BLENHEIM BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume II, Issue 127, 8 June 1880, Page 3

BLENHEIM BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Monday, June 7th. The Council met at a quarter to S o’clock. Present—His Worship the Mayor, and Crs Robinson, Rogers, Litchfield, Wemyss, Parker, Sinclair, HouldsAvorth, and Fell. The minutes of the previous meeting Avere read and confirmed. tenders. The folloAving tenders for metalling etc., in Eltham Road Avere read :—D. Bishell Ll 5, J. Lowe 12s Gd per chain, A. Cameron 17s per chain, J. Foster LIG. Mr Lowe’s tender being the lewest, Avas accepted. SUPPLY OE GAS. In reference to the report of the Committee on Mr Hutcheson’s offer (previously published by us), Mr Sinclair said he Avould suggest to his brother Councillors, Avhether they Avere complying with the IaAV in not having the ivork of the public lighting of the town done by tender, by Avhich it might be done cheaper. Although it was clear that the Corporation had pOAver to break open the streets, it Avas doubtful if they could delegate that poAver to Mr Hutcheson or anybody else, and Avhether if they could it Avould be ivise to do so. They might also take into consideration Avhether they should not have some guarantee that the"Avork should be commenced Avithin a reasonable time, otherwise the Council might be kept for three years, and then the Avork might not bo done. The arrangement Avith Mr Hutcheson ivas like having a man’s labor for a year and paying him monthly. On the motion of Cr Robinson the Council Avent into committee. Cr Rogers agreed Avith what had fallen from Cr Sinclair, as to a guarantee being given for the commencement of the Avork Avithin a reasonable time. He thought the Council had full power to accept or reject the offer of Mr Hutcheson. He considered the Council had full poAver to delegate the opening and breaking up the streets to the contractor, and that there Avas no necessity for a private bill. Cr Fell moved the adoption of the report of the Committee, and thought there Avas no necessity to have the Avork done by tender. He thought Mr Hutcheson should give a guarantee by the payment of a deposit. Cr HouldsAvorth expressed a similar opinion. Cr Robinson said he thought one or two of the clauses in the report Avere rather stiff on the contractor. He Avislied to see no unnecessary difficulty throAvn in the Avay of the prosecution of the Avork, Avhich he should like to see done. He did uot, hoAvever, Avish to see the report pulled to pieces, and Avould support its adoption. Cr Sinclair said by calling for tenders they would be complying Avith the IaAV, and it Avas not likely that any other contractor would tender. In his opinion Mr Hutcheson’s position Avas not exactly the same as that of a man hired by the year. He regarded this as a contract for L3GO extending over three years. There ivas nothing in the report against Mr Hutcheson’s original offer.

Cr Litchfield said he presumed if Mr Hutcheson did not supply as good a quality of gas as specified in the agreement, there would be an end of the contract. He did not think there was any necessity for a private act. Cr Wemyss said Mr Hutcheson ought to give some guarantee by way of a deposit. Cr Parker said the difficult of opening the

streets would be easily got over by Mr Hutcheson applying for leave to break and open them for the purpose of putting in pipes, when leave would be granted in the usual wav.

The adoption of the report was carried unanimously. (Jr Fell moved that Mr Hutcheson be asked to give a substantial guarantee for the completion of the work within the specified time. This was seconded by Cr Parker.

Or Robinson said he should vote against the motion. He thought there were guarantees enough already, and lie did not wish that unnecessary difficulty should lie thrown in the way of the carryingout of the work.

Cr Wemyss thought thereshould be some guarantee. Cr Litchfield said he thoughtif this motion was carried they would get a snubbing. If done at all it ought to have been done before.

Cr Houldsworth thought it was very important they should have a guarantee. Cr Fell said the guarantee need not be in money ; it might be two sureties.Cr Rogers said he doubted whether the Council was in a position to enforce the guarantee, and that if Mr Hutcheson did not agree to the proposition the Council would have quietly to withdraw it. The Council had practically accepted Mr Hutcheson’s offer.

Cr Fell said he did not agree with Cr Rogers. Mr Hutcheson had, subsecpicntly to making his first offer, sent up another with half a dozen different things in it. Cr Robinson said the Council had never adopted the practice of having guarantees from contractors and by this means they gob a lot of work done, and much cheaper than it could otherwise have been done. The system of insisting on guarantees prevented a poor man from getting a contrct. Cr Fell and Cr Houldsworth pointed out that Mr Hutcheson had led people to suppose they would have gas in the town this winter. Cr Robinson said he should vote against the motion if he stood alone. Cr Sinclair said it was a pity the Council was not unanimous on the point. The motion was put and carried, the Mayor Crs Robinson, Litchfield and Rogers voting against it. and the rest for it. Progress was reported and the Council re-' sinned. The report of the Committee was adopted and the Council resumed. MARKET STREET. The offer of Mr Nos worthy to sell a piece of land at the corner of Market Street for LlO was agreed to. CAVEAT. The Mayor explained that he caused a caveat to he lodged against the bringing a slip of land in Sinclair Street under the Land Transfer Act, it being shown on the plan of the town as a part of a public street. Cr Fell said he understood the Bank of New Zealand were going to withdraw the application they had made. The Mayor said he was not officially informed of this. The Council had two months to think the matter over. Cr Robinson said this had been a long job. The contemplated widening of the road had been pending for some time. Cr Sinclair said on this subject his mouth was closed. He was an interested party, and a solicitor in the ease. Cr Fell moved that the Council endorse the action of the Mayor, and authorise him to proceed. Cr Robinson said he thought the Mayor deserved great praise for protecting the interests of the town in this matter. Cr Rogers said that lie had been instructed to prepare the deed of exchange between the Bank of New Zealand and the Borough Council as long ago as IS7S, but owing to the Bank property being under the Land Transfer Act it was impossible to transfer the ten feet from them to widen Grove Road without a special survey being made, which was sanctioned by the Council and only completed in February last. By that time' he understood Mr Dowling had effected the agreement with Mr Sinclair and the agreement between the Council and Mr Hull on behalf of the Bank in IS7S was practically set aside. --The motion was carried. SOUTH-STREET. Cr Sinclair presented a petition from residents in South-street, calling the attention of the Council to the overflow of water in that locality. He moved that the petition be received. Cr Robinson seconded the motion which was supported by Cr Houldsworth and carried, and the matter was referred to the Inspector of Works. mr dodson’s cate. A motion by Mr Fell in reference to Mr Dodson’s gate, removed by the Public Works Department was withdrawn. PROPOSED BRIDGE at BRADFORD QUAY. Cr Rogers said lie had moved on a former occasion in reference to a combined bridge over the Omaka at Bradford Quay. That resolution was to be forwarded to the Minister of Public Works, but by an oversight of the Town Clerk it had been sent to the wrong department, and had stopped in Blenheim. Cr Sinclair said he was very much surprised at the letter they had received from the Assistant-Engineer. They had been told in effect by Mr Fitzgerald that the work was not to be gone on with, but Mr Seymour told them that the line was to be proceeded with to the extent of the vote, deducting the survey. It was agreed that the matter should be brought under the notice of the Minister of Public Works, and also the matter of Mr Dodson’s gate. YORK TERRACE. It was agreed to call for tenders for a footpath in York Terrace, and also moved (by Cr Fell) for a bridge over the Omaka opposite Short-street. Cr Robinson moved that the land required he conveyed to the Council and the amount of the promised subscriptions be handed in before the commencement of the work. Cr Robinson’s amendment was put and lost by 3to G and Cr Fell’s motion was then put : —Ayes—Crs Sinclair, Houldsworth, Fell, Parker, and Wemyss : Noes — Crs Litchfield, Rogers, and Robinson. Cr Robinson said he rose to a point of order. Cr Parker was personally interested in the matter and ought not to vote on it. Cr Sinclair suggested that before tenders were opened that a conveyance of the land from Mrs Hoskins be obtained. Cr Rogers strongly objected to a traffic bridge being made to provide for the Auck-land-street traffic only. It was bad enough if it were the means of communication with the Renwick Road. It would cost at least £4OO, which might be much better spent on the streets. He strongly objected to the work, but would* offer no objection to a footbridge. When they got the bridge it would cost £IOO to form and metal a street to the Renwick Road. Now they were told .this bridge was to be for the benefit of Aucklancl-street. Cr Sinclair said he would add to his motion that Hutchinson-street be opened up to the Renwick Road. The motion was carried.

Cr Litchfield moved that the promised subscriptions be collected before the acceptance of tenders. Cr Houldsworth seconded the motion which was carried. 1 NELSON-STREET. On the motion of the Mayor, seconded by Cr Fell, it was resolved that the Inspector of Works he instructed to inspect the East side of Nelson-street. RAILWAY. On the motion of Cr Fell leave wus granted to the contractor for the railway sheds to make temporary use of a portion of the footpath. punt road. It was resolved that the Council does not require any longer the use of the piece of road leading through Mr Dodson’s ground to the punt, and to thank him for the use of it. Instructions were also • given to the Town Clerk to sell the boat.-irowicK-street. It was resolved that seven chains of footpath in this street be metalled. MAXWELL ROAD. Cr Rogers moved that repairs be done in Maxwell Road and the footpath on the East side be extended to the town boundary. STREET REPAIRS, &C. Notice was given by Cr 'Wemyss for next meeting that specifications be prepared for metalling Budge-street from Grove Road to Mr Elbeck’s property : by Cr Houldsworth, that Waiter-street be metalled from Steveuson-street to Hawkshaw-street : by Cr Sinclair, that Hawkshaw-street from Redwood-street to Waiter-street be metalled, and that the Land Board be requested to inform the Council what waste lands there are (if any) within the Provincial District of Marlborough suitable for a Reserve or Reserves for the Corporotion, under Part XIII of the “Municipal Corporations, Act, IS7G.”