BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 595, 9 November 1869, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

♦ A meeting of the Borough Council was held on Saturday afternoon in the Town Hall. Present: J. Kilgour, Esq., Mayor, in the chair ; Councillors Parkinson, Wickes, Strike, Coates,' and Purcell. ■-■-•irA. letter was read from Mr Harry Kenrick, Clerk to the Bench, enclosing a cheque for L 4 12s 6d, the amount of fines recovered during October for breaches of the Corporation bye-laws. — Received. An application from J . Pelander for a lease for his water-race was referred to the Mining Committee. The residents in Mount street/wrote stating that the burning of bricks opposite their houses was an intolerable nuisance, and asking that the conditional permission recently granted should be rescinded. — Referred to a committee, consisting of the Mayor and Councillor Pnrcell, to en^ quire what grievance the residents complained of, and to report. - Daniel Blair and party of seven wrote asking permission to take up an extended cliiim, south of the Cemetery Reserve, and a tail-race, in order to prospect for the StoneyLead. In answer to a question, the Mayor stated that on the previous evening the County Chairman had stated. that the Borough Council could loase any portion of land surveyed or unsurveyed within the Borough ; all they had to do was to keep the Crown Lands Commissioners posted up on the snbject, and the land would be reserved from sale. Mr Wickes thought that until they had it in black and white they ought not to grant any leases to the miners. The letter was referred to the Mining Committee. A letter was read from the Paroa Road Board, expressing, in very strong language, their disapprobation of one of the officers of the Borongh Council having issued an execution on the Board for the amount of one of the accounts which they had agreed to settle, and which they stated they had settled by bills ; and requested that immediate steps should be taken by the Council to settle the matter. The Mayor said that a meeting of the Finance Committee had been held, and Mr Johnston had beeu requested to withdraw the warrant. Mr Parkinson moved—" That the Council approve of the action taken by the Finance Committee in this matter." Mr Wickes seconded the motion, which was carried. The report of the Finance Committee was read. It contained the recommendation, which they had previously made, that the Council should enter into no further liabilities until they were in a position to liquidate them. Mr Parkinson moved, and Mr Wickes seconded, the adoption of the report, which was carried. '.. : THE WHARF QUESTION. The Mayor moved the resolution, of which he had given notice, for rescinding the motion previously passed, fixing the site where the wharves were to be erected. If not rescinded it might be amended. Instead of spending the whole of the money in one end of the town, it might be divided between the Wards soiuethtno after this fashion— L23o for scrub and putting in a break of stone in the lower Ward to prevent fire, L 420 for the Middle Ward, and L6O for a stone break, and another L 420 for the East Ward, and LGO for a break. He urged the construction of these stone breaks, because within the last few days there had been two narrow escapes from the scrub catching fire from sparks from the driving engine. Mr Strike seconded the motion. At the time the previous motion was passed it was done in a hurry, and it was right that this matter should be considered in a fair and impartial spirit. He would advocate the laying oufc of less money on planking, and have the road on Richmond Quay made a sufficient, width for traffic as far as Arney street. JHe did not believe in planking wherever it could be avoided. No wharfage aci onmodation was required lo<ver down than Boundary street. Mr Parkinson believed the resolution was carried hastily, and was in one sense forced upon them, still the principle of it was good. He. moved that the words " com uienced three chains from" be rescinded. The original resolution would then road that the works would commence at the wharf erected by the inhabitants at Taiuui street. The work across Boundary street must be completed, and he would sacrifice any portion of the work for that -point, because he believed its completion there would do more to advance the interests of Greymoulh than any other portion of the protective works. Mr Strike wished- to second the amendment, but he was reminded that he had just seconded the motion, No other seconder appearing,- the amendment dropped. Mr Coates expressed his surprise that two Councillors should alter their opinion in a week. They made a law in a week and rescinded it the next. Another Councillor seconded a motion and wished to withdraw it before the amendment was seconded. He denied that the original motion had been passed hurriedly, it having been before the Council three times. Mr Strike stated that he had advocated the same course of action on both the occasions referred to. The Mayor said he did not wish to press a motion when he saw that the majority was against him. Hs would, therefore withdraw the motion, but he would press upon the Council the necessity of making provision for the construction of the stone breaks. Mr Strike now seconded the amendment. . , . . . . The Mayor ruled that there was ho amendment before the meeting, the motion having been ■withdrawn before the amend meut was seconded. A division took place as to a point of order, after which the Mayor allowed the amendment to be put as a motion. It was then adopted. TENDERS. Tenders were opened for the planking of the proposed wharves as follows: — Stewart and Co., Ll4o los per chain ;J. Si;ed and Co., Lll4 per chain, arid L 25 10s for steps ; M'Gregor and Campbell, LI 11 15s per chain, and L35 10s for steps ; Paul and Anstey, L 146 7s 4d per chain, and L 37 16s 6d for steps ; Thompson and Co., 107 12s, and L 35 10s for steps. This last tender having been asked back by tiae contractors was not considered. The tender of M'Gregor and Campbell was ac T cepted for seven chains. Tenders were opened for the construe?

tion of Mackey-street, between Tanui and Albert street, as follows :— J. Fullerton, L 42 10s ; Lind and Co., L4O ; J. Brimble, L 39 10s ; J. Williams and Co.. L 36. Mr Coates moved that none of the tenders be accepted. Mr Purceli seconded. Mr Parkinson moved an amendment that the lowest tender be accepted. The motion wag withdrawn, and th& amendment carried. --.*-.. -■ ■ ' The Councit adjourned until Friday evening. " I : -