KAIAPOI BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1930, 1 May 1880, Page 3

KAIAPOI BOROUGH COUNCIL.

This Council met on Thursday. Present — The Mayor (Mr Blackwell), Ors. Moore, Woodford, Monk, Wearing, Fraser, and Pinching. Leave of absence was granted to Ors. May and Matthews.' Or. Woodford, chairman reserves committee, reported having inspected the endowment reserve, Ashburton, April 20tb, and found the conditions of the lease complied with in cropping and fencing improvements, and the sinking of an artesian well. One thousand two hundred and fifty acres had been under crop this year, and 250 acres had been planted with turnips. It was resolved that Messrs Saunders Bros’, application for permission to sub-let the reserve in terms of the lease be agreed to. Or. Moore, chairman works committee, reported the Peraki street water tank was not properly completed, the committee advising that .£3 be spent in facing same, also £5 for fencing it. It was advisable to reform part of Beach road, and metal, with at least six yards to the chain, estimated cost £BO. A bridge on Hilton street required fencing, at a cost of 355. During the winter a lamp was required at the south approach of the suspension bridge, and the lamp at the North-road Dining-rooms might also be lighted by the Council. On the reservoir question, Cr. Wearing, a member of the works committee, said he disagreed with the report. Or. Moore enquired why the last speaker had signed it. Ors. Monk and Woodford considered that the contractor should be called on to finish the 30b. The adoption of the clause of the report referring to this matter was carried on the casting vote of the Mayor. The planting committee’s report recommended that the willows along the river be trimmed, and pines planted where others had failed. Or. Moore, chairman of the sanitary committee, presented a voluminous report, in which the committee, although approving of the closet pan system for districts closely populated, did not recommend its adoption for the borough. It was considered that, with proper care, the excreta from closets might still be buried on the respective premises, under proper inspection, without causing any nuisance. Estimating that there were 270 houses, and taking the cost of pans and fixing at 17s, the expense would be £229 10a. The total annual cost of removal, at 4d per pan per fortnight, would be £lB9 a year, making a total cost of £4lB 10s, nearly equal in amount to the annual rateable value of the borough property. Cr. Woodford was entirely adverse to the adoption of the system. Cr. Monk considered its introduction premature. Or. Fraser was favorable to a discussion and consideration of the question. The Mayor expressed himself strongly in favor of this improvement, as affecting the town, after the repeated statements made by the Health Officer of the Board of Health, and because he was aware that over a considerable area of the borough it was impossible to bury nightsoil to a depth of six feet and eight feet without reaching water which was affected by the tide. On the motion of the Mayor, seconded by Or. Woodford, consideration of this report was deferred till next meeting. There were no receipts for the past fortnight. The overdraft at the bank was £166 2s 9d. Accounts amounting to £36 15s XOd were passed. On the motion of Cr. Fraser it was resolved to write to the Minister for Public Works in reference to the promises made by him, and particularly in reference to £SOO towards the cost of the embankments ; also, to the Colonial Treasurer, asking for a reply in reference to the improper deduction of an amount for charitable aid from the Council’s subsidy. Cr. Fraser drew attention to drains requiring cleansing. Cr. Woodford’s motion, seconded by Cr. Moore, to kerb with timber, and form a footpath from the railway station to the swing bridge, was negatived, the mover and seconder only voting for it. The Council then adjourned.