HAMILTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XII, Issue 974, 19 September 1878, Page 2

HAMILTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

At a meeting- of the Hamilton Borough Council held on Monday evening — Present : the Mayor, and Civs. Gaadin, Gardiner, Grywrine, Hume, and Cox — two of the newly elected nioinbers, Messrs Knox and Potter, were introduced to the Mayor and took the oath and their seats. The minutes of the preceeding meeting were then read and confirmed. A letter was read from the ftlayor to Mr Whilaker at Wellington, stating that ho feared the placing of the town belt and reserves under the Domain Act would not give the corporation power to lease the same, and asking him to get a special Bill passed to enable the corporation to let the land lor 10 years. Cr. Potter asked it the Mayor had taken counsel's opiuion on the question. The Mayor said he ha-i not.

Cr. Potter thought the term Jiskedfor uhould be not ten bat fog]g^^^Ffcv^£nty-nne years. yj4P?Te\egrtim) was read from Mr stating that the Borough, ehd^meniks were gazetted. : vWjter^s read from Mr Seddon, as j|niirmimi' of the East Hamilton Schoql Committee forwarding resolution^^^rae requesting the Council to rehitvo the water lying around the sclioolhoase. " A- telegram- was read from Mr Whitaker saying he had arr\nged for taking up- £5,000 worth of debentures .m, January, the Government grant of £3,000 being available meantime ; also stating that it would be difficult to get a Bill passed respecting the endowments which was all the more needless as the power under the Domain Act was ample. Cr. Potter said if certain clauses of the Public Works were proclaimed the place complained of by the East School Committee would be drained. . It was, agreed ti proclaim the clauses acd acquaint Mr Seddon with the action taken. . \ A statement of the Borough accounts was iread she wing a debii ! balance of £173 Is7d. It was agreed to hold over the appointment of Clerk of Works to bridgejfor a month, and that the extension of time be advertised. The papers containing 1 ' receipts and expenditure and to whom the money had been paid, were laid on the table. The Mayor stated that the station road had cost to the present time. £174. Cr. Potter thought the Borough Engineer should receive written instructions as to what he was expected to do. He understood such instructions had not been given, and moved ;« That ; Mr Breakell be authorised to take such levels as he considered necessary for fixing the permanent levels of the Borough, ; ;andi also , prepare- -a map of the Borough, shewing public buildings, reserves, &c,":-, r The Mayor asked that the resolution.be withdrawn, He had been slighted by Mr Breakell, and he thought the Council should uphold him. Mr Br'eakell had never condescended to answer the letter sent by the Town Clerk* on the Gth instant. Cr. Potter did not wish to place the Maiyor m false position, nor yet to place himself m one. In'striictions miist be given to a public officer, riot m a public house, which was the case m the instructions firsts given by the Mayor to Mr Breakell. The Mayor denied that the instructions were given m a public house. Cra. Knox and Gwynne thought the Council had been treated with disrespect. A discussion arose as to the desirability of employing the services of an Engineer m all works undertaken by the Council. Cr. Potter thought this might be done for a cost of 5 per cent, on the outlay. It was decided that, it would be better to wait till the levels had been fixed. Cr Knox thought the new Council should take a walk over the district, and see for themselves the state of the various streets and roads, Cr. Gwynne drew attention to the resolutio.r passed at the late meeting of ratepayers of the late East Hamilton Town Board district, and proposed that a leVer be written to the Waikato County Council asking for the money. Cr. Knox thought it a barefaced attempt to rob the Council. Cr. Potter challenged Cr. Gwynne to table a resolution, and have the matter fairly discussed. The standing orders were then ■suspended to enable Cr. Gwynne to move the following resolution :— That this Council cannot but express regret at the line of action taken at a. meeting, called by the "Waikato Ajfijurfcy Council, of the ratepayers of the late Hamilton East Township Highway Board, for the purpose of deciding where and how their share of the £40,000 granted by Government should be expended — a resolution having been proposed and carried at that meeting that it should be expended m making .roads outside the Borough (thsy knowing full well that that money should be a part of the funds of the Borough)— and that the Clerk be instructed to write to the Waikato County Council requesting payment of the same to the Borough forthwith. Cr. Kriox seconded the resolution. Cr. Potter moved the following amendment, which Cr. Gardiuer seconded : — That, m furtherance of the great aim of the Waikato County Council to bring all traffic into and through the Borough of Hamilton, this Council endorse the action of the Waikato County Council m respect of the proposed expenditure of tho amount of funds m their hands of the £40,000 grant which may have accrued to any portion of the Waikato County. For the amendmet, Crs. Potter and Gardiner ; for the resolution, Crs. Gaudin, Gwynne, Cox, and Knox. The meeting then separated.