BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Kumara Times, Issue 679, 30 November 1878, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The adjourned meeting of the Borough Council was held at the Town Hall last evening. Present: Coimcillors Dungari (in the chair), Brown, Pollock, Cornfoot, Hannan, and O'Hara.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.

The outward correspondence was read and approved of, and the inward correspondence read and received.

On a letter from the Secretary of the Kumara Literary Institute beirig taken into consideration.

Cr. Comfoot moved "That the Town Clerk inform the Secretary of the Knmara Literary Institute that the Council are not in a position, during the present financial year, to alter the resolution previously passed."

Cr. O'Hara, in seconding the resolution, said he would be only too glad to support a vote of £2O or £25 to the Institute, but that in the present state of the Council's funds, he could not see his way clear to Vote any money this year. The resolution was then put and carried. Cr. Pollock being the only dissentient. The Town Clerk reported that 100 yards of broken metal wa3 required for repairs in Main street, and he was instructed to call for tenders for same by advertisement. The Mayor here took the chair and plained that he was very sorry he had not been present when the letter from the 1 Secretary of the Literary Institute had osen under discussion, as a deputation had waited on him in his capacity d£ Mayor and he had pfomised to support a grant of £lO towards the Library fund, provided a similar amount was raised by the society. Cr. Comfoot explained that he 1 moved the resolution solely on the grounds of the impecunioaity of the Council ag he believed the Institute was deserving' of their support, were they in a position, he should advocate a grant being made. The Town Clerk brought up a report on the various buildings encroaching on Seddon street, as ordered by resolution of the Council.

The report was read and received, as also a letter from Mr Borne concerning this subject, which had been received at the last meeting. The Mayor said that now the Council were in possession of all the information asked for, there could be no objection' to' deal with this matter. Bse should move" " That Councillors Comfoot, D'ungan, and the mover be appointed a Commrfctee to deal with the question of the encroachment of Mr Hanna's house on Seddon street, at a cost to the Council not to exceed £3O ;• this not to act as a precedent in" other eases that might arise." Ete thought that arty strangers coming to the* town must think them a strange local body to allow' # house to project on the 1

footpaths-in this manner. As to the others, these were not much in the wayj as the projections were so trifling that really the most fastidious could not find fault with them. The Council must take either an equitable view of the matter, or give an order for the immediate removal of the obstruction. The Council could rest assured that the committee he had named would look well after its interests. If tenders were* called for the work, he believed it would be done idt £2O. Nd doubt Mr Hamia would suffer a little by it; but he (the Maydr) was surprised that Mr Home had stood it so long\ as he did not believe any member of the Council vvould have, and he was sure he should hot himself.

Cr. O'Hara had much pleasure hi seconding the resolution as the moreyoa looked at thiß projection the worse it looked, it was an eyesore to the town but, he was afraid it would cost £36 instead of £2O but, still he thought the sootier it was done the better.

Or. Diingari said the' infdmiafeldn reduired had been certainly brdnght under the notice of the Councilj but he would like to know if the Town Clerk had an under-; standing with those persons whose housed projected that they would riot trouble the Council in a similar' manner oil some future occasion. He coincided with the Mayor in setting the Question equitably. He would suggest that if it wad feasable an agreement or understanding of some' kind should be made with the remaining parties, sd that they could riot take thd action of the Council in this instance as a precedent on another occasion. The Town Clerk explained that in drawing up the report, he had done sd from the plans of the town, ami had made no agreement dr asked ariy information from thosd jferso'ns interested in this matter. Cr. Hannan had only pir'dpos'ed the* Amendment at the last me'eting witftf object of getting the infoririatio'ri now' before the. Council, ndt iii any way td prevent tile house' being removed as hi wanted to throw no obstacle in the' way ot removing this eyesore to the towns' -'"'' The Mayor, in reply, said .tttaitejig wf& pleased to that the Council had fefeeW the same view as himself in this matted The action of the Gouncil in this instance could in no way form a predtfdeift dn a s future occasion;

Or; Cornfoot. could not see Wty the' burgesses should be saddled with! M &£- penses 1 through the imsttake Of other people, and although named as one of the* committee he must protest against it and; sho\ild not support the resolution di those' grounds. '"'•■

The resolution was' then 'pfut and &tt* ried on the voices. ,

Reports on the Dog" Tas and also on 4 the Cemetery were brought up by the" Town Cleric, and after being read, wittf some slight alterations, adopted. Accourits to the amount of £ll3los4d/ frere passed for payment on the' reSolnendation of the Finance dommift;e& [Cr. Cor"nfoot hefe" left the room'.] Cr. O'Hara moved ' ( That in the opinion l ' of this Council it is that the 1 Town Clerk receive' three months' notice, as originally agreed up'ori wlieri accepting' Office from the Council, and that a committee, consisting of Councillor's jdurigan,' Cornfoot, Campbell, arid the mover, be requested to bring up a report at the next? meeting of this Council,., recOnhnending- v the terms on which Mr 1 services: " v * shall be retained after the expiration of the three months' notice," Li moving this he said he thought the Town Clerk' and Borough Surveyor, having been in} office for twelve months, the time had; now arrived when the Council should, if possible, curtail their experises. He had spoken on this matter two months ago, when he thought he had fully explained ' that the services of the Borough Surveyor could be dispensed with. Tie* town had now been surveyed, draine'd,' and ■ during the next six months &e revenue 1 Of the Council would fall off considerably. [The speaker here read a statement of the 4 various offices held under and paid by the? Borough, the total amount df which was 1 £447 9s B.] He thought the Town Clerk quite competent to act Ss Returning officer, and also Inspector' of nuisances' as the only thing objectionable to the* latter was the name ; he might act asrate collector and valuator': bift as twof auditors were required, he' did riot intend' to include that duty in the Town Clerk's. ' For the last twelve' months he bid spoken!- '- on this subject at considerable length/ He' knew it was a delicate, subject, and one* that he could not do full justice to, but atf the same time he would do his best. He" did not like blowing his- owri triftripet, but, as the ratepayers had put him there, he* would look after their,- interests. The' committee could ; bring up a report otf what was best to be done int.the* matter. • If the weather only kept firie,for three* months, the streets would be 1 finished, and* the services of the Borough. Surveyor would not be required. Cr. Dungan seconded- the feboliftidft, as* he thought it a matter of finance, arid the* the Council, in dealing with, ife; were only' carrying out one of their legitimate duties.The Mayor moved as an! amendment' "Thatthe matter be postponed till the next meeting of the Council," as 4 there was 5 a bare quorum present, and although, he' coincide'dj with some of the remarks'of the mover of the resolution*, and to* * certairiextent he' thought some, reductions might' be made, still, as Crs. Cornfoot and Campbell were absent, and they were" named oir » the committee and had riot consented to' act, he thought the motion had better be' deferred. ...

Cr. Brown seconded th'e* as he thought every member' should a hand in a dirty job like'this,*.arid.not y . leave it for oire or two' to deal wifh.' Gr. DangaW explained tha* if it tf&iie*' ferred to a Committee, the. rejfbttf Would!' . • still have to be dealt with 1 fry tbtf whole? ' Council. :•.-•;

■, Cr. Hanjian supported the Amendment V>n the same grounds as the Mayor, and ,116 thought some of the offices referred ,to by the i£over v "of the resolution were too mean for aily Town Clerk. <2r. O'Hara wanted to know what Cr. Brewn meant by a dirty job. When he : (or. O'Hara) was trying to do good, it was called a dirty. job ; he had promised he would bring this matter forward again, trad he had done it; he did not believe any other Councillor would have the spirit to doit. Cr. Brown, in reply, Said what he termed a dirty job was cutting a man's salary down ; and if Or. O'Hara stopped long enough in the Council he would find that he (the speaker) would always take his share of all the work that came before the Council, dirty or otherwise; but in this instance he referred to this as he thought all hands should deal with the matter hot shelve it one on or two. , The amendment was then carried, and the Council adjourned.