SYDENHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2164, 1 February 1881, Page 3

SYDENHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual meeting of the above took place last night. Present —His Worship the Mayor, Councillors White, Andrew, Joyce, Hall, Day and Niooll. His Worship the Mayor apologised for the absence of Councillor Charters.

The receipts during the past fortnight were stated to be £225 11s lOd ; the expenditure, £249 8s sd; the credit balance at the hank as being £1227 18s 61, Correspondence was read on various matters, the most important being a letter from the Town Clerk, Christchurch, acknowledging receipt of plans of the South belt formation, and stating that the City Council could not agree to the proposed work, unless the concrete side channelling was done at the same time. As otherwise, the cause of complaint would not be removed. After some discussion, it seemed to he the opinion of the Council that the City Council songht to take advantage of the powers conferred by the Act. They were laying down a certain course, which, if pursued, would put the Borough Council in the position of favoring one part of the ratepayers at the expense of the others. The Council really had not the money to do the work. The City Council knew this all along, and on the undertaking that the borough should keep the channelling clean, it had been agreed in conference that the concreting should not be insisted on and|Furthor, that in the specifications agreed upon nothing was said about concreting. Or. Joyce pointed out that by the Act the work must be done to the approval of the City Surveyor; if he included concreting it was a question whether they were not bound to put it in. He suggested that a legal opinion ha obtained on the point. Or. White said he believed the ardent desire of the City Council was to get the town belt into their own possession. They wore just putting obstacles in the way with that object in view. It could not be a question of the absolute necessity for channelling the whole distance or the City Council would take step* to complete their own part of it. It was finally resolved that the opinions of Messrs Harper and Joynt be obtained as to the powers of the City Council in the matter, and that the works committee be instructed to take action under that advice.

The application by Mr Stewart for the remission of the money paid for a building licence caused considerable discussion, in which it came out that the by-law under which that and similar charges have been made had been pronounced bad by the Council’s solicitors. On the motion of Or. White, seconded by Or. Joyce, the money in this particular instance was ordered to be refunded.

It was resolved to decline an application from Mr J. O. Boyle for a remission of part of his rent on account of a grass fire on the reserve which he leases from the Council, a re-arrangement of his times of payment was also refused.

The Chief Postmaster wrote, stating that the work done in the office lately opened in the borough might be considered fairly satisfactory. The thanks of the Council were ordered to be conveyed to the writer. The Bank of Now South Wales and the Union Bank declined to establish branches in the borough at present. The Banks of New Zealand and Australia asked for further information on the subject. A petition was read from certain residents on rural section 196, Sandridge, asking that the streets there might be repaired and taken over. Referred to the works committee with power to act. Or. Joyce moved—“ That the manager of the Bank of New Zealand be informed that it is the intention of this Council to transfer its banking business to the Bank which may first open a branch at Sydenham.” Cr. Day seconded the motion. After discussion, with the consent of the mover and seconder, the matter was allowed to stand over till next meeting. Notices of motion were given for next meeting, and the Council adjourned.