CAMBRIDGE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2309, 28 April 1887, Page 2

CAMBRIDGE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Thk above council met on Tuesday last, at 3 p.m. Present: The Mayor, (Mr Gwynneth), Councillors J. Hally, A. G. Hughes, A. Clements and H. Gillett. The minutes ot the previous meeting having been read and confirmed, the correspondence, inward and outward was taken.

The Mayor said he had received a letter, and also un account, from the Chairman of the Waikato County Council, but it was of so uncourteous a nature, that he did not think it fit to be placed on the records of the council. He had therefore returned it, together with the following letter :—Uambridge, 14th April, 1887. A. Primrose, Esq., Chairman Waikato County Council. Sin, —I am in receipt of your lengthy letter o£ the 11th instant, in which you inform me that you have caused your clerk to prepare a copy of accounts dating from the time when the district became a separate riding, and transmit it to me under separate cover by the same post, and you further state, " I do not do so because you have any right or title to receive it, but to show that I am desirous of ending this unseemly difference over a small sum of money." The whole tone of this letter is of so discourteous a character that I cannot place it on record, and therefore return it to you. And as I have no desire fjr anything, I have no right or title to, I also return you the copy of the account referred to, which you may keep until I have some right or title to them. —I have the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant, John Gwynneth, Mayor.

The Mayor, continuing, said the whole tone of the letter was most discourtoous, and not at all such a one as the chairman of any local body should send to another. The action of the mayor was unanimously approved of. The Treasury, New Zealand. Wellington, 13th April, 1887. His Worship the Mayor, Cambridge, Sik, —I have the honour, by direction of the Colonial Treasurer, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 19th ultimo, describing the situation regarding the voting for and against a loan under the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act, showing the fruitlessness of the ratepayers of Cambridge efforts to obtain legal sanction to a loan, and suggesting that the Act be amended respecting the majority of votes required to carry a resolution for a loan. The Colonial Treasurer fully recognises the inconvenience, inexpediency, and unfairness of the majority demanded by the Act. It was forced upon the Government by the Legislative Council after several conferences in which the Government strove to obtain assent to a more reasonable proportion between ayes and noes in carrying a poll, and the Colonial Treasurer intends to make an effort to get the Act amended.—l have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant, James C. Gavin, Secretary to the Treasury. Received. Letter from R. W. Dyer, solicitor, to the Town Clerk, under date A pril 21st:—Dear Sir. Borough council to Buckland, —1 forward herewith this lease hi duplicaate for execution, on behalf of the borough. You will observe that thra lease is in strict accordance with the conditions. 1 shall feel obliged if you will take an early opportunity ot having the lease executed.—Yours respectfully, R. W. Dyer. The Mayor said the lease referred to was for section 584 a, which was formerly a Government paddock, but had been conveyed ,to the late town board. In looking over the lease, he found that the statement in Mr Dyer's letter "that the lease was in strict accordance with the conditions " was untrue. According to the lease as prepared by Mr Dyer, the lessee would not have to pay any rates, and he could sub-lease the property. The Town Clerk said Mr Buckland had already paid rates upon it. Cr. Gillett: We have no right to grant Messrs Buckland a lease at all. The Mayor proposed, and Cr. Hally seconded, ''That the lease be returned to Mr Dyer, and that his attention be directed to the fact that the lease had not been drawn out in strict accordance with the conditions of sale." Carried. Cr. Hughes : It strikes me its a bit of a trick. Cr. Gillett: It has been a trick all along. The Clerk was instructed to keep a copy of the lease. From Mr J. M. Gelling acknowledging the receipt of cheque value £34.135, on April 2lst, being the contribution to the hospital, and also thanking the council for their prompt attention. Received. From Mr Ceorge Miinro, asking the conncil to consent to his leases of section 404 and 4(>5 being assigned to the Onehunga Permanent Land an Building Society. Resolved Mint council offer no objection. From H. G. MoCrea, Jnnr. asking for the use of the Public Hall, for rinking purposes. Granted on same terms as in former years, viz., 10s per night when the hall is not required for other purposes. Cambridge, April 25th, 1887. Sir, —I have the honor to request that you will take necessary steps to cause the hedge being the fence along Kirkwoods section in Victoria road to be trimmed and the overhanging branches to be removed. A lady visiter to Cambridge as nearly as possible lost her eye while proceeding to church last night—Yours truly. W. L. C. Williams. To the Mayor. The Town Clerk, (who is agent for Mr Kirkwood), promised that it should receive immediate attention. Cr- Gillett drew attention to the trees in the Courthouse reserve which were overhanging the footpath in Victoria-.stree. It was decided to call the attention of Constable Brennan to the fact ; orders were also given that the surfaceman should in his spare time, top the pine trees in Fortstreet to a height of 7 feet from the footpath. Letter from borough ranger asking the council to declare him exempt from section 16 of By-law No. 2, which relates to driving uncontrolled horses. Resolved that the borough ranger and all other persons when driving horses to the pound be exempt from section 16 of By-law No. 2. The Mayor said he had received numerous complaints of the by-laws being enforced. Many complainod that they had not an opportunity of seeing them. He therefore thought it right to move the following resolution :—" That as many of the ratepayers are unacquainted with the by-laws (they only having been printed a few days), Constable Breman be instructed not to take proceedings under them for one month from date, so that the public may have time to make themselves acquainted with their purport, and that the town clerk be instructed to sell printed copies of the by-laws to the public at 6d each. Seconded by Cr. Hally and carried. Circular from the secretary of the Railway Reform League enclosing a petition, which it was requested the Mayor to sign. Resolved that the Mayor sign it on behalf of the council. Several councillors expressed themselves in favour of Vaile's scheme. The Queen's Jubilee: The Mayor asked what was to be done? Should they help the Institute at Home or what ? He presumed they had better call a public meeting, and take the sense of the burgesses on the matter. The Clerk said a Mr Berry was going to lecture on the Jubilee in the Wesleyan Church on Wednesday evening. That would perhaps rouse the inhabitants to do something. He believed the charge for admission to the lecture was Is each. Proposed by the Mayor, and seconded by Cr. Clements, "That the clerk write to Mr Berry, informing , him that the council learn he is advertised to give a lecture on the Jubilee, and that they respectfully request that he devote half the proceeds of such lecture towards swelling the Cambridge subscription on behalf of the Imperial Institute, and that the other clergymen be requested to assist likewise in such a manner as they may think fit." Carried.

It was resolved to hold a public meeting in the Public Hall on the evening of Thursday, Hth May, at <S p.m. The Mayor: They may decide not to do anything. Gr. Clements: I know the clergymen will assist.

The following accounts were passed for payment:—W. Bartlett, £7 4s ; J. S. Bond, £5 10s fid ; W. G. Collins, £4 «s fid; (I. W. Russell, £3 3s; T. Wells, ss; J. Houghton and Sons, £1 Is (Id.

A loss of 103 per week was reported to have been made upon the pound for the last six weeks.

Several councillors thought it ought to be up at the sale-yards, instead of in such an out-of-the-way place as Fort-street. The majority of animals were pounded from the upper end of the borough, and people driving in and out of town would then be able to see them without making a special journey as at present.

The following tenders were received for the alterations to the sale-yards :• —R. Morse, 6108 10s : W. F. Madigan, £119; Jno. Goodfellow, .£127; P. Cooper, £12!) ss; H. Hrindlc, £135.

Cr. Hughes : What was the income from the yards last year? Cr. Hally: £11 15s 4d, but that is the lowest for many years. It has been £40. Cr. Hughes': "What extra rent is Mr Hunter to pay when these improvements are carried out ? Cr. Gillett: He does not pay rent. He pays so much per head, and will then sell sheep there. Only the other day he had to take a mob of sheep to Buckland's yards, because there was not the accommodation at the town ones. He has repeatedly told me that if the Cambridge yards had been in proper order cattle would be sold here instead of at Ohaupo. Cr. Hally : We shall be sure to get £10 a year extra, and that will pay 10 per cent, interest on the cost. Cr. Hughes: Only one man will use them. Cr. Gillett: How do you know that ? Cr. Hnghes : Well! it looks like it. The money is little enough ; and I should say do it,' if you had the ratepayers with you, but I know you have not. Cr. Clements: No! I am sure they havn't. Cr. Gillett: I have not heard them grumble about it. The Mayor "and Cr. Hally said they had heard slight expressions of dissent. Cr. Gillott proposed and Cr. Hally seconded that Mr Morse's tender be accepted. Cr. Hughes said he was not at the last meeting, but that ho understood the tenders were called to find out what it would cost, and did not think they would accept one at that meeting. The Mayor asked if there was any amendment."whe'n none being proposed he put the resolution, which was carried by three to two. The ayes being the Mayor and Crs. Gillett and Hally; and the noes Cr. Hughes and Clements.

• Tenders for No. 1 contract.—A. Forrest, £11 3s 9d (accepted): J. Corcoran, £15 5s : A. Johansen, (informal). For No. 2 contract, at per yard.—Vicars and Co, 4jd (accepted); J. Corcoran, 51d ; Watt and Wayman, 6h ; C. Crouch, Cjd ; Giles and Fletcher, lid". The Mayor said he should like all persons who intended tendering in the future to understand that cheques could not be received as cash deposits ; unless marked as good by the bank officials. The Mayor informed the conncil that the Public Works Committee had authorised him to have several minor repairs done to some of the roads, at bis own discretion. He thought that the contracts just let were at a satisfactory price ; and, as the weather continued fine, he would suggest other works being put in hand at once. It was resolved to call for tenders for ploughing, harrowing, sowing and rolling the following streets (council to find grass seed) :— Taylor-street, from Victoria road to McLean-street; Dick-street,. from Queen street to Alpha-street; and Clare-street, from Victoria road to Vogel-street. Tenders to be opened at next meeting of the council. Cr. Hughes proposed that a salary of £50 be voted to the mayor. They all knew how energetic he was in any business pertaining to his office; and not only so, but by the attention he gave to public works liii saved them the cost of an engineer. Perhaps it might be thought he ought not to have proposed it as he was about to leave the town, but he could assure them that if he had been staying, he should have proposed a larger amount. They were but a poor community, and consequently he only proposed such an amount as would about cover the actual expenses attendant upon the office.

This was seconded by Cr. Clements, and after the whole of tbe councillors had spoken in support of the motion it was put and carried. The Mayor briefly thanked the conncil, and said he was gratified at the action of the council in this matter, as it was evidently intended iw an expression of satisfaction at the way in which he had performed his duty. Or. Clements proposer] and Cr. Hally seconded, that she salary of the clerk be raised from £40 to £(i 0 per year. The Mayor said he was astonished when he found the clerk was only receiving £40. In Hamilton the clerk received £150. He should decidedly support the resolution. Carried unanimously. The council then rose.