KAIAPOI MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

Press, Volume XI, Issue 1410, 16 May 1867, Page 2

KAIAPOI MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

This Council met ag usual on Tuesday evening list. Present—Messrs Dudley (in the chair), Dobbs, Hewlings, Kerr, Wooufooi, Eliis, Henwood, and Hull. The minutes of the laef* meeting were read and confirmed. The Clerk reported that the footpath along Fuller street had been formed and shingled,

and Mint tho repairs nreersiry to Jones street! w.-re (ibou >>i-i:ig proceeded wit!l. { The foil liters were, n-ad : — j From Mr \V. H Wake, drawing attention | to lh..> .-tuto of street, ami t!i,it j the i»rinj, &c., might bo removed from tin. , j footpnth'. . J From Malleoli's Agency, *Uti!ig, m reply ; to the letter from tilt , C.miKril, th»t they had j expended £-t5 on their rirer reserve.-), and ; that their lease, only required the expending : oi £25. * ! In answer to thr* Council, th> Clerk said j the amount to be expanded by the lease be- i rween the Council and Matheson'e Agency | was £73, and the amount spent by them on j tlieir reserves was nothing like the sum men-j tioned in the letter. j It was resolved on the motion of Mr llill, j that the Chairman anil Messrs Dudley and Dobbs meet -Mr Inglis, mid confer with him on the subject. With reference to Mr Wake's letter, it was not thought necessary to do the work asked, and the Clerk was directed to reply to that effect. Mr Dudley eaid, with reference to tho discussion which took place at last sitting on the sjhject of the rates, and which he had been unable to attend, he thought they had done wrong in levying so low a rate, as it would next year affect the grant due from the Government, probably reducing it half the amount of their last grant. Mr Woodford asked how the rate of paying day labor employed by the Council was managed, as )>e was not in favor of paying higher rates than other Municipal bodies. Ho moved —"That the clerk enquire of tho Christchurch City Council as to tho rate at which they pnid day labor." Mr Ellis seconded the motion. It was an unpleasant thiug to do, but he thought the rate of wages paid at present too high Mr Hall thought if the rate of wages was reduced to any cix shillings, tho Council might only expect to get that amount of work. He knew such would be the case, and men he thought had better be well paid and well worked. To avoid employing labor at a high rate, all works he thought ought to be let by contraot. Mr Hewlinga would bo in favor of at once adopting the rates paid by the Christchurch City Council. Mr Kerr objected to the Christchurch City Council being looked to as their " leading article." If the present rate paid was too high it was well enough to ascertain if euoli was the case, and then decide at another meeting what the rate should be. The following accounts were passed and ordered to be paid:—Day work, £16 4s; carting (per contract), £4< 8s 6d ; Bowmakor, for erecting Raven street groin (per contract), £65; for lengthening same fifteen feet and extras, £38 Us 9d ; total, £103 Us 9d. A lengthy discussion ensued as to how persons should be employed by the Council. The Clerk said he always employed the best men and ratepayers in preference to strangers. Mr Kerr said he had heard of men applying to the clerk for work who were refused, and be thought some favoritism was shown to some of the men employed. The Chairman thought a good plan would be to receive every applicant's name, and on requiring men to take the required number from the head of the list. Mr Ellis thought that was not the way to get good men. Mr lien wood said he believed the clerk generally selected good workmen. Mr Woodford thought married men ought to have the preference over single men. The Clerk denied showing any favoritism, when the subject quietly dropped. Mr Woodford moved —" That the footpath on the north-east of Jewell street be cleaned, formed, and metalled." Mr Hewlings seconded the motion, which was carried. It was next resolved—" That the clerk be allowed to expend £10 in clearing the footpat lis in the town from weeds, &c." Mr Kerr moved—" That a road committee, eonsistii g of Messrs Woodford, Ellis, and the mover, be appointed, to report within a month." The motion was seconded and carried. With reference to the adjourned discussion about remitting fciie feed in the case of the Kaiapoi Council v. W. Wilson for nonpayment of rates, Mr Dobbs explained that Mr Wilson was j not, responsible for the payment of tho rates in question, and at a previous sitting he had moved that the fees be returned. Mr Woodford moved an amendment— " That the fees be not refunded." Mr HVnwood seconded the amendment. Mr Ellin said, as seconder of the original motion, that had he heard the explanations of Mr Dobbs, the Clerk, and Mr Dudley, he should not have seconded the motion, and he ehould ask to have it recorded that he only did so pro forma. Mr Hewlings said it was the third time Mr Wilson had been summoned, and when the notices were sent of the rate being due he ought to have replied, if he was not responsible for their payment, to the Council. Mr Dobbs said Mr Wilson had done bo to the clerk. Mr Woodford did not see why the time of the Council should be bo much occupied in talking about Mr Wilson more than any other ratepayer who might get summoned. The amendment was then put and carried. Mr Hewlings moved—"That to prevent further trouble the clerk for the future prepare a list of parties to be summoned, and that each member of the Council be required to sign the same." This motion was not seconded, and therefore dropped. Mr Kerr gave notice of motion—" That the regulations affecting the letting of the riter reserves be considered by the Council in committee, with a view to amending them." He also drew attention to the state of the embankment near Haine and Shaw'e wool store, which was «omewhat out of repair ; and the Clerk was directed to attend to it before the Christmas freshes began to come down. The Council then adjourned.