BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Kumara Times, Issue 2084, 4 May 1883, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The ordinary fortnightly meeting of the Borough Council was held in the Town Hall last evening ; present—His Worship the Mayor (W. Barnett, Esq.) in the chair, Councillors Seddon, Anderson, Campbell, Burger; Crs. B-udkin, Home, Mulvihill, Carey, and O'Hagan also took their seats at various stages of the proceedings. The minuutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The outward correspondence was read and approved of. The Mayor stated that he had telegraphed to the Property Tax Commissioner stating that he bad failed to rate the Crown lands of the borough. Cr. Seddon moved that the letter be approved of. Cr. Campbell seconded the motion, which was carried. The inward correspondence was read and received. An application from Garven, a contractor, for payment of his account was held over till the Finance Committee's report was considered. A letter was i'ead from Mr Joseph Dove, Treasurer to the Council, asking to be informed where the Council wished him to keep the books, <fcc, connected with his office as Treasurer, as it was very inconvenient at present and would be more so when the time came for issuing licenses. Cr. Burger moved—" That the matter be referred to a committee of the whole Council, to draw up a code of rules for the guidance of the officers." Cr. Seddon moved to prefix the following words to Cr. Burger's motion:— " That the keys of the safe be handed over to the Borough Treasurer at once." The motions were put as one resolution, and carried. - The Town Clerk read the Borough Solicitor's opinion relative to the validity of the striking of last year's rate, as follows : Opinion relative to Validity of Bates struck on 22nd september, 1882, by the Kumara Borough Council. I am of opinion that this rate is illegal, and that it should not be attempted to recover any part of same that is in arrear. With regard to the shortness of notice, I consider that it is fatal to the validity of the rate, as also the noncompliance with the 41st section of the " Rating Act, 1876," and the 108th section of the "Municipal Corporations Act, 1876." It could be of no avail for me to answer the other objections to the validity of the rate, the grounds already given being sufficient to show its invalidity. With regard to the preparation of a new Burgess Roll, the same course of procedure should be pursued as if no rate had been atsempted to be made in September, 1882 ; and ratepayers Avho did not pay their rates should not be treated as defaulters. If persons were not liable to pay the rates, they cannot be called defaulters by reason of non-payment. William Perkins. Chambers, Werita street, 27th April, 1883.

Or. Seddon moved—" That Mr Perkins' letter be received, and the action of the Mayor in communicating with the Colonial Secretary be approved of re extension of time re Burgess Roll, &c.; and that those persons who have already paid rates be publicly notified that the money will be returned as soon as the license moneys are received." The motion was seconded by Cr. Anderson, and carried. A declaration from Mr J. Pearson, Bank of New South Wales, certifying to the quantities of gold purchased by him during the month, was read and received. The Town Clerk then read a telegram relative to the rating of Crown lands within the Borough of Kumara, as follows: To W. Barnett, Esq., Mayor of Kumara. Any Crown lands in borough that have been omitted by the. Assesors will be valued, and a schedule showing them will be forwarded. Chas. M. Crombie, Deputy Property Tax Commissioner. Wellington, April 28, 1883. Cr. Seddon moved—" That the copy of the Valuer's Report be forwarded to the Deputy Property-Tax. Commissioner, and that the Mayor telegraph to him to know when the Council might expect the extra schedule of values." The motion was seconded by Cr. Campbell, and carried. In reply to a telegram from the Mayor to the Property-Tax Commissioner, inquiring if it was intended to pay rates on Crown lands within the borough, the following telegram was read : To W. Barnett, Esq., Mayor of Kumara. It is intended to pay rates on Crown lands in Kumara Borough. • J. Sperrey, Property-Tax Commissioner. Wellington, April 30, 1883. On the motion of Cr. Seddon, seconded by Cr. Rudkin, the telegram was received. A letter from M. R. Taylor applying for a progress payment of £7O on his contract in Main street was read. On the motion of Cr. Seddon, seconded by Cr. Campbell, the letter was referred to the Public Works Committee ; and on their certificate being received to pay whatever amount they considered fair, that the Finance Committee be authorised to pay such amount. . A long letter was read from George' Simmons, senior, complaining of* some unfairness in the execution of certain repairs and the erection of a new chimney at the back portion of the Town Hall, which had been ordered by the Public Works Committee, and tendered for by him. On the motion of Cr. Seddon, seconded by Cr. Campbell, the letter was referred to the Public Works Committee, with authority to employ an expert, if necessary. Cr. Seddon here inquired from the Town Clerk who returned to him the missing rate-book blocks, which it had been stated in the Kumara Times had been restored 1 The Town Clerk stated that the missing blocks had been found in a carpetbag which contained other papers and books belonging to the Borough Council I and impounded by the Supreme Court. They were returned to him in the library of the Supreme Court, Hokitika. The Town Clerk then read a half-'*] yearly balance-sheet, being a Statement of the Receipts and Expenditure of the General Account of the Borough of Kumara during the six months ending March 31st, 1883. The total receipts during that time were £B7O 19s Bd, which iucluded a bank overdraft to the amount of £298 18s 2d. The expenditure amounted to the same less £l7 ss, deposit account balance. The Auditor's Report was also read. The annual balance-sheet and Audi> tor's Report were also read. Cr. Seddon moved—" That the half-, yearly and yearly balanc-sheets stand over until the special meeting of thai Council ou Tuesday next; and that the! half-yearly balance-sheet and Auditors! Report be published." The motion was seconded by Cr. Anderson, and carried. The Public Works Committee's Report was then read : Report Public Works Committee. Present—Councillors Burger (in the chair), Anderson, and Rudkin. 1. That it be recommended that a board be erected and notice painted thereon, "That any person found damaging the fence of the Recreation Ground, and also all persons whose cattle, horses, &c, trespass thereon, will be prosecuted ;" and that the question of the gates, &c, mentioned in the report of the Inspector of Nuisances, be deferred for the present. 2. Two tenders were opened by the Committee for re-building chimney, as follows :—Geo. Simmons, £lO, with an

allowance of £1 for the old iron ; Anderson and Gibson, £6 12s, with an allowance of £llos for old iron. The Committee accepted Anderson and Gibson's e contract. 3. The Committee beg to report having visited section 3, Seddon street west, and found the turn-outs constructed by Garven and Co. completed to their satisfaction, and recommended that the amount of .£lO be passed for payment. 4. The Committee beg to recommend to the Council that an approach be made to the Wesleyan Parsonage, to the width of Third street; and that the application for a drain to Seddon street cannot be entertained. 5. The Committee beg to recommend also that the question of additional street lamps be left over, pending the question of lighting the borough by electricity. April 25, 1883. On the motion of Cr. Seddon, seconded by Cr. Anderson, the'report was received and considered. Clause 1 was adopted, and the Public Works Committee authorised to act. Clauses 2 and 3 wore adopted. Cr. Burger moved and Cr. Home seconded —" That clause 4 be adopted." Cr. Seddon moved an amendment—- " That clause 4 be adopted, except the latter part of the clause re drainage, which he moved should be referred back to the Public Works Committee, with power to act." He thought a day-labor man might be appointed to cut a drain to drain the water off the street. Cr. Campbell seconded the amendment, which was carried. The amendment was then put as the substantive motion and carried. Cr. Rudkin moved the adoption of clause 5, which was seconded by the Mayor. A division was called for, with the following result:—Ayes, 5 : The Mayor, Crs. Seddon, Rudkin, Anderson, Burger ; Noes, 5 : .Crs. Carey, Campbell, O'Hagan, Home, Mulvihill. The Mayor gave his casting votewith the Ayes, and declared the clause adopted. The Finance Committee's Report was then read, and the following accounts were passed for payment:— £ s. d. G. Orams ... 4 8 0 J. Monahan ... 2 18 A. Skilton ... 12 10 0 Petty cash ... 4 2 9 Henham ... 0 10 0 Garven and Co. 10 0 0 H. Gibson ... 2 0 0 £35 12 5 yP. It was resolved that tenders be called .for firewood. *Tn reference to the Report presented by his Worship the Mayor to the last meeting of the Council relative to that part of the Special Auditors' Report which stated that N. Seddon had received the sum of £219 10s overpayment of wages, and which had been deferred for consideration, Cr. Seddon said the Council had no right as a public body to cast a stigma on any man's character without cause could be proved. He was perfectly satisfied in his own mind that Nathan Seddon had not received this money nor more than was due to him. Mr Nathan Seddon was a relative of his, and he wished to see this matter cleared up. He would ask leave to move re moneys alleged to have been overpaid to Nathan Seddon. He should have moved for this long ago, but of course the books [and papers were impounded, and it was impossible to do anything. Leave granted. Cr. Seddon then moved—" That the question of moneys stated to have been been paid to Nathan Seddon over and above those due to him, and mentioned in the Special Auditors' Report, be ; referred to the Borough Auditors and the Finance Committee; and that such I Auditors and Fiuance Committee report to the Council on—lst, The amounts paid to N. Seddou from March 31st, 1878, until the date when he left i the Council; 2nd, The amounts as i shewn by the ledger, cash-book, bank j pass-book, and vouchers; 3rd, Also that the Auditors and the said committee call upou Mr N. Seddon to shew the amounts actually received by him. Fee to be paid to auditors, £2 2s each." He was bound to take this course. He could not go to Wellington as member for this district until this stain on his I relative's character was removed. Cr. O'Hagan seconded the motion. He thought it would be more satisfactoty to the burgesses as well as to Mr > Nathan Seddon. Cr. Burger was opposed to voting £4 43 for this purpose. He thought the Finance Committee, assisted by the Town Clerk, could do this. He would move au amendment—?' That the question be referred to the Finance Committee; to have the assistance, of the Town Clerk Cr. Mulvihill seconded the amendment, and several other councillors spoke on the subject, most of them favouring the original motion. . The amendment was put and lost,

k and the original motion was then put ft and carried. p m The question of closing a portion oi. || Fourth street was held over till next !$f meeting and I t The Council then adjourned. '