BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 528, 5 June 1869, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual weekly meeting of the Borough Ojuncil was held in the Town Hall, on Thursday evening. Present— E, Masters, Esq., Mayor (in the chair), Councillors Ashton, Wickes, Kilgour, Moore, Coates, and Parkinson. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. IMBIIJTIBS. The Town Clerk reported that the trial balance of the accounts from December to 31st May, showed the Council's liabilities at the latter date to be .£2374. PROTECTIVE WORKS, A. letter was read from the County Chairman, stating that the Council's application for assistance towards the completion of. the protective works would be laid before the County Council at its next meeting. —Received. ROAD BOARD DEBTS. The Secretary of the Paroa Road Board wrote stating that in compliance with the Council's request, they had appointed a Committee to meet the Committee of the Council, for the purpose of investigating the accounts of the late Grey Road Board, in order to ascertain what pi*oportion of the debt could properly be charged to the town. — Referred to the Committee previously appointed. TAINUI STREET. Mr C. S. Brown wrote, that as there was a difference between him and the Town Surveyor, with regard to the repair of Tainui street, he wished the Public Works Committee to examine the work done, and give him a certi6cate. The Town Surveyor said the work was nothing like completed, and he could not pass it in its present condition. — The letter was referred to the Town Surveyor. Later in the evening Mr Kilgour asked if any provision had been made for keepiug open the culvert in Tainui street, as the preseut one was broken in, and the gravel now being deposited thereon would back up the first flood on the premises there. The Town Surveyor said that it was not possible to make any provision out of the sum voted for the repair of the street, but he intended to see the work done himself. TRAMWAYS. The Committee appointed to consider the conditions to be imposed upon tramways within the Borough brought up a report, which contained the following recominendatiorg :— That the Town Clerk should write to the present tramway proprietors asking them to furnish the Council with a copy of the privileges applied for by them to the County Chairman, and also to state what spaces they would require for stations, Ac. That all tramways within the Borough should be subject to the regulations of the Council. That foot passengers should travel free along the line. The proprietors to keep the levels as required by the Council for street crossings or for the crossings of other tramways. That the Council should retain power to allow any other tramway to cross the present tramway line. A conversation took place with regard to the terms of the lease held by the tramway proprietois from the Native Commissioner, and Mr Parkinson moved the addition of the following clause :— " That the County Chairman be requested to insert a clause in the protection to be given to the tramway proprietors, giving the Borough Council the privilege of making streets across any part of the tramway line the Council may deem necessary." The report as amended was adopted. . ■ONNAG-E DUES. The Town Clerk reported that regulation No. 2, for the collection of tonnage dues on all vessels coming to the Greymouth wharves, had been gazetted, and the dues could now be enforced. wharfinger's report. The report from the Wharfinger for the month of May showed that L6O 2s Bd, less LI 7s 9d in arrear, had been collected on goods landed. Had the tonnage dues been in force, they would have amounted to LSB 18s, showing a loss both to the Council and himself. He wished instructions on the following points. What to do with D. Maclean and Co, who refused to pay for four head of cattle landed from the s. s. Wallabi ; if he should charge for goods deposited on the wharf for shipment in cargo boats for up-river traffic ; also, with respect to cattle and sheep crossing the river, whether in coal boats or otherwise. After a discussion, the Wharfinger was instructed not to charge any dues on exports, as it never was the intention of the Council to charge goods twice, although they had power to do so under the regulations ; to use his discretion with regard to the crossing of cattle and sheep over the river, so that they were not charged twice ; the Tow n Clerk was instructed to take legal proceedings against D. Maclean and Co., to recover the wharfage raies they refused to pay ; and the first clause of the report was referred to the Finance Committee. THE PROPOSED LOAN. Mr Moore moved the adoption of the resolution previously passed, to borrow LSOOO on the security of a special rate of Is. in the pound. Mr Parkinson seconded the motion, and it was carried without discussion. AGRICULTURAL LEASES. Mr Moore moved — " That the Solicitor be instructed to draw out leases for the sections now surveyed for agricultural purposes, subject to the entry of miners, and their paying compensation for the damage done to the ground." Mr Wickes seconded the motion.— Carried. INTERVIEW WITH THE COUNTY CHAIRMAN. Mr Coates brought under the notice of the Council the fact that Mr Hoos was on a visit to the district, and it was desirable that the Council should have an interview with him on a number of matters affecting the welfare of the district. After a conversation, the Mayor was appointed to wait upon Mr Hoos, and arrange for an interview with the Council. It was resolved to advertise for a Valuator for the year, at a salary of L4O. The Council adjourned until Saturday evening, at 8 o'clock.