CROMWELL TOWN COUNCIL.

Cromwell Argus, Volume 2, Issue 96, 12 September 1871, Page 3

CROMWELL TOWN COUNCIL.

The usual fortnightly mooting of the Council waa hold on Monday evening, 4th September. Present :' Tho Mayor and all, the Councillors. " J' MINUTES. The'minutes of the previous fortnightly meeting were road, and it was proposed by Or Shanly, and seconded by Cr Praer, that they be confirmed. The Mayor said that while the record of the motion in reference to the memorial about Mr Pyko’s neglect of duty was in its shape, he could not confirm the minutes. He considered the memorial was a hole-and-corner affair from beginning to end, and he could never slur it over in the manner in which he would be doing if he confirmed the minutes in their present state. Ha thought that they-.should decline to endorse the memorial, as he maintained that it was not an act of the previous Council, but merely the work of four of its members in their private capacity. It had not the Corporate seal on its face, there was no copy of it in the letter-book, and no record of it in the minute-book ; consequently it could not be termed a Corporation document. Or Praer said ho thought the Mayor was out of order in bringing up the motion for discussion now. It had been duly proposed, seconded, and carried at the last meeting of the Council; and unless the motion was incorrectly entered in the minute-book they had no power to discuss it now. He (as proposer of the motion) would attest to its correctness as just read horn the minute-book. A motion had been proposed by Cr Shanly, and seconded by himself, to the effect that the minutes be confirmed, and he would ask tl e Mayor to put it to the meeting. It was for the Council to say whether tie m'nutes should bo confirmed or not. The Mayor could only enter his protest while signing the book. The motion was put to the meeting and i carried, and the Mayor signed the minutes under protest. The minutes of a special meeting of the Council, held on Friday, the Ist September, were then then read and confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE. The outward correspondence—consisting of letters to the Mayors of Queenstown and Alexandra, and to the Secretary of the Naseby Improvement Association, asking them to co-operate in the action taken by the Cromwell Council in reference to the mail terminus ; and a letter to Mr Pyke, acknowledging receipt of his letter and a copy of the memorial sent to Dunedin by the late Mayor, and stating that the present Council could not criticise tho memorial, but would refer him to Mr Smitham, —was read. The following inward correspondence was read : A letter from the Secretary of the Mt. Ida Improvement Association, stating that the Association would co-operate with the Cromwell Council, and would also do all in their power independently to have the terminus and stages altered. Two letters from the Under-Secretary, in reply to letters from the Council, asking that a sub-Warden may be appointed for the Cromwell district, and that the erection of the Court House may bo proceeded with at once. The letters stated that tho question of the rc-distributlou of tho Gold-fields staff is under the consideration of the Government at Wellington, and that the erection of the Cromwell Court House would receive consideration. MR WARDEN PYKE. A letter was read from Mr Pyke, returning tho Town Clerk’s letter, and stating that he thought there must be some misapprehension, as ha did not desire the Council to “criticise” anything emanating from its predecessors, and he had merely forwarded the document for the information of the present Council, and without comment. Cr Praer said that it would have been better to have merely acknowledged the receipt of Mr Pyke’s letter. In reference to the one just read, ho would propose, “ That the Town Clerk be instructed to acknowledge the receipt of Mr Pyke’s letter of the 2Gth August, and nothing more.” This was seconded by Cr Shanly. Cr Brown proposed, as an amendment, “ That a letter he sent to Mr Pyke, saying that the present Council know nothing of the memorial referred to, as they have no minutes or records of it in the books.” The amendment was not seconded. The Mayor wished to lay all the correspondence on the subject before the Council. Cr Praer objected, as it had been considered at last meeting. The Mayor said ho thought they should take some other steps in tho matter. Ho was of opinion that the Council did not take a proper view of the affair ; what they ought to say was that they as a Council know nothing about it. Granting tho complaint to/bo justifiable, ho still thought they should do tho memorial, as it'was a "dangerous precedent to lay down. Cr Praer said that tho Mayor would come o it of tho affair with clean hands. There had been a motion proposed and seconded, and ho would ask that it bo put to the meeting. Cr Shanly said that the present Council had nothing to do with the matter ; it waa an action o the late Council, and they alone were responsible for it. Tho Mayor said it was not an action of the late Council, —it merely came from four of

the members in their private capacity, and he thought the present Council should repudiate it. Ho would put the motion, —but under protest. The motion was then put to the Council, and carried. reports. 1 , A report was read from the arbitrators in the case of Hastings v. the Corporation. In consequence of the channelling at the crossing of Sligo-street being four inches less than the specified width, the arbitrators recommended that a reduction of 10s should be made. Mr Hastings’ account, leas 10s, was ordered to be paid. A report was read from the Public Works Committee, which made the following recommendations : —That a coat of loam and gravel he laid upon the footpath from Sligo-street to Mrs Broughton’s residence, and from the Argus office to the Commercial Hotel; that the kerbing between the two last-mentioned places be' filled up at the back, and well tramped ; and that the boulders in the footpath opposite the Argus office be removed. It also recommended that about twenty loads of gravel-should be procured, and spread in different places on the footpath on the north side of Melmore-terrace, between Sligo and lunes-streets. It was proposed by Cr Praer, seconded by Or Brown, and carried, “That the report of the Committee be adopted ; that they be requested to draw out specifications for the different works ; and that the Town Clerk be instructed to call for tenders for same, to be received up to Monday, the 18th September, at 7 o’clock p.m.” The Town Clerk was instructed to apply to the Government for the subsidy duo to the Corporation ; and also to request the Assessors to commence their duties as soon as possible. On the motion of Cr Shanly, it was resolved that parties taking up sections on the Melmore Terraco lleserve be assessed for them. NOTICES OF MOTION. Cr Shanly to move at next meeting—- “ That the Town Clerk be instructed to write to the Provincial Government, requesting that the reserve on the South side of Melmore Terrace be transfered to the Council ” Cr Shanly to move at next meeting—- “ That the site for a Recreation Ground be i fixed on a portion of the fiat on the Gorge road, near Ah Que's market garden.” Cr Fraer to move at next meeting—- “ That the Town Clerk be instructed to write to Mr Bows, and request him to put a couple of men on the Nevis road, to effect necessary repairs, as soon as the snow melts.” Cr Brown to move at next meeting—- “ That the Government be requested to extend the main road through Crorawed along the surveyed line at the west end.” WATER SUPPLY. The Mayor said he thought it was time something was done in reference to the Town Race. He would like to see a cemented tank constructed in the vicinity of Mr Connellan’s house, and the water brought down in four-inch pipes. All the Councillors haring expressed their opinions on the matter, it was eventually proposed by Cr Fraer, “ That the Public Works Committee bring up a report as to the best means of procuring a good supply of water for the Town.” This was seconded by Cr Brown, and carried.