LAWRENCE TOWN COUNCIL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume I, Issue 12, 2 May 1868, Page 4

LAWRENCE TOWN COUNCIL.

s The Town Council met on the evening • of the 29th inst. Present : — The Mayor ) and all the Councillors. The minutes of meetings "of April Ist i and 15th were read. , Some discussion took place on the . minutes of the second date, as the me*?"! > ing lapsed for want of a quorum. The Mayor had informed the Clerk to send for him if a quorum was formed, but as he was not present Cr. Donovan objected to the Mayor's name appearing in the , minutes. After this erasure was made, i the minutes were confirmed. Cr. Donovan said, that before proceeding to business, he would like to be informed upon what terms the Counoil was under with reference to the renting of the Council Chambers. It was his intention ' to give notice of a motion to call for tenders for the renting of a room. The Mayor in reply, stated that to ob- ! tain that information, it would be necessary for the Council to write to the proprietor of the room. The Mayor said that when in town he saw the Superintendent with reference to the loan they were trying to negotiate, but up to the time of his leaving he received no definite reply. He had "also written the Government, but received no answer. The Superintendent thought it was owing to the Governor being away in i Auckland. The Mayor thought it necessary for the Council to issue the debentures, so that Mr. Murray might negotiate them. The coupons were payable either in London or Dunedin. The Mayor then read the following report of the Municipal Conference :—: — Lawrence, April 20th, 1868. Gentlemen,— l have the honor to report the result of the Municipal Conference ; and regret to have to say that, from the apathy displayed by several of the municipalities, I fear the result of our deliberations will not have the same weight as though the whole of the delegates had assembled. The following resolutions were passed : — 1. " That in the opinion of this Conference that to maisiain the efficiency and general utility of the up-country municipalities, it is necessary for the Government to continue the present subsidy of £2 to £1 upon rates collected for a further period of three years, from August next." 2. " That it is desirable to grant a land endowment to all municipalities ; such endowments to be of an extent consistent with the veiw of providing a permanent source of renewal at the expiration of the period fixed by this Conference for the cessation of the present subsidy." 3. Affirming the desirability, wherever land is practically available, to establish commonages. 4. "That for the better management of cemeteries, it is desirable to invest those connected with munioipal districts in the hands of the municipal bodies." 5. " That powder magazines be placed under the control of the corporations." 6. Recommending parts 12, 13, 18, and 22 of the Municipalities Act be extended to Lawrence, Milton, and Queenstown. I may further state we had an interview with his Honor the Superintendent, and laid the result of our deliberations before him. In reference to No. 1, he thought the request fair and reasonable ; but it is a matter for the consideration of the Provincial Council to deal with. As to land endowments, his Honor quits agreed with the Conference in this matter, and promised it his support. Regarding- cemeteries, his Honor agreed to have a Bill introduced this session to carry out tho views of the Conference, and to give the corporations the control of tht» magazines if possible. His Honor also promised to'cany out the wishes Of the Conference, so far as the Municipalities of Lawrence, Milton, and Queenstown were concerned, by extending to them parts 12, 13, 18, and 22 of the new Municipalities Act. -si am, &c, t Horace Bastings, j Chairman of Municipal Conference, April, 1168. To the Town Council of Lawrence. Cr. Robertson moved, and Cr. Jeffery seconded, " That the report be received." Cr. Donovan said that Cr. Robertson was appointed to attend the Conference, and he did not do so. Cr. Robertson explained that when he was nominated to attend, he did all he could to get out of it, and informed the Counoil that if it did not suit him he would not go. The motion that the report be received was then- carried. The Mayor then read the following letter from Mr. Murray :—: — Lawrence, 29th April, 1868. To the Mayor and Councillors of the Municipality of Lawrence. Genti.ejibn',.— I have the honor to announce to you that the works, under my contract have progresssed in a satisfactory manner. Upwards of one-half the requisite number of pipes are laid, and the remainder will in all probability be finished in about a week, the balance of the pipes being now in Lawrence, or close at hand, as per carter's receipts. In accordance with my accepted tender, I now beg to apply to you for the following payments :— LIOO cash, balance due on completion of race and reservoir ; L2OO cash, being th« balance of LSOO cash conditioned for per contract ; Ll,ooo debentures, being now due to me on arrival of the pipes. Trusting there may be no delay in fulfilling the terms agreed upon, I have the honor to be, gentlemen, " Your obedient servant, GteOBGE Mttbbay. With reference to the above letter, the Mayor said that he had informed Mr. Murray that the Council was not in a position to pay the £100 at present. Mr. Murray seemed satisfied to take payment of it in the form of debentures, and he (the Mayor) thought it would be well to. issue the debentures at once. Cr. Jeffery proposed, '< That the letter be referred to the Finance Committee." Cr. Donovan, as an amendment, proposed, " That it be referred to the Public Works Committee." Cr. Aimers moved, " That as there was Committee already appointed to inspect the work as it progressed, the letter should be referred to that Committee." Cr. Robertson said that although the request for money had been referred to the Finance Committee, the money would not be paid until the Public Works Committee had examined the work. Cr. Jeffery stated, that in moving "That the letter be referred to the Finance Committee," he was of the same opinion as Cr. Robertson, that the work must be examined by . the Public Works Committee. Cr, Donovan's motion that it be referred to the Public Works Committee, •jAaaeussion here arose with reference to'a meeting of the Finance Commit^* held some weeks past at which , crape business had' been transacted in-^r. Donovan's absence. In the course of#ie discujlis^^.3ome strong language -was usejjjL ,TS? jsono>Sto considered himself ag|¥teVed at eonje, remark* mad* by the

S Cr Aimers would ask why Mr. Tolcher had not received the money for his contract. He understood that other parties who had done work for the Council since Mr. Tolcher's contract was.completed had received money. ) k The Mayor explained that there was a , dheque written* out for Mr. Tolcher, but -le did not call for it till some days aftei it was signed, the consequence was some one else had been paid, and as he (tht Mayor) attended to the banking matters in- connection with the Council, and happening to be in town at the tune Mr. Tolcher's cheque wa3 dishonored he had not the opportunity to arrange with the " Bank about it. Had Mr. Tolcher called for his money in time he would have got it. The "Tuapeka Times" account was passed after a discussion took place as to Whether the charge for the bills for Inspector Morton's meeting should be paid by the Council, or by those who got up the meeting. It was finally agreed that as the Mayor had ordered the posters the Cuncil was in honor bound to pay it, but in future the expenses connected with public meetings not directly connected with the municipality, will not be paid by the Council. The Lawrence share of the expenses connected with the Municipal Conference amounted to £2 10s., which was referred to Finance Committee. The Mayor's account for £12 for two trips to town, was also referred to the Finance. Committee. Cr. Donovan gave notice of the following motion—" That tenders be called for a suitable room for the sittings of the Council, at per annum, and that the same be advertised in the two weekly papers." Cr. Robertson moved, " That tenders be called for the- maintenance of the streets of Lawrence, contingent upon the Public Works Committee preparing the specification." Cr. Robertson gave this notice of motion, as he believed the better way to get this work performed would be l>y contract. It was moved that the words "Inapector of Nuisance" be added to the notice after which it was carried. The tenders for making the footpath in Ross Place were then opened, and stood as follows:— No. 1, £126 10s. : No. 3, £138. As No. 2 tender was not given m a lump sum, it was found necessary that the Clerk should analyse it. Cr. Donovan then proposed, 'and Cr. Jeffery seconded, "That the tenders be referred to the Public Works Committee." Carried. The Council then adjourned till Monday evening.