BALCLUTHA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Clutha Leader, Volume XX, Issue 1034, 18 May 1894, Page 5

BALCLUTHA BOROUGH COUNCIL.

6 j The monthly meeting of the above council was held on Tuesday evening. There were present —Messrs 'J. M'Corley (mayor), J. Dunne, G. W. Hutchins, J. W. Wilson, Peter Mason, D. T. Fleming, J. Bremner, J. Wilkins, and P. Bell. Mr 11. Grigor wrote advising the council that he had passed the necessary street repairs consequent on. the laying of the gas mains, subject to another coat of gravel and 'tar where the asphalt had been broken.—Eeceived. Mr D. M'Farlane wrote complaining of a straw stack having been placed on a section adjoining his house, within the borough, and contrary to the bye-laws.—Council to inspect same before taking any action, The following accounts Were presented for I payment: —Blackwood.and Chapman, L 2 10s 3d; S. Porter, ss; J. M'Millan, LI Is 6d; D. Eeddie, LBls ; J. Sinclair, 5s ; T. Webb, 9s ; Balclutha Gas Company, Lls 6s Id; J. Finn, L 3 8s; J. Walls', 19s 6d.—The accounts were passed subject to the gas and lighting accounts being certified to by the lighting committee. ' . : ' j Mr P. Nelson, county ;cjerk, forwarded ' statement of accounts iri connection with the recent licensing election^.with) a request that: the Borough Council wquld' pass their share of same without delayi The total amount was L 156 12s, which was apportioned as follows—Balclutha Borough Council, six licenses L 240, quota of cost L 79. 2s 6d; Tapanui 1 Borough Council, three licenses Ll2O, quota L 39 lls 3d ; Tuapeka County Council, threa licenses L6O, quota Ll9 5s 9d ; Clutha County Council, one license L'ls, quota L4lßs lid"; Clinton Town Board, one license L4O, quota Ll3 3s 9d.—Mr Wilson moved—". That as the council has no funds out of which it can legally pay the account, it decline to do so." ■ Seconded by Mr Fleming and carried. I The Mayor reported that the library com- ■ mittee had cancelled their order with Wise, 1 Caffin and Co. as from the end of June next, and instead had ordered magazines direct from London at a saving of L 6 or L 8 a year. —Action approved. Mr Mason called attention to the fact that certain of the reserve gates had been locked which, by resolution of the council, were to be left open. —The Mayor explained that it was by his order, as the poundkeeper could not look after three gates. FINANCE. The finance committee's report was read as follows: — " The finance committee having carefully considered the financial position of the borough in all its bearings beg to lay the following suggestions before the council with a recommendation that they be adopted. " 1. That the special offices of poundkeeper and ranger and inspector of nuisances be abolished, saving L2O a year. . " 2. That the special office of sexton be abolished. Present sexton gets L2O a year, and for digging graves 8s and 15s respectively for children and adults, the latte"r sums being often paid by the council long before they are collected. "3. That the payment of L 5 a year in addition to the fees to the weighbridge keepor be discontinued. At 3d for each weigh —the authorised charge —the weighbridge is worth about Ll2 a year, so that your committee consider the L 5 a year may be withdrawn. "4. That the wages of.the dayman bo' reduced from 7s to 6s 6d a day. "5. That in future the'duties of dayman include those of poundkeeper, ranger within the borough, inspector of nuisances, and aexton; poundage fees allowed to the dayman. " 6. That the town clerk hare in addition to his present duties the. full oversight and charge of the lower reserve. " 7. That the present dayman and weighbridge keeper be given an opportunity of accepting the new arrangements, and that on their declining to do so that applications be called for. " Your committee have every confidence in making the foregoing recommendations, believing they will lesult in a considerable saving of the annual expenditure, a matter of greater importance than any little inconvenience which the proposed arrangements may temporarily entail. " Attached to this is an approximate estimate of the receipts and expenditure for the current year, which places the matter so clearly that anything further is unnecessary. " Your committee would only add that the utmost economy is necessary, and take the liberty to express the hope that councillors will keep expenditure down to the lowest possible limit." Estimated Eeceipts —

The report was adopted, subject to an amendment moved by Mr Wilson, seconded by Mr Mason, and carried by 5 to 4,—"That applications be invited for the office of dayman, etc." . Mr Wilson moved—" That the clerk be instructed to sue for all outstanding rates and accounts."—Seconded by Mr Wilkins and carried. The statutory meeting was then held, for the purpose of passing the burgess lists. There were no objections, and the list wag

passed and ordered to be signed by the Mayor J and Messrs Hutchins and Wilson. '" j

£ s. v. Outstanding Kates 1893-94 . . 57 4 9 „ „ previous . . 3 0 5 Asphalt .. .. 10 11 11 Rents .. : 23 1 0 Sundry .. ... 311 0 Subsidy, 1893-94 .. 60 0 0 Rates 1894-95, East Ward . . 30 17 6 North „ .. 110 13 9 South „ .. 202 15 0 Rents .. .. .. 182 0 6 Reserve Licenses . . . . 79 . 0 0 Auctioneers „ .. . . 40 0. 0 Subsidy on Bates, 1894-5 „ 75 0 0 Dog Registration . . . . 17 10 0 Library Rate . . . . ." 13 15 0 „ Subscriptions . . ' . . 117 0 Overdraft, March 31, 1895 . . 444 5 7 .. .-^l^ss 3 6 Estimated Expenditure — £ s. d. Overdraft, March 31, 1894 ... 696 2 5 Advertising and Printing . . 20 0 0 Law Charges . . . . - . . 3 3 0 Audit „ ..-.-'' ..'4OO Traffic Bridge .. . . 40 0 0 Hospital and Charitable Aid ... 60 0 0 Office Charges — Light, Coal, etc 35 0 0 Salaries — Clerk and Librarian, and Mayor . . . . 100 0 0 Lighting .. .. .. 50 0 0 Engineer .. .. .. 3 0 0 Dog' Registration . . . . 4 0 0 Repairs to Buildings . . . . 10 0 0 Interest, overdraft . . . . 56 0 0 „ loans .. .. 72 10 0 Dayman at 6/6 .. .. 101 8 0 Street's, General Works, Sundries 100 0 0 £1355 3 5 Liabilities . £ s. d. Overdraft, say .. .. 700 0 0 Loan on Reserve . . . . 500 0 0 „ Debentures .. . . 500 0 0 £1700 0 0