ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1662, 18 June 1879, Page 4

ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual fortnightly meeting was held on Monday evening. Present—His Worship the Mayor (presiding), and Messrs Ivess, Saunders, Priedlander, Orr, St. Hill, Campbell Roberts, Williamson, and Parkin. Correspondence was read—Prom the Mayor of Ohriitohurch, asking aid of Council in giving employment to the unemployed. Prom Sergeant Felton, stating that the Resident Magistrate had given a case against him for impounding a wandering horse belonging to Mr Knnd Olsen, on the ground that the offence was laid as a breach of borough by-law, clause g 9, re cattle straying, it appearing that there was no interpretation clause defining a horse as cattle; further stating that he should take no further action under this bye-law till he received further instructions Council on the matter. On the question of the bylaws, it was recommended by the Mayor that they should be referred for revision to a solicitor. Mr Parkin was of opinion that it would be better, and the most inexpensive way, to have any amendments or addenda necessary printed, instead of having the whole by-laws recast. Mr Saunders suggested that as the by-laws were almost a reprint of those in use in Dunedin, Christchurcb, and other places, steps should bo taken to ascertain the validity of the by-laws in use in other places. Mr St. Hill thought the by-law committee had not been successful with their work. Mr Ivess thought Mr Parkins' suggestion was an excellent one, and as the by-laws of Christchurch had been frequently added to as circumstances required, there was no reason why that course should not be followed in Ashburton. He would move—" That the former committee be re-appointed to amend the laws as required, with power to obtain any needful legal assistance." The Mayor threw out a suggestion to the effect that a by-law should be introduced preventing the erection of any wooden buildings in any of the larger blocks in East street, but that either brick or concrete should be the materials employed. Mr Williamson thought the town was not ripe for such a law, though party-walls might be advantageous. It was ultimately resolved to introduce a law com. pelling the erection of party-walls in the blocks from Montgomery's buildings to Priedlander Brothers, the law to affect the streets a ohain deep into the block. On a letter from Mr Dolman, regarding gas fittings, Mr St. Hill pointed out that, in Borne cases, the streets had been left in a dangerous condition after the laying of gas mains. It was resolved that the engineer's attention be called to the matter. Mr Dolman's request to open a footpath to lay a service pipe to the lamp in front of the Somerset Hotel was granted. A letter was read from Mr 8. Revans, manager of Ashburton branch Bank of New Zealand, acceding to Council's request for an overdraft of £BOO, also thanking Council for information re separate loan for special works. Prom James Mills, one of the unemployed, asking for employment, stating he had nothing to do for the last five or six weeks, and having a wife and four children to keep and rent to pay, his funds were now run out, but the baker's trap had not yet run by without stopping (to leave a loaf, but did not know how soon he would do so. He had tried for work all round, but" not at present "was all the cry. A letter from Mr Buchanan, clerk to the Road Board, submitted the statement of accounts between the Road Board and the borough from the time of the borough's severance from the Board till date. It showed the amounts due by the Board to the Council to be—Prom rates and rents, £245 10s, less cost of collection, £lB 18s 3d, £227 Is 9d; proportion of land fund, £394 7a 9d ; total, £621 9a 6d. This sum had been p«d in two instalments—one on May 7th, £163 10a 6d; another on June 2nd, £157 19s. There was also an uncollected balance of rates amounting to £206 7s, remaining from the rate struck in October of last year, and these Mr Buchanan was endeavoring to collect for the Council, irrespective of his position as secretary and valuer to the Board, under instructions from the Council to press for unpaid rates. Seeing that the borough was gazetted in August, and the Board's rates struck in October, Mr Buchanan questioned if the Council would be able to recover in Court against defaulters. He believed, however, he should be able to collect about £75 of the sum mentioned. Mr Buchanan said he was entitled to equitable compensation for collection of the rates, and was prepared for a bonus of £lO to close accounts and hand over to the Council a list of the defaulters, or he would collect the whole and alao the rate about to be struck for a commission of 7£ per cent. After discussion Mr Ivess moved—- " That a committee be appointed, consisting of Messrs Priedlander, Orr, St. Hill, and the mover, to consider the Board's statement and report at next meeting." The motion was carried. It was moved ] that ,the works committee be requested to report at next meeting re Bites and erection of lamp-posts. Resolved—" That the inspect the premises of those who had applied for kerosene licenses." The Mayor suggested that, for the comfort of the cab-drivers' and carriers' horses, the part of East street set aside as cab and carriers' stands be shingled, and that the cab-stand be separated from the carriers'. This waa agreed to. Mr St. Hill was added to the various committees of which Mr Shearman, recentlyresigned,wasamember. The engineers in their report recommended that an additional gang for road labor be selected from the unemployed, and with a view to adding to the number of men so that as many as possible could be taken on, it was suggested that the wages should be reduced by Is or Is 6d per day. The work proposed to be given to the unemployed was the formation of footpaths in accordance with the Council's resolution. It waa agreed to give as much work as possible as day labor. The engineer reported the completion of Mr Dol» man's contract for the sinking of five pipe wells, but the well [driven near Saunders' Buildings was not satisfactory, through a subsidence of the substratum of water. It was resolved to detain the £lO from the amount of Mr Dolman's cheque until the well) had been tested by the fire brigade. The tender of R. J. Hughes and Co. for the office of town scavenger, was accepted. After some discussion, in which the failure of the by-laws cases before the R. M. Court was somewhat severely animadverted on, it was decided to dispense with the services of an inspector of nuisances. It was resolved that the clerk's prepared statement of probable revenue and expenditure be published. Mr Ivess' motion, given notice of at last meeting, was carried, to strike a rate of Is in the £ on the 30th June, payable on the 30th July. Liberty was granted to Mr C. Neate to erect a horse post opposite his shop in Moore street.

The Duke of Norfolk has subscribed £20,000 towards the erection of a new Eoman Catholic Church on the site of the present Oratory at Brompton. A deputation from Yorkshire waited upon Sir Michael Hicks-Beach at the Colonial Office to present a memorial with reference to the new Canadian tariff, which the deputation stated imposed prohibitive duties upon the heavy mixed worsted and woollen goods of Yorkshire. Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, in reply, said he gathered that the deputation quite understood the limits within which any action of her Majesty's Government would be confined in this matter, and that they did not intend to discuss the wisdom or the folly of Canada adopting the protectionist policy; they were anxious to point out to him certain points in the new tariff which pressed unequally and with a special hardness upon certain industries. He should, of course, consider very carefully what they had placed before him, and if he could make certain representations to the Canadian Government on their behalf he should be most willing to 0 80. The " St. Arnaud Mercury" asks :—" Did any of our readers ever try making tea with cold water? If you never have, just do to the next warm day, when a cool refreshing beverage is deisired. Place the tea in a pitcher in the morning, with just enough cold water to cover it. At dinner time fill the pitcher with cold water from the well, and you will have the best cup of tea you ever drank —that is for warm weather. Ihe finer qualities of the tea are much more fully retained than when steeped upon the fire." An elderly man named Friday returned to England from Illinois last autumn, and renewed an old acquaintance with a lady named Avery, living near Maidttone, whom he bad not seen for nineteen years. Ho was out of health, and had no money. She had just received a legaoy of upwards of £llOO. He proposed marriage, and she accepted hi» offer; but two days before the appoint d wedding day she refused to go to church with him until he had executed a marriage settlement. He positively declined to have bb interview with her lawyer, and brought an action for breach of promise, which resulted n a verdict in hia favor for £2O.