LAWRENCE TOWN COUNCIL

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 158, 16 February 1871, Page 6

LAWRENCE TOWN COUNCIL

The usual meeting of the Lawrence Town Council was held in the Council Chambers on Monday evening last. Present — the Mayor and all the councillors.

The minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed.

COBEESPO^DEIfCE.

A letter was read from Mr. C. W. Adams, in. v/hich that gentleman asked the Council to grant permission to Mr. J. C. Brown to transfer to Mr. Adams the lease of section which he (Mr. Brown) had purchased on behalf of the Congregational Church.

Cr. Coverlid moved that this Council allow Mr. Brown to transfer the lease, on Mr. Adams paying all necessary expenses. Cr. Barnett seconded. — Carried.

ACCOUNTS

The following accounts were referred to Finance Committee, and that of Motberwell and Mears was also referred to the Public Works Committee : — J. L. S. Keen, verdict in reassessment, £5 ; H. Bastings, gold medal and desk. £8 ; A Motherwell and F. Mears, bridges over creek, £6 ; Armstrong and Keen, auditors (six months), £4.

REPORTS.

Financial report No. 6 was received and adopted.

Public Works Committee's report No 4 was read as follows :—: —

Lawrence, January 23, 1871. The Town Council of Lawrence.

Gentlemen, — We have to report that, in accordance with instructions, we have caused the two old footbridges to be removed from the foot of Gabriels Gully, and placed as a continuation of the bridge across ths Wetherstones Creek from Ross Place to Gabriels, also earth and gravel approaches to same, at a cost of £Q. Applications were sent in for the same work from two other parties for the respective sums of £7 aud £8 10s. each.

We have also visited the junction of the two gullies, in company with the Warden, W. L. Simpson, Esq., in accordance with your request of the 13th inst., and have to report thereon that, after a careful examination of the place and apparent raising of the bed with tailing 3, &c. , the Warden concurred with us as to the necessity of some steps being taken to prevent damage to property ; and the Committee recommend that the Council communicate officially with the Warden, asking him to use his endeavours with the parties originating the causa of complaint to come to some arrangement by which future injury to property may be prevented. — We are,

Gentlemen, Your obedient servants. Horace Bastings, Chairman. The roport was received and adopted. Public Works Committee's report No. 5 was read as follows : —

Lawrence, February 6, 1871. The Public Works Committee have the honour to report, for the information of the Council, that they have made an inspection of the town in accordance with a resolution relative to the works that require immediate attention before the winter sets in, and would recommend that the following works be commenced at once : —

1. The culvert at Oolonsay-street to be enlarged to nine feet in width, and the roadway raised and gravelled to the ex-* tent of about five chains,

2. That a footpath on the south side of Oarapbelton-street be formed, and two footbridges placed across the creek ; the footpaths to be gravelled the whole length of the street.

3. That the road in Whitehaven-street be continued to Mr. P. Robertson's, viz., formed, channelled, and gravelled. Contracts to be advertised for at per chain,

4, That Kilmarnock-street bo gravelled the whole length, to culvert at Coalpit Flat. 5. That a footpath be mads and

gravelled in front of tho schoolhouoe, and continued to the new church.

And that the Town Clerk be paid the sum of £10 to obtain advice, and prepare specifications, etc., for work, and supervise their completion. Horace Bastings, Chairman. The Mayor stated, with reference to the last clause of the report, that it was his own suggesting. Cr. Mears had been in the habit of making out their plans and specifications gratis, but the Council could not expect him always to do so.

The report was received and adopted. C:\ Harrop drew the attention of the Public Works Committee to the proposal made some time ago to continue the footpath from Mr. Barnett's to Mr. Rogers' property, in Peel-street. The Mayor stated that the PublicWorks Committee had not overlooked that matter. They expected to get it done by prison labour.

Cr. Mears referred to what he considered a great evil, namely, that of people putting up new buildings so high that the footpath had to be greatly raised. If they build so much above the level, they could not expect to have a uniform footpath. He drew attention to the buildings erected by Cr. Harrop and Mr. Crow as an illustration of the evil he complained of. The Mayor said, with reference to what had emanated from Cr. Mears, it was necessary that the levels of the town should be adhered to. He was surprised that Cr. Harrop should have departed so far from the level of the footpath.

Cr. Coverlid moved that the matter be referred to the Public Works Committee to prevent a recurrence of the evil in future.

Cr. Harrop hoped the Public Works Committee would take into consideration that some people have lowered the footpath in front of their buildings. His new building did not stand on a higher level than his old shop. The financial report for the past six months was read and adopted. Cr. Williams asked if the item £4 4s. for auditors was for the year or half year.

The Mayor stated that the sum was for each half j'ear, and Avas decided upon by resolution of the Council.

The Mayor, in rejjly to Cr. Harrop, stated that the estimated cost of the various improvements, suggested by the Public Works Committee, was £300.

NOTICE OF MOTION

Cr. Mears, in accordance with a notice of motion which ho had given at a previous meeting, moved that the sum of £5 be voted by this Council as a donation to the Tuapeka Hospital. He thought his proposal did not require any recommendation from him, as it was usual for public bodies to contribute to the funds of hospitals. The amount would only include 50s. of the ratepayers money, and the hospital would get £2 to £1 from the Government on the £5. The motion lapsed for want of a seconder.

WATER SCHEITE DEBENTURES

Cr. Harrop suggested that the sum of £200 be set apart this year towards the purchase of the Water Works Debentures, which were falling due. It was just possible the subsidy might be abolished next year, and the Council would not be in such a good position to purchase these debentures.

The Mayor said this was a matter which had occupied the attention of the Public "Works Committee. The revenue for the present year was estimated at £800, and the contingent liabilities were estimated at £500, which would allow the Council to take up two of the debentures. He quite concurred with Cr. Harrop that it was time something was done in the matter, and he was glad there was a prospect of doing something this year.

Cr. Coverlid asked that the agreement with the Phoenix Water Company be laid on the table at next Council meeting.

In reply to a question asked by Cr. Mears, whether steps had been taken to bring the Council under the new bye-laws, the Mayor stated that he had, after some delay, succeeded in obtaining the " Gazettes " from Dunedin, and would draw up the form and lay it on the table at next Council meeting.

The Rates Committee were instructed to revise the list of old rates due, and report upon the same at the next meeting of Council. The Council then adjourned.

It is not difficult to foresee what will eventually become of this province un. less something be done about the thistle nuisance. The farmers will be driven out of it. During the whole of Thursday the northerly breeze was bringing clouds of thistle down — apparently from the North Shore, — which was being distibuted with the strictest impartiality all over the country. From the native lands at Orakei, and some of the Remuera reserves, the seed was coming in such quantities that portions of the hedges looked looked as if there had been a light fall of snow. Of course no one will go to the expense of cutting thistles on any lands but their own; but it is very sad to see all our valuable reserves and waste lands becoming almost useless in consequence of the wholesale spread of this horrid weed. — " Auckland Weekly News. "

The Right Reverend Bishop Viard, has bee taken prisoner by the Prussians as a spy, and was in prison at the time of the departure of the last mail, -