SYDENHAM.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 8729, 27 February 1894, Page 3

SYDENHAM.

I An ordinary fortnightly meeting of the ; Sydenham Borough Council was held lose evening, when there were present—fciia i Worship the Mayor (Mr W. Jacques) and i Crs. Brown, Taylor, Winny, Forrester, j Rud.d, Jones, Smith, Hauheld, MurTett, j Cliflbrd and Samuels. j An apology was received for the absence ! of Cr. Langdown. I The Under Secretary of the Department \of Lauds aud Survey, under date February | 15th, wrote stating that the Government , hail definitely decided to contribute the sum :ot £iIOOG towards the purchase of the Agricultural ami Pastoral Society's old Show : Ground for recreation purposes if the Council j would contribute the balance and have a j conveyance to the Queen executed. iJ t was proposed to then vest tbe ' | land in the Borough Council under the Public Domains Act, 1831. Should the Council, however, prefer that the vesting j should ba under the Public Reserves Act, j 188' i, probably no objectiou would be made. The £2000 agreed upon would be paid upon the completion of the conveyance. On the 16th inst. the Under Secretary wrote as follows to the Mayor of Sydenham:—" Referring to the interview betweeu yourself and Mr Murphy and the Minister for L*nds relative to the purchase of the A. and P. Society's Show Ground at Sydenham, I am directed to state that the Minister will uudertake to introduce into Parliament next session a Bill to amend the third clause of section 4 of the Public Reserves Act, 1885, to provide tor extending the time for which you would be authorised to make a charge for the use of the ground, from ten days to twenty days. Tbe Minister, of course, cannot guarantee that the Bill so introduced will pass, but it is hoped that this undertaking will enable your Council to complete the transaction." I'he Mayor said he had endeavoured to get something definite from the Minister of Lands with reference to the number of days, aud Mr McKenzie had promised to givo an undertaking that the Public Reserves Act should be amended ao as to give the Council what was required. Cr. Smith moved—"That a Committee consisting of his Worship the Mayor and Crs. Brown, Forrester, Langdown, and the mover be appointed to complete the purchase of the old Show Grounds iv terms of the arrangement made by his Worship the Ma»for with the Government." Cr. Rudd seconded the motion, and the mover aud seconder congratulated the Mayor upon the success of his mission to Wellington in reference to the purchase of .the Show Grounds. Cr. Muffett moved as an amendment— " That the Mayor be requested to convene a meeting of the ratepayers to discuss the whole question re the purchase of the show grounds." Cr. Clifford seconded the amendment, which was lost on a division, ouiy the mover and seconder voting foi- it. The motion was then put and carried, with two dissentients. A 1 etter was read from Messrs Harman and Stevens, stating that subject to the approval of the Council, they proposed to lay out a private street through R.S. No. 62, south of Lancaster Park. The letter was referred to the Works Committee to report upon. A letter from the Charitable Aid Board in reference to the demand that had been made for paymeut of the Council's contribution was referred to the Finance Committee. The Works Committee's report was read and adopted. . The Finance Committee reported that the receipts since lost meeting had been— General account, £139 Is lOd; separate account (rates), £99 8s lid; total, £229 10s 9d. Accounts to tbe amount of £460153 9d were recommended to be passed for payment. The balances of accounts were—Cr.—Separate account, £423 2a lid ; : interest do, £223 9s ; loan account deposit, £5450 ; less overdraft, £71 15s 9d—£5378 4s 3d ; general account deposit, £500—less overdraft and cheques not presented £242 12s 2d—£257 7a lOd; total amount to credit, £6282 4s. The report was adopted. It was resolved, on the motion of Cr. Hadfieed, seconded by Cr. Rudd, to ask the Bailway Commissioners to remove the iron fence enclosing the railway yards on the Eist side of Colombo street, and erect a picket fence, so tbat pedestnans may see the di&ya coming from the yard through the gateway. After transacting other routine business tht Council adjourned until Monday next.