BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1285, 28 February 1883, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual meeting of the above Council was held last evening. Present: Hie Worship the Mayor, Crs. Townley, Lewis, Tutchen, and Whinrny.

The minutes were then read and confirmed.

Mr James Brown was introduced, and having taken the necessary oath, took his seat.

The outgoing correspondence was read A letter trotn Mr Robert Lang was read, relative to the Council’s advertisement re the Water Scheme, offering a bonus for the best. He regretted he could not in the time mentioned visit Poverty Bay. Cr.. Tutchen moved that the consideration of the letter be adjourned until Thursday next. Seconded by Cr. Lewis.

Cr. Whinray moved as an amendment that the time be extended for one month. This was seconded by Cr. Townley. Cr. Chrisp asked the permission of the Mayor to allow him to refrain from voting on any question until it had been decided whether his election was legal or otherwise.

The request having been granted, the amendment was put and lost, and the original motion carried. A letter was read from the Undersecretary of the Public Works Office, stating that £1,500 had been granted under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act. As it was imperative that a special rate would have to be levied, and as this could only be done by taking a poll of the ratepayers, the consideration of the question was allowed to stand over until the meeting of the Council.

A letter from the Government, in reply to one sent by the Council some time back, relative to water pipes, was read giving the price at which they were procurable as being from £1 15s to £5 per ton.

Mr Drummond stated that if the pipes could be secured at that figure it would reduce the cost of the Waiheriri water scheme to about £lO,OOO. After some conversation the subject was ordered to stand over until next Thursday.

A letter from Mr J. Sperry, of the Land Tax Department enclosing the Government valuation list, was received.

Mr W. H. Quinlan wrote complaining about horses straying in Childers street, and complaining that the Ranger had, when requested to impound the horses, replied “Do your own dirty work." Mr Faram, the Ranger, who was present, said that under the circumstances he did not think it right to impound the horses as it was by an accident they were at large, and not through any fault of the owner, The Town Clerk was instructed to reply to Mr Quinlan.

A letter from the Trustees in connection with the Steam Fire Engine was read requesting the Council to take over the engine and the responsibility therewith. It was stated that the sum of £l7 2s Gd was owing, and that they had 17s 5d in hand. Cr. Whinray proposed that the Council accept the offer. Cr. Tutchen, who thought they had got a valuable property very cheap, seconded the motion which was carried.

The question of the advisability of accepting the £l5OO granted by the Government under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act, for the construction of the bridge over the Turanganui river, was again introduced, and on the motion of Cr. Townley it was decided that His Worship, Crs. Tucker, Lewis, Tutchen, and the mover, be appointed a committee to bring up a report one month hence, by which time all information could be obtained as to what the Cook County Council would do in the matter, as that body actually benefitted more than the Borough. The requirements of the steam fire engine, as supplied by Captain Winter, came under discussion next. He recommended that the engine should be placed in a stationary position at the foot of Gladstone-road, on the bank of the Turanganui river, that 500 feet of tanned hose should be obtained, and for the efficiency of the men that ladders, axes, helmets, and scarlet jumpers be secured. Cr. Whinray moved that the question be left to a committee, consisting of Crs. Townley, J. Brown, Chrisp, Lewis, and the mover. After some discussion as to where the engine should be stationed, Cr. Whinray moved, and Cr. Brown seconded, that a portion of the reserve at the foot of Bright-street being the most central, should be the position, and this was carried.

On the motion of Cr. Lewis, seconded by Cr. Whinray, it was resolved to send away immediately for 500 feet of hose, with the necessary couplings. The matter of night-soil contracting then came on, and the contractor, who was in attendance, declined unless he rce-ived some extra remuneration to bury the deposit. It was, therefore, considered advisable to empower the Inspector of Nuisances to employ a man for a day every fortnight to cover the night-soil at the depot on the beach with sand. The report of the Inspector of Nuisances and Town Ranger was read. In it Mr Faram stated that since his last report he had impounded 56 horses and 21 head of cattle. He recommended that the Council should advertise that all owners of registered dogs should see that their animals wear the

necessary collar, if not to be prepared for the consequences. The report was adopted. Mr Drummond was requested to get the plans of the Borough reserves certified to by Mr Barnard.

Accounts to the amount of £lO7 2s lid were ordered to be paid.

The Town Clerk announced that Mr Common, of Messrs Common, Shelton & Co., had been in attendance at the meeting, and had requested him before he left the room to mention that he would like to have some day appointed when the existing dispute could be definitely settled. His Worship the Mayor said he had been informed that Mr Seed would be here on the 4th, when the question of the foreshore could be discussed with him.

The Mayor, Crs. Townley, Tucker, and Chrisp were deputed to interview Mr Seed.

Cr. Lewis said that something should be arranged as to pauper burials. It was unfair that the charges should fall on the Borough, when the deceased had resided previously outside of the Borough, and he was of opinion that the Cook County Council should bear the expense. Cr. Lewis’s suggestion was approved of, and a letter directed to be written to the Cook County Council on the subject.

Cr. Tutchen said it was not often people offered anything to the Borough Council, but he was going to do so. He wished to give them Cook-street in Newtown.

Unfortunately it was discovered that according to the statute as the street was only forty feet wide, the Council could not accept the gift unless Cr. Tutchen formed and metalled it. The matter was therefore left in abeyance until Cr. Tutchen had consulted with his solicitor.

Mr Drummond applied to be allowed to order shingle to fill in a hole at the corner of Peel- street and Read’s Quay. This was granted, and the Engineer was also authorised to repair the crossings in Gladstone Road.

He was also authorised - to accept an offer from Messrs Hepburn and Doleman to supply broken bricks to the Council at one shilling per load.

Mr Drummond also drew the attention of the Crs. to the fact that the footpath in Lowe-street was being destroyed by busses-and carts crossing over it in order to get to the rear of the Argyll Hotel. Mr Drummond was instructed to institute proceedings against anyone so acting. Cr. Whinray tabled a notice of motion to the effect that the duties of lamp lighter, custodian of the steam fire engine, and other things, should be added to those of Ranger, Inspector of Nuisances, etc , and that the whole time of the officer should be devoted to the Council.