LAWRENCE TOWN COUNCIL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 412, 28 November 1874, Page 2

LAWRENCE TOWN COUNCIL.

The usual meeting o£ the abora fcocly -was held in the Council Chambers, on Monday evening. Present ; The Mayor, and Crs. Walker, Ferguson, Cox, Armstrong, and Middlemiss.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and adopted. The Secretary of the Lawrence Grammar School wrote with reference to the usual annual prizes presented by the Council. The consideration of the letter was deferred until the next meeting.

A letter was received from Mr. Thomas Barnett, asking that his tender in re the extension of the water mains be withdrawn. After some discussion the request was acceded to. The following accounts were referred to the various Committees for approval and payment : — H. Miller, labor, &C., £24 10s ; 1). Ooohrane, surfaceman, labor, £10 ; F. H. M'Coy, legal expenses, £6 6b ; R. W. Nichol, dray and horse hire (in connection with Lismore-street), £14; F. Meyer and Co., sundries, 8s 6cl. The tendere for hhe extension of the water mains along Eoss Place to the corner of Colonsay and Whitehaven-streets were then opened : and were as follows : — W. D. Mo rrison, £312 19s 4d ; Mears and Whittet, £416.

The lowest tender was accepted. The Town Clerk was instructed to write to Mr. Morrison, informing him that he was the successful tenderer, and stating that he would be allowed two months for the completion of the contract ; after that date a penalty would be inflicted of £1 per diem, which would be strictly adhered to. The report of the Inspector of Nuisances was then read, referring to a nuisance proceeding from the Hospital. On the motion of Cr. Armstrong, seconded by Cr. Ferguson, ifc was resolved that the Hospital Committee le instructed to remove ■the nuisance referred to within seven days, otherwise proceedings would be adopted for the abatement of the nuisance. — Carried.

A report by the Inspector of Nuisances, on the present sanitary condition of tlw town was read. The Mayor had been asked by the Superintendent, who is Chairman of the Board of Health, to furnish that body with such a report, and as a means of getting it ho (ths Mayor) had asked the Inspector and the two loaal medical gentlemen to furnish reports.

In speaking of the report of the Inspector, Cr. Ferguson said he entirely disapproved of it. The report accused the Council of everything in connection with the disgraceful sanitary condition of the town. He considered that it was owing in some measure to a laxity of duty on the part of the Inspector, that things were 60 bad as he represented them. , Crs. Armstrong and Cox concurred in the remarks of Or. Ferguson. Cr. Walker expressed it as his opinion that the Council should not receive the report. It was not then- duty to act in the position of Councillors and Inspectors of Nuisances, at one and the same time, seeing the Inspector was remunerated for his services. He would move : " That the Inspector be requested to attend to his duty, and also to Bend in an amended report, couched in more respectful language." Seconded by Cr. Cox. On the suggestion of Or. Ferguson the following motion was substituted for the one propos -d : " That, in the opinion of this Council, the nuisances complained of in the Inspector's report on the sanitary condition of the town might have been considerably mitigated had he more strictly performed the duties appertaining to his office." The motion as amended was carried unanimously. The report of Dr. Stewart on the same subject was then read. Great praise was accorded the Doctor for the very able and exhaustive report .supplied, and for the benefit of the ratepayers, and also the community at large, we shall publish the report in extenso in our next issue. After the report was read, Cr. Ferguson proposed, and Cr. Armstrong seconded, " That a-hearty vote of thanks be accorded Dr, Stewart for his admirable report." The proposition was carried unanimously. A report from the Public Works Committee was received and adopted. Mr. L. C. Holmes, Town Clerk, wrote explaining that, owing to indisposition, he had been unable to attend to certain bib****" aB he had wished. A question was asked the Town Clerk, by Cr. Middlemiss, as to whether all the assessment notices bad been sent out prior to the Court of Appeal being h<£dThe Town Cle** replied in the negative. The Mar"' mentioned that it was not oomp» JJ * or y for the Town Clerk to issue the prices, although hitherto it had alwajs been done. He considered" the Town Clerk was greatly to blame in departing from precedent. Cr. Cox asked if another day could be fixed upon for the sitting' of the Court, seeing many of the ratepayers had not received then- notices. The Town Clerk in this instance, did not receive the whole of the blame from the ratepayers. The Council, to a very great extent, were blamable, in allowing the matter to remain so long in abeyance. It was now fully six weeks since the Council ' passed a resolution instructing the Town Clerk to take action with reference to the rates. Several Councillors spoke very plainly on this matter. They unanimously condemned the Town Clerk for the delay that had occurred in the issuing of the assessment notices. After some hot remarks, a motion of disapproval of the conduct of the Town Clerk was proposed and carried. Cr. Armstrong moved, "That a sub-com-mittee, consisting of the Public Works Committee, the Mayor, and the mover, be empowered to draw up a report on tho best plan to adopt to get the water purified and the reservoir repaired. — " Carried." Cr. Middlemiss inquired if any action had been taken in' order to have the telegraph post removed from of Beaumont road. The Town Clerk replied that he had written to Mr. Logan repeatedly, and spoken to him personally in regard to the matter, he had promised to have the post removed. Nothing as yet, however, had been done". There being no other business of importance to transact, the Council adjourned,