MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 954, 9 May 1879, Page 2

MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

The regular fornightly meeting of the Council was held last evening, when there were present —His Worship the Mayor, Councillors Familton, Clibbs, Headland, Humphrey, Mainland, Procter, and Spence. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed, and the outward correspondence read and approved. The Manager of the Gasworks wrote that he had-completed the erection of the new plant lately received from Home, and had got one bench of ;iew retorts bujlt in and ready for work, fio that the expenses in connection with the works will be merely that in the manufacture until the next summer, when it would be necessary to put in more retorts, provision for which have already been made. A letter from Mr. G. Brownlee with reference to forming footpaths on the east side of Aln-street, was referred to the Public Works Committee for report. Mr. John Church wrote, asking the Council to release him from his lease of the Slaughter-house Reserve, and asking that he having fenced in the land, and otherwise improved it, he might be released from the rent due. It was decided to comply with Mi'- Church's request. The application of Mr. Herbert Edwards for permission to lower to the level of the approach to sections 19 and 21, block XXVIII., was granted, provided that, the work is executed and the street left in a safe state to the satisfaction of the Engineer.

The following letter was read: — " 3, 1879. To the Mayor and Councillors. Gentlemen, —I desire as lessee of Rc.Ojrve D to bring under your notice that Samuel Lintern has cut a gate into the reserve fence, and wheeled a quantity of rubbish into the ditch, and has also impounded my cattle. I ask the Council to enquire into the matter, with a view to protecting me as the lessee of the reserve.—l &c., Gavik Patterson. —It was decided to refer the letter to the Inspector of Nuisances, with instructions to enquire into the complaint, and, if the same be found to be true, to take proceedings against the person complained of. "Permission was given to the trustee in Mrs. Hanley's estate to transfer the lease of section 11, block XX., to Mr. John Cogvin.

The Secretary to the Treasury wrote intimating that the sum of L 1069 Is 6d, subsidy on the rates for the half-year, had been paid into the bank to the credit of the Council. The Mayor submitted the draft lease for the Maerewhenua Endowment, and after some little discussion it.was resolved to offer the lease of the land for sale by public auction by Messrs. Fleming and Hedley on Saturday, the 31st May, the: upset price being fixed at 4a per acre. The Mayor brought under the notice of the Council the necessity for having the fullest information with reference to the waterworks and the L 40,000 loan, so as to have everything ready for placing the loan on the London market, no matter whether the negotiation of the loan was undertaken by the bank or entrusted to an" agent. He suggested that the whole of the information necessary should be published in pamphlet form. Some litlle discussion took place upon the matter, and it ires eventually resolved, " That the Mayor compile particulars to lay before a Printing Committee, consisting of Councillors Gibbs, Humphrey, and Mainland. The Town Clerk read the half-yearly balance-sheet, as certified by the auditors, which was adopted. Accounts were passed for payment as follow:—Ordinary account, L 234 14s 4d ; gasworks, L 458 14s (id ; waterworks, L63C 19s Gd ; total, L 1330 Ss 4d. Some little discussion then took place with reference to the course to be adopted in floating the L 40,000 loan, but it was eventually decided to -defer further consideration of the matter until the next meeting. The Council then rose.