LAWRENCE TOWN COUNCIL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 396, 3 October 1874, Page 2

LAWRENCE TOWN COUNCIL.

A special meeting of the Council ■was held in the Council Chambers on Wednesday evening. Present t The Mayor and Crs. Walker, Armstrong, Middlemiss, Cox, and Ferguson. The. mooting was called on a requisition made to . the Mayor, and signed by Crs. Ferguson, Walker, and. Cox, to consider the business transacted at the regular meeting held on the Monday previous. The Mayor read the requisition, after which

Cr. Armstrong said he considered the meeting altogetner ia C gj»»,aa nno, o business to bo discussed was not specified in the requisition.

Cr. Cox said the business could be confined to the consideration of the Public Works Report.

(Jr. Middlemiss objected, to Councillors whenever they took into their heads calling a special meeting. I£ they had attended the regular meeting, they could have discussed the subject when it was brought before it.

Cr. "Walker referred to the public works the Council had decided upon carrying into effect, and he thought the action of certain of the Councillors was in the direction of shelving these works. He regretted to see this. They had met to (Jiscuss the pros and cons of the Public Works Report. Cr. Ferguson drew the attention of his Worship to clause 3 of the Standing Orders, which he held did not require to be so specific as Cr. Armstrong thought.

The Mayor ruled that the notice was sufficient.

Cr. Armstrong tiien loclged *»*» protest of the irregularity of the meeting. _ ' The Town <3ierk then read the minutea of Monday's meeting for the information of those Councillors who were not present. The Mayor stated that as the business brought before the ordinary meeting, held on Monday last, was either disposed of, or deferred to the next regular council meeting excepting the Public Works Committee's report, the only thing therefore that could be considered at this meeting was that report.

(Jr. Ferguson said he had much pleasure in moving the adoption of the report. - Cr. Walker in seconding the motion said he regretted to find the important work of the extention of the water mains was meeting with opposition " from a source from which it would not have been expected. If the council now refused to carry out this jvork, and would not give equal rights to all, lie felt confident that the ratepayers would demand their rights by petitioning the council to levy a special rate for the use of the water. He believed the time had arrived when the water can be purified, and extended and made a boon to all. A sum of £1800 had been expended in the introduction of water to one part of the town, and ,he thought it only just that the other business paxfc o£ tlie town. slloulcL liave ecfual 2u3va.iltages. **•

Cr. Armstrong moved as an amendment that the report be not adopted. The Public Works Committee had received no instructions from the Council togctspecifications drawn up for the work. He regretted having to take up the position he did hi opposing the extension of the mams until the water was purified and made serviceable. It had been said that only two or three ciphers used ifc, but if the mains were extended he believed that it would then only be used by two or three ciphers. The Mayor drew Cr. Armstrong's attention to the fact that the subject under discussion was not the extension of the mains, but tho adoption or otherwise of the Public Work's report. The Council had previously affirmed .the extension of the pipes. Cr. Armstrong contended that he should be allowed to answer remarks that had been made by Crs., and continued by saying that if the pipes ,were extended "with the water in -its present condition it would bo & gross -injustice to the ratepayers. Cr. Middlemiss seconded th« amendment. The report of the Public Works Committee, he held, put the cart before the horse, the bottom part of it should have been at the top. Cr. Ferguson replied. He was astonished to find Cr. Middlemiss one of the Public works Committee — who had put his signature to the report, and recommended it to the Council, coming forward and opposing it. With reference to Cr. Armstrong's remarks he seemed to think that the extension of the water would be altogether a useless work unlesß the water were fitted for making

one's broth or porridge. He seemed altogethor to forget such a contingency as a fire, and the great advantage that would accrue in the saving of valuable property from the ravages of such a devouring element. H© (Cr. Ferguson) apprehended that dirty water would suit that purpose as well as clean. Ho considered that if there was no other advantage derived from the extension of tho water, the Council would be quite justified in incurring the outlay. "v Cr.ArmatfongNbriefly replied,- after wliieh the Mayor put tho amendment to the vote, which resulted in two for and three against. The motion was therefore declared carried. The Council then adjourned.