BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Kumara Times, Issue 410, 18 January 1878, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Thursday, January 17.

The Council met at 8 p.m. Present I His Worship che Mayor, Mr Seddnti ; and Councillors Ancher, Campbell, Cornfoot, Hanna, Hannan, O’Hara, and Pearn. The minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed. Letter read from Mr Herring re his hut in the Cemetery Reserve (for the, purchase of which the Council had voted' £8 at its previous meeting) asking £ls. It was resolved to make a final offer of £lO for it. The Clerk reported that in consequence of illness in the family of Mr Perkins, solicitor, that gentleman had written to say he would be unable to attend the meeting that evening. The consideration of certain matters in connection with the bye-laws was there fore postponed. The following letter from Mr Joseph Davidson was read ;

To the Mayor and Coonceucobs of the Borough of Kumara. Gentlemen—As you are aware, there has been a prosecution entered against me by the Returning Oflicer, Mr GaUand, in a case of personation. Hoping, gentlemen, through your influence you may stay the same, as it was quite a mistake. I never knew that D. Davidson had a vote other than D. Davidson and Co., which I, as one Of the Co., voted.for. It never occurred to me that I was doing wrong in voting, but ij seems I have, for which, gentlemen, I am exceedingly sorry for incurring your displeasure. Trusting you may take a lenient view of the matter and not bring it forward, —I am, &c„, Joseph Davidson. . Kumara, 17th Jan., 1878.. Or. Hanna moved “ That the Council recommend the Returning Officer to deal as leniently with Mr Davidson as possible.” ” - • Or. O’Hara would second the motion because he believed that Mi ‘Davidson really did not know what he .was doing at the time. It was the first case chat had occurred in the district, and the trouble that Mr Davjdsotunpw found himself in would prove a warning to others. Cr. Ancher objected to thd fording of the resolution. The Returning Officer had nothing to do with the'case now; it was out of his hands., and In those of the Ikw. He tho tight the Council should rather pass a Resolution recommending him to mercy. Cr. Campbell considered - that'the. Council had nothing whatever to do with the matter, and he thought a letter should be addressed to Mr Davidson telling him so. He would move an amendment to that effect.... His Worship believed that jVlnDayith sou had committed the offenoe inadvertently, and thought that if the Council,, made some recommendation the' case would be dismissed Cr. Hannan thought the Council should-not press the charge. On Hanna, suggested, tha jr, the bestplan would be for the Return jng Officer. to stay away frtm. the Court House aV together op the day of hearing. Or. Campbell deprecated ihe. discussion altogether. He thought the members of the Council should be the last to constitute themselves judges :of the case. He sympathized with Mr Davidson, and was sorry for what had occurred, but he was still more sorry that the matter had ever come before the Council. , They oughrt to ; be cautions how they dealt with it, as anything emanating from th.a Council would, of course, have grant' weight with the Returning Officer. , The amendment was, al-ter some further discussion, carried. 1 The Rate Collector report? d that he had got in .£3BO 12s to datt ■. It was resolved: that he be instructed, to proceed against all defaulters. The Clerk was instructed to write to the Westland County Council, requestiug payment of the .£SO vbtvd by that body towards the Cemetery F and. On the motion of Mr Seddou, it was resolved that Commissioner, James be. requested to appoint one off the constables Collector of the dog ! rate, and that the remuneration be 10 per cent, on the amount collected. , . -

His Worship moved that i the Town Clerk be instructed to obtain from the receiver of Revenue an accorunt of thie business licences, of which there' are seventy, collected bn the Ci;own Land within the Borough, and yrrimgly paid eve? to the Westland County Council, with, a view to its recovery. * Cr. Hanna seconded.—-Gartried. ‘ Cr. Hannan moved .that li detailed statement of the works executed by the Council, and the moneys expended on them be i prepared, and land on the table. ■ Cr. Pearn seconded.—Carried. ' :/ Cr. .G’dara asked if tibe Public Works Committee had brought np any report. ' The Clerk said there was ho quorum at tbe meeting to have been, held that . afternoon. His Worship said the financial position of the. Council wais simply‘ this, they bad only about half as much as would cover the cost of the works requit ed. ‘He would suggest that the Council resolve itself into a committee of the whole to consider the plans and i- ; specifications of these works- prepared by the Town Surveyor, and now lyin«» on the .table, Cr, Cornfoot moved as "ah’ t&rMad- * ment that the .Council should not decide upon any wbi-k* hntil; .they, thoroughly understood, them financial position. . "■* His ;Worship said.they, had>ih hand about i. 500, besides - other moneys coming in, and widf that thby could do a little, at all events. :■ Or.'tjqirnfoht'said tljat'as' far hs tlie " Finance Committee could make* out the position of the Council’was not even so good as his Worship represented. The Council then resolvedftself into a Committee:©!the .whole. In Committee the-iinancialposition of the Council and the Town Surveyor’s ■ plana and specifications of works i l ©-

'were discussed, and it was resolved in the Meantime to call for tenders for the most pressing works only, Viz-y Terming the street at Drummond’s •corner and the culvert at Quinn’s Creek. The Finance Committee and the Town ■Clerk were appointed a deputation to wait upon the banks with a. view of ascertaining what facilities would be -■given the Council for obtaining advances upon the security of next year’s rates. On resuming, the Committee’s report Was adopted. On the motion of Cr. Hanna, it was resolved to expend £lO in making Tui •street passable. On the motion of Cr. Anchor, it was TesolVed to connect the recently made track along Quinn’s Creek with Seddon street. The Council then adjourned , until ’next Thursday.