TOWN COUNCIL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 198, 16 November 1871, Page 4

TOWN COUNCIL.

The usual meeting of the Council was held in the Council Chambers on Monday evening last. The Mayor and all the .'Councillors were present. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. COBRESPONDENCE. With reference to the employment of prison labour, and the holding of the Supreme Court at Lawrence, the followreply from Mr. J. C. Brown, member for Tuapeka, to the Town Clerk's letter was read :—: — • • Wjslling-ton, Nov. 3rd, 1871 Sib, — Yours of the 19th ult to hand, relative to the employment of prison labour at Lawrence. As thi& is ft matter that the Provincial Government, can only de.il with, I pur myself in communication with (he Sup"rin--teudent, Mr. Macandrew, who expresses himself favourable to the lvquest of the Town Council, provided the expense does not much exceed Mie present maintenance of -prisoners in Dunedin. I shall, on my return from the Assembly, when in Dunedin, bring the matter before tlie Provincial Government. I have also urged upon the Colonial Government the great benefit and conve tieoce the holding of sessions of the Supreme Court at Lawrence would confer on the inhabitants of the up-country districts. I have a promir-e from the Colonial Secretary that he will communicate with Judge Chapman, with a view of holding the first session, without the necessity of making all the alterations recommended by him this year^ such as additions to the t G-aol and Court House. The Government are willing to expend, say £200 in .any necessary interior arrangements required in tb,s Coun House for holding the session at once i and '.next year they wiU^laoe a siyn on the Estimates sufficient .to parry qu.t'the'recommendations of Judge Chapman. 3}ne total cost is estunateU at £90&— Truly youre, J. C paowir. 'Tf. C. Holioos, Es(j., Town Clerk, iiawrence.

The letter was received. A letter fin the sauie su tfject from the Colonial Secretary's Office, in reply to one forwarded by the Town Cjbrk, stated that as the gaols of the' colony were under the control of Provincial authorities, a copy of the Town Clerk's letter had been sent to His Honour the Superintendent of Otago. The" said he thought it would be well to wait till the Provincial Secretary and other members of the Provincial Government returned from Wellington, and then make another application to the Provincial Government, and send the correspondence which had taken place on the subject. * ' x It was moved and carried that the matter be left in the hands of the Mayor. A letter from Mr. ! W. Nott Goqday, solicitor, requesting, on behalf of Mr: James Harris, the recommendation of his application -to be recognised by' the Corporation as the assignee of the lease of section 2, block XXIV., Lawrence.; was read. The letter stated that "the fcSonncil had not, up to the present time, any power to grant the leases, 1 and th&t such power could only be obtained by. an/'Or^ dinance of the Provincial Council, vesting the management of the reserve's in the Corporate m. The letter further stated" that Mr. Harris was quite prepared to pay the balance of the premium and the rent " now due. Cr. Meats moved, " That'the Town Clerk be instructed to reply to Mr. Gooday's letter, stating' that the Council do not see anything in his letter to justify them in altering their previous decision with reference to Mr. Harris's claim." Cr. Coverlid, in seconding the motion^ stated that the Reserves Committee had looked over the minutes and found all that had been paid was 23., and the terms of sale had not been complied with. The motion was carried. A letter from the Inspector of Nuisances, drawing the attention of the Council to the culvert in Boss Place, opposite Mr. Meyer's premises, which is fast filling up and becoming offensive. The letter was referred to the Public Works Committee. Cr. Mears moved, that the Town Clerk be instructed to write to Mr. luspector Moore, to obtain, if possible, prison labour for the above work. — Carried . A letter from Mr. C. W. Adams, District Surveyor, was read. The letter drew the attention of the Council to the advisability of reserving a road through, the north-east portion of the ien-acre municipal reserve, which is about to b& sold. If the road were reserved, as originally snrveyed by Mr. Adams, it -would cut off a corner containing fully an acre ; but that gentleman thought' the two sections would then yield as much rent to the Corporation as the whole one, and besides, a road wosild be given to eight sections, which, according to the present survey, are practically cub off from access to the Wethersronea road. Mr. Adams thought that hy reverting to the original survey, and thus giving access to thest* eisfht sections, the Corporation would! .financially bj considerable gainers. To show that he had written purely on public grounds, Mr, Adams oft'ored to put in what pegs were required on ths laud free of charge. In a postscript t,> his letter, Mr. Adams said that as he was frequently blatned for roads badly laid out, and for which he was not reiponsible, he hoped the Town Council ivuuld plaea on record that' he bad sent a letter on the subject. Cr. Meara moved that Mr. Adams' letter be received, and the. Town Clerk acknowledge it, and thank Mr. Adams for the suggestions it contained. — Carried. Cr. Mears said that seeing the suggestions had come after the sale of the surrounding sections, and that the change o£ survey did not euhaace the value of the section itself, he could not agree to it. If parties purchased land without any approach to it, they had themselves to blame. If the suggestions were carried into effect, he thought the paddock would be simply spoiled to improve other people's pi'operty. He would move that i£ be sold as surveyed. • r. Coverlid, in seconding the motion, aai'd he did not think it would improve the estate by putting a road throngH it;. The Mayor <'.id not think Cr. Mears". arguments all good. If the alterations would not interfere with the value of the paddock, it would certainly enhance the valne of the other sections, and wherever the value of property was increased it was a benefit to the Corporation, as the taxation could also be increased. Cr. AValker did not think a road through the section would make it lass valuable. Cr. Meats' motion, that the present ,urvey remain intact, was carried. MUNICIPAL KESBRVKS. ' A discussion took place as to the term of yeara it was advisable to lease the tenacre paddock, and whether a rental or a bonus sh mid be fixed upon. The matterwas remitted to the Reserves Committee. Or, Coverlid asked the Tonor£!lerk if he had drawn up a list of last year's rates. _ still - remaining unpaid, as requested at previous Council meeting. " .• The To.vn Clerk said he had- not had time. Cr. Walker 'said the Council ought to be informed in this matter, as people kept telling him that there were any quantity of last year's rates uricollected. If such was the case,,, he "did not think other people should be pushed for rates due for the current yean »_, The Town Clerk stated that in proof of • his exertions -to get the rates collected, the sum of £430 had been paid into the bank for rates since last year's assessment was made. The Council then adjourned. The Reserves Committee met immediately after the Council meeting, and decided upon leasing the ten- acre paddock for fourteen years, with a certain resarve put upon it.