BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 5396, 16 January 1886, Page 4

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

(Continued),

CrSheedy moved uhat the Town Clerk ask the contractor whether he intends to go on with the Paroa .road contract; and if he does not intend to do so that the Clerk immediately call. tenders for the work. — Cr Lahman moved as an amendment that the matter be left- in the hands of the Works Committee. —Seconded by Cr Griffen and carried. Letter from the residents of Willis street applying for a drain. Received, and referred to the Public Works Committee 1 to report. Application from the District Charitable Aid Board for the first instalment of the funds due by the Borough towards the maintenance of hospital —^lo6 16s 3d. — Cr Lahman explained at some length the provisions of the Act and the mode of pro-, viding the necessary funds. • He referred to the hospital return' he had prepared which showed that when the Borough sent one patient to the hospital the county sent three. Therefore, to .asaess the Borough to the same extent as .the -County was manifestly unfair. Although they might not be able to. get the County to pay in proportion to the use they made of the hospital, they should at least pay double the amount of the Borough. The annual cost would be about £2000, and it would be almost impossible to extract half that amount from the Borough. Even if they levied a special rate, it would require to be about ninepence in -the pound. He thought a full statement of the case should be laid before the Colonial Secretary with the view of getting the interests of the Thorough protected. — Or Barkley seconded. — Cr Blackmore said it would be necessary what Cr Lahman had. proposed, as he was informed that miners in the country did not intend to contribute towards the maintenance of the hospital in the future by voluntary subscriptions, as they had been doing in the past. — Cr Lahman moved in effect that the.Counci 1 is of. opinion that the levy made by the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board is quite disproportionate as compared with the amount of aid contributed bvgihe County Council, compared with the to which the ratepayers are benefitted, and that they request the Colonial Secretary to inquire into the matter as provided for by clause 25 of the Act. — The Mayor seconded. — Carried. An application was read from J. T. Skoglund for the use of the recreation reserve. He said he would undertake to keep the fences in repair and keep the ground free from rushes, on condition that he be granted the use of the. grass he may be able to grow upon it ; the ground to be always open to the public. Referred to the Public Works Committee to report. The first clause of the Works Committee's report was agreed to. On the second clause of the report coming up, Cr Campbell took exception to doing one side of the street and not the other. — Cr Lahman moved that the clause be referred back to the Committee. — Cr Barkley concurred. — Cr Blackmore said they should do the work by instalments according to their means. — Cr Sheedy said that the footpath most in need of repair was from the 'corner of Tainui street to Albert street, or at any rate to the Court house. — After some further discussion the clause was amended by the addition of the words, "and also the east side of Tainui street from Mackay street to the bridge." It was reported that Mr Lord had been employed to prepare an estimate of the cost of supplying the town with water. On the motion of Cr Perotti the Water Supply Committee were, empowered to prepare a sewage scheme for the town. The Inspector of Nuisances said he had no complaint to make since his last report ori the sanitary condition of the town, every person applied to having cleaned up hi 3 premises as requested. Cr Cameron moved the following :— j " That steps be taken to make final arI rangements with property owners on the west side of Boundary street for the removal of their buildings to form a uniform line from Gresson street to . Richmond Quay." — After a good deal of discussion, and a general expression of opinion that the question had been hung up long enough, it was referred to the Public Works Committee to report.

After some discussion on miscellaneous matters the Council adjourned.