BALCLUTHA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Clutha Leader, Volume VII, Issue 359, 27 August 1880, Page 5

BALCLUTHA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of the Borough Council was held in the Council Chambers on Tuesday evening. There were present : The Mayor, and Messrs Kirn, Gawn, Stewart, Hutchins, Wood, and Mason. ; The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. CORBESPONDENCE. Mr John Platt wrote stating that he had taken out a grazing license about a month ago, understanding the same would run for twelve months from date of isaue, but a3 he had since become aware the term would expire in about two months from the present time, he applied for the favourable consideration of his ease. A letter dated 12th August was read from J. W. Thomson, Esq., M.H.R., referring to the rumoured change in . the Post Office site. The letter stated that after making all possible enquiries lie was unable to find that any change was contemplated at present. He hoped the citizens would agree amongst themselves as to the best site, as a sum of L7OO was now on the Estimates for the work, and any disagreement might have the effect of postponing the work for an .indefinite period. / \ The following telegram from Mr Thomson, dated 18th August, . was also read ■ :—^

'" No information —Here about removal. Department consider Station site undesirable." •'-■ - Thirty-two applications for trees for planting purposes were read. The number varied from six to five thousand, - The correspondence was received. POST OETICK SITE. Mr Macdonald said he would move that the thanks .of the Council be conveyed to Mr Thomson for the attention he had given, to their request in this-' matter. They were certainly indebted to him for the prompt way in which, ho had attended to their interests and made all possible enquiries. The Mayor said he had already telegraphed to Mr Thomson conveying the thanks of the Council and also of citizens for the attention he had given the matter. It was satisfactory to learn there had been no foundation for the reported change of site, and in all probability the report had emanated from some of the officers of the Postal Department, as the head of the Department knew nothing of it. CXDYE STREET CONTRACT. The Mayor reported that -the Works Committee had come to the conclusion that the repairs in that street, decided on at a previous meeting, could be best done by contract." The contract had therefore been let to Mr Keenan at what was considered a very low figure. The work was now in progress. RESERVES. The Mayor reported that a purchase of ten bags of grass seed had been made for the Lower Reserve. The seed had been got very cheap, being two shillings per bag, and would improve the grazing capabilities of this reserve very greatly. RESERVE LICENSES. Mr Mason said as Mr Platt had evidently taken out his license in ignorance of the time to run he would be in favour of making him some allowance. His case could be left over for the present, and^ at the expiry of the term it could be made up to him. Mr Wood was in favour of licenses being issued to run twelve months from the date of issue. This would simplify matters greatly, and would only entail a little extra book-keeping, which was an easy matter. He moved-r-' * That all leases from the date of the present- expiry of leases, run twelve months from the date of issue of each license." Seconded by Mr Kirn. Mr Macdonald suggested that the matter be left in the hands of the Reserves Committee for the present. Mr Hutchins moved as an amendment — " That the present arrangement remain in force with the addition that at the expiry of the first six months a winter license be issued at 15s." — Carried. ACCOUNTS. An account of Lls 18s 6d from William Battrick for day-labour was passed for payment. APPLICATIONS FOR TREES. Mr Macdonald called the attention of the Council to the fact that there were not more than five ratepayers who made application for trees for planting purposes. Had the people wished ' for trees they could have attended the late sale of trees and purchased for themselves. The proposal to furnish trees out of the rates was iniquitous. He himself was the third largest ratepayer in the borough and he protes ted against the measure. He called the attention of the Mayor to the sale of the tree protectors, which had only been advertised a short time ago, and now the Council were going in for a stock of trees to supply the townspeople. The Council were becoming brokers, shopkeepers, and traders. There was one ©f the applications, which he was sure the person whose name it bore knew nothing about it. He would not have money spent on treeplanting. Mr Wood : No ; not a shilling. A telegram was here read from James Rutherford, Esq., Waiwera, Auckland,, offering the trees required at a discount of 25 per cent on advertised price. Mr Macdonald then moved — " That the advantages offered by Mr Rutherford be extended to the ratepayers by the Council purchasing from Mr Rutherford and supplying the applicants at same price, and that all applications be sent to the Clerk in writing." Seconded by Mr Wood. The Mayor pointed out that the motion was not consistent with a motion passed at a special meeting held on purpose to consider tree-planting. The mover of the motion was Mr Grigor, and the trees ' were to have been supplied gratis. The motion had been seconded and carried. Mr Wood said when the motion referred to was passed by the Council it was unde? - stood the trees were to be obtained for nothing. Mr Maodonald said the money obtained on debentures would become due on the third of next month, and as there was no funds to provide for this it was absurd to speak of spending money on tree-planting. Mr Stewart would like the amount of money to be spent on trees to be mentioned in Mr Macdonald's motion. The Council might go and spend a sum of LSOOO or more if not- distinctly stated. The Mayor reported that a deputation of genteman had called ' on him that day and had offered to contribute pound for pound out of their own pockets for the purpose. One of the gentlemen who had offered to subscribe did not own any property in the place, but only offered for the improvement of the town generally. He would say in answer to Mr Macdonald that several have made application to him whose names did riot appear before them, and who were only leaseholders and tenants. He would observe that Balclutha was not alone in this matter as Cromwell and other places were also having planting done this season. " ' Mr Wood said he wished to ask His Worship if certain statements which had appeared in print were correct, viz.- — that without the consent of the Council he had sent down a person to Mr Rutherford's, Kaitangata, to select trees. The Mayor said he was not responsible for what appeared in print, and requested Mr Wood to sit down. Mr Wood said he did not believe half of what appeared in print himself. Mr Macdonald had been " red hot " on tree-planting at one time himself, but the tree-protector business had been too much for him. Let the .ratepayers buy the trees, and plant them themselves.

Replying to Mr Mason, the Mayor said the trees would be planted in positions approved of. by the Council. The trees were- not wanted for the purpose of enhancing the value of private property, but for the decoration of the township. Mr - Wood said he would oppose as long as lie remained in Council the spending of the ratepayers' money on trees. The Mayor said that Councillors Wood and Stewart, had put the ratepayers to more expense by their stubbornness than all the tree-planting would amount to if doubled. He referred to the -fact that when a bill for security of overdraft was required by the Bank for the benefit of the municipality at large, they were the only two councillors who objected to sign the document until a compromise was come to. Mr Hutchins said ho did not think tree planting a good line. Mr Mason said the Council had expected to get ihe trees for nothing. Mr Hutchins was in favour of the Council planting the trees. The Mayor said as no one seemed disposed to move in the matter, he would move — aa a councillor — " That this Council give a sum not to exceed five pounds towards tree planting in the Borough." Seconded by Mr Mason. Mr Wood said there were too many horses and cows " flying about " for trees to thrive in the streets. Mr Mason said he wished the Mayor to withdraw his motion as it would be taking advantage of the Council. Mr Wood moved as an amendment — " That the persons sending in these applications be informed that their requests are declined as this Council could not obtain the trees gratis." Seconded by Mr Stewart. On being put to the meeting there voted for the amendment Messrs Kirn, Stawart, and Wood ; and for the motion the Mayor and Messrs Macdonald and Mason. The Mayor gave his cashing vote for the motion, which he therefore declared carried. Mr Wood said four had voted for the amendment viz., Mes3rs Gawn, Stewart, Kirn, and himself. The Mayor said only three had voted for the amendment and he had givan his casting vote in favour of the motion. The. motion was therefore carried as Councillor Hutchins had declined to vote at all. Mr Wood wished to know if his Worship doubted his word. He protested against his Worships ruling, and he did not think Councillors should be sat on. Some members of the present Council were disposed to ride rough shod over other members of Council. An all round discussion then took place as to the Mayor's ruling, the. Mayor calling on Councillor Wood several times to sit down and at last inviting him to take the chair, which Mr Wood respectfully, but firmly declined to do. . The Clerk was then asked by. the Mayor as to Parliamentary etiquette in such cases. The Clßrk explained, that in cases where the voices were taken and the party in the minority questioned the' correctness of the counting, they had, the right. to call for a division, but this" must be done before the final ruling of the chairman. The motion was therefore declared carried. The Mayor then declared the business of the evening concluded. The following protest was afterwards lodged by Mr Wood : — "I, David Wood, do hereby protest against the motion just declared by his Worship the Mayor to be passed by the Council of Balclutha Borough seeing that a majority voted for the amendment. . "David Wood." "August 24th, 1880."