Borough Council.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4832, 4 July 1884, Page 2

Borough Council.

The usual meeting was held last evening. Present: His Worship the Mayor, and Crs Bawden, Carpenter, Hume, KiU gour, Murdoch, Me Andre w,;McCullpugh, McGowan, and Speight.—The minutes of the previous meeting were read and 6on> firmed; ■■ -■ .'. :-:^ ■■-■^■''-■-'■■'-^-~. ■■'■: ■ ■•'[

The following matters were referred to the Works Committee.—A petition calling attention to the state of Broad street; on application for gravel in Mary street, made by Mr (Gr. Henderson; a complaint from Walters street property owners that flood water from Pollen street inundated their sections/and the state of the roads on the Waiotahi and Caledonian spurs,.

"The late, contractors for clearing the Karaka Creek wrote asking the Council to reconsider its decision relative to deducting £22 from monies due to them in connection with their contract, but the Council adhered to its former action.

The Premier had telegraphed that £400 had been sent to the Borough in connection with flood damages, and suggested that the body should borrow aDy further sum it required, and secure repayment by a special rate, tailing which, any sums obtained would] be deducted from gold revenue. ; Treasury r Touchers were received for £40, refund of Charitable Aid expenditure; and £216, gold duty The Works Committee reported to the effect thata few loads of gravel or ashes had been put in the worst places on Tararuroad; that an addition to the paved crossing was necessary underneath the first bridge of Tararu creek for protection against damage to work already done; and it was proposed that Mr Steedman be offered £5 for carrying itout. A protest against the proposed culvert at thißJonction of Pollen and Waiters streets had been received, and under the circumstances the Committee could not recommend that this work be carried

out.,' The offer of Mr Brown to repair the Rocky Point road was considered too indefinite, and should the Council be in a position to carry out this work it should be publicly tendered for. Repent rains had caused the handbridge near Bull's battery to become unsafe, and the Foreman had been instructed to secure it and restore retaining wall where necessary. It had been decided to leave the Sunbeam and Kurunui culverts in their present state, as the cost of a new culvert for the former together with the raising of the road, would be about £70, and that at Kuranui about double that sum; Two members of the Committee, however, submitted a proposal that the Kurunui culvert be raised, and an open flume carried up the hill about three chains, at a coat of £140. (7) The employment of two additional men upon repairs" to Rocky Point road had been authorised. (8) The collapse of the footpath on the Karaka road would necessitate an expenditure of about £70, half of which wouldbe borne by the; County Council.— The recommendation regarding the Tararu paved crossing viwas adopted. It. was decided after a long discussion, that tenders be called for, the; repair of the Karaka road;•;'. and the matters of Kuranui and .Sao beam Creeks were referred back to the Committee with power to act. The report was then adopted. It r was stated that after paying the months accounts amounting to £331, a credit of £396 remained to the Borough Fund account.

A Committee consisting of the Mayor, Crs McGowan and Hume,; was appointed to confer with the-solicitor, and take the necessary steps to comply with the provisions of the bye law affecting the posi« tidns of rate collector and office assistant, which provided that applications should be. publicly invited from persona willing to fill those positions.

Cr Carpenter had given notice of a motion that an allowance of £50 be made to Mr J. B. Mason owing to his loss of office under the Borough.—The Mayor, and Crs Carpenter and McGowan, referred in terms of praise to Mr Mason's services. —Crs Hume and McAndrew opposed the vote, and subsequently, on the casting rote of the Mayor, a sum of £30 was voted as salary to the retiring officer.

Attention was called to the occupation by Mr Crick of Borough premises, and the Mayor explained that Mr Crick had had some work to perform for the Council and had been temporarily provided with an office, which he had occupied ever since. It, would, however, be an easy matter to put an end to the arrangement.

At a special meeting held, the Town Clerk was formally authorised to renew debentures amounting to £1266, making one half fall due in 1885, and the remainder in 1886.

This concluded the business.