MUNICIPAL.

Evening Star, Issue 11656, 17 September 1901, Page 3

MUNICIPAL.

South Dunedin.—The fortnightly meeting of the Borough Council, held last evening, was attended by the Mayor (Mr A. Todd) and Crs Fidd'is, Somerville, Baird, Fleming, Lyon, Smith, Kane, and Allen. An apology for unavoidable absence was received from Cr, Chetwin.-4-The town clerk, Invercargill, wrote requesting the co-opera-tion of the Council in an endeavor to mduco Parliament to introduce legislation to allow of money being borrowed by Government at as low, a rate as possible, and loaned to local authorities at a rate not exceeding 3i per cent, per annum, such loans to be i % .ade from time to time, as the current loans mature, lbs town clerk was instructed to reply that the Council , favor the proposal.—Other correspondence was referred to the Water and Finance Committees.—The Works Committee recommended that the footpatjis m Sydney street be repaired where necessary as soon as possible; that the west side, of Jones street be asphalted as soon as possible ; that tho north side of Bathgate street, the footpath from Cutten street 10 Reid road, and Reid road footpath from Bathgate street to Cargill road be asphalted; that the east side of the footpath of* Bussail street bo asphalted; and that the footpath in front of Mr Railton's property, Reid road, be repaired.—The Water and Fire Brigade Committee reported having instructed the town clerk to inform Messrs Ross and Wilson that the Council have already laid on one water service to the R.C. uew convent buildings, and do not see their way to grant a second service, and recommended the Council to approve of the appointment of Mr Bush as a member of the Fire Brigade. They also ;c----ported that the Fire Brigade's application for 500 ft of new hose was still under consideration.

Port Chalmers.—The fortnightly meeting of the Borough Council, held last evening, was attended by the. Mayor (Mr J. Mill! and Crs Tait," M'Kav, Inverarjty, Leech, Godfrey, Shaw, Shanks, and Cable. An apology was received from Cr Edgar. After the minutes of the previous meeting had been confirmed the mayor made touching reference to the deaths of the Presklent of the United States and Messrs Scobie Mackenzie and A. J. Bums.—The Secretary of the Department-of. Agriculture, in reply to the Council's letter of the 2nd inst,, inquiring whether it was necessary to erect abattoirs in the borough, wrote that he was directed by the Minister of Agriculture to state that in accordance with the Slaughtering and Inspection Act, 1900, the borough must establish an abattoir, and susgesfed that they join with the Dunedin Abattoirs, in accordance with the provisions of the Act. Referred to tho Works Committee to report to nest meeting. —Mr E. G. Allen, M.H.R., wrote stating that he had had an interview with the head of the Agricultural Department, who informed him of the direction in which the Council had been advised. To conform strictly with the Act there was no option but to establish abattoirs on the Council's own accountj the powers of delegation not applying to places less than eight miles from any of the five chief centres mentioned in the Act; but the Minister thought that the Council could overcome the difficulty, for a time at any rate, by .arranging with the Dunedin Abattoirs under subsection 5 of section 15. Mr Allen was of opinion that it would be more satisfactory for the borough to have abattoirs of their own, provided that the opposition to the site recommended by Mr Snowball were withdrawn, and that the local butchers approved of a, local abattoir. Received.—Mr F. W. Maclean, District Engineer of Railways, wrote that he was directed by the head office to inform the Council that the decision not to provide gates or bars at the Mussel Bay crossing was arrived at after full consideration, and could not re revised. Received.—Mr Allen also wrote, re? gates, at Mussel Bay crossing, that he intended briuging the question before Parliament, as the Railway Department was opposed to it. Received.—The clerk informed the Council that the population of the borough at last census was 2,056, being 56 over the number required by the Act; that two of the butchers slaughter in the borough, and the other one at tho Dunedin Abattoirs.—lt was resolved that the Council give their co-operation to the resolution of tho Invercargill Borough Council on the question of loans to local authorities.—The Sanitary Committee reported that all the fever patients had received a clearance from the medical officer.—The Works Committee gave an account of the works which tho staff had been engaged on during the past fortnight, and recommended, re the chairman of the Recreation Ground Committee's application, that Mr Platts receive what quarry refuse he required and that the inspector give what assistance he could.