Otautau Town Bpard

Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 24, 10 October 1905, Page 3

Otautau Town Bpard

The usual monthly meeting of the above Board was held yesterday evening, 9th inst ; present, Messrs Matbeson (chairman) Seatteiy Kelly, Officer and Swap. MID-DAT TRAIN. The Minister of Bailways wrote that the petition regarding Ithe mid-day train had been received, and would be duly considered. —The Minister was thanked for his acknow—"^edgement, and requested to keep the matter m view. FLEMING AND COS MILL. Messrs Fleming and Co. wrote notifying the Board that they had become the owners of the Otautau flourmill, and wished to increase the capibilitips of the mill. With that object they asked the Board's assistance by requesting owners of property on the river-side to cut willows overhanging the stream, and for permission to straighten the course leading to the mill, at tbe same time pointing out the benefit that would accrue to the town by so doing. Mr McGavock, the county engineer, had inspected the suggested Btep, and was favourably impressed with the same. The Chairman doubted whether the Board, had power to do as requested. If the willows had been planted to protect the bank, the Board certainly could not interfere with the matter. Mr Scatter : We've been told that we have no power with the dam, and I don't know vrhether we can interfere regarding the willows. After some discussion it was decided to leave the matter until n*xt meeting, when the members would have had an opportunity of seeing for themselves. DISPOSAL OF RUBBISH. Mr Jacquiery forwarded a communication with reference to the Board's notification re disposal of rubbish. In it he gave reasons for his action, and the Board accepted his explanation.

A. BRAIN MATTER. The District Engineer (Mr A. J' McCredie) notified the Board that the deed dealing with

the drain through the railway reserve now signature, and it was decided to have the deed completed, the Chairman, Mr Kelly and the clerk to sign it. LAKE TELEPHONE. ...

Mr;' J.»B. Dore, of Manapouri, wrote stating that a number of residents had guaranteed £100 for a telephone line from Mossburn, and he was not m a position, under the circumstances, to assist the Waiau Valley soheme. Mr Mouatt wrote tbat he had removed from the district, and the question did not now interest him. Mr R. Murrell, Manaponri, m a letter, stated that he would give £5 a year for three years for a telephone service by either of the routes. « , . « t Mr L. McKenzie, Taylor's Creek, wrote that he would not guarantee any money for a telephone, as the work should be done by the Government. The clerk Btated that £35 had been guaranteed for the Waiau route. Mr Swap : The Mossburn people must have been working at this long before the question was started here. To those who have gueranteed the £35, the Mossburn route is of no use to them.

The Chairman asked whioh line was the ahuter.

Mr Officer : This, by all means. Mr Swap : Shorter by four miles. The Clerk : The Superintendent of Telephones has come to the conclusion that the Mossburn route would be the cheaper, and that more revenue would be derived from it. The Chairman : Has he been over this route ? The Clerk: I don't know. The Chairman : Anyhow, there would be no harm m enquiring the minimum cost required to erect the line. The Clerk was accordingly instructed to Stole to Mr J. C. Thomson, M.H.R. for Vfallace, asking for the guarantee required by the Department, .before going on with the work. THE LOAN. The secretary to the Treasury notified that the loan of £600 asked for by the Board for street improvements, was under consideration. — The clerk to acknowledge communicatinn, and urge for as speedy consideration as possible. TENNIS CODBT. Mr A. C. Affleck, secretary to the Otautau Tennis Club, applied to the Board to erect a turnstile at the Tennis Court, where the fence was removed to put up the protection bank along by the river. The chairman : "Why should the Town Board do that ? The clerk said the contractor removed the fence when putting up the bank. The chairman: I notice where the dray has made a terrible mess. The contractor should be made to pay for it. Mr Officer : The Board removed the fence.

The chairman : Only a wire fence, which the carter put baok. The club themselves must have broken the fence. Mr Officer : They should repair the fence at their own cost. After further discussion, it was decided, on the chairman's motion, that no action be taken with regard to the turnstile, and that the contractor be asked to repair the same within ten days, failing whioh the work will be done at his expense. A BEQUEST. Mr James Small wrote stating that he had ploughed the gorse on seotion 7, block vii., , education reserve, as required, whioh he would keep down if allowed to plant potatoes on the land. No one was using it but Mr I Steele and himself, and the former raised no ! objection. ' Mr Scatter : We have no power to grant him permission. Mr Kelly : He should have planted the po--£»toes first and asked afterwards. The chairman : I'm sure the Board has no objection, but if he does so it must be at his' own risk. It was decided to inform Mr Small accordingly, but insisting that tbe gorse -must be kept down. AN INDIGNANT BATEPAYBB. Mr A. Farrelly wrote the Board as follows : _" To the chairman and gentlemen of Otautau Town Board,— You will get your rates when you gravel the piece of road coming into my place. I have been asking for that piece of gravel for the past ten years, so if I have got to wade through the mud all winter you can go withour your rates. Two years ago I lost ten pounds house-rent owing to the bad state of the road. — A. Fabbelly." Mr Farrelly also returned the rate notice which tbe olerk had sent. Mr Officer : At- that rate it would pay>bim to lay down a load of gravel himself. The chairman: Five or six pounds were spent on that road,' if I remember, last year or the year before. . Mr Kelly : What's the amount of his rates ? The olerk : L 6 7s Bd. Mr Swap : He's paying a lot of rates. Mr Scatter : It's not a nice way of writing. Ultimately the Board decided to take no action. THE CABETAKEE. Mr Swap brought up the matter of the caretaker. Three tenders had been received -£or the position, and Mr Bowen's, being the Towest, had been accepted. He, however, had refused to take over the duties and had transferred the position to Mr Stearne, the highest tenderer. Tbe question was whether Bowen had power to hand the position over, even at his own price. The chairman remarked that Dimmock, m the first place, had received the position m that manner,

Mr Swap contended that the next lowest man should have had it. The Clerk explain°d that, as a rule, the work was never done by the tenderer m any case. MissDimmock did the work bclore, and Mrs Sfearne was doing it now. The transfer had been accepted as a matter of expediency, as the hall was urg.ntly required for two days running. The work had been well done. The transfer was agreed t j, subject to a month's notice at any time.

GENEBAL BUSINESS. The question nf making arrangements for laying the foundation stone of the new post office was left m abeyance. The contractor of the Esplanado bridge was allowed an extension of time fer one month. Thjrfiferk was imtructed to notify F. R HitTjßHFthat the afreet lamps would not needrPPTlighted for the present. The Clerk was instructed to write for quotations for 30 casks of Portland cement for kerbingwork. It was resolved to lay cement blocks for kr rbing from Steele's corner to corner below English Church, the footpaths to be levelled with the kerbing, and that tenders be called for making the concrete on the ground. The drawing up of the specifications was entrusted to Mr Scatter, the Board agreing to find the planking, and retain it afterwards. The Clerk was instructed to give notice to several persons to clear the gorse from m front of their sections. It was decided that the sub-committee meet on Friday and inspect Eye street, and be authorised to take action. With regard to an amendment to the building by-laws, the matter wa3 left m abeyance, pending the receipt from Mr Hyde of the Winton by-laws.

ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £33 lis Gdwere passed for payment.

CEMETERY BOARD. The' Board then sat as a Cemetery Board, when the minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. The Clerk stated that application had been made to the Christchurch City Oounoil for some willow trees to plant, but had as yet received no reply. Accounts amounting to L 3 2s Id were passed for payment, aud the Board rose.