CAMBRIDGE TOWN BOARD.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1785, 13 December 1883, Page 2

CAMBRIDGE TOWN BOARD.

Tm: usual monthly meeting 1 of tho above body was held at the board office on Mou- • day e\ oiling la->t. Piesent : Ci->. T. WolU (chairman), E. Hewitt and Richaidsou. The minutes of the previous) meeting were confirmed. Town K\now.Mi;.\Th.— The ceitificates of ; title to the le^pettive allotments recently : conceded by the Government to the town as endowments, and which we have already referred to at considerable length in a former issue, were laid on the table, and the couospondenee regarding them as between the Government, the waste lands board and the town board was read and consideied. The meeting was of opinion that the Government had not been so decidedly liboi.il in the matter as they had been led to expect. The very sections or allotments which they could make auvthing out of wore the ones to which the Government had not given titles. These were the laige allotment dnectly opposite the National Hotel and the sale-yard reserve allotment, upon which the board office was standing. The former, fiom its size and central position, and its extensive frontage, if handed o\ er to the board, umestricted, would be a veiy valuable endowment, and would, if leaded, bring in a very hand.some revenue. — The Chairman considered that the Go\ enmieut had made a mistake regaiding section 571, to which a certificate of title had been received. This section was away out of the town altogether, and on the bank of the Waikato river opposite Hally's mill, and could ha of very little practical utility to the town, either as a soiuce of revenue or anything else. It had been leserved some time ago for purpose,-! in connection with a proposed scheme of water supply, but which had since been abandoned, and consequently could be of no service even in this respect. Still the Government in giving them a certificate of title to this section termed it the cattle sale yard reserve. He was firmly of opinion thot No. 575 instead of 571, the former being the proper sale yard reserve, was the section which the Government intended giving them. As to the Public Hall site they were all doubtless aware that the board had been successful in securing the section immediately behind the building, and which had not been included in the fii&t lot. He would now suggest to the board that representations be made to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, asking him to have ceitificates for Nos. 574 and ."> 75 issued. There was another matter in connection with these endowments which he wished to speak upon. They would remember that at a public meeting held in June, 1882, the board was asked to take steps to have the Public Hall site vested in them ; and the committee of that institutiou subsequently passed a resolution, supporting the request of the public meeting, and enclosed a copy of both lesolntions to tho board, asking them to take steps towards giving effect to them. Now that the board Had got the site vested in it it would be in ordei for them to write to the hall committee, informing them of the fact, and asking them what they would recommend to be done. The most likely course for the hall committee to pursue was to hand their property over to the boaid, asking them to make such provision as to relieve them from their present liability. He believed £150 would pay off all the present liabilities, both of the hall and the library. The scheme for the enlargement of the library had been under consideration for some time ; and that for tho improvement of the hall was likewise of comparatively ancient date. They had now ample powers to ask the ratepayers to authorise a loan of several hundred pounds to meet the cost of giving effect to both these schemes, A small rate extended over a certain number of years would work off the loan in a way which would barely be felt by the ratepayers. — Cr. Hewitt said that the hall committee was about to call a meeting to consider the matter referred to by Cr. Wells*. Mr Campbell had given it as his opinion that they could not raise a loan on tho security of the allotments, they being grants for speoifio purposes. — The Chairman said they had power under part 12 of the Municipal Corporations Act to borrow money for either the Public Hall or the library, but the loan would have to be got on security of the rate struck over all the rateable property of the. town.— Cr. Hewitt believed tho revenue .derived from the hall would pay the interest on the loan. — The Chairman did not think they wanted any res.olu. tion further than instructing tllQ olerk to notify the both committees that the board was now in possession of the Crown grants Qf |h.e respective sites, and would be glad to submit any proposition to the ratepayers embodying the wishes of the two bodies. They could propound some definite aoheine which could' be submitted to the board at its next meeting,' ' Than a public meeting of ,tha ratepayers could ,be ( called, and, -the ' schemes sn omitted tp them, with whatever modifications 'the board shoiild suggest: — Tnis course was unanimously agreed on. ' Adulteration of ,'2Toop Jt Act.— Th,e* J.Ghairman stated that4t?wAsjfnow:^nie the board should take pojtne fflera^ibj^^this

local officer. The act; came into fores on the first of September. It was agreed to appoint Constable Brennan to the office of 'inspector uHder the act. '"1" 1 ' T ,"^v» Accounts.— Several accounts were passed for payment. Bank - jOvehdraftv— The t Chairman stated that'the board had 'an overdraft at the bank of £743. This closed the business of the meeting.