MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 237, 26 May 1874, Page 5

MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

The regular meeting of the Town Council was held on Thursday evening last. Present: the Mayor (Mr Dawkins), Crs Wright, Hayes, Pierce, Jolly, and Grant. The minutes of former meeting were read and confirmed. The outward correspondence was of little moment. The inward correspondence was read, and the matters opened up by it treated seriatim. RAILWAY EXTENSION. In relation to this matter, and in accordance with a request from the Clyde Council, it was_ agreed that a memorial from the Council should be forwarded to Mr MacKellar, M.P.C., for presentation to the Provincial Council, in re the extension of the railway from Tuapeka up the valley of the Molyneux. WATEE ANALYSIS. It was ordered that Professor Black should be thanked for his recent analysis of Cromwell water, and informed that any farther information he might be able to give on the subject would be thankfully received by the Council. THE BYE-LAWS. A telegram had been received from Mr MacKellar, stating that the Provincial Solicitor was of opinion that the Corporation byelaws were fully legal, and it was agreed to ask the Solicitor to telegraph personally his opinion on the subject. [His opinion has since been received, and as it is affirmatory of the legality of the byelaws, a rehearing of the case against John Marsh, charged with permitting a nuisance on his promises, will bo asked. This case, it]

will be remembered, had to be withdrawn, because it was held that the bye-laws had not been properly gazetted.] BANNOCKBURN BRIDGE. In consequence of a letter from the President of the Bannockburn and Garrick Range Miners’ Association, a sub-committee was appointed to get a petition, asking the Government to purchase the bridge and do away with the toll-fees thereon, signed throughout the town ; such petition to be returned to the Bannockburn Miners’ Association, who would forward it to the Superintendent. STREET ENCROACHMENT. Mr William Scott applied that he might be allowed to erect a fence on the street a foot outside the boundary of his property. He wished to grow a hedge fence, and unless he had an outside protection, cattlo would destroy the young plants as fast as they appeared. Cr Jolly said it was highly advisable to encourage the planting of shrubs, &c,, but it was just as highly inadvisable to grant the request of Mr Scott, as it would set a bad precedent. Cr Grant agreed with Cr Jolly. One foot was all that was asked for in the present instance, but the next application would possibly be for two feet. MINISTERIAL TAXATION. The Rev. B. Drake wrote, asking the Council to remit his rates. He had lived in Cromwell for six years, and until the present year Had not been rated. The Town-clerk, as Assessor, explained that Mr Drake’s house was his private property, and not the property of the congregation. Besides this, Mr Drake had purchased a number of sections in his own name at recent land sales ; and these were the reasons he had been rated on this occasion. After some discussion on the subject, and explanations from Councillors who were also members of the Church Committee as to the terms on which Mr Drake held his house and the property on which it stood, Cr Jolly moved, and Cr Hayes seconded, “ That the property on which the Rev. Mr Drake’s house stands be exempted from rates, but that rates on the other sections cannot be remitted.” Carried. SANITARY MEASURES, This subject was opened up by the Mayor reading a letter from Dr Coughtrey, in which he urged that the recommendations he had made when addressing them should be carried out without delay. In connection with the subject, a letter from John Baker was also read, in which he offered, on consideration of being allowed to sell the manure, to accept more liberal terms in regard to his contract with the Council. Several Councillors expressed the opinion that as the Council had undertaken the reclamation of the sandy waste at the west end of the town, and as the manure would be an agent to this end, Mr Baker should not be allowed'to dispose of the manure otherwise than by depositing it at the place agreed upon. The Mayor drew attention to the custom of waggoners camping near Mrs Box’s hotel, in close proximity to the water race. It was agreed to call the attention of the Inspector of Nuisances to the matter, with the view of having the custom put a stop to. Coming back to consideration of Dr Coughtrey’s letter, Cr Jolly wished to know what steps had been taken in regard to the carrying out of the suggestions made by that gentleman. The Mayor explained that he had called a meeting for the Monday evening following the Saturday on which Dr Coughtrey had addressed the Council, but only two, besides himself, thought it necessary to attend. A quantity of chloride of lime had been thrown over the bank, but nothing else had been done. A considerable amount of money was required to carry out some of the suggestions, and he did not like to accept the responsibility.

Cr Grant’s spirit moved him to say a few words in connection with the subject of Dr Coughtrey’s letter. The Superintendent had sent the Doctor to report, and he had reported ; but where were his credentials ? Who was he 1 What experience had he ? He was a young man, and apparently a clever one, but they knew no more of him. He said that bad water, &c., caused the disease, and Dr Black’s analysis, which was not encouraging either as regarded the present or future water supply, lent colour to this opinion. But certainly Cr Grant, and probably other Councillors, would like to know, before incurring the serious expense which the carrying out of Dr Coughtrey’s recommendations would entail, whether the Doctor were a thoroughly reliable adviser. Cr Jolly agreed with Cr Grant. Dr Coughtrey had been very severe, and Cromwell was shown up all over the country. They should not question his ability perhaps, but it was easy to find fault. Cromwell was in no more filthy a condition than other small towns ; and Dunedin, he felt sure, was a great deal worse. The cesspool nuisance there was far greater than in Cromwell. Dr Coughtrey’s report had reflected on them so strongly as citizens, that he really thought it should be combated. The fact was, he believed, Dr Coughtrey had preconceived opinions that the fever arose from certain causes ; and he came to find those causes, and found them at all hazards. The Doctor, he thought, had used exaggerated language, and had made Cromwell out to be a sink-hole of filth, while ready it was not a whit worse than its neighbours.

Or Grant said Dr Bakewell’s letter was tlie first intimation people had received that it was unwise to visit the sick, in consequence of the contagious nature of the disease. Surely that intimation should have been

made by local medical men on the appearance of the disease. He suggested that it would be better to wait on Dr Ooughtrey’s printed report, before taking any steps such as the Doctor had suggested ; he had stated that he was only skimming the surface when he had addressed them, and it would be advisable to wait for further information. This suggestion was generally agreed to. A motion was proposed, thanking the Superintendent for his promptitude in sending Dr Coughtrey, but it was allowed to stand over pending the receipt of the Doctor’s printed report. Bye-law No. 3, as previously proposed and advertised, and a Regulation also advertised, were adopted. POSTAL SERVICE. A sub-committee was appointed to draw up a memorial on the above subject without delay, ACCOUNTS. A number of accounts were handed in. Those from the Town Clerk, Escott and party, T. Hayes, Hayes and Williams, J. Wright, and J. Baker were passed for payment. One from R. Brown, having been previously refused to be paid by the Council, was rejected. REPAIRING TUB RACE. The upper portion of the town race was ordered to be repaired, and Or Hayes was requested to see the work performed. PERMANENT LEVELS. Tenders were ordered to be invited for forming the permanent levels of Innis-street. DISTRICT ROADS. Or Grant proposed, and Or Hayes seconded, “ That a Committee, consisting of the Mayor, Cra Pierce, Hayes, and the mover, be appointed to enquire what sums of money have been advised to be placed on the estimates for roads, &e., in this district, and that Mr Fergus, District Engineer, be requested to give any information in his power.” NOTICE OF MOTION. By Cr Jolly, as follows That tenders be called for piping sufficient to reach from where present piping terminates to the Bridge.” A vote of thanks to the Mayor concluded the proceedings.