CAMBRIDGE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2264, 13 January 1887, Page 2

CAMBRIDGE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

A special meeting of the above council was held on Tuesday at 2.30 p.m. Present: His Worship the Mayor, councillors J. Hally, H. Gillett, A. Hughes, and A. Clements. The Mayor said the meeting had been called to consider the advisability of proceeding with the attempt to raise a loan of £3000. Some correspondence about a water sclietno had been received, and as that would affect the loan he thought now would be the proper time to have it read. The clerk then read the following letter from Mr G. W. Russell to the Mayor:—'* " Herewith I beg to hand you a memorial signed by a number of ratepayers in various parts of Cambridge, asking that the borough council will be pleased to consider the desirability and best means of obtaining an efficient supply of water. In doing so the promoters of the memorial fully recognise that it is the function of the council to make enquiries as to cost, and the most advantagous scheme, bearing in mind present and prospective needs of the population. Tho need of a supply of water is so generally felt and recognised that it was not thought necessary to make a house to house canvass for names, and the signatures obtained are representative of the town generally, no single refusal being given. I may bo permitted to point out that the large sums paid yearly in Cambridge, for carting water, sinking and deepening wells, providing and repairing pumps, &c., would be saved if a water supply were laid on, and would go a very long way towards meeting interest _on tho necessary expenditure." The petition was as follows: —To His Worship the Mayor and the Borough Council. Gentlemen, —Owing to the great scarcity of water and the inconveniences and expense to which the inhabitants generally arc being put for want of an efficient supply, we, the undersigned ratepayers and pro-perty-holders, respectfully request chat your honourable council will be pleased to take into consideration at your earliest convenience the desirability of a water supply being obtained, and also the best and most efficient means of obtaining that end. —We are gentlemen, your obedient servants, G. A. Macara. J. M. Hally, W. N. de L. Willis, J. S. Bond, Thus. Wells, Thomas Nixon, G. W. Russell, J. " llson, Gr. J. Neal, J. Houghton, R. W. Sargent, R. \V. Dyer, E. Waddington, T. B. Lewis, F. J. Brooks, J. W. Merrick.-The Mayor said the petition appeared to be repectably signed, but he thought the persons signing it had not taken into consideration the question of finance. Personally he should prefer a water supply, but failed to see how it could be managed at present. He asked for some motion on the letter and petition. — Cr. Hughes: If a public meeting is held respecting the loan, cannot we take the feeling regarding the water scheme at the same time.—Cr. Hally : Can it not be an alternative sum ?—The Mayor referred to the Act, and said it could not. The amount wanted must be stated, and also how it was to be applied. If we ask for a larger loan we must ask for larger rating power. He did not know if the ratepayers would care to be taxed to pay extra interest. Or. Clements thought very little reliance could be placed on public meetings. People would often hold up their hands, and afterwards vote against it when it came to the poll.—Cr. Hughes: I feel certain the £3000 loan will not be carried. 1 think more would vote for it if the water schemo was attached to it. —Cr. Clements: The petition bears very few signatures of large ratepayers.—The Mayor pointed out one name on the petition of a person who was not a ratepayer, and said personally he did not care if the ratepayers refused to vote for tb,e loan. Ho would never bother about it again.—Cr. Hally proposed, " That in reference to the petition signed by G. W. Russell and 14 other ratepayers, the council does not see its way to increase the liabilities for a permanent supply of water to the town in addition to the proposed loan for the construction of roads, &c. —Seconded by Cr, Gillett and carried. Letter from Mr G. S. Cooper, Colonial Secretary's office, in reply to a letter from the Mayor, said: "The Government cannot anticipate the action of Parliament pending the passing or otherwise of an Act to validate the Borough of Cambridge. The clerk read a copy of a letter that had been sent to the Colonial Treasurer asking for further information regarding the proposed loan, lo this the Mayor had received the following reply by telegraph. "Subject to all things being in legal order, I will take the debentures at par, bearing five and a halt per cent interest running for thirty, forty, or fifty years. The Hamilton debentures mro for fifty years but they have a power of redeeming at six months notice. cannot give yon unless the interest is six per cent instead of five and a half. There is a great difference in value of debentures now to what there was when I agreed to take the Hamilton ones. Allow we to wish youa happy new year.—Julius Vogel. Ihe Mayor said the reply wasso far satisfactory. The balance due on the Karapiro bridge was £500 ; the bank overdraft £640, and a sum of £1800 would be left to make the roads within the borough.—Cr. Gillett asked if the loans could be considered at all until the Valuation Act was passed, and if he could pay the bank overdraft out of a loan.—The Mayor replied to both questions in the affirmative. Proposed by Cr. Gillett, seconded by Cr. Clements, " That this council resolve to borrow the sum of £3000, on obtaining the consent of the ratepayers, for the following purposes. Forming, grading and gravelling about eight miles of roads within the Borough, £1800; to repay liabilities on account of bank overdraft £040 ; to pay off or consolidate balance of loan for Karapiro bridge £5(50. Also that a special rate of (id in the £ be struck as security for the payment of the interest on the said Joan, together with the total revenue of the borough, and that the clerk be instructed to give the necessary notices under section 121 of the Municipal Corporation Act, 1880. Carried.

After the close of the above meeting the usual fortnightly meeting was held. Proposed by Cr. Hughes and seconded by Cr. Hally that Mr Smerdon having failed to take up the contract for addition to office, the tender of H. Carter (22'J 8s) be accepted. Carried. Letter from the Minister of Education saying the site for the Auckland Univer, sity is one for the authorities to consider. Letter from Mr li. W. Dyer asking on behalf of the public library for the free use of the Public Hall for the 18th inst, the committee having arranged for an entertainment, to be given on that date. Gaanted. , . Mr Westby was re-appointed Registrar of Dogs, the fee to be 5s per dog. The town clerk was authorised to instruct Mr Carter to prime the new office, and to get tenders for the paij)tjng of |he whole building, such tenders to Ije received untjl 2 p.m. on Tuesday, the 28th inst. The following accounts were passed for payment:—W. Souter, 19s 5d ; J. W. Merrick, £1 Is; J. S. Bond, 12s 6d ; W. Bartles, £7 4s; J. P. Thomson, £1G 9s 3d :W. G. Collins, £2 8s; R. McVeigh, £2 i>s. Cr. Hughes gave notice that at next meeting of the council lie would bring up the gppojntment of W. G. - Collins as that M. Clement's name be added to the Public Works Committee! This concluded the business. , .