BOROUGH COUNCIL,

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1726, 14 February 1874, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL,

A special meeting of the Borough Council was held in the Town Hall, last night. Present — the Mayor, Councillors Hamilton, Kerr, Dupre, Acheson, Moore, and Coates. The following letter was read from the Under-Secretary of Public Works, Wellington : — "I atn directed by the Hon. Mr Richardson to acknowlege the receipt of your letter of the 22nd January, covering copies of correspondence received from the lessees of the Brunner Coal-mine, and the directors of the Greymouth Coal-mine, Limited, relative to coal depots at Greymouth whaaf, and intimating the action taken by the Greymouth Corporation thereon. '. "In reply I am to state that the Government consider that the Council have made quite as large a concession in the matter of temporary accommodation for the storage of coals as it is prudent tomake at present, the more so as there is» every probability that before the railway is open other companies will b 9 in the field. ; " With regard to the nature and extent 1 of the works proposed to be undertaken by the Government, I am to state that I the plans for the Greymouth station iuclude wharfage to Boundary street, with at least two lines of rails, and steam cranes capable of shipping a very large tonnage of coal per day. It is intended that the works shall, if possible, be sufficiently completed by the date on which the railway opens to enable locomotives to travel to and from Boundary street and the mine. For these works the prßsent Parliamentary appropriation is deemed sufficient or nearly so. Cl I am to add that the Government fully appreciate the importance of harbor improvements, and they will be prepared at the proper time to ask fur a further appropriation for this purpose." The letter was received. The Mayor said the special business for which he had called the Council togethat night was to take some steps to assist Mr Moriarty on his arrival here in cuiieutiug ail the necessary information in re the harbor and river improvement works. That gentleman would be here about the middle of next week, and perhaps it would be advisable to appoint a Committee to collect all necessary informa tion to place at his disposal. The Superintendent had promised to render every assistance, and placb Mr Moeller's services at their disposal, but perhaps the meeting of the Provincial Council might interfere with the arrangement. The Coal Companies were collecting all the information they possibly could in order to make Mr Moriarty's report as complete as possible. With the same object the Town Surveyor had commenced surveying the river and wharf. He mover! — " That a Committee, consisting of Councillors Moore, Glenn, and the mr.ver, be appointed to collect information in re harbor and river improvements, and to facilitate the operations of Mr Moriarty during his visit to Greymouth," ' ! MrF. Hamilton seconded the motion. He thought that as each of the Coal Com-

panies had paid one-third of the cost of Mr Moriarty's visit, they should be asked to send a representative to assist the Committee. A discussion ensued, during which Messrs Dupre and Acheson strongly protested against the Borough Council spending any more money on the visit of Mr Moriarty. Mr Kerr thought the Brogress Committee should put down a sum to meet incidental expenses, and Mr Moore considered the Borough Council was the proper body to spend mooey to obtain all possible information, in order to assist Mr Moriarty in his work. Tbe resolution was carried. The Mayor moved—" That the lessees of the Bi unner Coal-mine and the Directors of the Greymouth Coal Company, be requested to co-operate with the above Committee." Mr F. Hamilton seconded the motion. After a discussion, the resolution was carried, and the Council adjourned.