LAWRENCE TOWN COUNCIL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 169, 4 May 1871, Page 5

LAWRENCE TOWN COUNCIL.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Council was held in the Council Chambers on Monday, there being present Councillors Meara (in the chair), Harrop, Williams, Coverlid, and the Town Clerk. The minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed. Cr. Coverlid said he observed from the minules just read, that a meeting of Council had lapsed the other day through want of a quorum, and he would suggest that in all such cases a record of the names of those Councillors who attended should be kept. The Chairman said it was not usual to adopt such a course, but he saw no particular objection to it. An .application by Ah Chin to mine within the municipality was referred to the P. W. C. The Chairman read a letter from the Government in reply to a communication from the Town Clerk, regarding Ross Place. Also a letter from the Qiieenstown and Cromwell Councils in reference to the propriety of the various municipalities endeavouring to secure through their representatives in the Provincial Council a continuance of the Government subsidy, which was received. A letter from ratepayers residing on the west side of the Beaumont road, calling the attention of the Council to the swampy state of the footpath, was read and referred to the P. W. C. to take such steps in the matter as were necessary. An application from Ah Cow and AhLongforleavetoalter the course of Wetherstunes Creek near Mr. Pressley's, to its original course, was referred to the P. W. C. to bring up a report next Council meeting. An account of £47 10s. from J. Downey was referred to the P. W. C.

Cr. Williams asked if the Town Clerk had taken steps, as he had been directed at previous meeting of Council, to compel defaulting ratepayers to pay up their arrears of rates.

The Town Clerk said he had not as yet adopted extreme measures, but he feared there was no other alternative than to issue summonses against a number of the ratepayers for the recovery of their rates, although it placed him in a most disagreeable position. He had managed to collect £240 of the present year's rates, and there, remained £180 to get in. He had experienced the greatest dfficulty in collecting thfe rates, and in some cases had met with {^positive denial. Cr. Coverlid said he thought it was the duty of the Town Clerk to push to the utmost all those who so persistently refused to pay their rates. The financial year would terminate in three months, consequently there was no time to be lost in getting in the money due to the Council,

and he hoped the Clerk would hesitate no longer, but issue summonses at once. The Chairman said the Clerk had had ample time to bring the defaulting ratepayers to a sense of their liability to the Council, and he trusted that by next Council meeting he (the Clerk) would report having taken le^,al proceedings where necessary. Cr. Harrop thought the Town Clerk should not allow any feeling of delicacy to interfere with his duties as a public servant. He had already been instructed to proceed against defaulters, but had failed to do so, which was an unquestionable dereliction of duty. He would move " That the Town Clerk be instructed to produce at next Council meeting a list of the names of defaulting ratepayers for 1871, with a view to their publicity, and to taking the necessary steps for recovering arrears." Camed. Cr, Williams said their was another matter he wished to bring before the Council — namely, the state of that portion of Gabriels Gully road, on which a party of Chiuese were mining. The Warden had said he would not grant permission to mine oh the road until another permanent one had been substituted, but the piece of roadjthe Chinese had formed was a disgrace to the community, and by no neans equal to the traffic upon it. It was a lasting shame that so important a public thoroughfare, upon which upwards of £2000 had been expended, should be totally destroyed for the benefit of one or two Chinamen. After the subject had been considered, Cr. Williams moved " That the matter he brought prominently before the Government." Carried.

Cr. Williams said that a portion of Whitehaven street, about six or seven chains, required a coat of gravel, as it was in a boggy condition. It was too small a matter to invite tenders for, and he would suggest' that the P. W. C. be authorised to get the necessary work executed, which was agreed to.

The Council taen adjourned for a fortnight.