EARLY DAYS OF ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 121, 4 March 1939, Page 8

EARLY DAYS OF ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL

Specially written for the “Guardian” by John Brown, “ Lowcliffe,” Ashburton. (Copyright.)

* NO. 6. As the iron pipes costing over £4OOO were not required for the Borough Water Scheme they were offered for sale to* the Lyttelton, Oamaru, and Timaru Borough Councils. These in July, 1880, required none, hut they asked for weight and sizes of the pipes, and 10 months later Oamaru bought 55 nine-inch pipes, and in January, 1882, a Mr'S. Hutchinson bought 200 tons at £7 a ton, and as time went on they were gradually disposed of. The County Council in July, 1880, on being asked whether the money from the sale of the pipes could be placed to the credit of the Water System Accoun£, gave the Borough Council authority to do this, so that the latter received the proceeds as they came in —though whether they, received ' what they cost the Minutes as far as I have read do not say. Mr James Bradley constructed a good deal of the street channelling for the Ashburton Water Scheme. Lighting of the Borough. While the water controversy was raging other affairs were happening in the town. At the end of August 1879 gas was the Jight used in the streets. Scott Bros, of Christchurch, supplied the lamp posts and the Ashburton Gas Company the lamps and the gas. The lamps were not to he lit for six nights at the full moon and for seven weeks before and seven weeks after {December 22. At other times the lamps were to he lit from 30 minutes after sunset till 1 a.m. .The Gas Company’s tender for lighting was accepted. At one stage, August 8, 3881, the Council contemplated buying the business of the Ashburton Gas, Coal and Coke Company, “with, a view to lessening the expenditure in connection with lighting the streets.” On that date the Mayor (Mr Hugo Friedlander) moved that this be> done, and it was left with a small committee to interview the directors of the Company in order to see if they were prepared to sell their plant and, if so, on what terms. The committee reported on September 5, 1881, that they had interviewed the directors and there would he no difficulty in arranging for the sale of the gas works, but particulars would not be gone into till t! le end of the month when the balance sheet would be ready. On September .19, 1.881, the Council

passed a resolution “that in view of the increasing overdraft it take into consideration the urgent necessity lor effecting a reduction in the cost of management of its affairs.” 'Whether this state of affairs put an end to the negotiations regarding the buying of the (fas Company’s outfit is not clear, but Mr St. Hill gave notice of motion on October 31 “that in view of reducing the expenditure this Council ascertain the cost of lighting the town with kerosene, also cost of lamps, etc., lor the same purpose.” This notice lapsed at the next meeting owing to the absence of the mover. However, he again moved, oh December 12. 1881, that alternate tenders be invited for lighting the town with kerosene and gas—persons tendering for kerosene to find lamps and fittings. The only tender for lighting with kerosene was from Mr Hyde, and it was for three years 1 . It was left with the Mayor to see him in order to get a tender for one year. On January 26, 1882, Mr Hyde’s amended tender was considered with a tender from the Gas Company, and the latter’s tender accepted. This, then, seemingly closed the negotiations for the sale ol the das Company’s business to the Council. . The First Newspapers. An interesting minute was passed on January 13, 1879, regarding the Ashburton newspapers. Mr Donald Williamson moved “that the ‘Ashburton Mail’ lie procured from its commencement, and bound at a cost not exceeding £5.” This motion was lost in favour of the following: “It was resolved to obtain copies of the ‘Mail’ and ‘Echo’ from the date of forwarding the petition lor the Municipality, and that copies lie regularly supplied to the Council’s office.” The “Ashburton .Mail” was the first newspaper printed in Ashburton and it was started by Mr Joseph Hess. It was a tri-weekly morning journal and the first issue appeared on Tuesday, June 12, 1877. The “Kvening Echo,” owned by S. J. Furness and Charles Dixon, was a daily evening paper, the first issue appearing on Monday, March 11, 1878. This paper was in a short time enlarged, taking on the new name of the Evening “Herald.” This was the forerunner nl “The Guardian.” A copy of the first* issue of the “Ashburton Mail” is among the records of the Ashburton County Council,., and

Street Concreting Proposal in 1880 Rejected

Mr W. B. W, Bell, of Ashburton, has a copy of the first issue of “The Evening Echo.” I have seen and read both of these, and the dates of issue given above were noted then, and I have verified them since. (See article I have already written on “Ashburton’s First Daily Paper.”) While the Borough Council did not get the 2000 acres they endeavoured to get at their first,, meetings they did actually, get 422vacres 18 perches of rural land, being. Block 11, Hinds District, part of Deserve 350 as an ■ endowment for the Borough. Notice of tin's grant was given by* tlfe Undersecretary in a letter to the Council on July 28, 1879'—the letter having within it a copy of the Order-in-Council. On December 17, 1879, Mr Thomas Bullock finished liis term of office as Mayor and Mr Hugo Friedlander was installed in his' place. This was as a result of a contest between Mr Friedlander and Mr Joseph Ivess—the voting being very close. 91 to 84. The Council received on January 12, 1880, a communication from the Rev. W. Keall . complaining of the circus having been permitted to use sections adjoining his house, and the Mayor’s reply was resid tuid approved. Another letter, came from the same source on February 23 asking to have the Wesleyan t Parsonage exempted from rates, hut the request was refused as the Council had no power to do this. ■ 'v\ V Mr Keall returned to the attack again on March 8, 1880, and asked for a refund of rates. But the Borough Council again gently turned the request down. -Concreting of East Street Proposed. •! On March 22, 1880, Dr. Trevor sent a letter to the Council suggesting the advisability of concreting East Street and of levying a special rate for this purpose. His letter, however, did not move the Council to do anything but courteously acknowledge it. O'n August 9,' 1880, . the Borough Council received a shock in a communication from Mr E. • G. Wright, M.H.R., stating that owing to the 1879 rate not having been struck and a claim sent in previous to’ May 1, no pound for pound subsidy could he had. The Treasury (Wellington) however, on Nov. 1, relented* somewhat and agreed to pay £ for £ on the rates collected between April 1 and October 31; and thus was saved £BB4 Is. But the Mayor must have been active in the “matter for on. Sep. 20, 1880, a resolution was passed as follows: “That a vote of thanks to the Mayor be given for, that, but for his exertion, we as a Borough, should have lost the subsidy.” Mr Hugo Friedlander was evidently a worker. Reserve For Market Place. 'lt is interesting to note that Ashburton, like other towns.in the early days, set aside a reserve for a Market Place, the sections being 494, 495, 478 and 479. This was in October, 1880, blit it was said that “in the meantime it be let from year to year, and that for the first year the tenant shall erect a post and throe-rail fence all round with a gate at Havelock Street and another at Cameron Street, which fence and gates shall be taken as an equivalent for the year’s rent.” Mona Square, which we all take a pride in now, was at that time “set apart :i£ a place on which farmers and others may leave their horses and drays when in town.”' On November 1, 1880, a letter was read from the “Guardian” office asking for tlie Council’s printing and advertising for the ensuing three months in terms of a resolution passed the July previously. Mr St. Hill moved, and it was carried, “that the 'Guardian’ be the official paper of the Council for the next three months.” The Borough believed in giving each newspaper a turn. It is, by the way, the first time “The Guardian*’ has been mentioned in the Council’s meetings.