BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Kumara Times, Issue 642, 18 October 1878, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

I The usual ordinary meeting of the I Borough Council Was held in the Town Hall, last evening. Present: Councillors . Hannati (chair), Brown, Dungan, O’Sara, Campbell, Oomfoot, Blake, Ancher, and Pollock. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. The outward correspondence was read and approved of, and the inward correspondence read and received. The Town Clerk laid on the table a return, in detail, of the total amount of. Borough receipts and expenditure from the 30th of August, 1877, to the 30th September, 1878, all the letters and correspondence relative to liabilities as having hitherto existed between the Arahura Road Board and the Borough ; and also a return of the names of all persons who. have refused or neglected to pay any I rates due by them, for the year 1877. j A report from the Inspector of Nuisances I was read and received, j Accounts amounting to £217 18s 4cl j were passed for payment, in accordance j with the recommendation of the Finance Committee. One application (H. Dixon's) for the appointment of caretaker to the Borough Council Chambers was received and'‘referred to the Hall Committee, with power to act. Cr. Brow'n, in moving that a five-foot I track be made by the day labor man from the end of Third street to Comfoot’s tramway, said that the expense would be very little and the convenience to the public j. very great, as a number of people came i down that way to attend the various , churches on Sunday, i Cr.- Ancher thought it was highly heces-

sary, as all the churches were in the vicinity) and it would be a public convenience. Cr. Blake supported the motion, if the day labor man was the only expense that would be incurred in forming the track* Or* O’Hara thought that it was only at i the last meeting, when borne necessary ' work was required, that Or, Brown opposed any mopey being spent in construct ing tracks, and he (Cr. O’Hara) was suprised that after this Cr* -Brown Should now bring forward this motion. Or. Campbell said He’thought in regard to the objection raised by Cr. O’Hara* that Cr. Brown did not object' to making tracks, but he objected to spending money on tracks in Which there was no purpose. Cr. Dungart moved as an amendment “ That the Town Clerk be authorized to report on the distance and cost of the track proposed by Cr. Brown.’* He wanted to know who was to pay the day labor man : that surely must cost money* He should oppose these fast and loose jobs being let out by the Council. Be thought Cr. Brown was inconsistent in bringing this forward. He obj ected to,the observation of Cr. Campbell in saying that the track that was proposed at the last meet* ing was purposeless, as the Borough were indebted to the community, and'oh- these grounds they should, if possible, Construct tracks to benefit the public. Or. Oornfoot askedif the Town Surveyor could afford the Council any information on the subject. •The Town Surveyor said that the track proposed by Cr. Brown Would bfe about five chains in length) and that'a few* 1 days Work by the day labor man was all that would be required. ■ j’ > Or. Dungan then Withdrew his amend* ment, and substituted instead “ That the day labor man ;be employed one Week in making the proposed track,” Which was seconded by Cr. Blake, and camedi Or. Dungan moved “ That"thb‘services of the Returning Officer of the Borough be dispensed with”; and said that, in bringing forward this he did so for reasons he thought wem right on public grounds. He Considered that the Eetuming Officer had acted with the greatest negligence, and he might Say indifference; in the carrying out of his functions, as illustrated by ‘ the 'late • elec* tion. This officer received /‘public > money for doing, a public duty;, .and,heidid' not know that duty or hri ; Msinea£ , l aS he could hot receive a nominatioh properly and was unacquainted witli the vgliiatioa roll. Even on the polling dayi‘ : with the roll under his eyes, he did not see that the name of one of the candidates on the ballot papers was , not qualified, on the valuation roll. He knew .nothing' Of the Individual in question V but 'he spoke of him as a public officer whp ; received public funds, and as such he Considered the Re--turning Officer should know his duties, as. a school boy i cddlfl* do ithehifbetter. The Local Election Act made it imperative on the Council to see that the Returning Officer did his duty '-’ 1 as; ll they Were not carried out strictly, it became a matter that affected the public interest. He would now move the motion standing in his name. - ■’ ■ •.: - : ■ Or. O’Hara seconded the resolution. Or. Ancher said there was no‘doubt the Eetuming Officer-committed an; error, but he thought it would be very harsh to dismiss him now, as he believed that- officer had seen his mistake and he was) 5 sorry for it. A great mistake had been made once by the Returning Officer in' Hokitika, and yet he was still there;-liolding-the? •same appointment. He considered the Oouncil had already expressed au opinion on this subject, and the best thing they, could do was to retain this officer, as lie’ no doubt had now got used to the Cr. Dungan, in reply, denied that the Oouncil had given jany expression of opinion on the subject, and now vsaa the proper time to discuss and deal with the matter. The motion was then put by thq Ohair--man, and declared lost.. A division was then called for, the votes being Ayes, 2 i Ors. Dungan and OHara ; Hoes, 7 : ; Cra. Brown, make, Oornfoot, Andhet) Bollock, Campbell, and Hannan. Or. O’Hara moved “ That in the opinion of this Oouncil the ground fees at the Cemetery be reduced. ” He thought it should not be as expensive to bury an infant as an adult. He would suggest that the fees be altered to 30s for an adult, and 20s for an infant; but Would leave the matter to the consideration of the Oouncil. Or. Blake seconded the motion, as he considered thp charges were too heavy. Or. Oornfoot moved “ That the fees be reduced to 30s for adults, and 20s for infants up to ten years of age.” Or, Dungan seconded the motion, which was agreed to unanimously. The Council then adjourned.