BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Grey River Argus, Volume VI, Issue 440, 7 November 1868, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual weekly meeting of the Coun* cil was held on Thursday evening at the Fire Brigade Hall. Present— The Mayor (in the chair), Councillors Kilgour, Wickes, Rae, Parkinson, Moore, Strike, and Ashton. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE. _ . A letter was read' from the office of the Waste Lands Board, Hokitika, stating that a portion of the land which skirts the sea beach near the head of the lagoon would be reserved for municipal purposes ; but it was not intended to reserve for that purpose any of the land which was with, drawn from sale at the recent land sale. The land would shortly be gazetted.— Received. A letter was read from the office of the Superintendent of Nelson, in reply to an application from the Council for a con-r tribution towards the completion of the harbor works. It stated, in reply, that the Government did not feel called upon to contribute towards the completion of public works in the County of Westland, more especially when the county was receiving so much Customs revenue from goods consumed in the Nelson province:— Received. The Towu Valuator's report of the valuation of the borough properties was received. It showed the total valuation to be £30,984.— Received. Mr Joyce wrote requesting to be furnished with the permanent level of Albert street, as he intended to build on his section there. — The Town Clerk was- instructed to inform him that the levels could be seen at the borough office. Mr A. Dyason wrote requesting permission to commence building at once before his ground is surveyed ; also, to grant him a lease for the longest period possible. — Received, and to be considerd in committee at the close of the other business. Mr Southam wrote requesting the boundary line of Boundary street to be pointed out, as should his section at the corner of Richmond Quay extend further than at present he intended to build a small shop. —Received. Mr Henry Coe wrote offering to build a stone wall outside the piles of the protective works, and guaranteeing it to stand the heaviest floods and stop the scour under the piles, at the rate of £AQ per chain, on condition that he was allowed to lay a tramway from the gorge to the works. A letter from a party of miners, with regard to an extension of their water-race and fluming at the head of the lagoon, was referred to the Public Works Committee. An application was read for eight men's ground on the South Beach. It was resolved that previous to any applications being granted, the land on the South Spit be laid off in half-acre blocks. FINANCE COMMITTEE. The report of this committee was read It stated that they had authorised the Town Clerk to pay the labor -sheet.,^ amounting to £51 7s: y abb, to ■ applyrt6~ CT " w^ the Bank of New Zealand for an overdraft for £300, and in the event of its,»beSng obtained to pSjy accounts due up to October 31. — Received and adopted. PUBLIC "WOBKS COMMITTEE. ■ The following report was read from this committee : — "Pursuant to your instructions your committee waited no Mr Mackay, Native Commissioner, with regard to a site for a municipal reserve, &c, &c. Mr Mackay promised to lay before the Council, before his departure, a site for a recreation ground, vested in the Council, somewhere situate on the other side of Hospital street, in the Maori Reserve ; also, to grant the Council a frontage to the river above the gorge, for the purpose of getting out limestone as the Council may require ; to get the site of the Fire Brigade Hall vested in the Council ; and to recommend to the Native Trustees a sum of money to fill up with gravel, or other material, the land above the Post-office. He stated that the rate levied by the Town Council would be his share of funds towards the protective works." A deferred application from Mr Coe for entrances to his ground up the river was taken up, and Messrs Kilgour, Wickes, and Strike were appointed a committee to wait upon Mr Mackay on the subject. Mr. Wickes brought under notice the state of the main thoroughfare and entrance into the town, which was now blocked up by the machinery for driving the piles. It was necessary to make a road for the coach across Boundary street. — The Public Works Committee was empowered to make the temporary roadway. TEE COURSE OF THE BXVKR. Mr. Strike moved — "That the opinion of the Town Surveyor betaken whether it is not advisable that something should be done to cause the main current of the Grey River to run in an old channel on the Westland side, above the gorge, and whether in his opinion the river, being so diverted, would not greatly relieve the present protective works, and to give an estimate of the probable cost of said works, and report the same at next meeting.'* His opinion was that not even the fifty feet piles which were now being driven would secure the protective works or stop the scour of the river, unless something was done to divert the force of the current. There were various opinions on the subject, and all he asked for was the advice of the Engineer. Mr. Ashton seconded the motion. He believed the proposed work would cost very little money, and should it make the shingle silt up at the wharf, it was easier to run out wharves than to raplace the town if it were swept away. Mr. Kilgour was surprised to hear any gentleman say that such a work would not cost much money. They had seen thousands of pounds thrown away in Hokitika on a similar work. He believed the proposed work would cost more than the whole of Greymouth was worth. Mr. Parkinson thought the matter should receive every consideration, and for that purpose he would support the motion. Mr. Wiokes supported the motion. He believed the river would soon do the work itself, and it only wanted a little assistance to send the main body of the river through the old channel at once. The motion was carried. Mr. Strike obtained permission for the

Hospital Committee to make a footpath in Tainui street. DEPOSITS ON CONTRACTS. Mr. Moors moved— "That in future all tenders shall be accompanied by ten per cent., or the signatures of two sureties for that amount; and in the event of the parties tendering refusing to take up the contract, they shall be prohibited from tendering for any further contracts under the Corporation." This was agreed to. The Town Clerk reported that the Harbor Master had requested the Town Surveyor to remove a snag from the upper end of the wharf.— lt was agreed to allow the Town Surveyor to assist in the removal of the snag, at a cost not exceeding £5. PUBLIC WORKS AND THE GENERAL RATE. After a short adjournment, the Council resumed, in committee, and discussed the estimates of the Town Surveyor for the completion of the protective works and the formation and gravelling of the streets. These were considered in conjunction with the valuation of the Town Valuator. After Ik conversation, it was resolved, on the motion of Mr Kilgour— " That this Council considers it necessary that the whole of the works in the estimates require to be done, but those in connection with the protective works being most urgent require to be carried out first." A long discussion took place as to the levying of the general rate, and the period for which it should be levied. Various opinions' were given as to the meaning of the Act ; and ultimately it was resolved, on the motion of Mr Rae — ' 'That the Town Clerk prepare a statement of the proposed rate, and give public notice of the intention of making the same, in accordance with clause 209 of the Act." Also, on the motion of Mr Parkinson — " That it is the intention of this Council to make and levy at next meeting a general rate overall rateable property in the borough for the month ending December 31, at the rate of Is. in the pound." The committee proceeded to consider tenders for the supply of scrub ; but, after a long discussion, they were postponed until the following day, when an adjourned meeting would be held. The Council adjourned some time after midnight. An adjourned meeting of the Council was held yesterday afternoon. Present — The Mayor (in the chair), Councillors Rae, "Wickes, Ashton, Moore, Kilgour, Strike, and Parkinson. The minutes of the last meeting were not read, as the Town Clerk stated that he had been too busy to prepare them. The application of Mr A. Dyason for leave to occupy land near the head of the lagoon was considered in committee, when it was resolved — "That permission be granted to Mr Dyason to occupy half-an-acre of land as applied for, subject to all land and gold fields' regulations." The deferred application of Messrs Hildebrand and Weber for a lease of six acres of land on the South Spit for grazing purposes was considered, and leave to occupy the land was granted, subject to all land and gold fields' regulations. Mr. Parkinson protested against this resolution as being irregular, and opposed to a motion passed at the last meeting. The tenders for scrub were then considered, and that of Robertson and Mcl- : bourne accepted at ss. ll^d. per cord for the sections between Werita and Boundary streets, with permission to lay a tramway over the tidal creek and through Tainui street. For the lower section, it was agreed to call for fresh tenders from Boundary street to the end of the work, the contractor to have permission to lay a tramway through Boundary street, and to receive valuation for any permanent work he may do in Boundary street. The Town Clerk applied for leave of absence, in order to attend the session of the County Council. Leave was granted, and the Town Clerk authorised to employ clerical assistance in the interval.