WOOLSTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11562, 20 April 1903, Page 6

WOOLSTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

REVIEW OF THE YEARS WORK. Tho usual meeting of the Woolston Borough Council wa.i held on Thursday, 16th invt. Present—The Mayor, Cr*Sprcarlhury, Moore, Henley, Parish, Hob.•>on, Reiime, Bowton, and OweD. An apology m-,us received from Cr. Lord. On the Works Comnutte.es recommendation it wa» decided to obtain <"00yd_ of metal from Mr J. E. Garland, to be spread on Hillsborough portion of the borough; to metal the top end of Randolph street as far us Mr Mallet's house; to put in an open culvert at the top of St. John stieet to connect with main outlet drain: to shift the gas lamp from the Oddfellows' Hall to opposite Mackworth street. The Finance Committee reported receipts amounting to £59, dr. bank balance £439 Ids 2d. They recommended accounts for payment amounting to £92 4s 3d. The Mayor sta-t-d that he and the Clerk had interviewed the Premier, on the introduction of Mr G. Witty, M.H.R., re Ferry road, when the Premier advised that the Council had power under the Municipal Corporations Act, 1900, to make a by-law providing for a levy on heavy traffic. The Premier also promised £ for £ on the cost

of making Coronation street. Met.-.r. Joynt and Andrews, solicitors for Mr J. Harper, notifi-ci the Council to remove n..ial otf Manning's Place, the land being claimed by Mr Harper. Received. The Council's solicitors advised what steps were being taken to recover rates outstanding on Tumai Settlement, The Charitable Aid Board's levy, £53 19a 6d, and the Hospital Board's levy of £51 10s 6d, were received. It was decided to give Mr Geo. McClatchie's agent three months' notice to give pos-ses-sion cf tbe road connecting Halfway Place with Roimata. It wa.s resolved to pay the contractor for the bath the amount due for construction, on receipt of a certilicate from Mr Rennie and the bath being tested to the Ptitisfaction of the Council. The "Lyttelton Times" nnd "Christchurch Press" were appointed the oilicial papers for the year. Tho supplementary roil was signed and cer- ■ tilled. On it-he motion of Cr. Hobson, seconded by Cr. Moore, it was resolved to coui[.'!iraerit the Clerk on his efforts in obtaining payment of rate.*.

The Mayor thanked the Council for their courtesy ar-.l in conducting the Council's business during the past year. It was resolved to place on record the. Council's appreciation ot the Mayors untiring eft'ort.s in the interests of the borough, and for tho able maimer in which the businees of the borough has been conducted. The Mayor thanked the Council, and briefly reviewed the year's w r o_k, and compared' results with tlie previous year's bal-ance-sheet. He congratulated the Council on the improved financial position of the borough, and pointed out the amount received for rates exceeded that of any previous year, and the total rates outstanding were only £19 lis 9d, againot £252 18s Id at March 31st, 1902. Dog registration fees exceeded the previous year by £54. A *pocial grant of £40 liad been secured for Mackwr.ith street. Tamai, which had been j

r-criotLslv (neglected by the. Gove/mment hitherto" Having satisfactorily cleared off all arrears on the Drainage Board, the Council had been able to collect £59 as commission thereon, also £17 from the Waimakariri Board. The Council had been successful in dealing with the Heathcote String Bridge, having obtained a fair award from the Commissioner. The Administration and Public Works expenditure compared favourably with that of previous years, and had it not been for the extraordinary expenditure, such as lighting for previous years, land for Coronation street, Coronation celebrations, a liability to the Drainage- Board, and the AVaimakariri Road Board, representing a total of close on £600. the Council's bank account would have been in credit instead of debit. Notwithstanding this heavy drain on the Council's income, the overdraft waa less than that of last year. This statement was received by the Council with satisfaction.