Borough Council.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume II, Issue 155, 29 May 1900, Page 3

Borough Council.

The usual monthly meeting of the above was held last evening, His Worship the Mayor (chair), Councillors ColleU, O'Connor, Jones, Philip, Mann, Cameron, Inkster, and Coltman being present. An apology was received from Cr. Sinclair. After the minutes liad been confirmed, correspondence was read from Lands Department stating that the Drainage Beserve had been vested in the Council. His Worship the Mayor explained that this was a mistake and only part wis vested in the Council. From Hon. W. J. Steward, re the Drainage Beserve, that owing to Mr McKeniiie's illness no action had been yet taken to get the rest of the Beserve vested in the Council. From the Defence Department, stating that no common Patriotic i Fund had been established for ' New Zealand, but one would be established if thought desirable, and money taken care of in the meantime. Ft'O.ii the South Canterbury Charitable Aid Board stating thai the Council's annual subsidy to that Board vvas £48 19s lOd. r Cr. Coltman explained that this 1 was £8 less than other years. From F. Colville, apologising for not starting boarding in the rotunda, but promising to start ' next week. — Beceived. i From the Secretary Oddfellows' Lodge, offering to provide oil and i light the lamp near the Hall if the \ Council provide the lamp and [ post. — His Worship explained that it had beon thought that the I Oddfellows should provide a lamp near the hall and the present compromise was the result of a conference between himself and | the Oddfellows' Secretary. — Decided, on the motion of Crs I O'Connor and Jones, to erect the i lamp post at the Oddfellows' Hall i the Lodge to maintain the light. FiomMrJ. H. Dean, for the Wai mate Co-operative Association, j re the staying of the building of : their stable, and pointing out that another building of i like nature had been allowed to be completed, and. he would respectfully ask tbe council to reconsider their decision.— His Worship reported, | for the committee appointed to i report on the matter, that they | had examined the building and had found that by no stretch of the imagination could it be called an old building shifted, and they had stayed its completion. Councillor O'Connor asked who' was responsible for buildings goiuf? up in the borough without the Council hearing anything of them. He thought the man who came and asked leave to shift buildings was put to a. great deal of trouble, while others put them up without saying anything about it. Councillors generally agreed that someone should be responsible for the reporting of any buildings going up without leave. As regards the other buildings which had been put up, the Council had no knowledge of them, and even ho, two blacks did not make one white. It wan out of the Council's power to allow a building to be put up in anything but brick within the inner area without rescinding the bylaw in question. Finally, after considerable discussion, the action of the committee was confirmed. It was resolved that the clerk bo instructed to report to the Council any infringeumenta of the borongh bylaws, with special reference to the inner area. It was resolved that the overdraft of £66 15s 4d be a liability of the Council for -the cunent year, A report was received from Mr B. G. Baxter re Shearman street. The deepest cutting would be 2Ct at the Temperance Hall, whence it would gradually dwindle to nothing at the Mill road. -It might be necessary, at some future time, to mike a culvert from Shearman street to the Council's drain at ,the Dairy Factory. The Finance Committee's report was laid on the table, and showed the estimated receipts and expenditure to be each ooti Mb 6d. Councillor Coltman thought that the time would cotne when the rate would have to bo raised. Most of tbe revenue for the present year \v&& ear-marked, and there was no provision for contingencies, such .as sanitary measures, etc. Any councillor who proposed to raise the rates would suffer later on, but the question would have to be laced and someone must bring it up. Councillor Jones -thought Waimate was already rated very high as compared with other boron gs,h but other councillors were of the opinion that Waimate was fairly low*

Councillor Mann thought there was no need for an increase, as no special work is to be undertaken. His Worship held that with more money they could undertake more works in the borough, and at any rate the money would not be wasted. After considerable discussion as to the ways and means, the question of doing Shearman street being; insppaiably joined to a higher lato, the Finance Committee's report was adopted nn.mirujusjiy, and the 1 ate is Is m the 4! i'or another year. The Sanitary Committee reported ou the work done since last meeting. The committee had visited a nurnbei of insanitary buildings, which they had ordered to be put in a sanitary condition. Several cases of overcrowding in unsanitary houses had bt*ou found, and these had been dealt with summarily, some being ordered to be pulled down. The committee considered cess pools should be concreted. On the question of cess pools, Cr. lukscer thought very badly of uhem. '"While we had to use the water from wolls, cess pools should Uj allowed only under sanitary conditions. Expense should not be considered in the matter of health. Crs generally thought that if the council compelled people to concrete cess pools, they should provide the appliance to empty them, and charge those using it for its use. The quotation of cess pools -was, after discussion, referred back to the Sanitary Committee. The Sanitary Committee also bi ought up the question of rubbish, and, after discussion, it was decided to put it m the river bed out oJ" bight oi the rot'd. The Inspector of Nuisances reported that he'had given reports to the Sanitary Committee on various pig-styes, insanitary buildings, etc. His Worship said that the Inspector of Nuisances had been of very great use to the Sanitary Committee. The Inspector wrote, stating that as he had had a great deal of oxtra work in connection with sanitary matters, lie would ask for extra pay. — Left to the Sanitary Committee. Cr O'Connor brought up the matter of the JOI.A. Co. selling liquors without a license, and the matter was left fco the clerk. On the question of blinding the streets, as provided for by the Works Committee, the clerk explained that a team was not obtainable. The Chairman reported sending a cable to Colonel Baden -Powell at a cost of £-1 J2s. If there was any objection to the Council paying for it he would pay it himself. — It was decided that as it was a tolfgram from the whole town, the Council should pay it. Accounts amounting to £90 [)t> 6d were passed, and the Council sat as a

DOMAIN BOABD. The caretaker reported receipts for tne month to" be £1 10s- The windmill has been commenced. He had seat for certain shrubs to to Melbourne as authorised. Accounts amounting to £4 Gd lOd were passed and the meeting terminated at 10.35 p.m.