BALCLUTHA TOWN COUNCIL.

Clutha Leader, Volume III, Issue 112, 1 September 1876, Page 5

BALCLUTHA TOWN COUNCIL.

The ordinary fortnightly meeting of the Town Council Avas held in the Council Chambers, (Athenteum bivilding), on Tuesday evening. There wore present : His Worship the Mayor, and Councillors Hogg, .Cramond, Hope, Tosh, Doull, and Dunne. '' ,\ The minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed. A letter was read from Mr Grigor, Secretary to the Athenaeum. Committee, agreeing to the Council having chambers in the Athen&mm building at a rental of £2S a year, the rent to be payable halfyearly in advance. Tlio letter was received. A letter was read from the Ranger, calling attention to the necessity of extending the' fences of the reserve further into the river, as at low water the cattle get round them. The letter was referred to the Works Committee with instructions to attend to the matter. A letter from Mr W. Eegge, calling attention to the state of the street in front of his house in Clyde-street, was referred to the same Committee. , . The following accounts were passed for payment : — Chimside and Gormley, Hasborough. Road contract £10 0 0 John Pro van, cartage ; ; 2 12 0 John Sinclair, salary i . . 11 18 9 R. Cram on d, cartage of weigh 1 . bridge, coals, &c. ; . 1 B 0 Pot.ter and Doull, timber .. . 2.7 6 D. P. M'Kenzie,. contract in. Barr'sstreet, £38 18s ; one half passed, as the account was not certified; Councillor Dunne called attention td tlie dangerous state of qbe culvert across the m am road at the southern boundary of the Municipality, and ; suggested that the Works Committee should examine, it. TLe culvert was nnioli too short, and lie was surprised that no accident had occurred, for it was a regular man-trap. Councillor Hogg said the matter had been before the Council on a former occasion, but there was a difficulty in getting rid of the water. Councillor Tosh said the same difficulty still existed. On a recent occasion the water was six inches deep across the road; The culvert was in the wrong place, but nothing could be done in the matter till the place would be dry. Councillor Oramond thought something should be done to induce the proprietor's to deepen the pitch leading from the road so that the water might get away. It was not worth while to interfere with tlie old culvert, and there were many more dangerous places requiring attention. Councillor Dunne said a very small expense would put the culvert to rights. He was one of a Committee who examined into the. matter .upon a former occasion, and he thought the Council should stop the water being brought into the township at all. Tliey were not bound to provide drainage for the whole country to the saddle of the Fo'tir Mile Creek. Councillor Cramond said that if the culvert was so very dangerous as Councillor Dunne maintained it was, then tliey could fence it off.

The Mayor said the Works Committee would examine into the matter:

A report was read from the Inspector of Works as to the proposed works in Cromavstreet. - The report Stated that to form a footpath to its permanent level would cost 22/ per chain, and gravelling 13/ per chain. Tl}e path was 17 chains long.

Councillor Duniie said it was never intended to form the footpath to its permanent level . Apparently nothing could now be done without going. according to the permanent levels. . It was absurd to talk of permanent level? for the works. Councillor Hogg said when the matter was before the Council at last meeting the permanent levels were" never . talked of. It was simply intended to make the footpath passable for the public. Councillor Bouli thought it was the duty of the Government to keep the approach to the bridge in repair. . Councillor Hope thought they should leave the footpath in Cromar-street alone. If they put loose metal upon it, with the number of horses and cattle running there it would very soon be scattered. Councillor Gramond said the only part of the footpath rec![tiiring repairs was opposite M'Farlane's house, and considered it would be absurd to put loose metal upon tlio liard rock which formed the fdotpa'th at the lower end of the street: • . .

Councillor Doull said it would be very unfair to expend ,the money as far as thehotel, leaving the worst portions untouclied. . . ,; . ; ; = ;,, ; v : „ „ . ■ Councillor Tosh moved thai; the, Council expend. £8 iippn the,iniprdy;ement of tiie footpath, comme'ncing.&t the lower 'end: Seconded by. Gotincillor ' Dunne",' ; and tarried: . : :'.- : - ' '•' "'••'■•'•■.• ."■ ■- : ; '- '■"■ . Councillor "Hogg} .according to! notice; moved; "That the Works Committee Be:

instructed to sink a test well-, iand ereci & horse tiougli in Clyde- street, noar George-' sfcroet." In doing so ho said all would agree that wuils wem very much required throughout the township; Marty, V)f the 1 inhabit: ii .-iliad to procure their water froni the river, which was altogether unfit for do^ mestic purposes. Wells had already heeri sunk at diilerent places and the water found to bo bad, but iiis idea was, that with a pipe they should bore to 'a greater depth to see if better water could not theii be found. If successful, wells would soon be sunk all over the .township. The . expense of boring would be triiimg, and h<s thought the experiment should lie tried". He would not indicate any particular spot j but leave that to the Committee. He pointed out that in case of a lire occurring in the township, there was.no water to extinguish it, and the result might be disastrous. Councillors Dunne and Hope "supported the motion. Councillor Cramond said it was merely a question as to depth. Good water would be found all over the flat if they Aveivb td the proper depth for it, and it made little difference where the experiment was tried. The Mayor suggested that it should be tried near spots where the water had boen found .to be bad with shallow sinking, so that the public would know that good water was to be found by boring deep enough. The motion Was agreed to. . . It was pointed out""%hat an informality had occurred in the appointment of a collectoiyand Mr Thomas Paterson was reappointed td the office. Councillor Cramond moved that th<s rates levied for the ensiling year be payable on the 30 th September,. Seconded by Councillor Hogg, and carried. Councillor Cramond said that therd were great complaints of stray cattle breaking into gardens throughout the township. The attention of the Inspector "of Nuisances was directed to be called to the matter. Councillor Hope called attention to certain live fences encroaching upon the f6obpatlr. The attention of the Inspector was directed to this matter also.

Councillor Dtinne pointed out tlie necessity of having the manure depot more clearly defined, as at present rubbish Avas being deposited all over tlie reserve, to the danger of stock depasturing there. The matter was referred to the Reserves Committee.

Councillor Cramond referred to the matter of Mr Sinclair's .appointment. He said it was clear that to keep things in proper order it would be necessary to employ him permanently. He suggested that his Worship the Mayor should be authorised to endeavour to engage him at a salary of, say, Ss a day. Councillor Dunne said the Council liaii every confidence in Mr Sinclair that he 1 would keep everything right; He thought the Mayor should ascertain upon what terms his services could be secured, and report at next meeting.

Councillor Hogg suggested that as Mr Sinclair Had been employed- by the engineers to inspect contracts, he should be paid at' the present rate of salary till the contracts were completed. ... The matter was left in the hands of the Mayor. A conversation ensued as to the :.best mode of carrying out the Impounding Ordinance, but nothing definite w'as'aone. A request was received for permission for the Clutha and Tapanui Building Society to hold one meeting in the Council Chambers.— Permission granted". Councillor Hope gave notice that at next meeting he would move that a ditch be cut along the lower or. aoiitli side of Hasborough Road', froiri Doull's mill td the stone quarry, the earth to be thrown upon the centre of the street ; also, that a small ditch be cut from the street to the river. The meeting then adjourned.