Borough Council.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 122, 12 March 1901, Page 3

Borough Council.

A special meeting of the above was held !..st eviu'i'ug. Present I Its Worship tii l vr (chan) and C rs, J ulcster. Cam,Won. Maun, i’ui'ip, OVouiior, Sinclair, Bean, Coltman ami -I ones. I!, for., 1 tlm ordinary mooting n 111 ling of the Works (Ami.nit mo was be;-:. diet Commit tea report'd having nrovi-i-mallv puff'd the homo and dray of vim borough suwaceman. It, wa. dee: 1 I t i recomui to 1 the t’oemed to adopt, tin* Bpecb'iwuious for 'J;e appointment of that oliieial ns drawn up. town cr.r.UKsrnp. The Mayor said the next businoss was (be appointment of Town Clerk. Cr. Mann said that fhqv ought to do j bintra in otab r, aid he would like to bear the Clerk’s authority tor calling t he special meeting. The Cl ;k read his authority from l.in* Mavor.

A pn. Cations were tl'n-n opened from (r. I>. iv it, W iim; V r . 11. Co'lvt,

mile; Cirn. Akhurst. Wliniate. (Jr. Sinclair m >v'-d and Or. Do in sneond-il That Mi Charles Akhtt’-st. ho unpointed Town Clerk to the Borough of Wiim-ite.”

Cr. Mann thought the whole question should be held ov ir til! the new Council was elected. It would not be made, by a unanimous in .cling, and it would be putting tho new Cierk in a false position if he was elected and his position only lasted a month. it seemed to him absurd to hurry it

through. His Worship said he was prepared to vote on the merits of candidates, and it was a pity to say that one party ■would vote one way and another in a diflerent wav.

Or. Coltman said that at. last meeting His Worship gave them to understand that if a fair number of applications did not come forward they would advertise outside. The Council ought to rescind the in M.ion and advertise outside. However good Mr Akhnrst’s qualifications were for keeping books, he did not consider him fit for the position of Town Clerk. Ho thought the time now fitting to say so. One most important thing was that they should have a in in who was a diainter-sted party. Mr Akhurst was not, but had gone outside and had been favourable to one section of the Council. (His Worship: In the Council Chambers and to you Mr Akhurst has acted all right.) Nothing of the kind. For a man who had to act as returning of’ficr they required a man who was absolutely disinterested. There were many things outskle the keeping of books, and Mr Akhurst was lacking in those. He would vote against his appointment. Cr, Jones considered the money ihny were offering for the clerical work too much for what they wanted done. They should get a man with some knowledge of road work and who could look round the borough for that money. He had no objection to Mr Akhurst personally—he was the best man applying and had got into the run of the work. If he were going to vote at all he would have voted for -"Mr Akhurst, The streets were -in a terrible state, and councillors could not look after and report all necessary work.

Cr. Inkster said a good many works would be undertaken later on—water and other things—and they wanted a man capable of supervising them, which none of the applicants could do. They should sink all their differences and, in the interests of the ratepayers, put in the man, not give the position to their'friends. He did not care if bis brother was applying, he would vote against Jiim it he were not qualified. They had applications from splendid men before and they could get them again.

(■l'. O Connor said ho was formerly in favour of advertising outside, but was not now. He did net consider the salary too high. They would not ;et a man with engineering ability for less than £2OO.

( ! r. Inkster said he could get outside vork.

Or. Philip thought the matter was >i bother they -should appoint a town clerk as advertised for or not.

Or. (himoron-was of opinion that the applications should be considered on their merits. They really needed a man to look after the streets and their employees. His Worship; He would have to carry out the instructions of the council, Ho himself thought they would not get a man with engineering abilry for the money. If they did they would have to give him time off during the month, and trouble would arise. He did not say that mistakes had not been made in the office. As an accountant Mr Akhurst may not have been conversant with the Acts governing the council, but he was now. There had been trouble in the council, and most of the mistakes had been -raked np because of this friction, more being charged against Mr Akhurst than was fair.

Or. Coffman; I think he is a good man spoiled.

His Worship said a surfaceman was appointed who was supposed to know ali about the roads. He should take more instructions from the Works (kmnnitt.ee than were usually given. This body should ur-et every month and make suggestions. In regard to the office woik, lie would point to the Municipal Corporations Act of lastsession, that, anolh a- valuation hail to bo introduced and tlv.it the rating on unimproved values had replaced the old system, all these things involving a great deal of labour and anxim-y to grasp. The only man who could better Mr Akhurst at the legal work was Mr (dement. In this con nev-tion he would say that he would be glad to go through Mr Jlatnihen’s

account, dispiiri-d a( last meeting. and ylcaw ihai neither bn nor the clerk had obtained I.'Mft! advice unnecessarily. Ida thought tile best interests of the' b'rough would bo served by appointing Air Aklmrst. When he prop ised to appoint Mr Baxtur as consulting engineer Cr, Inkster said the work would only cost did per ymr.

Cr, Mann asked for reasons for not holding the m liter over.

Toe Chairman said mis was an old matter already settled. lie was not going to bring it up again.

(T. Mann moved and Cr. Cameron seconded that the matter be held over liil a new Council was elected.

Tiie amendment Was put and IoM. on the easting vote of rh« Chairman. C’r.s. CoiMnau, Inkster, Cameron. Manu and' Jones for it and Crs. Philip. O'Connor Sinclair, Dean and Mr Bare la \ ag dust. Cr. ('oilman moved and Or. Inkster s-'condvd (to put ti; j matl'T in order) tii.al Mr J. It. Clement, be appointed Town Clerk, Tiie seconder said that seeing they 'had had a largo bill for lawyer’s foes. 1 1v appointing Mr Clement this would be saved and go rt Jong way towards paving foill engineer. lie was very furry they could not go outside and appoint a bettor man than Mr Akhursn. Cr, Piiilip aslc-'d Mr Ciemom’s abiiitd *s for ihe position. Cr. Co'tm in .said he was proposing Mr Clement as a iait resort us it had hem determined Hi at they would not go on. ode and advertise. As regards cleric d worlc Mr Ch-uuoofc was quite as capahl ,■ as ■ b, rof the other applica;its. He would be the cheapest man for mo

Or. O’Connor said inure was nuto show t,l j.it Mr Clem mt was g dug lo do tin) legal vurk lor tho sam u figure.

Cr. Sinclair said tho now system of putting inoro work on tho Works Committee had just boon started. Tho ratepayers and tho Council coil’d see if the works were carried out during the month. No engineering work was needed. Mr Akimv.st. was a good man for the position and they would ordy upset the office by bringing in another man.

Cr. Coltman : It wants upsetting

Ci. Cameron said it seemed as if the Works Committee was being slurred. His Worship disclaimed any such intention. He wanted move frequent meetings.

The amendment was put and lose Crs. Coltman, Inkster, Cameron and Mann voting for, and Crs. Philip, O'Connor, Dean, Sinclair and Dr. Barclay voting against. Or. Jones did not vote.

Mr Akhurst was called. The Chairman said Mr Akhurst had been appointed by a bare majority certainly. There had been a good deal of unpleasantness during tho past year, but he hoped the Crs. would now forget all differences. Crs. Mann, Cameron, Jones, Inkster and Column disclaimed personal opposition to Mr Akhurst. The latter said he had used every legitimate moans to get someone else appointed, but ho would always extend every courtesy to Mr Akhurst as he would to anyone else in the office. In replying, Mr Akhurst thanked the Council for appointing him and intimated that he would do the work to the best of his ability.

NIGHTMAN. Applications for the position were received from Mr Alfred James, Ashburton ; Mr John Smith, Waimate; and Mr John Ruby, Waimate. Mr John Smith was appointed. DOMAIN BOARD.

The Committee appointed to accept tenders for building the caretaker’s house then met-.

The question of erecting the fountain at tlfk Park as a Queen’s Memorial Fountain was introduced. A desultory discu3sion''-ei4s«ed,\ but nothing was done.

Out of three tenders that of Mr Fergusson for carpentering work, paint ing. scrimming and papering'the care taker’s house at Knowingly Park 'at £32 10s was accepted. A vote of thanks was passed to 'Mr Philip for drawing up the specifications. Mr Philip agreed to inspect the building operations.