TOWN BOARD.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 51, 5 May 1863, Page 2

TOWN BOARD.

The usual weekly meeting was held at, ■ the Board-room on Wednesday last. Present—Messrs. Garthwaite, (in the chair), Beavan, Maclvor, and Marchant, (Engineer to the Board). The minutes of the previous meeting were read and eonfirmed. A letter from Mr. Pearson, Waste Lands Board, dated 17th April, 1863, to the Town Board, was read hy the Chairman, appending a " Resolution with respect to Gravel on Waste Lands of the Crown," passed at a meeting on the 14th instant, and contained in the Minutes of the Board of Commissioners of Crown Lands : " That the Town Board of Invercargill be requested to instruct their Engineer to make a careful estimate of all gravel in tbe vicinity of the town, and to ascertain the nature and extent of the most urgent works in hand, and possible requirements of gravel, with a view to apportion the supply thereof, so as to meet the respective demands as far and conyeniently at possible." Several tenders for the completion of Deveron-street were inspected by the Board. Mr. Beavan moved, and Mr. M'lvor seconded: "That the tender of David Chapman and George Johnson for widening, ditching, and covering Deveron-street (according to the plan and specification of tbe Board), for the sum of £8 4s. per chain be accepted." The Town Clerk reported that though only eight blocks of town land had been sold by auction, for the purpose of raising funds for the construction of public works, they had realised the sum of £926 19s 4d. All monies so received to be paid over to the Provincial Treasurer, who is empowered to sue and get the same ; the Town Board being only responsible for all debts contracted by them. A resolution, passed at a previous meeting, to the effect that "All sections bought bat not built on, be fenced in," was to be enforced henceforth , now that all the levels of the streeta are taken.

iJ,. ~ *AAy^AA M : ~ i Mj ! Iyjor st^ted^tfiafe several trades^ irSM- JM^cfcllei ]^ia|^rttion to the^ffl^ §ifciiitt"ji t®S^b^t'pT^__|& -.d^^l&efett^Sw-xi. were of-fenr lcJl^firribitj^|nd eifti|ei:s^|stroyed by drays* ■;p^n|f|>y|r thepfi. had spoken to ; Hfib.%nß|ii&i9r..oi_^theilnbj.'Sbt, but he cori-Jd, -^■^no tiici^Hio .^g^^l I __^ii_^j|^till the Board* proclaimed them footpaths.' A discussion ensued as to whether tbe i |, power. ofitßeJ&a^e^ of proclaiming footpaths, and enforcing penalties for trespassing thereon ; or whether the better course would' be to petition the Provincial Government on the matter, or to pass a resolution and obtain the sanction , of the Superintendent It was unanimously agreed that no vehiicle of any description, or horse, &c, ought to be allowed to trespass on the footpaths, which must be preserved for passengers only. The Town Clerk read the ordinance im-* posing a penalty of £20 on all persons ih any way injuring public works, including amongst others, the footpaths. Mr. Beavanmoved, Mr. Mlvorseconded: '* That portion of Tay-stxeet between the boundary line and the cuib, is hereby proclaimed a footpath. Resolution carried, to be forwarded if necessary to the Superintendent for his sanction. The Chairman stated that he had not received any more applications for permission to erect balconies projecting into the streets. Where such balconies were in Dunedin or Melbourne, they were always erected on the private ground back from the street. Mr. Beavan moved, and Mr. M'lvor seconded •: " That, in accordance with the communication from the Waste Lands Board, Mr. Marchant, the engineer to the Board, be directed to make an estimate of all gravel in the vicinity of the town, and to ascertain the nature and extent of the most urgent works in hand; and, if possible, the future requirements of gravel, with a view to apportion the supply thereof so as to meet the respective demand as far- and conveniently as possible." Carried. Mr. Marchant thought there would be some difficulty in estimating what would possibly be required. Dee and Esk streets should certainly be gravelled, and it. seemed only right that the gravel should be reserved fbr the town only ; it would ' not be right to take it away for the suburbs when it could probably be obtained more easily in their immediate vicinity. ! Mr. Beavan inquired if the Engineer thought that Tay-street will stand the traffic of this winter, when properly gravelled and finished! Mr. Marchant thought that with a fortnight's fair weather the street could be so finished as to stand ; its great width was an advantage, as drays would natuarally alwys avoid the bad places as much as possible. It would require a couple of men continually looking after holes and levelling them as fast as they occurred, it was the want of this that ruined a street when not looked after — Clyde-street, for instance, would be as bad as Tay street in a short time. The Chairman observed that the contractor^ specification required that only one side of Tay-street should be done at once, so that the other, side remained open for traffic. Mr M'lvor observed that the present contractor for Tay-street seemed to be getting on rather slowly, he did not put enough men on, and inquired if there was no time specified for the completion of the contract. The Town Clerk produced the specification which fixed three months as the time, dating from the aooeptance of the tender, 17th February. Mr. M'lvor was afraid, if bad weather cameon, Tay-street would not be gravelled , this winter, and suggested that application should be made to the Government for 40 tons of metal lately got at Mokomoko. Mr. Beavan inquired whether, in case the gravelling could not be finished, it would be possible to form a temporary i timber roadway i The Engineer believed timber-balks could be laid sufficient foT two widths of roadway, but did not approve of American : plank roads, which were doubly expensive and always requiring repairs. Mr. M'lvor brought under noiice the fact that in Tay-street certain pirties were damaging the road by allowing the waterpipes to discharge thereon, instead of conveying it away into the drain underneath. Of course all this would be remedied when the footpaths were proclaimed and the Ordinance respecting them came into force The Chairman expected to meet a deputation of storekeepers there at that time, to complain of the state of the streets. Mr. Beavan begged to give notice that at next meeting he should move — " That an offer be made to the Chamber of Commerce to let on lease, for the nominal rent of £b annually, a block in a central site in Tay-street, for the purpose of erecting thereon a suitable building for their purpose." Sevferal accounts were then gone into and passed.