KAIAPOI BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2657, 12 October 1882, Page 3

KAIAPOI BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of this Council was held on Tuesday evening. Present—The Mayor (Mr Smith), Ora. Parnham, Woodford, Pinching, May, Feldwick, and Champion. Leave of absence was granted to the town clerk (Mr Dudley) on account of illness, and subsequently leave was granted him for a fortnight. In the outward correspondence, the case of the Grant family from Winton, who were in a state of distress, wag brought to the notice of the Charitable Aid Board. The bridge committee recommended that a premium of £SO bo offered for the beat design of a bridge, to be accompanied by estimates and specifications, to bo built with iron piles or iron cylinder piles filled with concrete, or concrete piers and abutmenta, wrought iron girders, and superstructure, and timber decking ; the bridge to be for double road traffic, and with a footway, also an opening of 30ft feo allow the narigation of the river, provision to be made for the traffic on the present bridge during the progress of the work. Or. Pinching, complimenting the committee on the able and speedy rendering of their report, moved that it be adopted. This was seconded by Or. May, who thought the promptness of the committee stood in striking contrast to the by-law committee. The motion was agreed to. The statement of account* showed the Council's overdraft to be £l6O 18r 4d. Accounts amounting to £42 03 Id were passed. Or. Champion thought the accounts were brought up and pasted on an improper system, and moved—" That payments be made under the direction of the finance committee, and cheques be signed in the Council by two members and countersigned by the clerk.” Or. May defended the finance committee. The Mayor thought the Council might do better than split hairs. Or. Woodford proceeded to lecture Or. Champion as a young member. Or. Champion, in reply, said he was disgusted with the way in which the accounts and business of the finance committee, of which he was a member, was conducted ; but his object was to obtain some reform. The motion was agreed to. It was decided that the Mayor and Or. Parnhnm inspect the Council’s endowment reserve at Ashburton. The question of a road, in continuation of Haven street past Mr J. Holland’s property, discussed at length, and the matter referred to the works committee for inquiry es to whether a gate was legally erected or otherwise. The question of a culvert at the junction of Fuller and Akavoa streets w.,* referred to the same committee. Tbs Council then adjourned.

A meeting of the Borough Council us a Board of Health took place on Tuesday

evening, the Mayor presiding. Dr. Ovendan, medical officer, attended and reported fully on the case of a man and his wife in Se'-ell street, who had been relieved out of the charitable aid fund. The report was ordered to be sent forward to the Central Board. The Mayor laid on the table the recently p üblished regulations relative to contagions diseases, which had been published in the " Garotte.” Reports were read from Dr. Pinching, giving notice of six oases of diphtheria. Dr. Ovendon said no cases of this disease had recently come under his notice, but hearing of the esses referred to, ho had advised the closing of the public school. An inspection of that institution showed the want of ventilation and necessity for a removal of dust. Or, Parnham (chairman school committee), said it had been decided not to close the school. Or. Pinching observed that the committee had evidently considered the mental advancement of the children as of greater importance than their bodily health. Or. Parnham failed to see the necessity for closing on account of every paltry case of illness. Those children who were ill, and their families, ought to stay at home. There wag no fear of infection if the school was properly ventilated and fumigated with sulphur over night, which the committee would have seen to. The Mayor said the Board had no power to enforce an order to close the school. If persons infected wore isolated ho saw no need for such a course. Or. Day asked if the medical officer considered the school should be closed. Dr. Ovenden said he would not be responsible for anything that might happen from the spread of disease on its not being closed. Or, Parnham stated if ihe committee hs.d_ any fear of an epidemic they would not hesitate to close the school, but it was neither shown that the disease originated there or for what reason it should be closed. In reply to Or. Woodford the Mayor said it was imperative under the Public Health Act for the doctors to report infectious diseases to the Board. Or. Woodford moved. Or. Pinching seconded—“ That the medical officer’s report and the account for medical comforts in Ruff’s case bo forwarded to the Charitable Aid Board.” The Board then adjourned.