BALCLUTHA BOROUGH COUNCIL

Clutha Leader, Volume V, Issue 208, 5 July 1878, Page 5

BALCLUTHA BOROUGH COUNCIL

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Balclutha Borough Council was held in the Council Chamber on Tuesday evening. There f.were present Messrs Hogg, Macdonald, Canning, and Dunne. In the absence of the Mayor, Mr Hogg was called on to preside. MINUTES. ■ The minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed. BYEI.AWS. A letter was read from the Colonial Secretary, acknowledging receipt of copy of byelaws. Letter received. A COMPLAINT. A letter was read from Mr Gavin, complaining of having been unwarrantably dismissed from Corporation work by the Inspector. Referred to the Inspector for explanation. ACCOUNTS. The following accounts were passed for payment : — J. Sinclair, salary ... L 35 14 6 Day labour 36 15 0 Borough Clerk, salary 18 15 0 Bridge repairs ... 5 0 0 A CONFERENCE. Mr Dunne called attention to the conference of Borough Councils in Wellington, and moved that Mr Thomson be again asked to attend on behalf of Balclutha. Seconded by Mr Canning, and carried. THE BESEKVE ON NORTH SIDE OF RIVER. Mr Dunne referred to the decision of the Waste Lands Board to have the- reserve on the north side of the river surveyed into sections and sold. He thought the Council should do everything in its power to prevent the sale of the land, and to keep it for grazing purposes. He had reason to believe the Council would have the assistance of the Waste Lands Board, and that a request from the Council would have the effect of preventing the ground being sold. He moved that- the Clerk write toithe Commissioner of Crown Lands upon the subject. Mr Canning seconded the motion. He pointed out that the reserve was not only required for grazing purposes by the citizens, but also for a camping ground for passing stock. Mr Macdonald thought the Council should support the Waste Lands Board in having the ground cut up into sections, instead of selling it to one applicant. He pointed out that the Council had already applied for more land within the township than any Municipality was by law entitled to hold. The ground applied for was much more valuable than that now referred to. He considered it would be very bad policy to apply for what they knew it would be illegal for them to get. The Chairman fully concurred with Mr Macdonald's view of the matter. He read from the Act to show that the Council could not hold so much land as already applied for. It would be much better for the land to be sold in sections than to one individual. It would induce occupation and building, and the Municipality would receive 20 per cent of the price received for it. He suggested that consideration of the matter should be deferred until the Council might have a meeting with Mr Thomson prior to his leaving for Wellington. The suggestion was agreed to. THE NEW POST-OFFICE. Mr Canning wished to ask a question in connection with the proposed new postoffice. Councillors would remember that Mr Dunne had pledged to the Council his word as a Councillor, a man, and a gentleman that a certain petition should not be forwarded to the Government provided the Council agreed to leave the matter to the ratepayers. The Council agreed to do so, and he now had to ask Mr Dunne whether or not the petition had been forwarded tc the Government. Mr Dunne said he did not know. The Chairman said it could not have been forwarded, as Mr Macdonald had informed the Council that it had been burnt. Mr Macdonald said he merely asked the question as to whether it had been destroyed at the fire. He never said it was burnt. The Chairman said he and others certainly understood him to say so. Mr Dunne said he knew nothing about it. The subject then dropped. DELAYS WITH PUBLIC WORKS. Mr Canning asked why it was that certain works ordered by the Council to be carried out long ago had never been attended to. If the orders of the Council were to be treated with contempt, as they had been, it was no use their meeting together. He wished to know, why Barrstreet had never been, formed and -graf veiled. "' . . The Chairman said he believed the rea-.

son why the Mayor had not had the work carried out was because of the railway crossing not being finished, and the level consequently not being .ascertained. The work could not now ' be done until good weather set in.

Mr Macdonald also pointed to the necessity for the street being widened at the jetty. - .

Mr Dunne said the delay with the works arose from the Council having • departed from their old system of having them carried out by eon tract. They, wore now done by the Inspector by day labour,, and he was sent to one place and another, while such as Barr-street was neglected. The Council at present had no system in carrying out their works, and the sooner they went back to the old style the better. Mr Canning thought that when the Council decided upon any work the Clerk should be instructed to order it to be done either by the Inspector or by calling for tenders, as the Council might direct. At present apparently the. Mayor considered it optional with him to say whether the works should be gone on with or not, notwithstanding that they were ordered to be done by the Council. He objected to the Mayor being asked or having any say in the matter after the order of the Coucil. He (Mr Canning) also referred to the inefficient state of the culvert at the southern end of the boundary (at Tosh's). He moved that the Mayor be requested to take steps to provide for the water getting away from the road. Mr Macdonald. seconded the motion. A long discussion ensued, during which the history of the difficulty was explained. The motion was ultimately carried. LAMP POSTS. In reply to a question, The Chairman said he observed the lamp posts had been made. He presumed they would shortly be erected. QUARKY PvOAD. Mr Dunne gave notice that at nexb meeting he would move that the road from Doull's mill to the quarry be formed and metalled. The meeting then adjourned.