LAWRENCE TOWN COUNCIL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 252, 28 November 1872, Page 7

LAWRENCE TOWN COUNCIL.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Lawrence Town Council was held on Monday night. Present . The Mayor and Councillors Hay, Hill, Walker, and Coverlid.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.

The correspondence was read and disposed of as follows : — Letter from J. A. Marx, asking for a lease of a Municipal Reserve," section 12, block 8. It appeared the section in question had been previously disposed of, and the Town Clerk was directed to inform Mr. Marx that such was the case.

Letter from the Town Clerk, Dunedin, stating that certain Ordinances ordered had been forwarded, and enclosing account for same. Received, and the account referred to the Finance Committee.

Letter from F. H. M'Coy in reference to a dispute between him and the Council. It appeared that Mr. M'Coy had considered himself commissioned to engross a number of leases, had performed the work, and sent in an account amounting to LSB 16s to the Council. The account was in due course referred to the Finance Committee. That Committee found that a number of the leases prepared were valueless and came to the conclusion that Mr. M'Coy had never been instructed to execute the work at all. They, however, decided to accept those leases — nine in numberwhich were of use to the Council, and offered to pay Mr. M'Coy for them. The amount they offered Mr. M'Coy was L2l; but they made it a condition that for that sum he should give them a full discharge from all liability in respect to the leases. This Mr. M'Coy refused to do, and intimated his intention of taking legal proceedings to recover the full amount. He now wrote asking the Council to pay him the L2l, without the condition fixed by the Finance Committee. After a long discussion, it was resolved to adhere to the resolution of the Finance Committee.

Certain ratepayers of the West Ward wrote calling attention to the proclamation in the Provincial Government " Gazette," relative to the closing of some streets, strongly objecting thereto, and asking the Council to take action to prevent such being done. Received and referred to the Reserves Committee to report at next meeting. Messrs. Cormack and Nicol also wrote on the same subject. Their letter was also referred to the Reserves Committee.

The Public Works Committee's report 'was read. It was to the effect that Ah Poo's application to place a box tail race in Gabriels Gully, under the north bridge, had been granted, and that the abandoned shafts in Lancaster and. Lismore streets had been filled ; and it recommended that prison labor, if procurable, should be employed in filling in the gully at the intersection of Lancaster and Lismore streets ; also that Lls should be expended upon the improvement of Harringtonstreet The report was received and adopted. The Public Works Committee were authorised to expend L 3 in pipes to be 1 iltvid in Lismoro-street.

Letter from Mr, Willis relative io the opening of Oampbellton-afcreat through the Camp Ittaerv©. It stated th.at the reserve was a Genera,! &uvernment one. Read and referred, vo the Reserves Committee to report on at next meeting. The Finance Committee's seport stating fasfi account* amounting^ 14$ & 64

had lean paid, was received and adopted. Cr. Hay gave notice that at next meeting he would move that an advertisement relative to bringing the new bye-laws into operation ihould be inserted in the Tuapeka Times. Cr. Hay also gave notice that he would move next Council meeting that the footpath in Irvinestreet from the schoolhousa be formed.

Cr. Hill gave notice that he would move at next meeting that about Lls be expended in Harrington-street. Cr. Coverlid gave notice that he would move next Council night that a culvert b 9 formed in Lismore-street.

The Public Works Committee were instructed to bring up an estimate of the cost of this work at the next meeting. The Mayor stated that he had made considerable inqury relative to the best mode of purifying the water in the dam, and had brought up the Provincial Engineer to inspect it. He suggested that the Council should expend L 25 in procuring some sand to place at the bottom of the reservoir.

Crs. Hay and Coverlid spoke against the Mayor's proposition. The former stated that what the Mayor had suggested had previously been tried and failed; and the latter said he would oppose any more money being spent on the water scheme, until the pipes were extended over the town, or the parties using the water paid a special rate. In reply to Or. Coverlid, the Mayor stated that the Town Clerk now received license fees and other local taxes. The meeting then adjourned.