether sujhwasthe case o. - not, but ,the money had been well ■ spent although beyond the town boundary. . Had that part not been repaired the inhabitants could not have got coals, nor could .goods have been taken to or from the Railway Station. , ; • , The Mayor said he did ask permission from the Council to do the work, and all seemed to agree to it. If the Council had misunderstood the matter he would pay, it out of his own pocket.' Councillor Hogg said that, at the very meeting, at which the matter was mentioned, a motion was brought forward to spend money, on Has^ borough road and lost, He was thunderstruck when the next thing he heard was that the men were working at the road and blasting the bluffs instead of letting water off the streets and doing other small necessary jobs, ordered to be done within the township; £150 of the- ratepayers money had been: spent on- Hasborough-road, while the streets had been neglected. There was, he said, no use in mincing matters, as the subject had occasioned a great deal of talk and disagreeable feeling out of doors. The account was referred to the Finance Committee. Account— Ironside and Paterson for sharpening tools, blasting powder, Ac, &'& 19s 2d. After some remarks as to this being another Hasborough road item the account was passed, as also was one J. Macdonald and Co, for sundries 19s. ; CAB STAND. i . Councillor Mason moved that Clyde-street between the, .corner of Renfrew-street and Mr Macdonald's property, be a cab-stand, in terms of the Byela'ws, and that the inspector be in. structed to see that the laws in relation to the same be carried out. Seconded by Councillor Hope, and carried. The Works Committee was instructed to ex. amine and report upon the cab-stand at the Railway terminus, at next meeting. THE 80-ACRE RESERVE: Councillor Dimne reported upon the present condition of the broken down fence, and recommended that a culvert be put in to save the sod fence, the work to be carried out by the Inspector of "Works. Approved of. The meeting then adjournnd.