BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 573, 20 April 1876, Page 4

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

KAIAPOI. The fortnightly meeting of this Council for the despatch of ordinary business was held on Tuesday evening. Present—the Mayor, Crs Parnham, Porter, Wearing, Funston, Ellen. Blackwell, and Smethurst, Or Ellen, chairman of the sanitary committee, said since last report was handed in a second inspection of the nuisances referred to showed that only half a dozen persons had complied with the notices, The Mayor said the next step would be for the committee to prosecute the parties offending. The credit balance in bank was £197 9s lid. Or Blackwell moved, Cr Parnham seconded, the payment of accounts —Foreman, £4 10s; labour, £4 2s 9d ; PBESS Com; any, fis ; Lyttelton Times, £5 17s (3d ; total, £l4 16s 3d. Agreed to. Cr Parnham, chairman works committee, draw attention to the necessity for putting in drainage culverts under the embankments.

The Mayor said at his request the contractors for the embankments had kept places open Jor that purpose, and the Council would have to decide what should bo done. Regarding the Ohoka drain and Feldwick’s cutting floodgates, the provincial engineer thought concrete work too expensive for the former, but would invite alternative tenders of concrete and timber for the latter,

Cr Wearing was under the impression that the drainage under the embankments was provided for. If not it ought to be attended to forthwith. Cr Ellen moved, Cr Smethurst seconded—- “ That the woiks committee be empowered to carry out the necessary drainage works.” Carried.

Cr Ellen moved, Cr Funston seconded pro forma —“ That sluice gates be put to the drains instead of flood-gates.” The Council went into committee (Cr Blackwell in the chair) to consider the motion, when it was by consent withdrawn, Cr Ellen enquired if the works committee had staked out the places from which material for the embankment was to be taken.

Cr Parnham, chairman works committee, replied he had not; the work was too much of a tax on his time, and he bad said he should have nothing to do with it. The Mayor then must appoint some one within the meaning of the specification prepared for the contractors. Cr Porter advised the appointment of a paid officer. After some discussion, The Council was resolved into committee, Cr Blackwell in the chair.

On resuming, The Mayor moved—“ That a protective works committee, of Grs Smethurst, Ellen, and the mover, be appointed, to direct the contractors in accordance with the specification,” Agreed to. Cr Wearing expressed his disapproval of the contractors being allowed to dig up Eaven Quay, in forming the embankment.

Cr bmethurst moved—“ That it is the expressed desire of this Council that his Worship the Mayor cause a petition to ladrafted for signature, and the same be presented to the Hon C. C. Bowen, asking him to take measures for having a Bill prepared for presentation to the House of Representatives during the next session of Parliament so that a special Act may be passed for th> purpose of having a Warbor Board formed at Kaiapoi, and such to be called the Kaiapoi and Waimakariri Haibor Board, with jowers for borrowing such sums of money as tht Board may see fit for improving the river entrance, dredging, erecting breakwaters, wharves, jetties, piers, &c, and more particu larly causing the south branch of the Waimakariri to be opened foi navigation purposes, on account of ite close proximity to the railway sheds.” In moving this he said his intention was to get the river opened, and the General Government, which was so liberal in regard to ptherharbors, ought to assist here, There;

was a good roadstead, a safe bar, and a fine river, which, if utilised, ought to make Kaiapoi a shipping port in connection with the railway and open out trade. If the north branch, available to vessels of 6ft draught, was not enough, they could open up the south branch to the railway bridge to vessels of 150 tons, and wharves could be readily constructed on that branch, to which sidings from the railway might be brought in with advantage. The rail charges per ton from Kaiapoi to Lyttelton were 8s 3d a ton, 2s 6d for wharfage, and 6d for cranage, making 11s 9d against Bs, not including charges for shipping at Kaiapoi by the river. Besides benefiting the town in promoting circulation of the “ medium,” it would bring with it population and capital. His motion was to get '.he Government to do something and spend something. Or Porter —ls there any estimate of this work ?

Or Smethurst—lt is a suggestion for the Council. I do not go into estimates, but simply ask for money to carry out certain works.

The Mayor, after a pause—Does anyone second this 1 Or Ellen said he would do so. If the motion was carried and did no good, it could do no harm. At present it was like a leap in the dark, and he would therefore like to see it ventilated.

No other Councillor rising to speak, The Mayor said he should vote against such a complex, meaningless motion. In the first place it meant that the Council should pay £2OO to get a Bill passed delegating some of its powers to someone else, then the Harbor Board would not carry on its affairs without rating, and he considered there were plenty of rates already. If the river was dredged it would only benefit a small number, such as Birch and Co, and unless these took the initiative he did not see why the public funds should be spent in opening out conveniences for such as W. Wilson and his sections on the south branch. [Hear, hear] It was not within the province of the Council to move in this matter till something more tangible was before it. The Council would no doubt give the question of providing facilities for trade every consideration, such as giving permission to lay a tramway along the north or south bank of the river ; but for sake of following up an election cry it was not likely to support this motion. Its funds were already all appropriated, and a step in the direction indicated for the purpose of benefiting the town, by the carriage of timber from Oxford, or grain from the districts, was out of its province. Besides, the Government would meet snch a motion by saying, “ You have the railway, what better means of commanicatiou do yon want 7" And they all knew the Government was not likely to bring the river into opposition with its line. Cr Smethurst replied, saying he was not surprised at the opposition shown. He brought the matter on to create discussion, but was astonished the Council should be adverse to the interests of the town. f“ No, No.”] With regard to the rating, it would be a question for the public to decide after the Bill was passed whether it would con sent to the rate.

The motion was put, when neither the mover or seconder voted for it, the Mayor declaring it lost unanimously. The Council then adjourned.