BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 579, 2 October 1869, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

• ♦ The usual weekly meeting of the Council was held in the Town Hall on Thursday evening. Present — Councillors Wickes (in the chair), Parkinson, Coates, Strike, Moore. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. A letter was read from the Paroa Road Board asking when the amount due which had been gazetted (Llo'00) would be paid. Mr Strike moved that the letter be received and a reply sent stating the arrangements which the Council had made to meet the debt. Mr Moore thought that some effort should be made to pay at least the L2OO which had been taken in cash from the country portion of the late Grey Road Board for town works. Mr Parkinson seconded the motion, stating that the Finance Committee were agreed upon what Mr Moore had said. The motion was agreed to. A letter was read from Mr Heaphy requesting the Town Surveyor to give him the permanent levels of the road opposite his section, as he was about to erect a building and he did not wish to be put to the trouble and expense of making unnecessary alterations. The Town Surveyor was authorised to give the, necessary, information. Mr Kenrick, Clerk to the Bench, wrote enclosing a cheque for L 5 16s, the amount of fines inflicted for breaches of the Corporation bye-laws for the month of September. A letter was road from Mr G. P. Fellows stating that he was not liable for the rates due for the Criterion Hotel, as the proprietor had agreed to pay them, and he (Mr F.) had been gazetted a bankrupt. —Referred to the Towd Clerk. The Town Clerk reported that the interest charged by the Bank to date on the overdraft was L 73, and that the overdraft had been reduced to L 386 Is Id. A report from the Town Surveyor stated that he could erect a tolerably strong tower for the fire-bell for L2o.— Referred to the Public Works Committee, with power to act* Consideration was resumed of the deferred report from the Town Surveyor with rogard to the completion of the protective.works, which was lately published in our columns. The clauses were considered seriatim. AVitli regard to the proposed expendiI ture for repairs on the present wharf, Mr Parkinson moved that the clause stand over for future consideration, as he believed it would only be throwing away money, and new wharves could be erected further down for less than would repair the old one. Mr Coates seconded the motion, Mr Moore asked the Council to remem-

ber that they must keep the approaches to the Transit Shed in proper repair. Mr Wickbs supported the motion, as he had explored under the wharf and found that all the timber was so rotten that it could be taken out in handfuls, <md the whole work would have to be replnced. The motion waa carried. •■:■' On the next clause, the Town Clerk was ovde.red to call for tenders for the driving of twenty 50-feet piles to be driven between Tainuiaiid Werita streets ; also-for repairing the Boundary and Tainui street steps. Mr Stkike moved that tenders be called for completing the scrub contract. Mr Coates seconded the motion. Mr Parkinson suggested that notice of motion should be given. The Chairman ruled that all the notice required had been given, and it was competent to move the motion on a report which had been received. The motion was carried. The next clause, suggesting the widening of Richmond Quay from Boundary street to Hildebrand and Weber's shop, was adopted, on the motion of Mr Moore, seconded by Mr Strike. Consideration of the next clause, with regard to the erection of a set of steps at Arney street, was deferred, on the motion of Mr Strtke, for a month. Mr Stiuke moved the alteration of the night of meeting from Thursday to Friday. Mr Coates seconded the motion, which was carried. Mr Parkinson's motion respecting an alteration in the terms upon which mining leases are granted, was postponed until next meeting. Mr Parkinson moved — "That tenders be called for metalling Arney street, from the Tramway Hotel to Sefton Bridge." The road required making up, as it was underwater every spring tide. Mr Strtke would support the motion of Mr Parkinson if he would include in it the making of that portion of Gresson-street past Arney street, where there was a considerable amount of business carried on. Mr Moore seconded the motion, as the road was the main outlet for the town, and at present one side of it was some eighteen inches lower than the other side. He would also support the making of the road in front of the brewery in Gresson street. Mr Parkinson amended his motion by adding that L2O be expended in each of the localities mentioned. The motion was carried. Mr Wickes moved—" That a footpath, three feet wide, be made through Hospital street, the cost not to exceed L 20." Mr Moore seconded the motion. Mr Parkinson moved, as an amendment — ' ' That consideration of the motion be deferred for a week." He thought the residents in the street should pay a portion of the cost, as had been done in other cases. Mr Strike seconded the amendment pro forma. The motion was carried. Mr Wickes moved—" That the contracts now let for building the stone breastwork and raising the Boundary street dam be made chargeable to the vote of the County Council." Mr Parkinson seconded the motion. Mr Strike opposed the motion. They could not use that vote for works already done. When these contracts were let it was never contemplated to pay for them out of this money. It had not been voted for these purposes. j Mr Moore could not see what different position the carrying of the motion would place the Council in, as they had accommodation for twelve months to pay for these contracts. Mr Wiokes explained that it would give the Finance Committee some money to use for pressing works to be carried on in the meantime. The motion was carried. Mr Moore moved—" That the Wharfinger be empowered to employ labor whenever he may consider it remunerative to the Council, for receiving and delivering cargo at the Transit-shed." Mr Parkinson seconded the motion, which was carried. Mr Moore drew the attention of the Council to what he characterised as a perfect disgrace to Greymouth — that the paltry sum of LIOO could not be raised amongst the merchants for protecting their property at the late fire. Four gentlemen became liable for the amount of LIOO to pay for pumping the engine, and that amount hrd not been raised to relieve them from the liability. Two gentlemen were appointed to canvass each of the Wards for subscriptions, but with the exception of Ll7 'from the West Ward nothing had yet been received from them, j The gentlemen who became liable were on Wednesday threatened by the Bank Manager with a writ, if the balance of the money waa not paid up next day, and they j had paid the amount to prevent being su mmoned. In Hokitika L6OO was raised in a few days after the fire there, and here, where there was no stagnation of trade, it was a disgrace that LIOO could not be raised. If the financial position. of the Council would allow, he would have moved that the money be paid at once, although it was not the duty of the Council to do so. He would move — " That the \ Town Clerk be requested to call upon the I gentlemen who were appointed by the Council to collect subscriptions, and ask them at once to take action, in order to relieve the gentlemen who became liable for the money, and to send in the lists of the amounts they may collect before next meeting." Mr Strike seconded the motion, and concurred in the remarks made by Mr Moore. It was a lasting disgrace that this money had not been paid long ago, and might tell heavily upon some parties should another fire take place. He was astonished when he was informed that the money had not been made good, for he understood it had been. The raising of the money ought to have been taken in hand by several persons, whose names he was ashamed to mention at that table. Mr Wickes said that as Mr Parkinson and himself were interested in the matter they would not speak upon it. The motion was carried. In answer to a question, it was stated that no report had yet been received from the Committee appointed to wait upon the Maoris with reference to obtaining a contribution from the Trußt Fund towards completing the protective works. Mr Greenwood's absence was the cause ; the report would be ready for next week. A letter from Mr Greenwood with regard to allowing the Maoris to sell whitebait in the streets, was referred to the same Committee. The Council adjourned)