CAMBRIDGE DOMAIN BOARD

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 298, 7 June 1898, Page 2

CAMBRIDGE DOMAIN BOARD

A meeting of the above Board was held on Saturday at 230 p.m. There were present:—Messrs T. Wells (chairman), E. Hewitt, J. Fisher, A. Bach (Mayor of the Borough), and E. Lake (chairman of the Pukekura Road Board). The New M ember.—The Chairman welcomed Mr Lake as a member of the Board, and said they had lost a good member in Mr Allen, the former chairman of the Pukekura Board, but he was sure, from what he knew of Mr Lake, that they had one who would take inter* est in the work and would look after the welfare of those he was sent to represent. —Mr Lake thanked the Chairman for his words of welcome, and said he was as yet a " new chum," but as time went on he hoped to prove of use in managing Domain affairs, and he should at all times be ready to take his share of the duties. They all knew that they had a chairman who was eminently suited for the billet he occupied, and who did the lion's share of the work, but they must all try and help him as much as possible.

The Lower Walk.—Mr Fisher reported that he and Mr Allen had inspected the work done on the lower level of the lake by Mr Purdie, jun., and had pissed the account for payment, though they felt thai they were hardly able to form a fair estimate of wh&t work had been done, as they had not previously been over the ground.—The Chairman said the account had been paid, and he felt that the Board had got good value for its money. •

The Rents.—A statement of the rents owing at date was laid upon the table. It showed that £ll3 Os 2d was due. — The Chairman said the debit balance at date was £34 13s Id, and the accounts to pass that day amounted to £l7 7s 4d. Many of the tenants owed two quarters, and would doubtless pay up, but there were a few who were a long way behind, and it would be necessary to take stringent measures with them.—lt was resolved to at once put the law iu motion to compel everyone to pay up promptly ; and on Saturday next, the 11th instant, warrants to sue for the rents will be forwarded for the Governor's signature.

The Caretaking ok the Lake Reserve. The Chairman said their present' contract with Mr Purdie would terminate on the 30th instant, and it would be necessary for them to decide what they should do about the caretaking of the Lake Reserve before that time arrived. He suggested the members should inspect the grounds before they decided what to do in the matter.—Mr Bach thought they should call tenders for the work, or that they should fix the remuneration and then invite applicants for the situation. They could get plenty of men who could do the work, indeed he did not think the present caretaker had kept the lower level in a good state at all. Mr Purdie always wanted something further when he had taken a contract, and he believed the grounds could be kept in quite as good a state as they had been for two guineas a week, without any extra payment. He did not think Mr Purdie was the only landscape gardener in New Z-aland, and if they advertised in the Auckland papers they would get plenty of applicants.—Mr Fisher agreed with Mr Bach that it was very unsatisfactory to have a contract taken at a certain price and then for the contractor lo want more for carrying it out.—Mr Wells did not mind who they had as long as they had a competent gardener. The grounds were now in good order and he should be sorry, indeed it would be a siiij to see them going back to the state they were formerly in.—After some further discussion it was unanimously resolved : That tenders be invited for a competent man as gardener and caretaker of the Lake Reserve, for a period of one year as fi oin the first proximo. Tenders to be returnable on Monday, the 27th instant. The Chairman and Messrs Bach and Lake to be a committee to arrange the work and draft the specifications. The committee will meet on Friday next at 11 a.m , and the Board will sit again on Monday, the 26th, at 2.30 p.m.

Leases. —The Chairman submitted a list of the leases that will first fall in, most of them being in the year 1902. He said there was a.clause in the leases compelling the tenants to break up the land and lay it down in grass four years before the termination of the leases, and it was for the Board to consider what should be done regarding it, and whether they should take the tenants on ugainat the same rent or call for tenders again. —Mr Bach was of the opinion they should have to call tenders for the allotments again.—The Chairman said he mentioned the matter in order that the members could think the matter over, for he knew that some of the tenants were getting anxious about it. Accounts.—The following accounts were passed for payment as soon as the funds are available :—T. and S. Morrin, £, r ) 10s ; T. Wells, £2 5s 4d ; J. Young, £2 3s 3d ; J. Bridgman, 8s ; J. S. Bond, 9s ; rates, ss; Wilkinson and Co., 7s 6d; S. Lodder, 8s; A. Johansen, lis 3d; freight, 2s; clerk's salary, £5 ; total, £l7 9s 4d. That terminated the business.