HAMILTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 277, 21 April 1898, Page 2

HAMILTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The adjourned meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council was held at the Chambers yesterday afternoon. There were present :—His Worship the Mayor (Mr W. Dey, chairman), and Crs. H. Tris tram, Win. Crawford, S. Davis, Thos. Slade, 1). Sain.on, R. J. Gwynne, C Tippin, li. V. Sandes and W. Jones. Acetylene Gas.—The Acetylene Gas Company wrote offering to supply gas to the Council at the rate of 3s Od per thousand feet.—Letter received. Valuation. — Mr Jos. Mullions wrote complaining of the valuation placed upon his property by the valuer (Mr C J. W. .Barton), whom he accused of doing a dirty trick to a poor man.—The clcik Slid Mr Mullions had objected at the Assessment Court, but the Magistrate upheld his valuation. —The letter was not received.

Baths.—Mr Jos. Hinton reported that the bathing season was over, and asked for instructions re the baths.—Mr Hinton was reappointed caretaker for the winter months on the same terms as formerly, viz., 10s per month. Newkll's Claim. —Mis Newell again wrote asking for compensation tor dam age done to her property near the Hamilton Traffic Bridge.—The Council considered this matter had been closed long ago, and refused to entertain the letter. Defkctive Dkain. —Mrs Vincent wrote complaining of the state of the drain through her property, and asking to have it attended to before the winter set in.—This matter was left to the Works Committee to deal with.

Gravel —Mr J. A. young applied for permission to remove twenty loads of gravel from the Borough pit to improve the approach to his house in ClarenceEtrect.—Granted, on condition that the usual fee he paid, Cr. Davis dissenting. State Fire Insurance.—The Timaru Be rough Council wrote asking the Council to co-operate in endeavouring to prevail upon the Government to bring in a system of fire insurance.—The letter was received. Works Committee Report. The Works Committee recommended that 25 yards of screened gravel should be placed on the western approach to the traffic bridge. That the pump at the pound and the broken gate and capping at the saleyards should be repaired, aud that a conference of the local bodies interested should be held for the purpose of urging upon the Government the necessity of effecting considerable repairs to the Hamilton Traffic Bridge, which were sadly needed, and obtaining an engineer's report upon the bridge.—The report was adopted. Foreman's Report.—The Foreman's report upon the works carried out siuce last meeting was received and adopted. Poundkeepeh's Report.— fhe report of the poundkeeper and doe registrar showing the fees received for February to be £4 16s and March £2 17s 6d, was received and adopted. Accounts. The following Recounts were passed for payment:—J. Ridler £4 3s, Gas Company £5 ss, The Waikato Argus £3 17s 6d, W. Andrew 10s 6d, J. Devitt£2 10s.

Notice of Motion.—ln accordance with notice of inotiougivenatlastmeetiiig, Cr. Tristram moved that resolution No. 6 passed in July, 1897. should be rescinded, and in future the meetings of the Council should be held on the second Wednesday in each month at 7.30 p.m. In speak'ng to the motion Cr. Tristram said they had given the afternoon meeting a fair trial and found that it was not a success. Some of the Councillors had a long way to come and had to leave their businesses to attend. In the afternoon the business of the Council was conducted in a hurried manner, and he considered the evening a much more convenient time for holding the meetings.—ln seconding the proposition, the Chairman said he ■ thought the evening was far the best, at any rate it was much more convenient for him.-Cr. Salmon favoured the afternoon meeting. —Cr. Tippin said the afternoon meeting did not seem to act, and it was very noticeable that those who had been instrumental in having the meetings held on Wednesday afternoon were most frequently absent. The afternoon meetings would not work.—Cr. Gwynoe thought it was simply a matter of convenience for the majority of the Councillors. Personally he favoured the afternoon meeting, but thought if any change was made the meetings should be held on Friday evening instead of Wednesday, that night being more convenient for a number of Councillors.—This was agreed to, and Cr. Tristram amended his proposition accordingly. Cr. Sandes thought no alteration in the time of meetings should be made, at any rate until the winter months were over.— On being put the motion was carried, Crs. Gwynne, Jones, Salmon aud Sarnies dissenting. In future the meetings will be held on the second Friday in the month at 7.30 p.m. Hamilton Post office. —Gr. Sandes said he wished to draw attention to the Hamilton mail services'. The Auckland mails, he said, closed at five minutes past 1 o'clock, and as the mail from Auckland was seldom sorted before that time, it was impossible to reply by return. The railway authorities gave excellent facilities for carrying mails, but the action taken by the post-office authorities prevented the Hamilton people from enjoying them. By closing the mails at this time the post-office people allowed themselves 40 minutes for doinc work which for years occupied only 15 minutes, and thus prevented the business people taking advantage of the return mail ; this was a serious incon-venience.—-Cr. Gwynne endorsed the remarks of the former speaker regarding the Auckland mails, and said that great inconvenience was caused by the Cam bridge mails and those from other places in that direction being carried on to Frankton instead of being taken out at Hamilton West. This course kept the mails an hour longei than was absolutely necessary. The mail was not sorted until 10.30 or later, aud three days a week the mail closed at a quarter to eleven in order to catch a train leaving Hamilton West at five minutes to 12, thus allowing no time to do anything in the way of business. The Hamilton East people were worse off than that.— Several other speakers followed, all being of the opinion that some alteration was necessary.—His Worship the Mayor and Crs. Sandes and Gwynne were then appointed a committee to communicate with the Chief Postmaster upon the matter. Traction ExgineT—The attention of the Council was drawn to the frequency with which the traction engine crossed and re-crossed the Traffic Bridge, and it was resolved to write to the owner upon the subject. DOMAIN BOARD. The Hamilton Domain Board met immediately afterwards. Admission to Square.—The Waikato Amateur Athletic Club wrote asking for permission to use, and charge admission to, Sydney Square on the occasion of its benefit sports meeting, to be held on May 11th, 1893.—Granted. Reskrves. —It was decided to put the Galloway and Lake Reserves up for auction.