Borough Council.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 106, 24 September 1901, Page 3

Borough Council.

The monthly meeting of the! Borough Council was held last 1 liveiling, there being present-, His Worship the and Councillors Bitchener, Jones, Cameron,. Inkster, Barclay, Coltman, Nicol, Sinclair and Freeman. Correspondence sVas read as follows: From Mr A. Bruce, agreeing to accept the sum of £5 for his land on Butcher's *Lane, required for widening purposes, and asking that the line should be marked off at once. It. was resolved to get the land ißurveyei and transferred as soon a 3 possible. From the secretary to the Oddt'llows' Lodge, stating that a deputation would wait upon the Council with reference to the alterations ordered in the hall. From Mr J. W. Marchant* agreeing to come down to Waimate before Sept. 28, to consult abjut the water supply. The writer said he had heard that Dr. Symes objected to the supply on ih« score of its purity and its small quantity, which the writer Vi >nght were wrong. If the Kelcy'sßush supply were declared against, he thought other schemes Wi.hin the means of the Council were feasible.

His Worship said if Dr. Symes did not send the result of an analysis of Kelcy's water, the Council should get an analysis of their own. Personally, he had not the slightest suspicion of the either as to its quantity or quality. Mr Colt man said they had gone to considerable expense already, and lsr Symes' remarks had had a very damping influence on the ratepayers generally. With an independant analysis they would have some definite information on the subject. He moved that a sample of Kelcy's water should be'sent to Professor Black, of Ifcrnedin* for analytic

His W'M'aliip agreed with th< j resolution.. He said there were enough difficulties in the way of the scheme, now; without others being raised which rnight have no. foundation on fact. The resolution was seconded by Cr. Bitchener and was carried unanimously. J DEPUTATION. Messrs C. Jackson and G. cJhackleton waited on the Council with reference to the Oddfellows' Hall. They apologised for their secretary not replying to the Council's letter sooner. The Lodge were of opinion that the doors at pjesent in the hall were enough. The size of the building was not great, and there were five doors opening out of the main hall.

Or. Coltman pointed out that if the doors in the ante-rooms opened outward it might help, but they would not h°> of much advantage in case of fire. Cr. Freeman said there were plenty of means of egress at present. Cr. Sinclair said that if the two ante-room doors opened outwards there could be no danger. Cr. Barclay agreed that there were plenty of means oj exit now for tue size of the hall. He moved that if the ante-room doors were made to open outwards the side door ordered should be dispensed with. Cr. Nicol seconded this, and it was carried. A scaffold license was applied for by Mr T. Marriott, clerk of works for the Waimate Hotel, who also asked for permission to board up the footpath to prevent accidents. The application was granted on the motion of Crs. Coltman and Freeman. A letter was received from Mr J. K. War burton covering the balance-sheet for the year ending March 31st, 1901. The balance-sheet was adopted. The Hon. W. J. Steward wrote re Kelcy's bush. If it were on private land the Forest Department han no control over it. If it were Crown land it wou'd probably be a forest reserve. He enclosed a letter from the Lands Department, saying that the Crown Cands Ranger would confer with the Town Clerk on the matter.

The clerk said Mr Williams had come dowu but had sent nothing in the shape of a report. BOAD GIUDEB TRIAL. The Uonnty Engineer sent a report of the cost of the work done during the trial of the road grader. T>venty-five chains had been done in five hours, at a cost of Is 2fd per chain-.

The Town Clerk said to do the whole nine miles of streets in the Borough would cost £B7 at the same rate.

Cr. Bitchener said that some of the longer street's could be done much cheaper.

Several of the councillors were of opinion that the grader was not much ad'vaniage over the old method of ploughing and then shovelling out the loose material. Cr. Barclay thought a hiu'dh better result was obtained by the grader then by hand labour. The whole street would be levelled by the grader, but by the hand method the levels were made for each yard. He moved that the Council should write thanking the County Council for the use of their grader in the Borough and to Mr Bremner for his attendance and his report This carried unanimously. Cr. Sinclair thought that the channels of the "main thoroughfares should be put in order and tarred. No grass could grow through the tar and it would require nothing done to it for a number t>f years. The loose stuft could be rammed. Cr. Inkster said that the tarring had been tried in the streets of Christchufch and had been a failure. Cr. Sinclair said that was not so.

Cr. Barclay moved that the County Council should be asked on what terms, if any, they would hire out their grader and teams. Cr. Jones seconded this, and it was carried. Cr. Coltman moved that an experiment should be made with ploughing and digging out the side channels, and this was agreed to.

Mr E. Bannerman wrote asking for a share of the Borough Council's printing. A committee, consisting of His Worship the Mayor, Crs. Barclay, Goltman, Nicol and Cameron were set up to consider the whole matter of the printing and advertising. The surfaceman reported that he had carted 163 yards pf shingle during the month. The footpaths on High street needed about 180 yards of shingle, for which he suggested tenders should be called. Michael street was in bad order and needed attention. There was a quantity of screened shingle available just now. , The xown Clerk reported on the return he had prepared of the shingling in Queen street. The distance \%as 82-£ chains, taking 528 yards of metal; 71 days were taken by the surfaceman, the total cost being £SB 19s 6d, Allowing for breaking, £6 10s to be deducted; the cost per yard was 2a. The tenders off ered j we.re Is 4d per yardi I It was resolved to call for I tenders for shingling on High street footpaths recbmmended by the surf ace in in, tenders to be accepted by the Mayor and Crs. Freeman, Inkster and Goltman. Referring to the Qudeii street shingle* Gr. BiUhener said it

would never do to do a big job at that rate. Cr. Inkster said he had been told that it would not be done by contract und«r 2s. -i

The Inspector of Nuisances reported that the river-bed was being used as a general dumping I ground tor rubbish, and this \v£u objectionable, especially when it was on the read line. Cr. Jones said the matter should be well considered, as it had been cropping up for all time. It was agreed that nothing could be done, as the place complained of was outside the borough. The Town Clerk reported that a committee of the County Council had met the Borough Council with reference to the pound, and that the committee would report to their next meeting. Ii was resolved to ask the County Council to put the pound in order, as the borough had maintained it for years. His Worship pointed out that, during the past year 100 animals - had been impounded there from the borough and 2000 from the county. Included in the accounts was £47 lis for uniforms for the Fire Brigade. Only £ls had been authorised to be spent, and Crs.' Freeman and Nicol moved that they should pass the full amount. Cr. Coltman alone dissented. His Worship was of opinion that the extra amount could not be voted at ; that meeting unless by a unanimous Council. Accounts amounting to £lO7 6s lOd were passed for payment. Cr. Barclay said with reference to the library subsidy that Mr Hamilton was of opinion that a ] direct rate could not bo levied for library purposes, and this had affected his opinion on the question of the subsidy. He moved' that the Municipal Association j ahould be asked to get their solicitor to give his opinion on this question. The advice would cost nothing and would be valuable. Cr. Jones seconded this and it was carried. DOMAIN BOARD. The Council then sat as a Domain Board. The caretaker reported on the work done during the month. It was resolved to ensure the caretaker under the Employers' Liability Act. Accounts amounting to £5 7s Id were passed, and the meeting ended at 9.55 p.m.