LAWRENCE TOWN COUNCIL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 111, 24 March 1870, Page 5

LAWRENCE TOWN COUNCIL.

The usual meeting of the Council took place on Wednesday, March 16th. Preaeri the Mayor, and Councillors Mears, Wflreer, and Coverlid. The minutes of previous meeting were read and ponfirmed. A letter from the Under Secretary of Lands and Works, acknowledging the .» receipt of a letter from the Town Clerk palling the attention of the Government to the dangerous state of the road between Lawrence and the Teviotj was read. The letter stated that instructions had been given to the engineer to reduce the gradient of a portion of the road referred to, at a post not to exgeed £200. The letter further stated that the road was reported generally to be in a better state than it had ever been before. The road to Switzers was attended to by su.rfac.e"men, and the gradients were reported easy. The Mayor was surprised, that any man . calling himself an engineer oould consider a road over which five horses could not sparry a ton weight an easy road, He was informed that Mi. S,maU had told Mr. Brown he had decided not to spend the amount on the other side of the Beaumont. He could not understand where Mr. Smail got such authority, seeing Mr. Reid had previously said it would be done. The report of the gradient being easy was untrue ; in fact it was nothing but a gross fabrication. . Cr. Mears said it could be stated that p representative of this district had been informed that the gradients on both sides of the Beaumont would be reduced before •winter. The Town Clerk was instructed to write the Government on this matter. Mr. M'Keay's letter with reference to the magistrate's judgment in the case of the Corporation v, ex-Cr. Keen was again taken into consideration. Cr. Mears said the question resolved itself into this, Would the Council be justified in incurring any more expense. The amount of £4 16s. 4d. had already been incurred, He thought it was very questionable whether Mi\ Keen was not still a councillor. The resignation which Cr Keen sent in was not accepted. A,n extraordinary meeting of Council was called, but Or. Keen got no notice of it. Had he received intimation and attended the meeting, there was no saying what the result would have been. He would move that the matter stand over fop six months. Seconded and carried. A letter from Mr. Peter Robertson, drawing the attention of the Council to the footpath, &c, in the vicinity of his house, was read. Cr. Mears moved, " That the letter be not received on account of its disrespectful phraseology." Cr. Coverlid, in seconding the resolution, said he quite agreed with Cr. j^ears. The letter was not only disrespectful, but contained a threat. An offer was made by Cr. Mears to lease section — , block 24. Referred to Municipal Reserves Committee. An application from Mr R. Fowler, to make an approach to his shop in Peelwas granted. following accounts were referred to the Fiuauce Committee :— r" Tuapeka Times," £2 6s. 6d. ; C, Bryant, £2 Sa. A report from the Finance Committee was held over for the considerate. 11 of next Council meeting. Public Works Committee's report was received and adopted. Mr. Lange, the Rate Collector, reported that he had collected about £200— the sum of £46 os. was still due. He had a difficulty in finding the owners of several Bections, and asked what steps he should take. He also submitted a list of those persons who had not yet paid any portion of their year's rate. Cr. Mears proposed that the Kst be referred to the Legislative Committee to report upmi it. .Seconded and carried. The Council then adjourned.