MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 292, 31 March 1877, Page 2

MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Council was held at the Council Chambers on Thursday evening. Present —His Worship the Mayor, and Councillors Gibbs, Booth.. Galbraitli, Mainland, Morton, and Scott. MINUTES AND CORRESPONDENCE. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed, and the outward correspondence was also read and adopted. NUISANCES. A letter from the Corporation Solicitors was read expressing the opinion that the Council had the power to compel owners of property to abate nuisances ; and that in the case of absentees the Council might, on it being shown that a nuisance was dangerous to life, cause the same to be removed at the expense of the owner. The Clerk was instructed to again write to owners of property calling upon them to abate nuisances. TRUSTEE. It was decided to recommend Mr. W. J. Steward to the Government for appointment as Trustee of the Sinking Fund, vice Dr. Wait, resigned. PUBLIC BATHS. The plans of the proposed public baths having been forwarded for the approval of the Council, it was decided that the plans be accepted subject to the approval of the Engineer. GAS. It was decided to lay on gas to Messrs, Lees and Moore's on the terms proposed by those gentlemen. CARTING. The following tenders for carting were then opened : —Williams and Bentley—one horse and dray, at 17s. 6J. per day ; two horses and dray, 225. 6d. John Lewis—one ho"se and dray, 14b. 6d.; two horses and dra2 T , 18s. ; tin-oo horses and two drays, 335. Bass Batterbby—two tipdrays, two horses, and man, 17 ■*• ; two tip-drays, three horses, and man, 18s. Thomas Tiliey and Co.—two horses, two tip-drays, and man, 18s. ; two horse dray and man, 18s. ; three-horse dray and man, 235. T. R. Anderson—one two-horse dray, 255. ; one three-horse dray, 30s. The tender of Bass Battersby was accepted. PERMANENT LEVELS. The plans submitted by the Engineer, showing the permanent levels of Tynestreet, from Wansbeck-street to Tamarstreet, and of Test-street from Wharfstreet to the Lane near the Barracks, were adopted. PUBLIC HALLS. The Engineer reported favourably as to the means°of egress and ventilation of the Masonic and Volunteer Halls. ENGINEER'S P„EPOPvT. The Engineer reported as to the necessity of certain works and the probable cost of performing them. On the motion of Councillor Mainland, seconded by Councillor Morton, it was decided that none of the works should be gone on with at present, except the repairs of footbridges in Severn-street,

*AN The Mayor and Gouuifillors Mainland, and Booth were appointed aJ Committee to enquire into the apparent! encroachment by-Messrs. Lees and Moorel on the bed of the creek, the Committee to report at the next meeting. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE. This Committee reported as follows : "With regard to the letter of Mr. Martin, Secretary of the Waitaki Road Board, ns the drain was made for the especial benefit of owners of property in the neighbourhood, by preventing their properties being damaged by flood-water, and as the covering in of the drain will be of no'benefit to the town generally, and is only asked for for the convenience of property outside the Municipal boundary, your Committee is of opinion that the Council should not be called upon to pay any proportion of the cost of covering in any part of the same ; and therefore cannot recommend the Council to accede to the request in the letter contained. "Your Committee recommend the Council to take into consideration the desirability of ascertaining the exact position of the Crown grants for the various Municipal Reserves'; and further, the question of providing better means for the security of the Council's documents, plans, &c, in the event of fire. " Also, that a circular letter be sent to the lessees of reserves, drawing attention to the improvement clauses of their leases, as regards planting live fences, <fec." The first and third paragraphs of the report were adapted. In reference to the o;i:er portion? of the report, it was decided as follows :—That his Worship the Mayor should make inquiries in regard to the* Crown grants; that it was necessary tliat greater" provision should be made than at present existed for the safe custody of documents, and the Works Committee were instructed to report as to the cost of erecting a strong-room or purchasing another safe. BYE-LAWS. The report of the Bye-laws Committee was read, and it was decided that a special meeting of the Council should be held on Monday, 9th April, at a quarter past 7 for the purpose of considering the proposed bye-laws. SALE OF COKE. It was resolved that the matter of the sale of coke ?.t the expiration of '-he present contract, be referred to the Gas Works Committee with power to act. ACCOUNTS. A number of accounts were passed for payment, and the Council adjourned.