BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 251, 1 April 1875, Page 4

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

LYTTELTON. Tuesday, March 30. The weekly meeting, deferred to this day in consequence of Easter Monday being a general holiday, was held at the usual hour. Present —The Mayor and all the councillors. The clerk stated he had received £49 9s Id since the last meeting of the Council. Correspondence was read : From Sergeant-Major O'Grady, stating that he was informed that animals escaped from the pound, and that the pound book was improperly kept. After discussion, it was resolved —" That the clerk be instructed to write to the poundkeeper, requesting that the provisions of the Cattle Trespass Ordinance be carried out, and that his book be sent in to the Council for inspection ; also, that the works committee be asked to report upon enlarging aaid pound." From the Lyttelton borough school committee, asking for the ground from behind the Colonists' Hall to St. David's street for building purposes, as the new schools were found insufficient to accommodate the number of children attending.

It was moved by Cr Graham, and seconded by Cr Buist—" That the request of the school committee be acceded to." Cr Chalmers rose to ask if they would gain any tangible advantage from this step, When the site of the present school was given it was valued at £I6OO, and there was a proportionate reduction made in the tax on the town for the erection of the building.

The Mayor said that any ground voted by the Council would no doubt be considered equivalent to a certain sum of money. After a few remarks irom Cr Grange, the resolution was put and carried. From the chairman of the Central Board of Health, thanking the chairman of the local Board of Health for the very valuable report upon the sanitary condition of the borough. From Mr E. Steggall, stating that he had transferred his interest in lease of section 34 in Oxford street, to Mrs Elizabeth Warne, and asking the Council to sanction the same. Referred to the solicitor for his opinion. Applications for the office of town clerk were then opened ; nineteen applications had been sent in, out of which twelve were informal. From the remaining seven Mr H. J. V. Rogers was selected to fill the position. The weekly pay-sheet, amounting to £2l 9s 9d, was passed for payment. The chairman of the works committee said that the report of that body, promised on the night of the previous meeting, was not yet finished, but would be laid before them on Monday next.

The Mayor said that their membersMessrs Webb and Kichardson—were both anxious for details as to the requirements of the town, and it was necessary they should be supplied with them before the session. The chairman of the works committee stated he had seen Mr Dunsford, and asked him if he would object to an increase of rent if the Council repaired the weighbridge office. That gentleman had given him no decided answe;.

It was decided that the estates committee should revalue the weighbridge office.

The chairman of the works committee further stated that with regard to the fence on the Dampier's Bay road, it would cost about £3O to thoroughly repair it. As the works committee thought the Council wished the work done as soon as possible, they had ordered the necessary timber.

The action of the works committee was approved. The chairman of the works committee stated that the footpath in front of the New Zealand Shipping Company's office had been put right without being asphalted. As it was late, the consideration of Cr Chalmers notice of That the Mayor be empowered to open negociations for a loan of one thousand pounds (£1000) for drainage purposes, repayable by instalments and secured as a first charge on the Council's rent roll," was deferred for a week. The Mayor said he had been requested to bring under the notice of the Board of Health certain nuisances existing in the town. Some pigsties of Mr Illingworth's were, it was Baid, insufficiently drained and a great nuisance. There was one of the clauses of the Health Act that provided for this, stating that when such nuisances became dangerous to health, they might be suppressed by the local Board. On Mr Eedpath's property there was a drain not sufficiently large that was frequently choked and stagnant. The foreman of works stated the drain was not large enough. His Worship also stated that Mr George Mackay had complained of filth being thrown under his gorse hedge by some of the inhabitants of Mcnkey Town. The foreman said the matter thrown was not of a sort to exhale effluvia.

The Mayor further stated that Mr Jacobsen complained of a stench from a pipe leading into the main drain, situated between his office and Mr Cole's Lyttelton Hotel. The foreman of works was told to bring up a report as to Mr Illingworth's pigsties, and also to see to the pipes complained of by Mr Jacobson.

Cr Graham said that he wished to bring before the Council the advisablenesa of reconsidering the question of licensing carters. He did this that the town might see the Council were watching over their interests. An accident had occurred on the previous day which had endangered several lives, and this was the third time the same individual had met with a casualty. He thought that the Council should step in and compel carters to take out licenses. By this means they could hold them in restraint, and if the same person met with several accidents the license could be taken away from him. By doing this they would show the public they were not unmindful of these matters.

Cr Grange said he wished to be informed how the £IOOO grant had been expended. He was repeatedly asked what had been done with it, and wished to be in a position to answer the question. Cr Graham said that the information asked for was contained in the report that the works committee were going to bring up at the next weekly meeting. Cr Grange then laid on the table the following of motion for next meeting—'What amount of money has been expended on that portion of Dampier's Bay road, opposite the bathing shed, from the date when the custodian's house was sold, this to include the amount expended from Milen 1 store to Cameron's corner." j Ike Council then adjourned.