LAWRENCE TOWN COUNCIL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume I, Issue 28, 22 August 1868, Page 2

LAWRENCE TOWN COUNCIL.

The usual meeting of Council was hew i}n Wednesday evening, when." th^' Mayor and all the councillors were present. Tho minutes of former meeting, of special meeting, and of nomination having been read and confirmed, the business wa» proceeded with. The Town - Clerk read a letter received from the Colonial Secretary, acknowledging the receipt of the intimation of the oleotion of Mr. Bastings as Mayor. A letter was also read from Mr. Stewart, manager, of the Bank of New Zealand, Dunedin,~ with reference &> the interest payable on the debentures issuad by the Council. Mr.- Keeni proposed that the letter, bfc . referred to Finance Committee, with power to arrange matters. Mr.-Hay asked the Mayor if he was is a position to inform the Council how much the interest amounted to. The Mayor in reply, stated that the interest was on L 1,300 debentures at. seven per cent. LB4 & year, which wm. payable half-yearly^ Mr. Walker seconded the motion, which was carried. A letter from Mr. Charles Bryant, re* questing permission to tap th« main pipes, .was read. Mr. Hay moved that permission be granted, on condition that the footpaths be left as good as when found. Mr. Meant would prefer Mr. Hay to put his motion in another form. He thought a bond necessary in cas» of the main pipe getting broken. Mr. Keen never heard of a bond for such a' thing before. The great cry wag,, there waa no water, and having a bond drawn up might delay the tapping of the pipes for another month. He thought Mr. Hay's motion to the point, and he begged to second it. Mr. Meara stated that an agreement similar to what he had referred waa entered into in every similar case. He would therefore move as an amendment,. 11 That Mr. Bryant's letter be referred to. Public Works Committee.'*' The Mayor agreed with Mr. Keen anil Mr. Meara so far. He did not think it necessary to refer it to Public Works Committee. He thought it would be quite sufficient if Mr. Bryant and Mr. Barnett, the two applicants, Bignad an indemnity that in the event of any breakage it would be at their risk. Thi* suggestion having been put in the form: of a motion, was carried. A letter from Mr.^hhomas Brunton, waa read, with reference to three-quarters of ; " chain of pitching which through a mi*take in the copying out of his tender by Mr. Hayes had been omitted, and wfifplP would cause hiva to sustain a loss oiffA He hoped the Council would favoja»bly consider his claim. /^^* ' Mr. Mears thought that as the contract stated so many chains more or less, the Council had nothing to do with the mistake referred to. Mr. Keen thought it would be very un* dignified of the Council to adopt the course suggested by Mr. Meart. The amount was paltry, a»d the Council should be generous enough to consider it. He would move that tho letter be referred to Public Works Committee and Finance Committee. A letter from the Town Clerk, applying for an increase of salary, was read. The Mayor thought it incompetent for the Council to deal with, the matter, at all questions of salary for the year should have been, decided at last meeting. Theonly means by which the subject could be considered would be at a special meeting of the Council, when the resolution passed at the previous meeting would require to be rescinded. The Town Clerk who had retired for a few moments, returned to bis seat, and was informed by the Mayor that it wa» incompetent for the Council to deal with his application, as it should have been made according to the Ordinance at the previous Council meeting. The Town Clerk said he would remind his worship that his salary had been re« duced on one occasion in the middle of theyeir. t The Mayor said that was no reasonwhy they should repeat an'error.. Mr. Walker then stated that he would* give notice to call a special meeting of* Council to consider the matter. John Tnckey'B account, L ; referred to Public Works and FinanceCommittees, itobert Fowler (grating ia Ross Place) L 3 10». 6d. Public Works Committee Report No. 1 received and adopted without comment. Public Works Committee Report No. 2 received and adopted without comment. Finance Committee's Report, received and adopted without comment. ' Mr. Meyer's, notice of motion to. form Lancaster-street, and steps from it to-, .Colonsay-street waa next considered. In_ supporting his motion Mr. Meyer said his object was to get rid of the swamp that existed along the surveyed street line — it would also supply a short road to the Government offices* Mr. Hay seconded the motion, as he thought a good road from Ross Place to-Colonsay-stqyst was required, and the road proposed would cost but little. -< The Mayor said it would be useless passing resolutions for works to be imme? diately carried out, as there were npt thej|^ funds available for them. No money can be had of the Government until they^^. point the auditor which they pti|bdHS doing, and it was hard to aay whenrtnat might be. It would be November. tiUfhey had funds in hand for works othMthan " those already in progress, such as-lK pro* jaoaed reservoir an the hill, &c. Mr^Haj thought the motion revpeetinf I#MBtSMdn«fc vboujd b» put rod m*

-W, even • though^ttowr^wafct noVbe Mtmte<*rh out'tbi "wd^kjrt present. Ifr. (Hears thought money should be JLd upon the rates. $ fc/Mayor atate4 r that^it wai his inttnfnext weekTto issue warrants of distress MR who had not paid their rates. PR Keen, according to the netioe he Jni at -last faceting, moved What the ToW Clerk be instructed to form all ratepayers that they would be Leeded against, if their rates were not Edwithinfourteen days of notice being ten." In supporting h^s motion, he fcught it unfair on the part of those who La not paid their rates and who were in a Cition-to pay ;^hem, taking such long ledit. There might be some cases of exfeme poverty, exceptional cases, in which Iwouldnot be advisable to carry out to . paletter.his resolution^ — Carried, |Mr. Mears then proposed the resolution Jf which he had given notice— namely, •The enlargement of the present reserJoir, jto enable it to contain .10Q,000 galIjds of water." He thought the present toe far tod small for the requirements of Ec place. He had no scheme to submit L the Council, but he would like it disLaiiedon its own merits. J Seconded by Mr. Keen. . I The Mayor had enquired Into the projbftble cost, and he thought it could be hone for about LSO. 'That would 1* for |Bfcking a new dam and adopting some Jilmple method of filtration.— Carried. I The assessment was then brought beJfore the Council. The Mayor was prolieeding to read the list of assessments, but Ia it was lengthy, and necessary that the I councillors should hare an opportunity lof oflooking over it before adopting jit, he suggested that a special meeting I ihould beh eld to examine it. The evenI ing of Monday next was snaUy*»ppointed I f#r that purpose. I KOTICBS Or MOTIOS. I I The following notices- of motion were I Uid on the table :—: — Mr. Hay to proposa" That tendon be called for erection of a footbridge across the creek going towards Gabriel's. ".•■•-■ j ' Mr. Hay to propose " That' tendefs be ! «all« 4 for the fencing in of tho 'old cemetery." Mr. Hay to propose "That tenders be sailed for the erection of a Council Hall, sot to cost more than L 500." - Mr. Keen to propose " That the fin* imposed upon ex-Councillor Donovan be rescinded." Mr. Walker to propose " That a special j meeting of Council be held to rescind j resolution passed at last meeting which fixed the Town Clerk's salary for the present year, and that- his letter asking for ~H increase of salary, bexonsidered ." Mean to propose " That all veran%l» or buildings projecting dii,^* footpath, be removed within two montßa tfajjf _ . .. . Suggestions were made thatmoticevof motion should be entered in the Minute ißoek: "T" -.- , . Also that another letter - should be written to the Government regarding Ro3s Place. A fortnight' had elapsed since the last letter was -forwarded, and no reply had been received. Touching upon -the last suggestion, the Mayor informed the Council! that he had instructed the clerk again to?write to the Government.- - -,--.-,.-. The Council then adjourned.* '