BOROUGH COUNCILS.

Press, Volume XXXI, Issue 4263, 28 March 1879, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCILS.

' ASHBUBTON.

Monday, Mabch 24.. 1 Present— His Worship the Mayor, Crs. Friedlander, Parkin, Campbell, Orr, and Saunders. The Mayor made the following statement t—Since hut meeting an interview had been held with the Judge of the Assessment jPpurt respecting : th» roll. The necessary additions would ba completed by end of the month; and ho had allowed an additional sum for the extra work,' which he hoped the Council would, sanction. He had written to the Commissioner of Bailways re fencing the crossings in East street. The by-laws had been sanctioned, and-he> hoped that the one by which they could oblige residents in East street and other thickly-populated parts of the town to use closet pans would be enforced. A circular had been received from Wellington regarding the sending of exhibits to the Sydney Exhibition. Samples of wool, grain, <fee., - might be sent, and he would ask the Council to pass a resolution on the matter.' He wished the Council to urge upon the Government the necessity of appointing a Besident Magistrate for the town. . There ought to be at least two days in the week on I which they could try civil cases. The Justices could not try anything but Police cases of a trivial nature, and besides that, they could not be expected to attend regularly. They knew a Court was to he established at Bakaia, and probably at Mount Somers also, so that a Magistrate would have plenty to do. A new courthouse was also much required. Complaints were made of the Bur- | nett street drain. He thought the matter should receive their earnest attention. Correspondence was read from Mr T. M. Hardy Johnston, asking for payment of his. account. It was resolved £25 he sent to Mr Johnston as full settlement for his aooount.; From Mr E. Mossman, complaining of bad state of drains near his residence, Burnett street. It was decided to inform that gentlemen that the by-laws were now in force, and steps would be taken to remove that and similar nuisances. From_Mr hon. sec. Ashburton Fire Brigade, asking Council to forward sum of £50 to the brigade, that being sum "voted"for their' assistance. It was decided to accede to the request. From Messrs James Mcßae and B. Oughton, asking for licenses for their cabs. The hcenses were granted. The major said that great care should be exercised by the. Council in granting these licenses. \Cri Friedlander moved that an advertisement-be inserted twice weekly in the Ashburton papers, stetfngithatiiMnplea, of grain, wool, &c, for tiie Sydney exhibition could be forwarded the Council, who would send them to Wellington. Agreed tq. The engineer's report, dealing with site for deposit of eight soil, was read, y The MayOT said, they had next to consider respecting the best plac* to deposit the night .soil. The engineer recommended ; the selection of a sSSe below Trererton,on the river. The coatmittee appointed had done their best to select a site, and coald- find none so snitahle-as thra. After much discussion it was resolved—-"That the~G-overnment bs;;regTisßsted to- reserve the site marked m the i tracing* for" the purpose named." The Mayor saidaccorduhg, to thf by-law no kerosene should be stored'inthe town. A reserve ought to be selected on whlohihßoilßhprdibecstored. ? Thepatter was left in abeyance till next meeting, in order that his Wffrahip j-&igbt inouira;. re>

garding toe mast euit&ble wserre for the pnr> pose. Mr 3 r u.'DofmanVSendeTj. for sinking are "fire w?Hi,"efc jgSSJ per well, wa» opened. The Councillor* ooosidered the sum asked too high, and the waterworks committee were requested to see £E Bhe work oonld not b# done at a cheaper rate. They were revested also to select the most ratable cites for the well*. The Major asked the works committee to employ as little labor as possible, as their credit balance atthe bank was only £33014* Id. The Council decided to recommend to the water supply committee that wells be sunk opposite {founders' building»,n*ar Mr Fowler's in Tancred street, near Bank of New Zealand, East street, and opposite Royal Hotel, Moore st« et. The Mayor said many persons were anxious to have the back streets of the town near their residences shingled. The matter was left in the hands of the works committee. The price of copies of by-laws was fixed at Iβ. The inspector of nuisances was instructed to bring np a report regarding removsl of night sou, etc., in the most thickly populated part of the town. It was resokei after diccosiion, on the motion of Cr. Saundere—" That this Council write to the Minister cf Justice requesting him to appoint a Resident Magistrate for Ashburfc-n, and at the same time call his attention to the inoonvenience of the present Courthouse, requesting that a proper building for the purpose be erected as speedily as possible." Cγ. Campbell moved the notice of motion standing in his name respecting the formation of the outfall drain. He urged the importance of the immediate commencement of the work, as it was absolutely necessary for the health of the town. They had no money to go on with the work, but he had no doubt the ratepayers would give them the authority to borrow the money for the purpose. - Their streets were dirty and the gutters foul, and almost the only real ease of typhus fever that had occurred in New Zealand had happened at Ashburton, and terminated fatally. Cr. Saundera agreed with the former speaker, and begged to second the motion. The Mayor agreed with On. Campbell and Saunders, but thought it would be impossible just now to borrow money in the colony at 7 per cent, and they were not allowed by the Act to give more. The sum was too small to go to the Hume market, even supposing they borrowed (a< they certainly should) a earn of money sufficient not only for the outfall drain, but other works immediately necessary. He must, therefore, call upon the mover of the resolution to say where ho proposed to procure the money. Or. Campbell agreed with the Mayor that the money could not at present be borrowed for 7 per cent., but he thought they should at once get the assent of the ratepayers in order that the moment the money could be procured the work could be commenced. He would press the resolution, and hoped it would be passed. Cr. Parkin said money, was required urgently for the channelling and completing the water supply works. Cr. Campbell was quite willing to , amend his resolution to that effect, but hoped the outfall drain would be made the first charge on the sum borrowed. The Mayor proposed the matter should stand over till an exact estimate of the sum required could be made. Cr. Campbell then put his resolution altered as follows—"That steps be taken to have the outfall drain and side channelling formed, and that the water works scheme be completed, and that authority be procured from the ratepayers to borrow a sum of money for -those purposes." The resolution was then carried unanimously. The Mayor begged Ore. to attend more punctually, as much time was lost from that cause. The Mayor spoke highly of Mr O. BraddeU's efficiency. His term of agreement had nearly expired. It was received his salary for the next six months should be at the rate of £150 per annum instead of £100 as at present, and at the same time the Crs. expressed themselves as much pleased with the manner in which that gentleman had fulfilled his duties. Accounts amounting to £214 7s were passed for payment and the meeting then adjourned.