KAIAPOI BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Press, Volume XVII, Issue 2248, 7 July 1870, Page 3

KAIAPOI BOROUGH COUNCIL.

This Council met as usual on Tuesday evening last. Present—Crs Dudley (elected to the chair), Birch, Porter, Oram, Hall, Crooke, and Day.

Leave of absence was granted to his Worship, who is suffering from severe indisposition, and Cγ Kerr. The Inspector of the Fire Brigade handed in a list of the articles purchased with the sum of £20 voted by the Council for the brigade. He also reported the receipt of saws, &c, presented by Birch and Co, Callender, Newnham and Co, and Northern Store. The following letters were read: —From residents in Seweli street, asking that the street might be metalled out of the first income of tho Council, and etating that though it was previously sufficient for the requirements of the neighbourhood, the traffic which had lately sprung up along it now necessitated that it should be metalled. From Mr Lynskey, asking permission to remove a building along Raven street, from Black street to the North road. Permission granted. From His Honor the Superintendent enclosing copy of Amendment Act to the Municipal Corporations Act, embodying a provision for levying a rate of 3d in the £ for maintainance of fire brigades, and regarding which Hie Honor solicited the opinion of the Council.... Cr Bibch said he was opposed to any patching up of the Municipal Corporations

f Act by such amendments as the one proposed by Mr Harrison of Woatland in the ! General Assembly. ]f arr.cndments were required lie should be in favor of seeing them evibraccd in ono .A.t. Ag'»in, ho thoughr the amount of rut? in tin- draft of the amendment ought not to have boon specific! except limited to n;»» more th>»n a certain >urn. He moved—" That His Uonor bo informed the Council do not consider it advisible to add the utnendment proposed, to the Act." Cγ Porter said ho should liko to see tho Municipal Corporations Act wiped from the titatute-book. Cr ITall agreed with Cr Porter. Cr Oham seconded tho motion, whioh was carried. Kesolved—" Tliat the Fire Inspector's letter be acknowledged." Cr Uincn moved—" That tho consideration of tho letter regarding Sewell street be considered with the motion ho had given notice of. Agreed to. Cr Oram moved, and Cr Day seconded the pissing of the following accounts :—Clerk's salarw £7 5s 8d ; Sherrat, £1 Is; Hunter, £2 Us 6d. Carried. Cr Bihch reported that the committee uppninted to enquire into the route of the railway through tho town, hud not been ablo to find tho numbers of thu sections on tho maps belonging to tho Council, but he pointed them out us they were marked ihe plans at the Land Office. On tho motion of Cr HaLL, seconded by Cr Poetke, it was decided to assent to the railway crossing the streets of tho town, as the line is at present laid out. The Clerk reported that tho iron had been weighed and conveyed to the Council's yard us decided upon a< - lust meeting. On the authority of Cr Birch (in the absence of tho Mayor) he had seen to some loads of metal being put olong Charles street. He recommended the cleaning out of various drains and water-courses in the town, and that the Sewell nnd Revell streets ought not to be metalled till dry weather set in ; for if put. on at present it w>uld sink out of sight. To repair the near Mr MfllUh's would cost a large sum, and they not of much use. Cr Halli suggested the placing along the south bank of the river several mooring posts for the vea<eh in river, 'i'hey had been suggested to him by the pilot. A discussion ensued, when tho motion made by Cr Hall not being seconded, the Chairman said they would proceed with the next business. Inspector Wright handed in a sample uniform for the Fire Brigade, consisting of stout blue cloth trousers, blue serge guernsey and black cap, with scarlet facings—the cost of which was not to exceed £2 10s per suit. Cr Birch enquired what amount had already been spent on the Fire Brigade. The Ci/erk—About £44 ; and £1.0 10a has been received. It was ultimately decided that the Clerk furnish a balance-sheet, of tha Brigade account, and the report of the Fire Brigade Committee, by next meeting The matter of the uniforms was allowed to stand over. Cr Oram moved —"That a committee of the Mayor, Crs Birch, and Porter wait on tho Chief Postmaster to secure postal communication between Kaiapoi and Chnstehurch twice daily." In speaking of the motion he urged the advantage of a closer communication with Christchurch, and the benefit it would also be to the Post-office ; it would also be a great convenience to the public to be able to get their letters in less than three days from Lvttelton. Cr Biech seconded the mo , ion ; ho believed the private letter-boxes at the Poet-office would be found to be taken up if such an arrangement as that they could get letters from Christchurch by the evening coach was come to. It was not contemplated that a second delivery of letters in the day woul i be necessary, lie also referred to the delays in the English mail letters, as they reuehed Kaiapoi in come instances three days after their arrival in Lvttelton and Chrietchureh.

ihe Chairman and Cr Porter agreed with the motion, which was unanimously carried.

The Council \rent into committee to consider the motion of which Cγ Birch had given notice, and after a prolonged discussion ac to the way in which the works ought to be done and the necessity for them, and then some amendments had been proposed, the Council resumed. Cr Birch proposed, and Cγ Ceooke seconded, " That it is desirable the following worke bo undertaken forthwith —1. The thorough repair of the flood-gate in the town at a cost not exceeding £15. 2. The metalling of from fifteen to twenty feet wide on the Crown of Sewell street, from Jones' to Hall street, at a cost not exceeding £60. 3. The formation and metalling of twelve feet wide on the corner of Kaven street, from North road to Cam street, at a cost not exceeding £20. 4. The metalling of certain crossing places were considered noces?nry at the corners of the streets at a cost of £4 ; and repairing (he metalling of Charles street, at a cost of £3. That ac regards works (2 and 3 only) two thirds of the expense be borne by the Council, and the carrying out of these works to be contingent on one third of the expense being contributed by persons in the locality." Cr Poetee moved, and Cr Hall seconded an amendment which, after some slight discussion, was withdrawn —" That tho liabilities of the Council in the action of Beswick v the Council be discharged before any expenses are incurred for metalling, &c ;" and a subsequent motion— " That Mr Wynn Williams' account against the Council be met with all due expedition " —was carried. The motion respecting the streets was carried, when Cγ Bikch further moved —"That tenders be sent in for works 2 and 3, for metalling the streets referred to, as coon as they are fit to receive the metal. Tenders to be sent in by next meeting." Cr Cbookb seconded the motion, which was carried ; and the Council then adjourned.