MOUNT EDEN BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 225, 20 September 1906, Page 3

MOUNT EDEN BOROUGH COUNCIL.

THE FIKST MEETING. THE MAYOR'S SPEECH. _© AN OtTTLINE OF POLICY. • Tbe first meeting of tie first Council ot tbe newly-formed Borough of Mount Eden was held last evening. Tlie Mayor (Mr Oliver Nicholson) and Councilors, all of whom ■were present, were formally ineta'le"and duly signed tlie declarations, undertaking severally to "faithfully, impartially, and according to their best skill and judgment execute tlie powers and autnorltles vested in them." The full Council consisted of the following thirteen: —Messrs Oliver Nicholson (Mayor), C. J. Tunis, S. Gordon, j. P. Hooton. ID. -ates, J. Davis, "VV. WooUey, B. U. Burns, K. H. .Potter, K. K. Boss, B. H. Crndge, T. 8. J acta, and C. Hudson. In an opening speech tbe Mayor expressed his sense of honour at being the first Mayor of the borough, and counselled his colleagues not to be discouraged by the abuse of an ungrateful public. He himself was, perhaps, one of the best abused men in the borough, and he was a pattern to them" of how not to be affected by it His Worship proceeded to present a brief summary of the position of various matters affecting the interests of the newly-constituted borough. Finance. —The general account (which Included moneys received from charitable aid and special lighting rates) on the 15th August l-sist, the date of the constitution of the borough, stood in debit £1-0 3/6. The waterworks account stood in credit £656 12/5, against which there was an outstanding claim of the Auckland City Council for water supplied from 16th May, IsWB, o£ over £400. The water trust account was in credit £44 5/6. The borough having been divided into wards, It would be requisite to decide upon the apportionment at the income for the current year in accordance with section 160 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1900. The expense In connection with the constitution of the district into a borough and the election of Mayor and Councillors amounted to £78 10/9. The rateable values of the different wards were as follows: No. 1 ward £235,----149 No. 2 ward £171.326. No. 3 ward £234.- ---.(&'. No. 1 ward £162,810. Rating.—The late Road Board struck the following (exclusive of water rates) fer tho current year, viz., General rate Jd in tlie £, charitable aid rate l-6d in the £, lighting rate Jd in the £. These rates, taken In conjunction with the water rates, represented a reduction of l-16d in the £ on those of the previous year. The rate notices were not issued, uud as the district had been constituted a borough, proceedings for striking rates would require to be taken de novo. The district had now no fnnds, and the striking of the rates must be effected without delay. The probable receipts and expenditure for the period ending 31st March. 1907. were estimated as follows: A general rate of Jd In the £ would produce £2312 13/2, made up as follows—No. 1 ward £734 15/10. No. 2 ward £325 7/10. No. 3 ward £733 12/10, No. 4 ward £508 15/2. A charitable aid rate of l-16d in the £ would produce £538 7/4., the amount required being £537 12/T". A lighting rate of Jd In the £ would produce £418 15/6., as against £425 7/0 required. The late Boad Board also struck the' following water rates, which would also require to be struck dp nnvo: No. 1 water district, loan rate T.<l in the £. £287 14/6. This rate, together with the credit balance at 31st March, 1900, viz.. £181 5/. would produce £46S 19/6, as ugainst £3-14 S/S required. No. 2 water district, loan rate 'd in the £. £2_n 10/3. This rate, together with the rredit ha la n<-e at 31st March, 190(1, viz., „•:• 13/3 would produce £310 3/S, aa against £219 8/4 reqnircil. The water loan In No. I water district would be extin.rulshed on Ist February. 1916, and that in No. 2 water district on Ist 1920.

Tramways.—The late Road Board on the I Ist day of May last entered into a preliminary ogreomjent with the Auckland Florrrlr Tramways Company. Ltd.. for consvrurtion of tramways on both roadr. (Mt. I Eden and Mt. Rosklll). In accordance with tho tonus of iho agreement the Company seme weeks since completed the necessary ' surveys on both roads, and on the 14th August last forwarded to tbe late Rond Board an advertisement for Its signature notifying Its Intention to apply for the authorising Order-ln-Council. As tho Road Roard ceased to exist on that day it could not sign the advertisement, and as no governing authority had existed in the district iv tho Interval, the advertisement had to bo hold in abeyance. This nnd involved a delay of some five weeks, but '.he same could not be avoided. It would bo necessary for the Council to pass resolutions authorising tho execution and in-sc-tioii of the advertisement required by tho Company. It would also be necessary fir them to request the Anckland City Council to apply for the authorising Ovdei-ip.-Coiuieil affecting the portion of the Mt. Eden-road between the corner of Symondsstreet and the boundary of the borough, and also to request tbe Mt. Albert Road Board to apply for the authorising Ordev-In-Councll affecting the portion of the Mt. Uosklll-road between NeV North-road and the boundary of the borough. The estimate of Mr. Metcalfe (the district engineer) for the alterations on Mt. Eaen;oad and Mt. Roskill-road respectively, necessitated by the construction of tramways, amounted to £2.".00 and £1200 respectively. Provision would accordingly require to bo made for these sums in the near future. Sanitation.—No contract now existed for a sani'ury service in tho district, the same havinsj expired on the Ist November last. The contract was now being carried on practically at sufferance. The late Road Board was anxious to co-operate in a scheme propounded by Dr. Frengley, Public Health Officer, for the disposal of nightsoil into the Auckland Harbour, and the matter was now under discussion with Dr. Frengley and the Auckland City Council and o*her interested local bodies. D-rainago of Borough.—The, late Road Board had in the year 1902 a survey for a drainage scheme of the borough prenarcd by its engineer. Mr. Metcalfe. The estimate for the work was £38.000. to which would require to be added engineers' fees, etc., ranking the estimate practically £40,----000. Tb's scheme did not, however, provide for the conveyance of the sewage from the boundaries of "the district to the outlet Into Auckland Harbour (via Cox's Creek), which would probably mean another £15,000 to £20,000. The scheme depended on arrangements with other adjacent local authorities, and the developments of the drainage schema of the Auckland City Council. If a comprehensive scheme of drainage is to be carried out in the borough he ventured to express the opinion that it would be in the interests of the borough ro Join in the Greater Auckland scheme, propounded by the Mayor of Auckland. Reserves.—No. 1 reserve, an the Mt. Kdon-road, containing the fire brigade station and workshop; and No. 2 reserve, on tlie Mt. Roskill-road. known as the "Gravel Reserve." were .reserves, but neither appeared suitable for the purpose. Reserve No. _. with an expenditure of about £100 for levelling purposes, could be made suitable for building purposes, and it might be advisable to apply to the Government for permission to sell both reserves and buy another site in a more convenient situation and more suitable for public purposes, such as a public library- The reserve on the Mt Eden-road should realise about | £iOO, and that ou the Mt. Roskill-road about £800. The Mt Eden Domain reserve, managed by the Mt. Eden Public Domain Board, comprising the Mayor of Anckland, the chairmen of the Mt. Eden and Epsom District Boards, and four trustees appointed by the Government, was an important scenic feature in the borough, and some portion of the borough funds misht be devoted towaj-ds beautifying It. The fourth reserve was the Epsom and Mt. Eden gravel pit reserve. Borough Council Chambers.—The late Road Board office being unsuitable for a Council office, Mr. J. J. Craig's permission wis obtained to remove the present office to a site ln the railway grounds, where it was proposed temporarily to add another larger room at a cost of about £150. iWard Works.—The following special works In the various wards would require to bo kept before the ward members: No. 1 ?3 r "~" fl ) Drainage of water street area: (-> widening ot' Normanby-road near ammunition factory (the Government authorili?, s wou 'd probably materially assist in this work); (3) widening Mt. Eden-road on Mt. Eden Hill for purposes of tramways. -■o. 2 ward—(l) Extension of Belle Vue-road 'to Mt. RoskilJ-road; (2) widening Belle Vucroad (near St. Barnabas' Hall); (3) widening Sherborne-road opposite school property. No. 3 ward—CD Drainage Brixtonroad area; (2) extension of footpath to end of Mt. RoskiH-road. No. 4. ward—(l) Drainage "Woodside-road aTea; (2) extension of

footpath Valley-road, south side from Vic-toria-avenue to Mt. (3) drainage surface water from Epsom and Mt. Al-bert-road (near Mr. McKinstrey's property).

Estimates An estimate of receipts and expenditure for the year was read by the Mayor. The receipts-were estimated as follow: — Cash received by Town Clerk in period loth August to 10th September, 190b\ £(53 0/7; general rates, Jd in £ (£2513 13/2, less 10 per cent arrears uncollected at end of , year, £251 5/4), £2261 7/10; arrears general rate, 1905-6, £50; refund from charitable aid account for prepayment out of general account, £271 14/1; refund from lighting account for prepayment out of general account, £70 7/8; dog ta_es, £85; licensee and permits, tolls, £75. Total, £2_S5 10/2. The expenditure was estimated at £2381 4/, giving a credit margin of £504 6/2. T_e ratable value of the district was £804,001, and a general rate of Jd in the £ would produce £_51_ 13/2. The estimate was approved. Standing Orders. —The standing orders of the City Council were temporarily adopted. Committees.—it was resolved to appoint a Finance and Legal Committee and a Streets Committee ot six members each.— The Mayor suggested the following:— Finance and l_egal Committee: Messrs Tanks, Potter, Jacka. Yates, Hootou, and Hudson. Streets Committee: Messrs Boss, Gordon, Davis, Woolley, Ctudge, and Burns. —This was unanimously agreed to, with the Mayor added as chair—lan of each ■committee. Bankers.—The Bank of New Zealand was (appointed bankers. Town Clerk.—Mr Joseph Webley, clerk to the late Koad Board,was appointed Town Clerk and Treasurer. Mr James Wilson was appointed assistant clerk. ' Turncock and Foreman of Works. —Mr J. Williams, at present doing duty In these capacities in the district, was appointed. Solicitors. — Messrs Devore and Martin were appointed. Ranger and Pound_eeper.—Mr David Jack was appointed. Salaries.—The former salaries — namely, Town Clerk £3 5/ per week, assistant clerk 30/, turncock and foreman £3 5/ —were approved pending a report of committee on the subject. The Meetings.—lt was resolved to meet fortnightly. Tram Service. —Proposed deed of delegation for a tram service through the borough was laid on the table, and the statutory ad--vertlsement relative thereto read. The routes proposed were along Mount Kdenroad to Pencarrow-avenue, and along Mount Roskill-road to the Epsom and Mount Albert road. A penalty of £10 per week for failure to start, the service within two years from the date of the agreement was provided.—Cr. Potter asfced if Sunday traffic were proposed.—The Mayor replied that this was co—the same as in the city. —The advertisement was then authorised. — Cr. Ronton suggested that while the roads were being graded for the tram-line, some of the awkward corners should also be cut off. Overdraft.—The Council decided to arrange for au overdraft not exceeding £1500. Rates.—lt was resolved to advertise the Council's intention to r.tri_e the following rates at the next meeting, payable on November Ist next: —General rate, three farthings; charitable aid rate, one-sixth of a penny: lighting rate, one-eighth of a penny; No. 1 loan rate, one-eisrhth penny; No. 2 loan rate, oue farthing. Plans.—Numerous plans cT new buildings were referred to the Streets Committee. The Exhibition.—lt was resolved to give £10 10/ towards the Auckland court at tho Christchurch Exhibition.