MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 315, 27 April 1877, Page 2

MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

The regular fortnightly meeting of the Municipal Council was held last evening at the Council Chambers. There were present : His Worship the Mayor, Councillors Mainland, Gibbs, Booth, Headland, and Grave. MINUTES. The minutes of the last regular meeting and of three special meetings were read and confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE. The outward correspondence was then read and approved of. AN APPLICATION. Mr. Thomas Dowden wrote, applying for permission to remove some of the earth from the footpath in front of his property in Usk-street, in order that he might be enabled to get upon his land with a horse and dray. The letter was referred to the Engineer, with power to act. THE BATHS.

A letter was read from Mr. John Hardy, Secretary of the Oamaru Baths Company, submitting Mr. Glass' design for the baths proposed to be erected, and asking that the Council would reconsider the application for a piece of the Esplanade, extending from Coquet-street, either to Wear-street or to Eden-street. The letter also stated that a piece of land one and a half chains in width from east to west, and five chains from north to south, was required. It asked for that piece of land bounded on the south by the fence of the Gasworks yard, from the northeast gate-post to the south-east corner of the fence, on the east by the fence of the Gasworks, on the north by Coquet-street, and on the west by a line parallel to the eastern boundary ; or for a corresponding piece of land on the north side of Coquetstreet, at the option of the Council. The writer added that on reading the letter he saw that in the description of the land applied for, land had been included which might be required for the continuation of Weav-strjet, and stated this portion might be excluded if the Council had any objection to granting it. After some discussion, Councillor Booth moved, "That while admitting the desirability of having baths, and of giving every facility to the Oamaru Baths Company, the Council are of opinion that the iv-quest for land is somewhat exorbitant as to area, they therefore resolve that the matter be referred to the Reserves Committee to report upon at the next meeting of Council."

The motion was seconded by Councillor Mainland, and carried. SLUSH LAMP. Mr. Alfred Wells applied for permission to burn a slush lamp in front of bis butcher's shop in Thames-street North, on Saturday nights. It was resolved that permission be not granted.

APPLICATIONS FOE. LEASE. Mr. Michael Donovan wrote, applying for a lease of section 12, Block XCI. —It was decided that the lease of the section should be sold by public auction. An application having been received for a lease of sections land 5, BlockXCV.,it was decided that the leases should also be sold by public auction.

FINANCIAL. A letter was read from the Treasury, stating that the sum of L 553 16s. 7d. had been paid into the bank to the account of the Corporation as the amount of the Government subsidy for the year. ■reserves.

A letter was read from the Secretary for Crown Lands, applying for information in regard to any reserves made by way of endowment to the Municipality of Oamaru, showing the date of such reservation and the authority under which they were made.

A FENCE WANTED. Messrs. Lees and Moore wrote, calling the attention of the Council to the loss sustained by them through damage done to their fence, in consequence of the lessee of Reserve A not having fenced in the reserve.—The letter was referred to the Reserves Committee.

"WORKS COMMITTEE'S KEPORT. The following report was read and adopted : " Councillor Mainland having reported that a fence had been erected from Tamarstreet, across Reserve A to the south Town Belt, the Committee referred to correspondence dated May 23 and May 26,1876, between Messrs. Lees and Moore and the Council, and find that in fencing across the Belt, the persons erecting the same have gone beyond the intention of the Committee as expressed by resolution agreed to at the meeting of 25th May, 1876."

It was resolved that the Engineer "should inspect the fence in question, and prepare tracings of the same, together with a report, and that the whole matter be taken into consideration at the next meeting of the Council. ROAD THROUGH TOWN BELT. The Engineer reported as follows in reference to the road through the Town Belt : "On the 23rd May last Messrs. Lees and Moore wrote the Council, asking temporary permission to cross Reserve A from the end of Tyne-sfcreet to the town boundary. The Council, at their meeting of the 25th of May, granted the temporary permission asked for, but in doing so,

understood that Messrs. Lees and Moore merely wished for leave to cross the Belt, not to fence in any roadway, as has been done.

"D. A. M'Leod, Engineer. "24th April, 1877." The report was referred to the Reserves Committee. SIRONG ROOM. A memorandum from the Engineer was read in reference to the cost of erecting a strong room, and it was resolved that the report should be adopted, the room to be 6ft. x by Bft., instead of 6ft. x 6ft., as recommended, and that tenders should be called for the work of erecting the strong room. ASPHALTING FOOTPATHS. A report from the Engineer in reference to the cost of asphalting footpaths in the town was read, and its consideration was ordered to stand over until next meeting of the Council. ACCOUNTS. A number of accounts were passed for payment. THE GAOL SITE.

His Wobship said that, before going into Committee, there was a subject of very great importance which he wished to bring under the notice of the Council. When the Minister for Public Works, the Hon. Mr. Ormond, was in town recently, he (his Worship) had proposed to him that the Government should exchange the site on which the public gaol now stands for a piece of land in another part of the town, to be given by the Council. What he had proposed was that, in consideration of the Corporation providing a fresh site, and erecting a new gaol thereon giving increased accommodation, the Government should hand over the Corporation the whole of that piece of land from the Court-house to Severn-street. Since then the Hon. Mr. Reid had been in town, and he (his Worship) had brought the matter under his notice. Mr. Reid had seen the force of all he urged, and had promised individually to do all he could to assist in carrying out the proposal. The matter was one of great importance, and he commended it to the consideration of Councillors, and hoped that a resolution would be passed at the next meeting of the Council enabling him to make a definite proposal. After some discussion, it was resolved,

"That the question of the advisability of negotiating with the Government for an exchange of land for the present gaol site, as also what ground should be given in lieu thereof to be referred to the Reserves Committee, to report thereon at next meeting." WATERWORKS TENDERS. It was decided that a special meeting of Council be held on Thursday next for the purpose of opening the tenders for the waterworks.

The Council then went into Committee on finance matters.