LYTTELTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7830, 7 April 1891, Page 6

LYTTELTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of the Lyttelton Borough Council took place last night, an 7.30 o'clock. Present—His Worship ch<S Mayor, Crs. H. Allwright, John Thompfj son, S. R. Webb, W. Hildyard, J. Joyce! J. T. Brice, and Geo. Laurenson. Correji spondence was read from J. Gib-ay, asking to,have his name on the burgess rolll Letter received. Prom A. Anderson, nfl the lease of his bathing place, which m now washed away. He seated that since! the accident to the sheds he had onlsl earned 2s 6d, and a_ked that the fresHi water be put on to his house. Cr. WeblS moved—"Thac the letter be referred torn the Bathing Committee." Cr. Joyces seconded the motion, which was carried* „he Finance Committee reported receipts for the past fortnight as being £434 lis Id; rent.*, £314 7s 6d; rates, -S7 9s 6d; water, £49 9_ 9d; dog tax, £11 10s; sundries,; £51 17s 4d. Accounts were passed for payment amounting to £16116s 9d. Some! discussion ensued over the payment of a| quarter's wages to the Domain Board! Caretaker. Tbe amount was eventually? passed.' The Estates Committee brought! under the notice of the Council a letterf from Messrs Mclntyre and - Lewis re chef specification for the map of the Boroughi which ie was stated was not sufficiently! clear for surveyors to fully understand! The Committee stated that Mr Br is tow J whose tender was accepted last had declined to take it • up. The Com! mittee recommended that fresh tenders be issued. Carried. The Foreman oS Works reported on the work ofj the employees since last meetinßS and suggesting that certain crossings in the town be attended to, , CrS Hildyard moved, and Cr. Brice seconded-1 " That the attention of the Sumner Towig Board be called to the bad state of th« road from the top of the Zigzag t® Sumner." Carried. It was resolved tag attend to the crossing in Exeter and Canl terbury streets. Mr Joseph Ulingworlj| interviewed the Council, asking for a tm duction of his rent of farm ac Chancy'« Corner, on account of the failure of thi land to produce crops through the last drjl season. It was stated that the lease of the farm was up in June, 1892. Cr. Joycf moved, and Cr. Brice seconded—"Thai the rent of the farm be reduced fronl 10s per acre to 6s, on condition thai the arrears of rent be paid in tet| days." The, Water (Supply Committees recommended the reduction of the rate for] the supply of water to Messrs lilingworth's fatm. Caxried. The Committee reported that the average pumping hours at Heathcote for the week were stated to have been 57, and that 100,000 gallons of water per day is now being pumped to the reservoir.! In regard to the application for the reduc-f tion of the cost of water from the Gas! Company that was used when the meter] was broken through a stone falling into iti it was resolved that the.application be noi granted. The notice of motion by Cr| Joyce that a rate of 9d in the £ be scrttdi for the ensuing year, was then taken. CrJ Joyce said that there was a misconception! on the minds of the ratepayers thai the rates were being raised, but thtS was not so. The rate was tha same as the year just past. Acs cording to the Town Clerk- estimate for the year the 9d would be required. Crl Laurenson seconded, the motion, and saicH that there were many things - connected! with the town which wanted attention,! aud tbat the rate was needed. It was! however, the lowest rate of any in the| colony. Cr. Allwright said that if It wasl possibly to do with a 6_ rate he did not sem -why they did not do it. There -was s& balance to the credit of the Council of close! on £500, with assets to come in. If lastfj year the 6d rate had been struck there! would still have been £240 to the Cr. oi the Council. The Council employees had! been very busily employed duriug the pases year, and several expensive works haq| been carried on. There was nothing t<|f gain by taking extra money out of the ratel! payers pockets. He would move—"That| the rate be6d In the £ for the year Cr. Webb seconded the amendment, tan d| said he was strongly in favor of the 6<f| rate. Last year he was in favor of c_a(£| rate, but the Councillors were against hiuM He hoped that the result of the coming conl ferenceof municipal authorities would bm that some power would be given wherebji the Council would have a revenue fro_|| the water. There were some works whichl would have to be done in the future, sucKl as backing up some of the high banksj When he first came to the Council therei was a shilling rate and a 4d water ratel which through his advocacy were refj duced to 9a. and 3d respectively. They! were again reduced to 6d and 3dJ but the Comptroller-General objected toj the Council getting funds from the water, and then a general rate of 9d was struck.] Cr. Hildyard said if the town could be worked at 6d he would be pleased, but iti could not be done. He contended that for the good working of the town 9d wasl not too much. Cr. Brice supported the! motion. Cr. Thompson was in favor ok a9drate. The amendment was thenputjj and declared lost on the voices. Th« motion was carried, and the Counc® adjourned. ,'" m