BOROUGH COUNCILS.

NEW BRIGHTON. A meeting of the New Brighton Borough Council was held last evening, when there were present: —Mr C. H. Winny (Mayor), and Crs A. Chidgey, C. Israelson, G. W. Staniland, F. Kibblewhite, A. W. Owles, and J. Ashby. The Mayor extended a hearty welcome to Mr Bosomworth, the new Town Clerk of the borough. He paid a tribute to the new officer's record, and said that he knew that Mr Bosomworth would give satisfaction both to the council and to the ratepayers. A letter was received from Mr Cyrus Williams, secretary of the Lyttelton Harbour Board, stating that the board could not treat the council any differently from the Sumner body witli regard to the landing stage in the estuary. The council could buy the stage at its valuation, £ls odd, but the board would not allow the council to pay for its upkeep only. • The Mayor said that the council could not purchase the jetty, for, although it was a convenience, it was very dangerous, and would need a great deal of repair. If it was not renovated some accident would happen there, and someone would be liable. It would cost about £5 to repair it. It was decided that the Mayor and Cr Owles should get into communication with the board and discuss the matter further.

The Works Committee reported and recommended that the dedication of Fenner's Lane should be accepted, and | that the lane should be put in order, [provided that those who owned property abutting on the thoroughfare should contribute to the cost. It was [ also decided that the big culvert at .the junction of River and Racecourse Roads should be repaired as requested by the Waimairi County Council. These recommendations were adopted. A communication was received from Mr L. Birks, • electrical engineer for the Publie Works Department, suggesting that he should come to the council to explain the position with regard to the supply of electric power from Lake Coleridge. This was left to be dealt with by the Works Committee. The Finance Committee report'ed that the receipts ; since last meeting amounted to. £462 7/11. Building permits -issued during the fortnight .amounted; to £BOO, and ;were, three in: number., The total now stood ,at £4608 If or- .17 . permits. • The expenditure amounted to £507 5/3. The balance in the bank was £389 14/4, and deposits £lll2 3/6. There was a sum of £1698 < 5/5 collected on the general rate, and" £236 19/7 outstanding. Accounts amounting to £92 10/- were passed for .payment. The secretaryof* the North Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board wrote, saying that he was directed to reply to the- council's protest against the amount of the levy for the year ;ending March 31, 1915. The board regretted the fact that for the present year the levy was so sigh, and hoped that in future the levy for capitalexpenditure would be greatly reduced. It was fair to point but, however, the letter continued, that the ! council "was rated on £329,249, as against £231,599 last year, and this increa.se in the rateable value very largely accounted for the increase in the demand iriade upon the I council.

; <'That's no argument at all," said one councillor, and after some discussion, in which Other councillors expressed their disappointment at the explanation, it was decided to, receive the letter. WOOLSTON. The Woolston Borough Council met last evening. There were present:— The Mayor (Mr J. J. Graham), Crs G. Lilly, A. TV Mountford, W. Puller, D. M'Rae, P. Newton, T. Radcliffe, L. M. Hart, «T. B. Richardson, and M. Dalziel. REPORTS. The By-laws Committee recommended that the foreman make a further report on barbed wire fences, same to be submitted to the By-laws Committee at next meeting. With, regard to the Westport remits (a copy of which has already been published in .THE SUN), the committee rec.ommended that the Woolston delegate be instructed to oppose the first, dealing with the preparation of valuation rolls by local authorities; to support the second dealing with discount on rates on condition that the discount shall not exceed 5 per cent, for three months and 2i per cent, for six months. It was alsa recommended the third remit also be supported. The report was adopted, excepting the clause dealing with the Westport remits, which will be considered at a special meeting of the council on Wednesday evening. The Works Committee reported. that it had no recommendation to make with regard to the Christchurch Beautifying Society's request for permission to plant the Canal Reserve from Aldwin's Road to Linwood Park. The committee recommended that the Railway Department be asked to lay pipes under the railway siding as suggested by the foreman; that Bowron Bros, be asked to put in a culvert in front of their gate in Scott Street. The report was adopted. The Reserves Committee recommended that the town clerk be instructed to Write to the school committee requesting that the children be restrained from leaving their lunch wrappings in Woolston Park;'that the Beautifying Association be given permission to remove trees ■ from band rotunda enclosure which it was complained were too large. The report was adopted. The Lighting Committee recommended that a Dietz lamp be placed at the angle in Sylvester Street, and that a similar lamp be placed in Clarendon Terrace at a spot to be decided on. "he report was adopted. The Special Sanitation Committee recommended that the Drainage Board be asked to protect residents of the borough in regard to effluent from the Gas Works being put into drains having an outlet at Bell's Creek. The recommendation was approved.

FINANCE

! The financial statemeut showed the receipts amounted 'to £316 17/8, and that there was a 1 debit balance at the bank of £3 6/9, an& temporary loan £1075 19/8. Accounts amounting to £l3B 2/2 were passed for payment. GENERAL. Mr L. Birks, engineer in charge of the Lake Coleridge hydro-electric scheme, wrote that in connection with the proposal of the city to undertake the reticulation and supply of electric power in the borough, lie would be willing to wait on the couhcil to discuss and advise upon the situation. . It was decided to ask Mr Birks t6 attend a special meeting of the council on Monday next, at S.p.in. It was decided, to write to the council's solicitor regarding the payment of half the cost of maintenance of the Canal Reserve by the Heathcote County Oouneil. ,

LYTTELTON. The fortnightly meeting of the Lyttelton Borough Council was held last evening. Present: —The Mayor (Mr J. R. Webb), Crs W. Radcliffe, J. T. Norton, W. F. Poster, W. J. Miller, T. J. Page, J. H. Collins, T. Walklin, N. C. Schumacher and J. Guthrie. The resignation of Mr J. Garrards as a Sinking Fund Commissioner was received and accepted. The town clerk of New Brighton wrote informing the council that Mr J. Ashley had been appointed to represent the borough and Woolston on the Christchurch Domain Board.

The Trustee wrote stating that the interest -on each separate sinking fund, whilst held for payment of debentures had been increased to £4 10/per cent, on the first £6OOO, and £4 5/per cent, on the excess as from April 1, 1914. In the matter of purchasing a TillingStevens petrol motor bus, the committee recommended that tha proposal Ce deferred until Corsair Bay improvements to be put in hand. The report w r as adopted. The Fire Prevention Committee reported that in view of the excessive cost (£3O) of a telephone communication between the fire station and the residences of the captain and the turncock, it could not recommend the same being carried out. The report was adopted.

In the matter of raising a sum of money for the purchase of a ferry steamer for Diamond Harbour, the Finance Committee suggested two methods: —(1) To go to*" the ratepayers for authority to raise a loan and (2) to raise the amount by the sale of land at Diamond Harbour. The committee recommended the latter course be adopted. Severat councillors were of opinion that no good purpose would be served by going to the ratepayers for another loan at this stage. All agreed that the recommendation was a good one, but it was regretted that there had been some delay in placing the property on the market.

The report was adop'ted

The tender of Messrs A. and T. Mutton, of £1455, for the building of muni-cipal-stables was accepted. The borough engineer, Mr H. H. Barnard, reported that the prisoners employed on wall building in Lincoln Quay were making satisfactory progress, while. No. 2 wall was partly completed. H:

The Financial Statement showed the district fund account in debit £11,343 8/4, including temporary loans £5923 14/1. Accounts passed for payment amounted to £4461 15/5, including temporary loans £4OOO.