Borough Councils.

Bruce Herald, Volume XI, Issue 1012, 24 May 1878, Page 6

Borough Councils.

: — , MILTON. Wedxksday, May 22. Present-rHiB Worship the Mayor, Cre Stewart, Jones, Reid, Dyer, The minutes of the preceding meeting were read and confirmed. ANNUAL BALANQB-BHIET. A letter was read from Mr Batkin, Secretary to the Treasury, requesting that the

balance-sheet, to be furnished for the information of Parliament, should be forwarded in trlplicatePOST BOXES OW RAItWATS. *A letter from Mr Grant, Manager of; Dunedin railways, in reply to one from the Council, waß read. It stated that Post Office receiving boxes were being fitted up in the railway vana as quickly as possible. PKIVATB STEUBIS. A circular from Mr G. S. Cooper, Undersecretary, was read as follows . — COLONIAL SeCRBTABT's OlTICB; ' /WiltinGTON, April 18, 1875. Sib,— l have the honor, , by direction of the Colonial Secretary, to draw yOUr, attention to Bectiona 184, 199, 200, and 201; of u The .Municipal GorpQPatiqn Act, 'lß7o," relating io the width of private Streeta, COUrtg,! .and alleys within boroughs j to which subject the Government to fear that' in some cases sufficient attention is not being! paid. }■_. - , I append copies of the sections referred to,; and am directed to express' the hope of the Government that the provisions of the law 1 on this subject may be carefully carried out in the borough under the control of the Municipality of which you are the head. I have the honor to be, ■■■-■- -r , /: : Sir, '■ '. ■- '■■ .•' Your obedient servant G. S. Coopkr, ■ Undersecretary. His Worship the Mayor of Milton. ; The following are the Sectibns referred to:— ■"•■■ ... ■'■■■ '. ; \_/ , ,-:. '. 184. The word " street " means 'the whole j •of any public "highway;- within- 'the borough, and includes every public square or place i therein, and every bridge, ford, and/ferry on tße line^f a street; " Footway ''means so much of any street as is laid out or constructed by authority of the Council for foot-passengers only, and iinClUdeß'ttte edging or kertlng thereto. . | "Private street "means a Btreet, court, or , alley on or through which there is only a private right-of-way to lands and tenements separately occupied and fronting thereon. 199. Ev^ry street or private street laid but in any after the passing of this Act shall beftiot less than sixty-six feet wide measured at right angles to the course thereof ; and every court or alley so. laid out shall be not less than twenty feet wide so measured. 200. Eyery such court or alley shall have two entrances* each'of the fall width thereof,, and open from the ground upwards ; and all courts and alleys shall, when the Council so directs, be secured the entrance of animals or vehicles in such manner, and by and at the expense of such persons, as any bye-law in that behalf directs; 201. It shall not be lawful for any person to lay put or make, any new street or private , street in any borough except by permission of the Council and subject to suoh conditions as the Council thinks lit, and if any person lays out or makes any new street or private street contrary to the provisions of this, Act, 5 he shall be liable to a penalty of ; not more than ten pounds for every day during which' such street or private street is so laid out qr made, after, a day* 'on which he receives notice from the Council that such street or :: private street is contrary to this Act. - ' • . ABB»cßojrf»i«, Iniraim, and ibwabld -. BTBBBTB. ■ . „ The Town Surveyor wrote : — :Miltonj- Bth: May, 1878. Worshipful the Mayor, and Council. Gentlemen,— 1 forward specifications of stone culvert, arid formation in Abercrombie--Street. The gradients are laid down on the street by pegs; The contractorhas finished Edward-street in accordance with the specifications to my uatisfac^jpn* He; h? 8 , •IHPP^?*' a P*P c * or one &<&<s£<s&? &&&? *!&!&? 'j^s?-\ ling. The street has also heen considerably ' cut down at the west end. I would recom 1 mend a coat of gravel 10ft. wide, and Bay on an average 6 inches deep, to be put on this street, to be distributed according to where there is more or less of the old gravel upon it — say 60 to 70 cubic yards. As the traffic is light on this street, this would put it into good order, and would last a long time. Arfchur-streefc footpath is not yet gravelled; and I wonld suggest to call for .tenders for Arthur, Edward, and the new footpath, Abercrombie-Btreet footpath'p, and for the streetline of Edward^treet as stated above. — I am, &c, ' 0 James E. Brown, Town Surveyor. Cr Reid, moved — " That the report be received and the recommendations therein carried, out." Cr Stewart suggested that if tenders were called for gravelling Alfred street in connection with the works it could be done more cheaply than if deferred. Cr Dyer thought gravel a mistake, as proyed by the main street. A good coat of metal was the cheapest in the end. Cr Reid adopted Cr Stewart's suggestion, but withdrew hi^ motion for one of Cr Jones — " That the Surveyor prepare specifications for gravelling required in Alfred, Edward, and Arthur street." This was carried . It was also resolved to call for .tenders for the construction of the culvert, and formation and gravelling of footpaths in Abercrombie street. ' IiAsMPIiIGHTING. The dayman, Peter Jones, made applicationas follows: — Milton, May 22nd, 1878. , To the Mayor and Councillors of* the Borough ' of Milton." • , . ! Gentlemen, — I beg to make application for a small rennmeration for extra time, in lighting and putting out the lamps iv the Borou&h. j The number of lamps last wiuter was. 13, this j winter 18, being five extra. 1 may state that it is half- past 'll o'clock every night, when my work is finished. — I am &c , ' Peter Jones, Dayman. v It was proposed by #Cr Dyer, seconded by Cr Jones, that the dayman > should be paid 1 10s a week extra during the time of the year i the lamps were being lighted, or from May , Ist to October Ist. Cr Reid moved an amendment that the dayman should get £10 a year for .lighting the lamps when required, but subsequently withdrew it:

ACCOUNTS. ' T The following accounts were paaMd for I payment ;—

OIL CONTRACT. * ' The Town Clerk reported that -Mr Alfred 1 Solomon had obtained the contract for supplying kerosene oil for' lighting the lamp*, at' 17s 6d per caste ; the u'il to be Noonday's. SPREADING METAL. Cr Jonea moved — " That the dayman be' requested to spread the broken metal in such ■treetS and places aa may be pointed out by' the Surveyor." THE CLABKSTItIiE JCNCTIOK. The Mayor read a requisition askiug him to call a public meeting oh the above question. Cr Reid thought it was quite right that such> a meeting should be called ; and, with the exception of Cr Dyer — who seemed to think the matter not necessary to be considered, this opinion prevailed. AtTDITOBS' BEMUNERATION. The payment of Auditor* was fixed '"at 1 £2 2s. BBBOI.T7TION. t Cr Dyer moved — " That Shakespeare-street be formed, repaired, metalled or gravelled,' and channelled, in accordance with recommendation of Works Committee." In doing so he said that, during last year, all the expen-' diture had been in West Ward and this 1 street benefitted all roads alike, besides help-' ing to give a good road to the coal pits and 1 the bush. Cr I&eid did not -wish, to be considered 1 an obstructionist, but he could not bos' that the streets proposed to be macTej would help' the coal trade, the roads to the) pita being so bad outside the town boundary,! and where waa the money to come from toj doit. It would cost £400. ; As to the ex-| penditure of money last year, there had been' no unfairness, as the works carried were; generally neoeaßary. He objected to the 1 Council doing like that of Lawrence, getting' into debt, and then find themselves unable! to get out of it. Cr Stewart pointed out the purchase of land for improvement of a street in South Ward, in order that Cr Dyer mightlßee that that Ward had not -been unfairly -treated. The Mayor was speaking against going to' an extreme that could not be borne, and Cr Dyer said there was a combination amongst' councillors to spend the money in West Ward* The Mayor said the streets in South Ward had been ill splendid condition all the year,' and there was just now a resolution carried to spread metal all over the town where neceaJ sary . Cr Jones said that for many years after the Creation Of th© JJopugb the tmlk of the money hadi been spent in South -Ward. The motion not being seconded, fell to the ground. In consequence, Cr Dyer withdrew the .next motion standing in his name, as follows :— " That' Highstreet be metalled, kerbed, aud channelled,' as recommended by Works Committee." Cr Dyer moved, Cr Jones seconded, and it was resolved — " That a statement be and laid on the table at next mcct 1 mencement of the preseut Municipal year." Cr M'Laren not being present, a motion in his name, as follows: — "That the repairs and work recommended by the Works Comfmittee to be done in Oasian -street, be at once proceeded with," was postponed. Cr Jones moved—" That the Clerk prepare, and lay before the Council at next meeting, a detailed schedule of the arrears of monies due for kerbing as shewn y in the balance sheet." Cr Reid seconded, and the motion was carried. Cr Jones moved — "That it is desirable the Borough should be divided into three Wards with same } boundaries as heretofore, and that the necessary application be -made to the Government to proclaim same." Seconded by Cr Reid, and carried. Cr Jones moved— "That the Clerk prepare and lay before the Council at next mooting, a return showing the number of ( ratepayers, and the rateable value of'property in each Ward, and also the number of electors on the Burgess Roll of each Ward." Seconded by Cr Stewart, and carried. rimcHASE of mk'bbb^cner's iaNi>. The Town Clerk was authorised to complete the purchase of Mr Bremner's land. THE FIBE BRIGADE. \ In answer to Cr Stewart, the Town Olertf said that no further communications had been received from the Insurance agents inreference to the Fire Brigade. The Town Clerk was instructed to write further to the Associated Insurance Companies. The Council then adjourned.

J. 0. Gordon - ... ... ..; £49' 3 6; .;. .. .-..■ ..* 11' 1 fi Peter Jones ... „.. ... 9 12- 0 W. Tougfi (carting ... ... 25 76 Stephen Archer ...y ...... .0 8,0 Town Clerk (quftrter's salary) ... 25 6 W