MUNICIPAL.

Evening Star, Issue 8044, 22 October 1889, Page 4

MUNICIPAL.

I Pout Chalmers.— A special meeting of ; this Council was held last night for the pur- ' pose of receiving a report from the Reserves Committee re the proposed annexation of Mansford Town. Mr J. Smith (clerk of the Waikouaiti County Council) wrote that his Council did not agree to the boundaries as set forth in tlio proclamation in the , ‘ Gazette ’ of August 24, 18S9, ami shown on the enclosed tracing colored pink. The Council had communicated with the Colonial Secretary stating that they would have no objection to the severance of Mansford Town from the county and its incorporation with the Borough of Port Chalmers if the i boundaries were "altered so as to include the ' area colored green on the tracing forwarded. ) —The Reserves Committee reported that, j acting under instructions, they proceeded to Mansford Town and inspected the : plan hanging in the public room of I the Crescent Hotel, and after getting a good idea of the ground, proceeded ' along the Beach road as set forth in the proclamation aa the east side, and again toI wards the north-east by Otago Harbor. Mr | Yeoman accompanied the Committee, and his knowledge of the ground proved of great I benefit in helping them to understand the I boundaries. The Committee, while on the ; ground, placed the boundaries in much the ■ same position as set forth in the proclamation of August 24. The Committee also received a letter with tracings from the Waikouaiti County clerk, which showed a great difference in the boundaries as set forth in the proclamation, so much so as to add to the length of roads one and a-half mile, making a total length of roads three and a-half miles. The district proposed to be annexed was in their opinion j too large, and contained within and around I it such an extent of roads and streets that ! it would not be possible out of the revenue to be derived from that district, after paying cost of management, to do as much work on the streets as would satisfy the inhabitants of Mansford Town. Under the Municipal Corporations Act, 1886, it appears when the district is annexed the Council can only levy a general rate, which means a rate j of 3d in the £ only, while the inhabitants of ; the borough have to pay an additional fid [ j special rate. Under the Act of 1886, seo- | tiona 141 and 142, the borough could not I I levy a special rate on the district even I although the proclamation was altered to 11 form the district into a ward by itself, unless ; > petitioned to do so by at least three-fifths ; | of the ratepayers of the district, and then ; i only to do a special work.—Gr M'Kenzie ;, moved—“ That the report bo adopted.”—Or i Murray was surprised that the Waikouaiti j County Council should protestagainst the pro--11 clamation. Ho was under the impression that 1 they could make a special ward of Mansford ! j Town, hut he could not concur with the 1; report, as it appeared they would have to * take over an extra mile and a-half of road.— ; Cr Schumacher did not consider the road ' mileage as serious if they could make a | special ward, but he was not in favor of _ annexation under the proclamation. —Cr Pullak, as one of the Committee, stated * that while going over the ground he was ’ shown a great deal more than the proper 1 boundaries. He was perfectly satisfied that 1 the area was not so large as represented, 3 and he believed those that signed the petiJ tion were under the same impression as he 3 j was as regards the boundaries. —The Mayor, 5 , having explained the boundaries, said he was * j not aware whether the Waikouaiti County ’ | Council had "power to alter the boundaries, I —The report was adopted, four voting for I and two against it. Cr Mitchell did not I I vote