TOWN BOARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 292, 26 November 1862, Page 4

TOWN BOARD.

.An extraordinary meeting of the Town Board was held in tkeir chambers, on Monday afternoon. Present:—Messrs -Hardy, Switzer, Jenkinson] Mollison, and Graham ; Mr Hardy in the chair. The minutes of last meeting were read and passed. THE RATEPAYERS' ROLL. A letter was read from Mr Henry Bayliss Princes-street, complaining that his name had been omitted from the roll, Mr Bayliss supported his complaint in person. After consideration, Mr Cargill moved, and Mr Switzer seconded, that the objection be not entertained, whicli was unanimously agreed to. Mr Foster objected by letter to his name being on the roll, as he ceased to occupy the premises in October last, The objection was sustained, and his name struck off the roll. The name of Joseph Jones was struck off Bell Ward, and that of Jabez Hara substituted. Mr F. Hamer objected to his name being on the roll, as there was no road to his property. The objection was not admitted. OPENING UP THE STREETS. The following letter was read:—"The Inspector of Nuisances reports, for the information ofthe Board, thut at 12 lioon, on the 22nd inst., he found 110 yards of a trench open in the footpath in George-street, near Frederick-street.— (Signed) James Nimon, Inspector of Nuisances." The meeting resolved—" That the attention of the Inspector be directed to the resolution passed in reference to opening the streets, and that he be instructed to carry the resolution into effect." improvement ordinance. The Inspector of Nuisances requested instructions from the Board with reference to the currying but the provisions of Sections 35, 36, and 37, of the Improvement Ordinance, 1862, and by whom the notice required to be served will be signed. The Inspector reported that the carrying out of the provisions of the above sections was urgently required, and would suggest that a notice-book be obtained. The inciting resolved—" That the Inspector be empowered to carry out the provisions of the sections named. PAVEMENT LEVELS. Mr Ross, architect, complained by letter that a portion of the pavement iv Princes-street was raised six inches above the level furnished by Mr Poeppel. The Clerk was instructed to call the contractor's attention to the fact. LEVEL OF THE CUTTING. A letter from Mr G. G. Smith was read applying for the proper level of the cutting on behalf of Messrs Farley au^i Reynolds. The Cleric was instructedto request Mr Barker to furnish the same. WATER TROUGHS. Charles Williams requested permission to sink a well iv his cellar, and erect a water trough at the edge of the kerb, in front of his premises in Princes-street. The application was refused. NEAV PAVEMENT. A letter from Mr David Ross was read to the | effect that, the Union Bank of Australia contemplates laying stone flagging opposite the bank building in High-street, and requesting that the Board lay channelling in front ot the same when [ completed. The request was agreed to. OUARANTEE BY GOVERNMENT. The following letters from the Provincial Secretary were next, read; — " Provincial Secretary's Ofiice, Dunediu, Nov. 20, 1862. " Sir—l have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this date, requesting, ou behalf of the Town Board, that the Government will guarantee to the Union Bank a further overdraft of £-2,000, and to acquaint you that, under existing circumstances, the Government must decline to accede to this request. ''I have the honor to be, kc, (Signed,) " Thos. Dick. Provincial Secretary. " To Chas. Reid, Esq." A second letter from the Provincial Secretary intimated that instructions had been given to form a cesspool at the Hospital. Tlia CEMETERY. A letter from the Provincial Secretary intimated that: Government was indisposed to an extension of the cemetery, as proposed, but had no objection to the Town Board takiug the management of the unallocated portion. LIGHTING THE STREETS. A long discussion on the contract with the Gas Company ended in Mr Graham proposing tho following resolution, which was seconeled by Mr Mollison.—" That the contract for supplying the Town with gas be not concluded by tho present Board, but the same be left over to tho new Board about to be elected." Mr Switzer moved as an amendment, Mr Shand seconding—" That the Board defer the consideration of signing the gas contract tM. to-morrow (Tuesday)." There voted for the amendment, Messrs Switzer, Shand and Hardy. For the motion, Messrs Graham, Mollison and Jenkinson. The Chairman gave his casting vote in favor of the amendment, which was accordingly declared carried. HIGH STREET CUTTING. Consideration of a letter from Mr Barnes on the High-street Cutting, was postponed. OBSTRUCTION IN DUNCAN STREET. Mr Jenkinson called attention to the dangerous state of Duncan-street. In two places ifc was quite impassable for carts, and he felt ;:ure that unless something were done, a serious accident would happen soon. After some conversation, instructions were given to direct the Inspector's attention to the matter. DOWLING STREET CUTTING. The time for receiving tenders for removing the Dowling-street embankment was extended, only one oiler having been received. Some accounts were passed, and the Board adjourned till to-day at two o'clock. <, An.adjourned meeting of this Board was held in their Chambers yesterday. Present. Messrs Hardy, Jenkinson, Cavaill, Mollison, Hulme, Graham, and Shand. Mr Hardy in the chair. The minutes of last meeting were read and approved of. THS CEMETERY. Mr Cargtll referred to the letter from the Provincial Secretary, read at the previous meeting. He poiuted out how this resolution of the Government might spoil tbe appearance of the whole place, for the sake of a little road metal, and moved : " That the Clerk be requested to write to the Government, expressing the strong regr tof the Board that the subject f-o fully entered into by them, should be treated so lightly, by the Government, aud the extension applied for refused. The Board would also request, that previous to availing itself of the permission of the Government to take the. management of the unallocated portion of the Cemetery, the Government will give an assurance that the ground will not be further sub divided." Mr J enkinson seconded the motion, which was agreed to anel carried. STAGNANT WATER. Mr Jenkinson stated that his attention had been drawn by Mr Nathan to a pool of stagnant water, now lying in Stafford and Hope Streets. Mr Nathan's family had suffered considerably in consequence of it, and he (Mr Jenkinson) moved : "That the Inspector be directed to take such steps as he may see fit for removing the stagnant water now lying ia Stafford and Hope Streets." Dr fciULMB seconded the motion, which was agreed to. PRIVATE LAMP. A request from Dr Armstrong, Surgeon Dentist, Princes-street, oa behalf of the tenants beneath his dentistry, for leave to erect a lamp opposite their shop, was acceded to, subject to the Ordinance regulations. THB GAS CONTRACT. A very long discussion took place as to whether the offjr of the Gas Company, for lighting the streets, should be closed with, and tbe coutract signed by the present Board, or the matter left over for consideratioa by the new Board. The subject had been debated and settled at a previous meeting in favour of signing the contract for seven years, immediately. To this it was objected, that the decision was come to at a meeting of only four, that the members of the Board had no notice that such an important subject, was to be brought up, and that it was unfair to saddle their successors with a seven years contract, involving a total expense of above £40,000.

. Mr Cargill moved, "That the Gas contract he Signed this clay." ; Dr Hulme seconded the motion. ' • Mr Graham moved. "That the contract'for supplying the town with Gas, be not concluded by the pre c.-it Board, but left to the new Board." Mr Moi.li.-jOnt sccondc-l the amendment. Or. the quwtioa being put. there were for the amendment, Messrs Mollison, Jenkinson, aud Gr.ihiia. For the motion there voted, tue Chairman, Messrs Cargill, Ilulruo, and Shand. The moiiou aceorriingly was declared cairied. BORROWING- POWERS. Mr OAiioiiiL called attention to the result of an interview which a deputation had wilh the 8 :]>(!ihit jndent regarding the borrowing powers of the Uoavd. At present they could not go bry.nd LlCy'OO. hut he thought very much inorj could be raised on the assessments of th-j io'.vn. Government apparently had no objections to M:k p!,o-,i. furl wisbe'l the matter set before them in writing. He therefore moved " The Board desires to direct the attention of the Provincial Government to the many and daily increasing demands upon the Board for rond making and other necessary operativii'j iji order to meet the growing requirements of tho ci y • n.iifl would rc-qu st the Uovermheut tocon-fci'l.-ji-wiif.'iher the borrowing powers of ihe Board c-Jiil'.i n-'.t he placed on a more extensive footing than at pi".;,v::ii&; especially with tlie increasing revenue li-vi'.iv a3:r-.--Tueiits ami piopcrty. The Board would K.'.'.'g:sL tli-.r they should have power to borrow upon tho rat's lorn term of say 10 years, and apply the current rato:> in payment of it." Tho m->!ion was unanimously agreed to, as was also the following :—" The Board would also draw attention to the great expense of" cutting the main line w.tbln lh; town, and especially to tbo.se portions at tlie north aud south ends which are altogether too na: row for the traffic, and would require to be wM-ii.edan-l metalled to a width of 40 feet, and re-qiu'-t; that ri Kiim may bo put on the estimates for this pitfj>-..■:.?, as th.e>f! main line* are used by the whole l >roviiic'jgenr;r.i!ly." THE ASSESSOR'S ACCOUNT. Tho Olork hn'd this account on the table. It c-lr.;.r^■;■'! tin; Board for three assessors, at the rate of t\v> ;:ui .:";-..> each per day for 41 days, the total amount k.-iitg L~/7 4.-:. Mr .^-wrrzicu never saw any more than two at the work. Air Jexkikson thought two guineas each was too much. Mr {JAfiaiLL regretted that a bargain had not 1 ecu previously made. He had no doubt but the work in th -.'v c:\--i: would have be?n done for Ll5O. On Lho motion of Mr Shand, it was agreed to request the Mf^es'-ors to furnish a statement as to how th-iy had ':'-.*-:) employed.

K::M'JNi-:;t/LTroN to ira. ciievannes.

On tho uio'iuu of Mr Jenkinson, seconded by Mr iSvviTX.u:, it was agreed to give Mr Chevanues L2O for his ;,!'! vices in inspecting the cutting. Th.;: i".o:;rd then adjourned till to-morrow (Thursday), at two o'clock.