BOBOUGH COUNCIL.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1151, 6 April 1872, Page 2

BOBOUGH COUNCIL.

A meeting of the Borough Council was held at the Town Hall last night. Present—E. Wickes, Esq., Mayor; Councillors Kennedy, Smith, Dupre, Moore, Macgregor, Purcell, Woolcock. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. A letter was read from the Secretary of the Gas Company, requesting information a3 to the number of lights required by the Council for lighting the streets, when they would be wanted, and where the lamps were likely to be fixed.' In conversation it was explained that it would entail a 3d additional rate on the town for the purpose of lighting the town, and the question was whether the residents were prepared to pay this amount, for the benefit. The Jonly drawback thff '} Council had to erecting the lamps arid: -lighting them VaS" that the financial ,positiQn of the Council did not permit o£.it at present. It was resolved "That the financial position of the Council , did .not. allows it at present to carry out its former resolution regarding the lighting of the streets jwittiiijas;" A letter was read from the Cleric to the Waste Lands Board,. stating that if the land applied for was made as " for recreative purposes," it would be granted. It was agreed to alter the application as requested. The, Clerk to the Be.nch forwarded a cheque for L 5 15s, fines inflicted during the month for breaches of the Council's bye-laws. The County Chairman wrote stating his intention, to reward the members of the police force at Greymouth for their courageous conduct during the late flood. The following report was read from the Public Works Committee, and after being slightly altered was adopted : — " Your Committee have to report that

they met this day, and Ist, would -a .. ! mend that the coal merchants* be a^tfwed^ \k %stadfe coal at Buch places' as *Wb.f b^* )g pointed out by the Town Surveyor, "upon • q Mawliera Quay, from the Customs Wharf 1 to Waite street, and on sites now occupied r at Boundary street, at the rate of J4^pe.r._ J month per chain, or at Is per ton ; and t that: all staging or other; accommodation r to be provided at the expense df the mer- s chants, and , to J»e removed .when r rfi.q»ired % „c byf this Council ; .and that all ; cpal,^hoald 1 be! stacked' hot less than "4t£" from' the 5 .wharf or protective works.. •,* , % r f : '"2nd Your Committee having conV''.J "sidered the objections made by Messrs < Coutanche, Hanney, Hunt, Kil^our and s Perotti, and Strike and Blackmore, against ( the assessment tor the year 1872. 1. Would recommend that the assessment of Messrs ] Strike and Blackmore be reduced to the , sum of L 100....2. And that the. assessment . ' of Mr Coutanche be reduced to the. sum of J L 275. 3. Your Cbmmittee'cdnnot recom- . mend the Council to reduce the assessments of Messrs Hunt, Hanney, Iftlgour^ ■Ac. "3rd. Your Committee have instructed . that the pile-driving and repairs to Arney ' street bridge be proceeded with. ' "4th. Your Committee would recom- ; mend that the Council do increase Mr Johnston's salary 20 per cent., to commence Ist March, 1872." ' v ; The Committee appointed to conclude, arrangements with the General Government for obtaining a loan of L4OOO, re-" ported that they had successfully concluded negotiations at the rate, of 6 per ; cent, per annum, and that the money was available upon a deed of mortgage over the ordinary revenue of the Borough and the coal reserve being made out. A copy of the deed was laid on the table and approved of ' i '- ■' '■-! The Mayor brought under the notice 1 of the Council the :dangerou3 estate ; of. Sawyer's Creek Bridge, and a conversation look place as to whether the tram way. proprietor or the Council were, responsible for it. The Town Clerk was instructed to look up the. documents connected with the_ bridge,, andjge^thatwho : _ ever was responsible did the repairs forthwith. >wiitu;iii} iun. Mr Moore moved — " That the Inspector of Police stationed at Greymouth be re-^ quested to supply this Council with a* list' of all houses. in Greymputh that are let at the present time" for dn'^riproper piir^bse^ together with the names of the owners or agents of same;; yAnd i ur^her^ that on tjiis Council receiving a petition signed,by not less than six rateDayer,3f!Complaining of the. nuisance caused* by the said houses, this Council will- at once take pipmpj; 4^l^sures to remove the tenants of same,\ai^o. if necessary, toindic,ttheipwnersorag4nls for letting, the said houses to improper persons, or for an' imprope^ purpose?'' Mr Dupre seconded the 'motion. A conversation took place as to the powers the' GouncJ possessed in . the matter, several members doubting whether they would not be placing themselves in a false position by assuming^ 'powers they did not possess ; otherwise they were anxious to support the motion. ' Intimately it was agreed to postpone jthe mbtion until next meeting, and to request the Solicitor to frame a resolution on the subject. . ; The Council adjourned for a week, . ; .