BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Grey River Argus, Volume VII, Issue 455, 12 December 1868, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual weekly meeting of the Council was held on Thursday evening at the Fire Brigade Hall. Present— E. Masters, Esq. , Mayor; Councillors Kilgour, Ashton, Rae, Moore, Wickes, Strike, Coates, and Parkinson. The minutes of the. last meeting were read and confirmed, CORRESPONDENCE.. D. M'Kay and party wrote in answer to a notice from the Town Surveyor, to the effect that if they did not proceed with their contract for filling in the scrub at the protective work before Monday their contract would be cancelled, and the penalty inflicted. They stated that they were waiting for three sets of heavy wheels for tramway trucks, which were ordered from Melbourne, and were expected by the Gothenburg. On receipt of them, they would at once proceed with the work. — Received. Several notices of appeal against the general rate were read, and deferred until next meeting, when the To.wn Clerk would supply all the information. Mr M'Vein, Hokitika, wrote stating that he claimed the contract for coaltaring the piles, and intended to sue for the val ;e of the work, becatise his was the lowest legal tender, and the Council had accepted a contract which was not made out on the required form,without suspending the standing orJeis. — Not received. A letter from Stephen Roff, offering to make a pair of self-acting nippers for £20» was referred to the Public Works Committee. REPORTS, The Town Surveyor reported that a chimney made of old boxes was being built to a hut adjoining the Fire Brigade Hall, the timber-yard of Watson and Wickea, and a school-room, and suggested that it should be removed, as it waa very dangerous. — The Town Clerk was in-, structed to "give the parties notice, that building a. wooden chimney would net be allowed. Another report from the Surveyor drew attention to the fact that Mr Thompson had not taken up his contract for making the main street above the Post-office^ and that Mr Fullarton was willing to take i\ up at the contract price. He submitted a sketch of a new plan for steps on the protective work, and regretted that the late floods had prevented him from repairing the damaged steps on Richmond-quay. Mr Rae moved that the contract be allowed to lapse, as it appeared the carters had combined to compel the Council to pay a certain price. — Carried. The Surveyor also reported that Melbourne and Robertson were now proceeding with their contract for filling in the scrub at the protective work, and everything was going on satisfactorily; also, that M'Kay and party would proceed with their contract whenever they received their' heavy truck wheels, which wei© coming from Melbourne. — Received. WHARPAOK DUES. Mr MoottE stated that no meeting of the Committee appointed to draw up a scale of wharfage due 3 had taken place, but he was prepared to lay before the Council a scale which he had drawn up. He thought consideration of this matter should no longer be delayed. Mr Rae pointed out that they could not proceed to consider this matter, except on the report of the committee, unless the appointment of the committee were cancelled. Mr Parkinson stated that the elections had been the cause of the committee not meeting. The matter was allowed to drop. LANDING STEPS. ' The petition from ratepayers for the erection of steps in the vicinity of the Melbourne Hotel was brought up for consideration. Mr Strike moved — ' ' That the prayer of the petition be granted." There was no doubt that a great inconvenience ! was caused by the want of steps in the locality mentioned, both for landing passengers and shipping goods into cargo-boats. He proposed that as steps should not be put up oulside the protective work there, an opening should be made in the planking. Mr Ashton was surprised to hear any member of that Council advocate the making of openings in the embankment, when he must know that they were the cause of the first protective work being carried to sea. Mr Moore thought that as they had no right to erect steps outside, the work in that neighborhood, they should rca've a boxed opening, thoroughly piled, with a slip-gate, to be shut down in times of flood. These ratepayers had a right to expect assistance in this matter. Mr Rae seconded the motion. There could be no doubt the want of steps in that neighborhood was a great inconvenience to the merchants, but the opinion of the Town Surveyor ought to be taken whether an opening or steps would be best. The Town Surveyor read a report which he had prepared for the Road Board some months ago on this subject, in which he stated thatmaking openings in the embankment would weaken the work, and greatly endanger its stability. He was of the same opinion still. Mr Strike asked if the cap-piece was left untouched, and an opening made only

in the boarding, the work would be weakened ? The Town Surveyor said the work would be strong enough if no scour was caused. Mr Coates thought the Surveyor** advice should be attended to. As for the cargo which would be put into the boat*, there were ten tons shipped at the lower steps for every ton which would be shipped where the opening was proposed to ba made. The Mayor thought that was a matter of opinion ; • but the fact was, there jrert more rates paid in the neighborhood where these steps were wanted than in any other portion of the town. It would be a great inconvenience to the shipping if the step* were put outside the embankment, and he thought the Surveyor could propose something which would meet the necessities of the case. The motion was carried, with the addition — "And that the Surveyor report to the Public Works Committee some suitable plan to be adopted." A SEPARATE KATE. A petition from over nb.ety of the ratepayers, requesting the Council to levy a separate rate of 6d. in the pound, for the completion of the protective works, waa brought up for consideration. . In reply to a question, the Town Clerk said the petition contained the required number of signatures of ratepayers, who represented nearly two- thirds of derate-, able property in the town. Mr Parkinson thought that if the petition were gone int> carefully it would not be found to represent the required one-third of the ratepayers. The rateable value of the property was no doubt represented. Before this rate could be struck, the Council would be in a position to strike another Is. rale ; and as.there was a question whether the petitioa waa sufficiently signed, it would be better to return it, stating that it did not bear the required number of signatures. Mr Moore could not agree to return the petition when they were so much in want of assistance to finish the works After all the trouble the promoters of the petition had been to, it would be folly to return it. They should be asked to obtain a few extra signatures. He moved — "That the Solicitor's opinion be taken whether the required number pf signatures was attached to the petition ; and if not, that its promoters be requested to obtain a few more." . Mr Bae seconded the motion. The Mayor was surprised at the remarks of Mr Parkinson. They could not do without this money, and would require another Is. rate also before long." The sooner they struck this rate the better. If they sent this petition back, after all the trouble that had been taken in the matter, it would put a stop to all such proceedings for the future. The motion was carried. OFFICE ACCOMMODATION. The Town Clerk requested that proper office accommodation should be provided, and a safe, for the security of the public documents. A discussion ensued, and explanations made as to the terms upou which the Institute was offered to the Corporation and Volunteers conjointly ; and a committee, consisting of the Mayor, Councillors Moore, Strike, and Coates., was appointed to act in conjunction with the Volunteers in taking over, improving, and extending th<s building. Mr Moore asked if anything had been done with respect to the motion passed at last meeting for securing the undivided services, of the Town Surveyor ; and after a conversation, the matter was referred to the Public Works Committee. The Council adjourned for a week.