BOROUGH COUNCILS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1372, 9 July 1878, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCILS.

SYDENHAM. The usual fortnightly meeting of the Sydenham Borough Council took place last evening at seven o'clock. Present —His Worship the Mayor (in the chair) and Councillors Whitelaw, Buxton, Verrall. Hall, Jones, Charters. BURGESS ROLL. His Worship stated that before proceeding with the usual business of the evening, they had better commence with the special business which had been adjourned from the previous meeting—the certifying and signing of the burgess list. This J was accordingly done, and the name of Eobert McFarlane was added to the roll. The minutes of the previous usual meeting were read and confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE. A circular was read from the Eakaia and Ashburton Forks Eoilway Company, enclosing notice of deposit of plans and book of reference showing the names of the owners and occupiers, with numbers of sections through which the proposed line of railway from Eakaia to Ashburton Forks is intended to pass; also the acreage of each section required to be taken for the said line. Eeferred to the finance and works committee. A letter from Pavitt Bros., asking that the Council would give instructions to have the portion of Harper street leading from the South Belt to the railway fence metalled, and stating that the .'firm represented would be willing to contribute one-half of the cost. His Worship said, considering the request a reasonable one, he had granted it conditionally to its being approved of by the Council. His Worship's action was endorsed. A letter from the Colonial Secretary informing tho Council that, in accordance with the request contained in their letter of the 13th June ult., his Excellency the Governor has, by warrant under his hand, published in the " New Zealand Gazette " of the 27th ult., been pleased to appoint Mr W. Cuthbert Eegistrar of Dogs for the Borough of Sydenham, and tho town's clerk's office the place of registration. The appointment was approved. A letter from the clerk to the Spreydon Eoad Board re interest on rates, and informing the Council that the Board's committee on the 7th of January ult, having specified all items which were to be paid to the Sydenham Council, having paid all these items, decline to re-open the question on the plea that interest in addition upon these items should be paid to the said Council. Eeferred to the finance committee. A circular from the Mayor of Wellington stating that it was proposed to hold the first meeting of delegates to the Munioipal Conference in the Provincial Hall, Wellington, on Monday, July 29fch, at 2 o'clock, and requesting, in view of the attendance of the Mayor of Sydenham, that the views of the Coumil over which he presides with regard to any proposed alterations to the various existing Acts might he reduced to writing, and forwarded in charge of their representative. His Worship said he feared he should bo unable to go to Wellington as the Council's representative, and proposed that Or. Charters should be nominated in his place; and further, that he considered it would be advisable that a special meeting of the Council should be called for the purpose of going through the various clauses of the Municipal Councils Act, in order to comply with the request contained in the circular.

It was resolved that Councillor Charters should be deputy delegate to proceed to Wellington as the representative of the Council, in the event of the Mayor being unable to go. It was resolved that a special meeting for the consideration of the matters mentioned by His Worship the Mayor, should be convened for next Monday evening. A letter from the Resident Engineer at Christchurch, acknowledging the receipt of the Council's letter of 13th June ult., and stating that the works had been done as requested. The letter was ordered to be acknowledged. A letter from Mr J. W. Treadwell, informing the Council that as the Government have decided to allow no sidings on the south of the line at present, he had sold the bulk of his property to various people, and requesting that the rates may be collected accordingly. It also stated that the roadway in question is forty feet wide, and that it had been in use ten years before the Council was formed and is legal. It was moved by Or. Whitclaw, seconded by Cr. Hall, and carried—" That the clerk be instructed to make search as to the existence of a sale plan of the land referred to in Mr Treadwell's letters, for the purpose of ascertaining whether the road alluded to was in existence prior to the proclamation of the municipality." WOKJvS COMMITTEE. The works committee reported that the working gang had been employed during the last fortnight in spreading shingle in connection with the contract for the same, and altering footpaths and side channels in Selwyn street. A contract had been let for the formation of Angus street, and the Queen street contract was nearly completed. The committee recommended the purchase of a road scraper. Also that the Council should ask the city authorities to form the street crossing on the South town belt to the southern boundary. Certain inhabitants of a private street abutting on Colombo street having applied to have the street formed, the committee recommended an inspection of the work proposed, to be subsequently reported on as to its cost and practicability of widening it from 33 ft. to 40ft. The committee suggested that the Council should communicate with Mr Murray-Aynsley with reference to the forming and metalling of certain reserves that it was understood he intended to make for the purpose of extending tho streets now abutting on Hawdon street as far as Queen street. The committee recommended an amendment of the gating Act for an equitable adjustment of the coat {to those persons whose traffic entails any extra cost involved in the maintenance of various roads in the borough. The committee further recommended that an effort should also be made by the Council to render it imperative on owners cutting up blocks of town land for building allotments to construct all new roads so laid out previous to offering the blocks for sale, and suggested that it should bo an instruction to the delegate of the Council to bring both points under the notice of the ensuing conference at Wellington. The various suggestions and recommendations contained in the report were then considered seriatim, and the report aB a whole approved and adopted. His Worship stated that he understood a considerable quantity of boulders were lying in the Q-overnment shingle pit in the Lincoln road, which would be of very great use, if broken up, in metalling the streets in the borough, and were of no use to the (government, and he thought it probable that, if an application was made to. the Government Engineer for the gift of it, the request would probably be acceded to. On the motion of Cr. Charters, seconded by Cr. Vennall, it was resolved than an application for the boulders should be made to Government Engineer.

SANITAEY BEFOBT. The sanitary report was read adopted. FINANCE COMMITTEE. The finance committee roported that the receipts for the fortnight amounted to £9l 3s 7d. The Cr. balance in the Bank amonntcd to £2326 2a 9d. Accounts to the amount of £63 12s lid were passed for payment. Notices of Motion. QUESTION OF TASTE. Cr. Hall moved, " That the attention of his Worship the Mayor be called to the reports in the newspapers ridiculing the English of a member of a deputation attending this Council : this being outside the business of the Council, the action of the reporters is in questionable taste." In moving the resolution, Cr. Hall said he thought an expression of opinion was very desirable as to the taste displayed by one of the local papers in ridiculing certain peculiarities of the English ÜBed by a recent member of a deputation to the Council. These persons frequently came forward, at much inconvenience to themselves, in the interest of their neighbours, for the redreßa of grievances, and it was calculated for

the future to deter anyone from coming forward with that object, if the next morning they were held up to ridicule in the public papera. His Worship, to a great extent, endorsed the opinions expressed by Cr. Hall as to the questionable taste displayed by the paper in question. He thought that the Council, as public characters, were amenable to criticism, but that it was a different and objectionable principle when applied to members of deputations. There were many excellent men of business who might not speak correct English, but that was no reason they should be ridi culcd. Still he thought that the fact of the matter having been brought before the Council would have the desired effect, and there was no object to bo gained by recording a motion of censure in the minutes. Ho thought it would be as well if Cr. Hall would withdraw his motion. Crs. Jones and Charters expressed similar views to his Worship, and believed the end they desired would be gained by the discussion of the matter without putting Cr. Hall's motion. Cr. Whitelaw suggested, as an amendment, "That the subject having been sufficiently ventilated, there was no need to place it upon the minutes of the Council." Cr. Hall could not see how he could withdraw his motion, which was accordingly put, seconded by Cr. Buxton, and negatived. RAILWAY FOOTPATHS. Cr. Jones moved—" That the attention of the Minister for Public Works be called to the necessity that exists for providing footpaths across the railway at the Colombo street crossing, and that the gateß on footpath be removed." Cr. Buxton seconded the motion, which was agreed to. CHARITABLE AID. Before concluding the business of the meeting, his Worship explained to the Oounci) what had taken place at the meeting of the Charitable Aid Board in the morning, and asked the Council for such particulars as they were acquainted with of the cases receiving charitable aid in the borough of Sydenham. After some discussion on the cases that members of the Council were acquainted with, the Council adjourned. 4