LAWRENCE TOWN. COUNCIL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 399, 14 October 1874, Page 2

LAWRENCE TOWN. COUNCIL.

Tho ordinary meeting of the Council was held in tho Council Chambers on Monday evening. Present: The Mayor, and Crs. Cox, Walker, Ferguson, Middlemiss, and Armstrong. _ The minutes of tho last ordinary meeting, and of a special meeting of the Council, were read and confirmed. Cr. Armstrong (who did not take his seat till after the minutes were confirmed) asked the Mayor if he had taken any steps with regard to the protest ho (Cr. Armstrong) entered at the last meeting. The Mayor said the protest vras duly entered in the minutes, but nothing further was done. A letter from Mr. James Harris, objecting to the weighbridge house being erected in its present position, as damaging to his business, by impeding the traffic on the footpath, was read. Tho Mayor held that tho Council had a right to occupy such places as the weighbridge office was built upon for public purposes. The parties who were now objecting were well aware of what was to be done ; indeed they were highly pleased, and expressed great satisfaction that the weighbridge was to be placed where it has been placed. Ho therefore thought it very ungenerous, now that the work was completed, that tho Bame parties slicmld be found objecting to it. It was decided, that the letter should lie on the table. A letter from Mr. Hill, asking the Council to pass his account for the Derwenfc-street bridge, was ordered to stand over till the Inspector's certificate that the work was completed was received. A letter from tho manager of the " Otago Guardian," stating that he would be glad to receive reports of the Council meetings, was received. On the motion of Cr. Ferguson, tho thanks of the Council were recorded to the " Otago Guardian " Company for the great interest evinced by them in the proceedings of the Lawrence Town Council. The following accounts wero received : — MearsandWhittet (for fixing weighbridge and house), £63 19s. 6d. Referred to the Public Works and Finance Committees. Tho following were referred to tho Finance Committee': — Phcenix Water Co., £52 ; Thos. Arthur (sundries), £1 14s. 6d. ; W. H. Smith (inspector)^ £10 ; A. Briscoe' and Co. (weighbridge), £81 Is. ; Government Printer, £2 12s. 6d. ; L. C. Holmes, £18 10s. Finance Report No. 7, £5-1 125., was read and adopted. The Finance. Committee's report, recommending the borrowing of £3000, in £100 debentures, bearing 6 per cent, interest, and extending over 21 years, was adopted. On the motion of Cr. Ferguson, seconded by Cr. Cox, it was resolved to call for tenders for the sum of £3000 in the manner stated. The Town Clerk read the specifications for the extension of the , water mains in Ross Plaeo. i Cr. Armstrong protested against the document as being irregular. The protest was duly recorded. Cr. Cox moved, " That the specifications ! be referred to the Public Works Committee, | with power to call for tenders for the work in "the local paper and in one of the Duhedin papers ; tenders to be lodged within one month from date." Cr. Walker seconded the motion, which was carried. Tho Town Clerk read" a draft of a memorial to his Excellency the Governor, praying that he may see fit to constitute the Corporation of Lawrence into a Borough, under the 1887 Act. The Mayor stated it would perhaps be well to postpone the consideration of the memorial to a future Council meeting. The subject was one of great importance to the town. He might state that Mr. Carew, the Resident Magistrate, and Mr. M'Coy, the Corporation Solicitor, had both recommended the adoption of the course proposed, as it would enable the Council to adopt tho whole of the Act of 1867, and frame bye-laws

for the proper management of the business, which at present was much wanted — especially for the sueing of. parties at Court. Ci'. Walker moved: "That the draft memorial lie on the table till next Council meeting " Cr. Cox seconded. Carried. Tho Town Clerk was instructed to sue one of the waggoners who does business between Dunedin and Lawrence for tho payment ot the carriage license. The Town Clerk said ho knew of several who had not paid licenses in Dunedin or elsewhere, so it was thought advisable to sue one to test the right of the Council to certain licenses. Mr. Smith, Inspector of Works, reported upon the necessity of the drainage of the Town Hall being attended to before the roof was put on. Referred to the Public Works Committee with power to act. The Mayor made some reference to Mr. Hill sueing the Corporation for the BUm Of £5 fine, which Jie luwi to pay to got his lease completed, when Cr. Cox asked how it wa3 the lease had come into Mr. Hill's possession, seeing it had not been completed by the Council. So far as ho was aware, no person had been authorised to givo up the lease to Mr. Hill or anybody else. The Town Cletk stated that Mr. Hill's lease, amongst others, had been left in chargeof the Qourt. He was asked to go to the Court and get it, and declined to do so ; but some few days after he got the counter part from Mr. Hill. Cr. Cox moved : "That the Town Clerk be requested to apply to the Clerk of the Court for James Hill's lease, which was lodged in tha Court by tlie Town Clert." Or. Walker, in seconding the motion, adverted in strong terms to the « regularity which had - been committed by some one in parting with the lease. No member of tho Council, he held, had any authority, individu« ally, to lift any document from the Court.— Carried. Cr. Walker laid before the Council a sketch of a right-of-way reserve, which the new Embankment Committee desired tho Council to endeavor to secure ; and moved : That the Town Clerk be instructed to write the Government on tho subject, showing tho desirability of their acceding to the request, as the people in Ross Place had gone Joi & large expenditure in the construction o?** i embankment." Cr. Ferguson seconded. — Carried. On tlio motion of C*. Middl&wuss, tfe& Public Works Committee were empowered to get the approaches of the weighbridge pitched. It was decided that applications be received for the letting of the weighbridge and office at per annum for one year or more. Security of payment to be given. The Council then adjourned.