MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 269, 24 November 1874, Page 6

MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

The adjourned regular meeting of the Council was held on Monday evening, the I6th instant, when there were present; The Mayor, and Crs Grant, Shanly, Hayes, and Taylor. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The inward correspondence was laid before the Council, and. the outward read and approved of. Cr Wright forwarded his resignation as member for Bridge Ward, which it was agreed to accept. Cr Shanly also handed in his resignation for Kawarau Ward, and it was accepted also. The telegram from Mr Barr, the engineer, stating no particular date for his arrival in Cromwell, it was decided to telegraph to him for information on the point. The Town Clerk of the Arrow Municipality wrote, enclosing copy of a resolution passed by that Council, expressing an opinion that the Government should offer more encouragement than hitherto done in the matter of prospecting for quartz lodes in the Province. The letter was ordered to be acknowledged as having been received. The report of the Local Board of Health was then read. The following is a copy : The Local Board of Health have mmh pleasure in being in a position to report a marked improvement in the sanitary conditioj of the town since the official report of the officer of the Government last autumn. Energetic steps have been taken td improve the sanitary state of the town. Application has been made to the medical practitioners to assist in the good worl by giving early reports to the Board of,any contagious disease coming under their cognisanci. The Board personally inspected the town on November 11th, 1874, and have found that for a very considerable period all slaughtering has been discontinued within the town; tint neither piggeries nor milk-yards are permitted Vitkin certain limits ; that the earth closet las almost superseded the old description, although we would be better pleased to be able to ;eport that the supply of earth in each closet was more carefully attended to. We also find that the bank of th< Kawarau has been cleansed and sewn with gras. We are unable to report any marked improvepent in the water used by the inhabitants, but we believe every effort will be made to keep te present grossly inadequate supply as clear as jracticable. We find that the Corporation is at present spending nearly its entire rates upoi the cleaning of the town. We regret that suchknowledge precludes us from impressing on tie Council, with any hope of success, the desiraUity of constructing a proper main sewer alonj Melmoreterrace. We are pleased to be able to reprt that an extensive water supply scheme has be«i initiated,

and will shortly be m the hands of contractors, such supply being doubtless the greatest drawback to the sanitary state of the town. The adoption of some plan for . watering the more populous streets during the summer months would also have a beneficial effect; the sandy nature of the soil and the prevalence of high winds during the summer must to some extent be injurious to health. We believe that if strict attention be paid to the cleansing arrangements now being conducted by the Corporation, aided by the individual efforts of the inhabitants, we shall have the agreeable duty of continuing to make favourable reports of the health of the town of Cromwell. With the report, were answers to letters sent to the medical practitioners in the town, asking for information as to the existence or non-existence of contagious diseases in the town. Drs Stirling and Corse’s replies were to the effect that such diseases did not at present exist. £!r Shanly proposed, “That the report be accepted, and thafi a dopy of same, with enclosures, be forwarded to the Central Board.” 'Seconded by Cr Hayes, and carried. The Inspector of Works handed in his report on the manner of watering the streets. It is as follows : In accordance with the request of the Council, I herewith report upon the only practicable scheme which occurs to me to enable the street to be watered during the ensuing summer. I propose that tanks should be provided and placed at intervals of (say) 100 yards along the line of water race from Mr Howe’s to Innis-street. This would require 5 tanks, and as the Fire Brigade also require tanks, the cost might be divided. I then propose laying a pipe from each tank to a a post at the culvert of Melmore-te'rrace, which, with a tap, would be in itself a great public convenience. I would then have simply a “union” and 30 yards of hose, with nozzle, which the Corporation day man could use twice or thrice per day, as might be required. The cost of the proposed plan will be verv trifling compared with the benefits derived, both in water supply and cleanliness, as well as, indirectly, in better security against fire, as those stand-pipes would, with the hose, command all the buildings in Melmore-ter-race, from the bridge to Mr Howe’s, and might reasonably be debited against the Brigade. I roughly estimate, 5 tanks. L3O ; 300 yards of 14in. piping; 5 union taps and stand-posts; 30 yards of rubber hose, and nozzle ; labour —laying tanks, pipes, and posts. On the motion of Cr Taylor, seconded by Cr Shanly, it was agreed to receive and approve of the report, and to refer it to the Public Works Committee with a view to carrying the proposals into effect. The late unfavourable decision in the R.M.’s Court, with regard to the legality of the 1873-4 rate was then discussed, and grave doubts were expressed as to that decision being good law. differences of opinion were held regarding the advisability or otherwise of taking any further steps in the matter, but eventually a motion by Cr Shanly, seconded by Cr Hayes, was carried, to the effect that the Corporation solicitor be asked to obtain the opinion of the highest legal authority on the validity or otherwise of the rate of 1873-4. The only other business of any importance was the matter of obtaining a grant of the lock-up for Fire Brigade purposes, and it was decided to do nothing further in the matter pending the receipt of further advice from the Goldfields Secretary.