BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1720, 7 February 1874, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The ordinary weekly meeting of the Borough Council was held in the Town Hall last night. All the members were present. A telegram and letter were read from, the Superintendent of Westland, stating that LIOO had been placed" to 'the* credit of the' Borough. Council to assist in defraying the expenses' incurred by the ■visit of the Governor. Letters were read from Messrs Perkins and Guinness declining to tender for tle professional services ; required ; by; -\ tle Council. Letters were read from; Mr Perkins and Mr Chamberlain, stating that the Council's operations ;in Alexander; street, had rendered their properties almost inaccessible, and asking that the Council should cut) a path to them. — The.applications could riot: be entertained. • ,i : ! Sergeant Moller, as Inspector of Nuisances, sent in the following report : — ; "I have the honor to report that frequent complaints are being made to me of nuisances of various kind, both in the public streets, and on private; land and sections, and that I am unable to find any provisions in the Municipal Corporations Act empowering me to take any steps in these matters, as I understand .that ■no bye-laws are in force ; dealing with this subject ; and the 13th schedule of the Act above quoted does^not; deal with 'the nuisances complained of. but only provides for depositing hightsoil at prescribed places and hours, and keeping swine, &c^' at places appointed, and even the •regulations made , by. the Corporation here regarding these two ; last-named kinds of nuisances are, lam informed, invalid. I am, therefore, aled' : to" lay r.the/; matter, before;. you ;to obtain instructiens; how I' am to act, as no ; doubt there are many seripus causes of complaint, and 1 am blamed by the inhabitants generally for neglect of duty, although I am anxious enough to act in the matter where I can legally do so, but until some bye-law be passed to 'deal with this; matter I am unable to interfere as Inspector of Nuisances: ; ■'■•■■■ " .■'.. '""'' " Under the ■' Public Health Act, 1872, 5 I find /that very stringent -rules may be adopted in reference ; ; to ; all kinds. lot nuisance, both, in public streets and on private land, and by gazette notice No. 21, dated 11th October! 187$ page 111, I find that Clauses 28 to 36 iriclilaivo the said Act, have been adopted for this Province; and I thereiore beg to bring under your notice that great complaints are made of the nuisances existing in Tidal Creek, at the upper end of Mackay street, in the right-of-way between Boundary street and Mackay street, and on a section alongside the Town Hall, and no doubt the interests of the public health require; immediate steps to be taken to abate these nuisances. A good many cases of dirty yards, insufficient, and filthy closets, have come under my notice, but, as I hold no appointment under *he -' Public' HealthLAct, 1872j' and the Municipal Corporations Act does not deal with the matter, my only remedy is to draw your attention to the fact that such nuisances exist' all over the town, and tliat if the, hot, dry weather continues much longer the inconvenience will be serious, but I will at any time be ready to give or obtain the names of the persona who so offend. .,', V "In conclusion I would respectfully draw/your attention to the fact that: although a pound .has been proclaimed for some time it is not available, and consev quently there are no means of obtaining 'the names of owners of- stray cattle, as when the pound exists I cannot legally put stray cattle into livery stables, but even when the pound becomes available, it will be a matter of impossibility to drive' cattle that cannot first be caught and led by a rope into it, as it is situated in such an out of the way place,, and wild cattle or sheep will be liable: to rush into the river, and perhaps get drowned, when driven towards the pound." It was resolved--' ' That -■ Sergt. Moller be appointed Inspector of Nuisances under ; the. Public Health. Act. "., : ...... : Letters were read from ' the lessees of the Greymouth Coal Company, and the Brunner Coal Company, each offering to pay one-third of the cost, if the Corporation engaged Mr Moriarty to report 'upon harbor works and' improving the navigation of the river. — Letters received. ; Sinclair and party wrote,; asking to be allowed something extra on the Alexander ; street contract, as they found that they would not make small wages out of fit. It was resolved that the application could not be entertained. ■.[,'■ An application from Messrs Strike and Black more for: permission to fence in a J portion of the Town Belt for ;grazing purposes, was referred to the Publio; Works Committee. . r . : ; - A letter was* -read from the'rHon. Sec. to the' Fire Brigade, asking for a grant.of. LIOO to meet pressing liabilities,! and to repair the gear: Also. drawing- attention to the state of the fire-plug in Boundary street, and the one opposite 'Gilmer's Hotel. . "■'■'* The Mayor said he had authorised, the removal further down the street of thp one near Gilmer's, in consequence of the erection of the Transit Shed, and he moved that the financial portion oflthe* letter be referred to the Finance Committee, and that the fire-plug in Boundary street be at once put in order. -^-Carried. ' The Town Surveyor sent r in a report with regard to the draining of sections at the junction of Hospital and , Herbert streets, to the effect that the Work could be done to meet all present requirements for L3O. — It was resolved to expend the amount required in draining the sections referred to, the same to come out of the .amount ,set apart out of the loan for drainage, purposes ; that plans and specifications be- prepared, and tenders called for the work. ; ';''V i .• . The following report. from the ; Bye-law Committee was read and adopted ;-i' : v "'Your Committee have -the honor to report having perused the Bye-laws drafted by Mr Perkins, as advised by the AttorneyGeneral, for , the -future collection of Wharfage and Tonnage dues ; and recommend that Mr Perkins be engaged to draft all bye-laws and regulations required, and undertake the whole responsibility of the same beihg'legally completed.'' The Public Works Committee- reported as follows : — ; '■'. -'■-";: "Your- Committee have the honor to report having reconsidered the letter received, from "Mr Lawrence, requesting to be reimbursed for the expenditure incurred .in constructing, a culvert and a portion of the footpath in Tainui street, and upon further; inquiry , find that Mr Lawrence; undertook to do the, work under, the supervision of ithe ; Towflj purveyor, t

with a promise received from his Worsip E. Master, late Mayor, that a part of Tie expense would be borne by the Counil. Your Committee therefore recommad the/Council to pay the sum of L 7 l's, which will defray half the cost of tie culvert, which can be utilised when te footpath and drain in that locality are proceeded with. v desre to protest in future to consider any qu«tion df'a similar character, without foe same has been previously authorised ">y tne Council. -•'.•... . WJU . " Your Committee recommend tie Council to accept the offer made this diy by a deputation of the Gas Company ;o light what public lights the Couucil roty require at the. rate of LlO per annum psr lamp ; the Council to light, clean, and extinguish the lamps. " Your ,.. Committee .recommend ' the Council not to entertain the .application of Mr Leathwood > to,, occupy any public Btreet for recreative purposes:" '' " The first clause was adopted. 1 'On the'seconi clause, :;. ; ' ,-. j g ;. '.■■■■ Mr. oMoobi,; wished to^kppw, jf, ( under the agreement, the Council would f .participate: in j any reduction in the price of gas that might take place during the next twelve months. -\, -,"■'.'. ,' '■'.'" Mr Kerr moved the adoption- of the clause. MrfCpATES seconded. He did not think there was /any probability of, a reduction d uring the next twelve months. 1 Mr Moore did not see' that the Council ■hould bind; itself for twelve .months.. ' ' ' '• The Mayor 'could noi s. cc : the remotest chance' 'of 'the' price % being j; reduced for twelve months, or of the company taking the contract for a shorter period, as one season of the year had to be considered with another. " : s ;(ir:!t The report was adopted. ; An account of. ;L7 to Mr M. Richards, for work done_ on the wharf eighteen months ago was ordered to ,bb paid. The Mayor moved— f*;That L th6'C.ouncil pay. one-third of the cost of getting Mr 'Moriarty to report upon the harbor works and the best^means of improving the navigation of 'the 'Grey <River." He called atteritiont to 'the: letters .which, ihad b«en read from the Coal Companies, each oq|r;ing., :) tPipay, ! one-third,,.of Mr .Moriarty's . ; charges, a^d it was surely the duty of the Borougn' Council, in 'the- interests of the port, to pay the balarfce^and obtain a thorough professional opinion. Mr Moriarty V abilities in this s6rt-bf work were very highly spoken of, as he^ad improved the navigation of far more difficult rivers than the Grey. „-..".'.' Mr Dopre seconded the motion. r Mr Acheson said there was no use in his speaking against ,the resolution is the other members of the Council had! met together in what he. might term a clandestine, manner, and had resolved to vote this money. He spoke at some -length against the expenditure, and against the manner in- which, it hijd been arrived at. Mr Moore p6in ted' put that the meeting referred to waif not a meeting of the Borough Council, but one ' to : whifch the members of,, the" Council were inVited. The ' telegram .'vf&f received- on Tuesday night that Mr • Moriarty was to leave Auckland on Wednesday. i; There was no , time tpj- call ;'a," special ''meSting'.. of the Borough /Council, /buf'>' at. ' r the inieeting which! was held all. the members ! df the Council were present with the of one; and. they! thought it thelr'duty to . embrace the opportunity ..of. .obtaining some reliable plan's for th'e' improvement of the, river, especially when the*assistane'e of lthe two Coal Companies was so liberally, offered. 1 : « '-; - : \r A" long ' 'discussion : t66k place! las to whether the Mayor had not already engaged the ''service's i of' Mr Moriarty on '•■ ! behalC6f the:Council,-but the Mayor said he had .hitherto only . acted; .on, \behalf of the.'Progresa Committee. Several motions and amendments were . proposed, but ultimately it was resolved — "That the offer of the two Coal Companies be . accepted, and that this Council do vote the ; balance necessary 'toi procure the services of Mr Moriarty to reporiron the 1 improvement of the navigation' <of the i Grey River and Harbor Works. ", The Council then adjourned.