BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 129, 29 October 1874, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

LYTTELTON. Monday, October 26. The usual weekly meeting was held at this date. Present —His Worship the Mayor, Messrs Hawkins, Bouse, Buist, Graham, Murray, Young, Kenner, and Grange. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed.

The following correspondence was then read:— From J. M. Calo, calling attention to the great injury done to his property in Oxford street, section 137, by banking the road against the front of his house level with the roof. He begged the Council to leave a passage to his house. He had tried to let the raising of the house to the level of the road by contract, but no one would take it. His Worship said that it appeared that he had invited tenders for raising the house, but no one would tackle it, Cr Graham thought it was very unfortunate that a man should be placed in such a position. He thought something might be done in the matter of raising the house. He thought the man was suffering from too many advisers. After a few further remarks from Crs Buist and Kenner, Cr Buist moved that the works committee visit the place and decide what should be done.

Or Murray seconded the motion. After some discussion, Or Buist amended his original resolution as follows :—“ That a committee be appointed consisting of the whole counsel, for the purpose of interviewing Mr Calo on this subject.” Or Murray seconded the resolution, and it was carried.

The Mayor asked Councillors to suggest a time for the meeting, and it was arranged that it should take place at 10 a.m, on Tuesday (the following) morning. A letter was then read from Mr B. T. Cannell, custodian of the bathing premises. It referred to the notice given him by the Council to vacate the premises on the Ist of November, and the conditions of the agreement between the Council and himself, and begging the Council to forgive him the rent due in consideration of the work he had done on the premises. The Mayor stated that no agreement existed between Cannell and the Council, as Cannell had refused to sign the contract. The town clerk explained. It appeared that Mr Cannell had paid no rent to the Council since his occupation of the premises, but had done work as a set off. After some discussion the subject dropped. The clerk stated that he had collected during the week £SO ss. Accounts were passed for payment amounting to £24 8s 4d. Tenders for the valuation of the borough were then opened from Messrs Cuff, Huddleston, and Willcox. Mr Cuff, in his tender, proposed forming the borough into blocks. Mr Hawkins and other councillors thought Mr Cuff’s suggestion a good one. Cr Hawkins proposed that the other two tenderers should be communicated with before closing with Mr Cuff’s offer. Cr Buist moved that Mr Cuff’s tender be accepted. Cr Hawkins moved, as an amendment, that as it was not made public that the Council required the town assessed in blocks, that fresh tenders be called, stating that such is now required. Or Buist having replied, Cr Hawkins’ amendment was put and carried. Cr Graham asked if it would not be as well for the Council to decide upon a new site for the bathing house. Cr Young was in favor of its being sold. Cr Buist moved, and Cr Young seconded, that the custodian’s house be sold by auction. The motion was carried. Cr Grange asked what proportion of the Dampier’s Bay road had been completed. The foreman stated that a little over £IOO had been expended on the repairs, and that more than one-half the ro id was now completed. His Worship informed the Council that the pump on Norwich Quay had been removed, and stated that he had received a private offer for the purchase of same. Or Buist suggested that it should be sold by auction the same day as the bathing house.

After some further discussion, Or Grange moved, and Or Kenner seconded, that the sale of the said pump be left in the hands of his Worship, to dispose of it at a rate of mot less than 20s per cwt. Or Kenner asked if the contract for 500 of metal was passed, as he did not think that being quarried was equal to sample that had been showed to the Council. The Mayor replied in the negative. The chairman of the works’ committee made a verbal statement in re soil carted from the site of the future gas works, and suggested that it should be made use of by the works’ committee.

The matter was referred to the works’ committee, and the Council adjourned.