BQROUGH COUNCIL.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1702, 17 January 1874, Page 2

BQROUGH COUNCIL.

The Borough Council met last evening with the Mayor in the Chair. After the minutes had been passed, the Town Clerk read a copy of letters sent to £he proprietors of different newspapers in town asking tenders 1 tq 'be sent in for advertising.' :: • >- 1 Lectors from the Resident Magistrate^ Clerk onclosing 30s' fees aud : fines, and Messrs M'Carthyand Co. repecting their previous application for lease of Cpal NVharf, wef'e also received. Mr AtjHESQir, with the permission of the Council, moved— " That tenders be called for painting the inside and outside of the Town Hall." Seconded by Mr .Kerr, and carried. Mr JKerr, in accordance with a resolution previously, moved— "That the Town Surveyor be requested to take levels, and see if the drainage to the Tidal Creek oould be made so as to drain septions in Hospital arid Eferb'ert streets, ' and to send in an estihiate k>f "the" cost of : the work.'? The move? spoke about this drain being a source of great annoyance to the residents in fjie 1 neighborhood when" the discharge took 1 ' place : tljat it at present overflowed all the. sections around it;

"This statement appears in another column of tho pager.

that ib was not as some people imagined a natural watercourse ; that because the ground at that point was lower than that adjacent, the discharge should not be •permitted to cease there on account of its all running back again ; that a good fall could be had if it were carried on to Herbert street and thence to the TidaW Greek. *fP A report from the Town Surveyor was received respecting repairs updir' the wharf and expenses incurred thereon. The report- stated .that .. some of the old piles had been broken off, and that portions jutted out into the river, and were dangerous to the shipping. " It further stated that a sum of Ll2 had already been expended, and that a further sum of a like amount would complete it. The Town Surveyor was ordered to take the necessary steps to clear away the dangerous stumps. The Mayor reported that the sum of L3OOO was now available from the Banks, and moved that LI 500 be placed to the deposit account, and LISOO to the general account. He also stated that the account was at present overdrawn to the extent of L 800: A motion to that effect was seconded and carried, after, a somewhat warm discussion maintained by Messrs Coates, Moore, and Hamilton, with' various interpolations and remarks by the Town Clerk. ' The Public Works Committee then rendered the following reports which were all agreed to upon discussion and after debate : — "Tour Committee beg to recommend that permission be granted to Messrs Keown to obtain gravel from the Recreation Reserve,* upon condition that the ground be filled up to the satisfaction of the Town Surveyor. "Your Committee recommend that the right of way between Albert street and Tarapuhi street be gravelled,, and that the work be done by Mr Simpson. "Your Committee recommend the Council to allow the Brunner Coal Company to occupy two chains of tb^ wharf from Johnston street east as a coal depot, for a period of six months, upon condition that the company pay for the con- » tract to deck the same, 3ide walls not to exceed four feet in height, and the work to be done as per plans and specifications, to be provided by this Council ; and that two chains east of the above wharf be granted to the Greymouth Coal Company upon the same terms., " Your Committee cannot recommend the Council to leave any land to either of the Coal Companies previous to the Qq* vernment deciding the nature of the works to be undertaken inconneotion with the Brunner Railway." With reference to report No. 3 it was suggested that the lease be given for six months, with one months notice of removal. Mr Moore was not satisfied with this, however, and asked if communication.had been made to the General Government % about the proposed wharves and sites fqt coal depots, as it seemed to hiiu moon? sistent to be taking steps abqnt this, wheci when it was known that the General Government were also doing so. JE[e would like to ask if the Town Clerk had done anything in this matter as had been some time ago suggested to be done. ' The Town Clerk said he had fakeq no, steps, Mr Ooatesj urged that communication should be at qnce opened with the General Government, and strongly urged it. The Mayor stated that at a meeting of the merchants here with the Superinten. dent, his notice had been drawn to the subject, and he had promised to do all he could. Mr Hamilton was afraid that they would not be able to do all they could wish with what they would get out of the loan, as Mr Hungerford and others had to repeive about LBOQQ for extras. - Mr Moore movefd— £ ' That communication be opened with the General Government," and bein? seconied by Mr Dctprib, was carried. ; It was moved by the Mayor— "That in his absence cheques for disbursements should be signed by Mr Hamilton, as a member of the Finance Committee, instead of, as hitherto, by one of the Public Works Committee." Agreed to. A mission of agreement with the Bank of New South' 'Wales and the CouncUwas next put in by the Mayor for the signature of new members, but was strenuously opposed by Mr Coates,' and others until completion of such was necessary." The. opposition was successful, and a resolution was arrived at— ""That the 'matter lie over till a draft was wanted.!! Tenders wer,e opened for pointing and advertising, when' that qf Betrie an<| Bishop was accepted. There were, sundry accounts laid before J the Council, and referred to the Finance Committee. Leave of absence for one month was granted to Mr Glenn.