CAMBRIDGE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2226, 14 October 1886, Page 3

CAMBRIDGE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Cambridge Borough Council was held on Tuesday afternoon. Present : Cis. Hough ton, (acting-mayor), Crillett, Hughes, Hewitt, and Hally. The Town Clerk, Mr J. P. Thomson, mentioned that Cr. Hally took his seat as the result of an election which had been held the previous day, when the votes recorded were, for Mr Hally, 98 ; for Mr Johnson, 93 ; and 5 informal. He, us returning officer, had therefore declared Mr Hally elected, and it was now necessary for the new councillor to subscribe the usual declaration. This was accordingly done. Before reading the minutes, the Town Clerk defied to explain that he had originally treated the minutes of tlio last ordinary meeting of the council as the minutes of one meeting, but by direction of Cr. Houghton had subsequently made a fresh entry in the minute book, treating the proceedings of the last meeting up to the time ot Crs. Houghton and Hewitt leaving the room as one meeting, and the after proceedings, when Cr. Crillett had assumed the chair on being voted to it, :<s another mooting.—Cr. Gillett said that only one meeting had been held. The btatenr.ent made by Cr. Houghton that the meeting was closed did not close the meeting. One meeting only had been held, and the minutes were a record of it.— The Town Clerk said he had merely acted on Cr. Houghton's instructions.—Cr. Houghton said it would make no difference. In dividing the minutes, they would be following a custom they had usually adopted before.— Cr. Gillett still maintained that even if half the council left the room at any time the fact would not constitute two meetings.— Cr. Houghton said he had got a legal opinion in the matter, and did not think it worth while opening up ground which had been already gone over, nor did he wish to have a repetition of what had oc curred previously. Cr. Gillett remarked that the council had heard nothing of the legal opinion referred to.— The Town Clerk: "Which am I to read?" Crs. Hally and Gillett : " The original minutes. The minutes of the meeting." The minutes were then read. — Cr. Hewitt said he would object to the lattor part of the minutes, and protested against the legality of what was done during the latter portion of the last meeting.— Cr. Houghton stated that he would sign the minutes as a correct report of the proceedings, but protested against what was done during the latter part of the meeting, as illegal.— Cr. Gillett said the minutes were merely supposed to be a correct record of what was done. As to the legality of the proceedings, that was a matter of after consideration. Some further sparring on the question of the minutes ensued, Crs. Hewitt and Houghton wishing to have their protests duly recorded, and on tho question of the confirmation of the minutes being put to the council it was carried with one dissentient voice (Cr. Hewitt), and the book was signed in due form by the Acting-Mayor. Corkkspon'oexcb.— Cr. Aisher wrote, resigning his seat. — Geoige Smerdon wrote, asking to be allowed to lemove a few loads of earth from the north side of the cutting leading to Mr Moon's house, also to take the earth thrown out of the water-tables in Queen-street and Hamilton road, for the purpose of filling 1 up a hollow in his property. The Clerk explained that the proposed taking of earth from Moon's cutting would be a benefit, as the cutting was narrow. On the motion of Cr. Gillett the matter was referred to the Streets Committee, with power to act.— Mr G. W. Russell wrote, as follows: "The Acting- Mayor and Councillors, Cambridge Borough Council. Gentlemen, in accordance with your request I attended a meeting of Hospital delegates at Hamilton on the 22nd ultimo, and represented the interests of Cambridge. A lengthy discussion took place as to the advisability of endeavouring to secure a reduction in the amount demanded by the Auckland Board for the current year, and the delegates finally resolved to recommend that the Waipa County Council should appeal under section 25 of the Hospitals and Charitable Aid Act. I may say that the cost would not be great, as the case would be arbitrated upon by three commissioners, one appointed by the Auckland , Board, another by the appealing Council, and the third a Resident Magistrate, probably Mr IS T orthcroft. If the Waipa appeal, which would be a test case, were successful, the other bodies in Waikato would, of course, follow suit Hence the delegates agreed to advise their respective bodies to pass a resolution agreeing to pay a proportionate share of the cost of the appeal, and I would respectfully suggest the borough council should pass such a resolution at its first meeting. The cost probably will be only a few pounds, so that your nioiety would be very small, and as a similar appeal down South resulted successfully the point is well worthy of consideration. In connection with the same subject, Charitable Aid, Mr H. Garland wrote on behalf ot the Auckland Board, stating that the Executive Com mitten of the board declined the application made by the council to the Relieving Office for aid to an old man, and refused to grant his admi-sion to the refuge, until the contribution for Charitable Aid purposes due by the county council had been paid. — Mr Hally moved, and Mr Hughes seconded that in the event of the Waipa County Council appealing against the claim for Charitable Aid, the Cambridge Borough should contribute its propurtion of the expenses. Carried. — Re Mr Garland's letter, Cr. Gillett moved that this council protests against the refusal of the Hospitals and Charitable Aid Board to afford relief as the council is liable to be rated and has already paid one contribution that had been demanded by the Waikato County Council. Seconded by Cr. Hewitt, and carried. — Cr. Houghton moved that the thanks of the council be given to Mr Russell for the trouble he had taken in attending the meeting in Hamilton as their delegate. He ahso mentioned that he had informed Mr Russell that his expenses would be paid. — Cr. Gillett seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. — Mr Russell declined to accept any thing for his expenses. — Capt. McPherson wrote on behalf of the Taotaoroa Road Board complaining of the &tate of the road near the Karapiro Bridge : — This had been attended to. — xV communication was received from the Colonial Secretary's office acknowledging receipt of the application for an order-in-council. A number of applications to have alterations made in the burgess roll and to have new names inserted were received, and were considered seriatim. — Before considering the applications Cr. Gillett wished the matter to be understood. The council had power to alter the roll, but could only make such alterations where a separate valuation existed for the property in question. JB'or instance, if a man held ten acres, which were valued in one lot, he could not split up the land into ten allotments and so have nine additional votes placed on the roll, unless a new valuation is taken. And again, in the applications before the council there was nothing to show that even the signatures were genuine, and certainly nothing to prove that the so-called leases or transfers were bona fide. The council would find itself in an awkward position if, after granting some of the transfers asked for, the original possessor of the vote were to ask how his name came to be struck off the roll.— The first application for a transfer from George Hamblin to Harriet Hamblin of a house on section 515 was read, and the Town Clerk stated that he could vouch for the genuineness of the signature, a.s Mr Hamblin signed it in his presence.— An argument on the validity of the proceedings followed, during which Cr. Houghton stated that some of the council were of a different opinion the other day when a man's name was struck otf the roll on the receipt of a letter from a certain gentleman. ■ — Cr. Hewitt said the applications were *' bogus," and they should not go into the matter.— Cr. Hughes: "Well, you've done the same thing before." — Cr. Hewitt : "Yes, and you've done it too, and we've all done things that we ought not f o have done."— After some further talk, Mr Hamblin's application was granted. — Mrs Master to J. S. Master. It was stated tnat hitherto Mr Master had acted as agent for his wife, who now desired to have Mr Master's name placed on the roll as occupier. Granted. — William Corcoran, Johanna Corcoran, and P. Corcoran. Transfers of separate acres from James Corcoran. Application refused, on the ground that theae were absentees' acres, to which James Corcoran had no title further than paying iates.— S. F. Clements applied to be placed on the roll instead of A. Clements, who had hitherto been on the roll as her agent. Granted.— M. P. Hagin applied to be enrolled in place of the executory of Mrs Robinson. Declined, as there was not sufficient information. — W. Kincaid claimed a vote for premises leased by him. Application refused, as the premises wete part of a block of buildings valued in one lot, and the valuation could not be disturbed without due notice.— P. MacMahon waa placed on the roll in respect of property purchased by him, the

Town Clerk certifying to the correctness of the application. — Mrs Kirk wood's claim was admitted to have her name inserted on the roll in lieu of that of R. Kirlcwood, who appeared on the present roll as hor agent. — Transfer from \V. G. Collins to Julia Collins refused, <>n the grounds that the land in question belonged to an absentee. Transfer from A. Gwynneth to John Gwynneth refused, as the property in question formed part of one valuation. — 1). Carnachan to E. Cnrnachan, granted. — R. McVeagh to M. McVeagh, and the same to James Reed, refused, as the property attempted to be disposed of was valued in one lot. — A. G. Jlughos to M. Hughes, transfer of one acre, granted — J. K. Pierce from A. Curry, granted. —J. H. Johnson, as lessee of cottage and allotment, refused, as the property was a portion of a lot valued as a whole. — Edwin Stewart, as lessee of certain property, granted. Tenders were opened for the formation of Bryce-street from Queen to Alpha streets. Two tenders were received, T. Ryan, £9 7s; and Dillon and Hickey, £11 10s. Ryans tender was accepted. Cr. Hewitt drew attention to the condition of the lower part of Bryce-street, between Alpha street and the river, and recommended that the contractor should be instructed to take about five inches out of the water-table for about one chain of that portion of the street, which would drain Ja pool in the roadway and form a passable footpath. The matter was left for the Streets Committee to attend to. The Town Clerk stated that the council possessed copies of the New Zealand Statutes only from 1876' to 1883, as on account of their having purchased Batger's book the Statutes from that date had not been purchased. On the motion of Cr. Hally, seconded by Cr. Hughes, it was resolved to obtain the Statutes up to date. The Town Clerk said it was necessary under the new constitution to have the bank account changed. The present overdraft was £571 14b 4d, for which amount with interest to date a cheque would have to be drawn in favour of the council by the town board. It was resolved to pay off sundry liabilities by cheque on the town board account, prior t# effecting the transfer. The following accounts were passed for payment :— W. Bartlett, £7 4s ; John Sharp, £(! -Is ; Longbottom and Stewart, £2 15s ; J. Rivers, £2 2s ; T. G. Sandes, £2 2s ; G. Smerdon, £2 0s lid ; G. W. Resell, £9 10s Gd ; J. Houghton and Sons, £1 3s 2d ; H. Buckland, 17s Gd ; S. Lodder, £10 Is 2d ; T. Ryan, £10 9s (5d ; J. P. Thomson, £14 lGs 4d ; J. Bridgman, los ; Jas. Watt, 8s ; Wells and Soutter, £4 15s Id ; W. B. Souter, £2 17s 9d. With regard to the ladders constructed by Mr Lodder, it was decided to place one under the verandah of the Borough Council Chamber, and the other alongside the wall of Messrs A. Buckland and Co's horse bazaar. This was all the business.