BOROUGH COUNCIL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2748, 13 January 1882, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

An adjourned meeting of the Timaru Borough Council was held last evening. Present —His Worship the Mayor, and Councillors Shepherd, Cullman, Gabites, Bush, , Robb, Jackson, Gibson* and Pilmeir. • Y, ' • 1 ! V ■ ' ' WATER SUPPLY. A letter was read from/Mr Jan.es King stating that he would be willing tq pay for an average of 20 horses at his stables (10s per year each), and if the (Council would not agree to this he must decline to accept the water supply. ! The Town Clerk stated that : he had only 12 horses of his own, and it -Was only on Saturdays that he had any great number of others in the stables. On the motion of Cr. Ross the estimate of Mr King was adopted. Cta. Gibson and Cullman voted against the acceptance, of Mr King’s estimate.

A report of the Waterworks Committee was read upon certain small works and improvements required along the race, the total cost being estimated at £6O or £7O, the main item being a culvert over a road crossing near Mount Horrible. The works were authorised to be done as early as possible. ; The question of the rate to he charged to the Railway Department for water "supply to the engine sheds, &c.. coming up, au official letter was read stating that Is per thousand gallons was charged at Dunedin, and Is 3d per thousand at Oamaru. A more recent letter, asked what the Council would charge for a i-inch pipe to the station master’s house and a three-inch pipe to the engine shed.

Cr Jackson moved and it was carried that the station master’s house be supplied at town rates, and the locomotive department at Is 6d per thousand gallons by meter. In reference to an application from the Police Department, it was decided to charge £lB per annum for ad ordinary supply at the police buildings in Timaru. Mr Austin, District Engineer, inquired how the charge of £2O peF annum, proposed to be charged for supplying the post office buildings with water, was made up. It was re. solved to reply that it was expected the water would be used for closets and urinals, and that the reduction in the rate of insurance of the building would be considerable. The Council thought the proposed charge low enough, as no special water rate was paid for the building. EXTENSION or WATER SUPPLY TO THE SUBURBS. ’ ’ Mr Langdon waited on the Council in reference to a requisition previously sent in, signed by himself and other residents along Wai-iti road, asking for the water supply to be extended to them; and stating their willingness to pay 12 per cent, upon the annual rateable value of their properties for the use of the water,. Mr Langdon was informed that as the Council’s Valuator had not .yet yalued the properties along the road, a definite answer could not yet bo given, and Mr Langdon withdrew. The question whether the application should be received had hitherto remained undecided, but this was now settled in the affirmative, and the Valuator instructed to value the properties of the requisitiohistß as early as possible. The report of the Waterworks Committee on the proposed extension of the water supply to applicants along Lower Otipua road, from Mr Archer’s to the Town Belt, was read. Tho estimated cost of the extension, per mile, was £672 10s. The annual rateable value of the properties of the! applicants was stated by the Council’s valuator at £875. The distance is about a mile and a half.

The report was •' received ” and a discussihn took place upon the general question of the advisability of extending the mains' outside the town. The Moyor and all the Councillors ■ except Cr Bush, spoke in favor of expending some portion of the surplus, of the loan in that way in order to get some return for the money. Cr Bush was afraid they would spend all the money, and find themselves in difficulties afterwards if they wanted repairs or filter beds. They might, by spending a few thousands on improving strengthening the race, save the amount of a heavy interest every year in maintenance. They ought to keep a reserve fund.

The Mayor did not see how they could improve the race much. They must keep it in good order and keep men for maintenance. As to keeping a reserve fund, they could do that besides extending the supply. 'lt was not proposed to expend the whole of the sum in hand. Mr Dobson had prepared a scheme for piping every street in the suburbs, and the total estimate was only £BOOO. The Council could very well undertake a portion of the scheme, especially as they had some plant on hand.

Cr Jackson was in favor of getting as many as possible to take the water, as that would lewer the price for everyone. He believed that if the extensions were carried out the rate could be reduced even next year. Cr Ross pointed out that it was their duty to make the best investment of the Borough's funds that they , could. .To let £II,OOO lie it 4 per cent if they coaid get tenor twelve for it was not doing their duty. They could legally invest the money in extending the water supply, , but in no other way.

Cr Gibson said they should bo careful not to go ton far, but they could certain lyafford to spend half the surplus in extending the mains. The two linos now asked for, on the Wai-iti Road, and Lower Otipua road, would fall in with any further scheme for complete supply of the whole suburbs. Ho moved — “ That the valuations made by the Borough valuer upon the several properties outside the Borough and proposed to be supplied with water from the mains ho approved) and 12 per cent

per annum be charged upon such values for an ordinary supply as defined by any By-law in force or that may bo made from time to time for that purpose, the amount to be payable half-yearly in advance, to commence from the date upon which notice is given that the Council arein a position to supply the applicants with water ; that tenders be called for the work and plant as soon as the .whole of the applicants have completed the necessary bonds to guarantee the applicants taking the wpter and paying the before mentioned charges for ■ a term of four years, the necessary documents to be prepared at the expense of the applicants and to the satisfaction of the Council or their solicitor. ' This proposal to apply to the requisition from the Wai-iti road as well, and the Council reserve the right to commence first whichever scheme they think proper.” With reference to the last sentence of this motion, Or Gibson said they must not attach any importance to priority of application; they must consider which application was most promising, and which they could most easily go on with first. The Mayor remarked that there was only one mile of 4in pipes on hand, and ,12 chains of these would, be needed to supply Mr Perry, as already agreed to. These pipes would complete the Wai-iti rbad service, but would not go far on the other road. They would have to send Home for about, three miles of 4in pipes, and some 3 in. Cr Boss said the pipes on hand would extend a useful distance along the Otipua road if they ’ commenced at the Town Belt end. The Mayor said that was the wrong end to start from. The water should be ‘ taken from the North'street main; for the pressure could not be sp great it the water was taken by a round-about course. :Or Shepherd ; seconded Cr Gibson’s motion, and it was carried, Or Bush dissenting. ' i . WOEKS APPLIED FOE. Mr Jonas asked, the Council to contribute half the cost of a short concrete drain between his premises and the Council's. Eeferred to the favorable consideration of the Works Committee, Mr Jonas having sustained loss from water draining . off the Council’s section. . Besidents in Sarah street (north of Mr Elworfchy’s) applied, to nave the clay bank now occupying the place of the footpath cut away. Eeferred to the Worts Committee. ' The meeting then terminated.