LAWRENCE TOWN COUNCIL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 269, 27 March 1873, Page 8

LAWRENCE TOWN COUNCIL.

An adjourned meeting of tho Lawrence Town Council was held on the evening of Wednesday, the 19th inst. Present : The Mayor, aud Crs. Coverlid. \Uy, Hfll, Walker, and Meyer. • The. minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The correspondence was read and dealt with as follows: — Letter from the Town Clerk of Dunedin, in answer" to certain enquiries ; received. Letter from Mr. D. L. Simpson, Provincial Engineer; received. Letter from Mr. A. Humphrey, requesting permission to construct a crossing across the footpath at hia premises, Ross Place ; re-i-eived, and referred to the Public Works Committee, with power to act. The Council declined to receive a petition from certain ratepayers, relative to the Town Clerk. The following accounts were referred to the Finance and Public Works Committees: — A. Bruntou, £31 145.; j. Downey, £9s. 10s. The accounts presented by the proprietor of the " Tuapeka Times," £5 ss. 6d. ; Meyer and Co., £2 Us. ; and Mills, Dick, and Co., 3s. Gd., were referred to the Pinanee Committee. An account of £l, forwarded by the Gabriel's Gully Quarts Mining Company, was ordered to lie on the table ; and Mr. -R. Grieves account, of £2 2s. 6d., was ordered to be paid. The report of the' Public Works Committee was received aud adopted. It recommended the immediate gravel- i ling, to a depth of fourteen inches, of Whitehaven-street, Ross Place, and Kilmarnock-etreet ; and to a depth of four inches of Peel-street • that a truck and tramway be provided at onoe for the use of the prisoners working iv Lancaster-street ; that Messrs. Cormack and Nicoll's request as to the formation of a piece, of road near the coalpit, be complied with, subject to the Public Works Committee approving of the details and extent of the work. The report also stated that the work done by Mr. W. G. Anderson in Harrington-street, and Mi*. Downey iv Irvine-street, was satisfactory. Tho Public Works Committee were instructed to procure a truck and lay down a tramway, at a cost not exceeding £LO, for the use of the prisoners working in Lancaster-street ; and also to construct a stone culvert in that street, iv lieu of the pipes it was originally intended to place there. The Mayor drew the attention of the Council to the state of the postoffice, lie stated that tho courthouse was much too small for present requirements, and. a new one was necessary. It had been suggested that the present courthouse should be converted into a post and telegraph office, for which purpose it was, in his opiuion, admirably adapted. If the Council endorsed his views, it would bo advisable for them to take action, in order to strengthen the hands of others who were working in the same direction. Cr. Walker said that three mouths previously the Town. Clerk had been instructed to write to the General Government regarding the state of the post-office. He would like to know if any answer had been received, and also what had been achieved by the deputation appointed to wait upon the Superintendent. The Town Clerk stated that upon receiving the instructions mentioned by Cr. Walker, he had written to the General Government, but had received yo ans\yer. Cr. Hay said that in accordance with a resolutiou of the Council, he had waited upon the Superintendent, but no other councillor had accompanied him. In reference to the postoffice, his Honor said that he could only act as a private member of the House of Representatives., but he would support the member for the district, Mr. J. C. Brown, in getting a sum placed upon the estimates for carrying out the changes mentioned by the Mayor. (Cr. Hay al?o detailed the result of his representations to the Superintendent in other matters, particulars oi which have already appeared in our colunlns.) Cr. Walker moved that the Mayor convene a public meeting, in' order to obtain an expression of the public feeling in regard to the matter. He considered the buildiug in which tbe piesent post and telegraph business was carried on a disgrace to the community, and that agitation should be kepfc alive until a suitable ed;fice was procured. A desultory discussion, during which the dilapidated state of the post-office was commented upon, and propositions yiade that the matter be referred k> the Public Works Committee, and that the Town Clerk communicate with J. C. Brown, M.H.F., on the subject. Finally, Cr. Walker's motion was seconded by Cr. Coverlid, and parried. Cr. Coverlid moved the resolution of which he had given notice, •' That the Public -Works Committee, at next Council night, bring up an'estiuiatc of the cosfc of extending the water mains to toe" hospital." lie said during th.c lale v drought the residents ia White-haveu-sireet were absolutely without water to drink and wash with, while the residents of Peo.l-street and lioss Place enjoyed the luxury of having the streets iv front of their establishments watered eveivy morning. A four-iuch pipe, in h\s opinion, would be sufficient for the requirements of Whitehaven|fcr^et fax soaie^ tia\e.

Cr. Hill seconded the motion pro forma. Or. Hay considered that it would be fully to extend the mains until the water was purified. Besides, it would be throvviug away money to lay 4 inch pipes, as they would bo unable to stand the pressure. The Mayor said that Mr. Blair, 0.E., had promised to furnish a report on the best means of purifying the - water. That gentleman was now in Dunedin, and" his report would probably come to hand before next Council meeting. The Mayor also pointed out/ that the water had been much clearer since the surfaceman attended to the reservoir. The motion was carried. Cr. Hill moved the motion he had given notice of — " That the Public Works Committee furnith at next Council meeting a report of the probable cost of laying a 4 inch pipe along the main streets not specified in Cr. Coverlid's motion, where water is not already laid on." The motion was not secouded, and coej*equently lapsed. Cr. Walker gave rotice that at next meeting he would move — " That tenders be called for the gravelling ot Kilinar-nock-street from the Beaumont road' to Slrauraer-street ; also, that tenders be called for the formation of 3 chains of Stranraer-street." Cr. Hay -gave notice that at next meetjng he would move — "That tenders be called for the gravelling of White-haven-street from the schoolhouse to the Hospital," Cr. Meyer gave notice that at next meeting he would move — " That tenders be called for the gravelling of Boss Place." Cr. Hill gave notice that at next meeting he intended to move — " That tenders be called for gravelling Peelstreet from Ross Place to the postoffice ;^also, that Peel-&treet be formed and gravelled to its junction with Lismore-street." Cr. Coverlid gave notice that at next meeting he would move — '' That nil the footpaths in Ross Place, White-haven-street, and Peel-street receive a coat of gravel." Cr. Hay drew attention to the irregularity which characterised the proceedings of the Finance Committee. Great inconvenience was occasioned to people to whom tho Council owed money on account of their not meeting, aud ho suggested that in future the Finance Committee should meet immediately - alter the meetings of the Council. Cr. Hill said the late Mayor was in habit, vheu he left the town, of leaving signed cheques, in order that his absence might not interfere with the business of the Council. The Mayor said circumstances had of late prevented him attending the Finance Committee, but in the future he would so arrange as to obviate tho inconvenience complained of. He would, however, certainly never follow out the practice alluded to by Cr. Hill. , " The tenders for the construction of the Beaumont road were then opened, as follows :— J. Downey, £592 ; ' H. Miller, £637 10s. 6d. ; R. W. Nicholl, £G75; D. Whittet, £776 14s. Cr. Walker said it would be well for the Council to pause before iucuriing expenditure which, from the tenders, it appeared was necessary for this road, which was considerably in excess of the amount anticipated by the Council and allowed by the Government". He thought if the road were surveyed a little closer to the hill, the work could be completed for at least LIOO cheaper. The Mayor stated that by constructing the road surveyed by Mr. Simpson '7 or- 8 valuable sections of land would be reclaimed. If the G-overnment gave the Council this reclaimed land, he thought it would make up the deficiency between the amount of money granted by the Government, at the request of the Council, for the construction of this work. - Cr. Hay observed that the cost of constructing the roaTl was only the first expense, as when the sections were sold the street would have to be widened. He thought the "sections reclaimed would sell for £200 ; but it would, be inadvisable for the Council to act upon the. tenders until they ascertained whether the Government would give them the land. He moved — " That the tenders stand over till next Council meeting, and in the mean time the Town Clerk to communicate with the Government in reference to giving the ' Council the reclaimed seel ions." Cr. Walker seconded- the motion. Cr. Meyer suggested that Mr. -Simpson be requested to suggest a cheaper road. The Mayor remarked that the Council had only £400 to spend in public works. Three hundred pounds of that ' sum .would be absorbed in the works •^uggested by the Public Works Committee. Cr. Coverlid ssid that the Council, in giving the estimate to Mr. Bastings of £150, were under the impression fiat tho road was to. be construct'jd alonjf its present line. As the course surveyed by Mr. Simpson would make the road much more valuable to the Government than the one originally proposed, lie thought there would be little difficulty in the Council getting more money from the Government. The motion was then carried, and the meeting adjourned till the 31st instant.