SYDENHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1260, 2 April 1878, Page 3

SYDENHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The ordinary fortnightly meeting was held last evening at the Borough offices. Present — His Worship the Mayor (Mr Geo. Booth), Crs. Whitelaw, Jones, Scott, Vennal, Hall, Charters. SPBEVDON BOAD HOARD. In reply to the Mayor, the clerk said the Spreydon Road Board had received a copy of the report made by the Commissioner of Audit, ; No reply had been received from the Board to the resolution passed at the last meeting of the Council, a copy of which had been forwarded. Or. Whitelaw said it was evident from the manner in which the letters from the Council were treated by the Board, that some constitutional steps should be taken to enforce the award of the Commissioner. He would move “ That the attention of the Government be directed to the matter, and a, request be made that the award made by the Commissioner should be enforced,” The clerk read the memorandum of agreement regarding financial settlement come to between representatives from the Borough Council and Road Board. After some further remarks it was resolved to write to the Spreydon Road Board that if an immediate reply is not received to the last letter, steps will be taken to have the award enforced. Or. Jones said he understood the Board would meet on the following day, and he hoped a copy of the resolution would be forwarded by 1 the clerk in time for the meeting. , COBHEBPONDENCE. A letter was read from the Thames Borough Council inviting co-operation towards forming a Municipal League in New Zealand. ’ The clerk was instructed to reply that the Council concurred in the proposal to form a Municipal League. A letter was read from the Riccarton Road iJJoardia yejpjty wjing that wpuld py

half the cost of making a footpath on the west side of Lincoln road, but would not levy a special rate for that purpose. After some discussion the letter was referred to the works committee.

A letter was read from the Selwyn County Council informing the Borough Council that a sum of £ISOO had been received from the Government towards the cost of providing a central cemetery, and inviting a conference with two members of the Council on this subject. The Mayor said this was a very important matter. He understood a division of some of the money bad already taken place, and as he bad read it the division, so far as Rangiora was concerned, had been a very gross one, as the whole of the money had been allotted to the Church of England body. On the motion of Cr. Whitolaw, the Mayor was requested to represent the Council at any Conference to be held. A hope was also expressed that the cemetery would be open to all denominations on terms of perfect equality. A circular letter was read from the Secretary to the Treasury, saying that in reference to section 13 of the Financial Arrangements Act, 1876, requiring that all subsidies payable to Counties and Boroughs should be subject to pro rata deduction for the maintenance of hospitals and charitable institutions, and also with reference to the Hon, the Colonial Secretary’s circular of sth inst., No. 4, in which it was proposed that in cases where maintenance and control of these institutions wore taken over, a grant of pound for pound on the amount of paid-up subscriptions would be made, and no deductions on account of these services would be made from subsidies ; he had to inform the Council that as it was held that the Treasury was bound by law to make these deductions, it was proposed when paying the remaining moiety of the subsidies payable for the current year, to continue the practice of deduction as heretofore, on the understanding that in all cases where the county or borough shall, before 30fch June next, assentto the proposals of the Government and take upon itself the control and maintenance of its hospitals and charitable institutions, an amount equivalent to the sum deducted from the subsidy paid for the half-year ending on the above date should be repaid to the county or borough, together with the special grant of pound for pound above referred to. In connection with this letter the Mayor stated what had been done at the conference recently held in the City Council Chambers, and read the resolution then agreed to. He (the Mayor) did not think the subject had been as much ventilated as it should have been. He thought the question of voluntary contributions might have been discussed, and in his opinion the practice of Hospital Sunday would be found to be one successful means of raising large contributions for tte hospital. >■ The resolution, as read by t)ie Mayor, and his remarks on voluntary contributions were concurred in. The clerk was instructed to acknowledge receipt of the letter from the Treasury, A letter was read from Mr W. Langdown, saying the cant given to his siding in First street was not more than desired by the railway inspector of permanent way, or than was necessary for the safe running of waggons on the line. Consideration of this' letter was deferred until a later stage of the meeting. A Treasury voucher for £22 7s 3d was transmitted from Wellington as balance of subsidy to Council, for half-year, after deducting £330 10s 6d borough’s contribution towards maintenance of hospitals and charitable institutions for that period. Cr. Whitelaw said it would be interesting to know what benefit the burgesses of Sydenham had received during the half-year for the £330 which had been deducted.

The Mayor said the Q-overnment were merely acting up to the powers of the Act. Christchurch had no endowment, and was also behind all the other places of New Zealand in the matter of voluntary contributions. The effect of this was now beginning to be felt. WORKS COMMITTEE’S REPORT.

The committee reported on various works being carried out in the borough and other matters. In the report the length of time occupied in the construction of a crossing to Mr JLangdown’s property was referred to. In conjunction with this, Mr Langdown’g letter, previously read, was considered. A letter was read from the railway engineer, saying that in a curve of ten chains radius no cant was required where the traffic was slow.

It was resolved that Mr Langdown be forwarded a copy of the railway engineer's letter, and Jm be informed that where the line intersects the railway the rails must be laid without cant. On the recommendation of the works committee the Coal Pit Heath Company was granted a siding from the railway, the payment to be fifteen guineas annually.