BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XVII, Issue 833, 31 March 1885, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of above body was held on Friday evening. Present—The Mayor, Crs Mountney, MacKellar, Murrcll, Olds, Solomon, and Brown. . Minutes of previous meeting having been read and confirmed, Correspondence was submitted. Letters outward were approved. Inward correspondence comprised—(l) Letter from MrFergus, M.H.R., covering copy of engineer's report and other papers relating to the condition of Cromwell bridge; (2) from Government, stating that question of erecting a new bridge had been referred to the Minister of Public Works ; (3) from Mr F. J. Wilson, enclosing Crown Grants for municipal reserves ; (4) from Minister of Justice, intimating that the Governor would be advised to appoint a Licensing Committee for the Borough ; (5) from Secretary of Industrial Exhibition, re exhibits from this district.—The communications from Government and MiFergus were ordered to be acknowledged, and the matter of Exhibition circular was left in the hands of the Mayor. Draft of new by-laws as prepared by Mr Wilson, solicitor, was then discussed at considerable length. The Mayor pointed out that unless and until the Council took steps to bring the by-laws into operation the Borough would lose a considerable revenue. Already the Magistrate had thrown out eases brought under the existing by-laws, and the police naturally declined to bring informations under them since they were proved to be bad. The majority of Councillors demurred to the expense involved in drafting and printing new by-laws, especially as the Mayor had got the solicitor to draw them up before consulting the Council. With regard to publication as required by law, on consulting previous records it was found the cost would not be so great as anticipated. Cr MacKellar urged that seeing the by-laws had been prepared it would be folly to hang them up for sake of the cost of printing and publishing them. It was ultimately proposed by Cr Murrell, seconded by Cr Mountney—That the draft bylaws be printed, and submitted to the Council at a special meetingtobe called for that purpose, in accordance with the Municipal Corporations Act.—Carried. On the motion of Cr MacKellar, seconded by Cr Solomon, arrangements for printing new by-laws were left in the hands of the Mayor. The Mayor directed attention of the Council to the inconvenience, expense, and annoyance caused to tradespeople throughout the district by the recent raid of the Inspector of Weights and Measures. Not only had people's property been taken away, but probably they would be compelled to attend Court in answer to charges made against them by the Inspector. He thought it was an absurd and entirely needless hardship to impose upon residents who lived a long way from Clyde to compel them to go there to get their weights and measures tested and stamped. Councillors were in accord with the Mayor, ■uid it was resolved—That the Mayor at once place himseif in communication with theMiuister of Justice, pointing out the hardship of the late raid made by the Inspector of Weights and Measures on persons residing at a distance from Clyde, the only place where measures and weights can be tested and stamped. Cr MacKellar brought before the Council the wisdom of addressing Government on the subject of erection of Warden's quarters in Cromwell. He understood the matter of putting up such buildings was now under consideration, and therefore this was the proper time to move in the direction of having the permanent quarters in Cromwell. Geographically this was the centre df the combined Dunstan and Wakatipu districts, and Cromwell should not lose the opportunity of making its claims in this respect known.—Cr Brown concurred, and seconded a resolution by Cr MacKellar that the Mayor place himself in communication with the Government on the subject, which was carried. An account for £l4 12s from Mr Wilson, solicitor (lifting Grants, etc.), was passed for payment, and the Council rose.