SYDENHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1586, 20 March 1879, Page 4

SYDENHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Monday, March 18,

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Council was held last evening at 7 o’clock. Present His Worship the Mayor,, and Councillors White, Andrew, Hall, Jones Langdown, Foster, Charters, Pavitt, and Brown, and the Town Clerk. The minutes of the last regular meeting and special meeting held on March 12th, were read and confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE. A letter was read from Mr T, B. Craig, calling attention to the creation of a nuisance close to bis residence in Selwyn street, through rubbish being shot into a hollow alongside his fence, either by the road contractor or someone under the control of the Council, and asking that the same might be discontinued. The Town Clerk said the matter had been attended to. A letter was read from Mr John Anderson, enclosing a plan of certain lands in Sydenham, his property, which he proposed cutting up into sections, and submitting the_ disposition of the streets, &0., to the Council’s approval. Referred to the works committee. A letter was read from Mr Thornton, of the firm of Thornton and Bull, offering to meet the Christchurch City Surveyor in consultation on the subject of the drainage of the South town belt. It was resolved that the letter be received. A letter was read from the Master of the Addington Gaol, requesting that the works committee of the Council would have the approaches to the Gaol made good over the side channel and footpath, and suggesting that the material previously used might he made available again rf the committee deemed it advisable. It was pointed out that it would be necessary to make some provision across the footpath in line with the side channels of the road within the Goal premises for carrying off the storm water, otherwise the scour would wash away the newly formed path. The letter was returned to the works committee with power to act. A letter was read from _Mr Pierce, chief inspector of nuisances,_ calling the Councils attention to an objectionable practice of the men employed by them to clean out the side channels, of leaving the filth oh the road to dry, to the injury of the public health, Cr. Pavitt said the nuisance had been cleared away by the foreman of works almost as soon as the letter had been received. It was resolved that the letter be received. _ A letter was read from Mr Hitchings, calling attention to tbe state of the side channels from Jersey street to Port street. The Mayor said the only way to abate the nuisance would be to compel residents to stop their artesian wells from running, and also to prevent them throwing out their slops into the side channels. Cr Jones did not think that the artesian wells being allowed to run would ever cause a nuisance. The matter was referred to the sanitary comA letter was read from Mr J. W. Treadewll, enclosing a copy map of new < ity, as sent by him to the Christchurch City Council. It was resolved that the letter bo received. RETURNING OFFICER.

A letter was read from Mr Frederick Jones, returning officer of the borough, tendering the resignation of his office through pressure of private business. It was resolved that the resignation be accepted. RAIMA AND ASHBURTON FORKS RAILWAY. A copy of a letter was road from Mr C. P. Barker to Government, respecting certain reserves which the tjovo nment intended to make over to the borough of Sydenham, and which the Rakaia and Ashburton Forks railway company were desivom of acquiring a portion of; but if once mad ? over to the Borough Council the latter would nave no power to sell it, but only to lease. The letter suggested that the grant from the Government to the Borough Council should be made out, with the omission in it of the piece of land referred to. The Mayor said the letter was a copy of one which had been sent to the Government, and referred |to Mr Marshman for him to report on, but he had declined to report on it until he had met the Council on the matter. He thought the best plan now would be to accede to the request, and ask the Government to give the Council 100 acres of land elsewhere, to make up for what they were asked to give to the Railway Company* Cr. Hall moved, and Cr, Jones seconded—- “ That this Council reserve to themselves the right of arranging with the Railway Company as to the alienation of any portion of their reserve.” . Cr. Pavitt, moved as an amendment —"That Mr Marshman be informed that this Council will grant the land to the Railway Company in exchange for 100 acres of Government land.” The amendment being put was negatived. Cr. Charters moved as an amendment on Cr. Hall’s motion—“ That Mr Marshman be informed, in reply, that the Council are willing to arrange with tbe Railway Company, conditional upon their paying a fair value for the land taken.” The amendment was seconded by Cr. White and agreed to. Cr. Hall’s original motion was then put and lost.

WORKS COMMITTEE REPORT. Sandridgc.—Tour committee held a meeting after the last usual meeting of this Council, at which Mr Jackman was present, when he agreed to give up the Sandridga contract as soon as the award of the arbitrators was paid. The award has been declared to be £lO7 10s for Mr Jackman, and your committee would recommend that the work of completing the formation of the streets in Sandridge be at once gone on with. Concrete Side Channels.—Tonr committee recommend that tho piece of concrete side channelling lately clone in Colombo road should form part of the general scheme. Your committee recommend that extra men be employed to keep the side channels swept out in accordance with the adopted danse of the sanitary committee’s report of March 3rd. That a fresh contract for tho supply of horse teams for general be rough work for one year he entered into.

The report was adopted. JACKMAN’S CONTRACT.

The Mayor said he wished to know tho reason why the works committee had not passed for payment the arbitrator’s award of £lO7 10s in *he arbitration case between Mr Jackman and the Sydenham Borough Council. He could not understand why the works committee had remitted the matter to the whole Council. Cr. Charters moved and Cr. Pavitt seconded — That the amount of the award in re Jackman’s contract for Sandridge, viz., £lO7 10s, and the arbitrator’s fee, £5 6s, be passed for payment,” On the motion of Cr. White seconded by Cr, Langdown, the Council went into committee to discuss tho question. On resuming, the Mayor reported that Cr. Charters’ motion had been put and carried. HEATHCOTE BRIDGE. Mr Stanley Edwards waited on the Board with reference to the diversion of roads in connection with the proposed new bridge over the River Heathcote. The Council promised to give the matter due consideration, and requested Mr Edwards to defer the matter until the next meeting of the Council. FINANCE. The town clerk reported that tho receipts for the fortnight amounted to £lO4 lls 6d, The credit balance at the Bank was £1960 2s. Accounts amounting to £332 5a 8d wore passed for payment, reducing the balance at the Bank to £1627 16s 4d. The finance committee reported the remittance or rates to the amount of £l3 2s. The committee recommended that a bonus of £2O be given to the town clerk for his extra work in making and supporting a valuation of the borough. The committee reported also uncollected rates, comprisirg owners unknown and property charged twice, amounting to £ : 0 14s. Instructions had been given in the ease whore _ the names of the owners are unknown to issue summonses, and on obtaining judgment, to lodge a caveat against tbe property for the amount. Summonses had been issued for £4B 18s 2d, rates still outstanding and unpaid. The report was received. The matter of the remission of rates was allowed to stand over until the next meeting of the Council. The question of a bonus to tho town clerk for making a valuation of the borough was also remitted to the next Council meeting.

The report as a whole, with tho exception of the expunged clauses, was then adopted. SANITARY COMMITTEE’S REPORT.

Tonr committee have the honor to report that they have given further consideration to the matter of the appointment of an inspector of nuisances, and wauld still urge upon this Council the necessity of appointing such officer without delay, as mentioned in previous report. 2. A portion of the order for night soil pans has heon delivered, and ore now ready for delivery to ratepayers at cash prices. 3. Mr Craig’s letter has heon considered and attended to. ~ .. ... „ . 4. Your committee consider tliat tno ofllo© of ranger for the borough could be conveniently combined with that of inspector of nuisances. A recommendation was added to the report that the fee for impounding cattle should for tno future be reduced from 2a 6d to la 3d. The report was then considered clause. by clause, and finally received and adopted. After the transaction of some farther ronWIS business the Council adjourned.