HAWERA TOWN BOARD.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume II, Issue 120, 8 June 1881, Page 2

HAWERA TOWN BOARD.

The first meeting of the new Board .waft held on Monday evening, at 7.45. Present — Messrs. Bate, Furlong, McCutchan, Cockbum, Eastwood, Pulford, and Winks. On the motion of Mr. Bate, Mr. Pulford took the chair pro tern. Mr. Pulford having taken the chair, Mr. Bate proposed that- Mr. Furlong be appointed chairman of the new Board. Mr. Bate mentioned that he understood that Mr. Furlong would have some leisure to devote to his duties, and his previous experience on the Town Board was such- as to qualify him for the post. * Mr. McCutchan seconded the motion, and expressed his hearty approval of the selection made ; and the motion was put and carried unanimously. Mr. Furlong was then declared duly elected. In returning thanks, he said that the duties were likely to be very light — in fact, owing to the small amount of money available for future expenditure, he was afraid that they could be able for very little new work. He hoped members would attend a little more regularly than was formerly the case with the old Board, of which he bad been a membei'. He trusted members would assist him in getting through the work properly, and to the best advantage of the public.

The minutes of previous meeting were then read.

Mr. McCutchan questioned the power of four members to adjourn a meeting of the Board, such having been done by the late Board, as shown by the minutes. He thought the late Board had exceeded their powers, by voting money to Mr. Foy, which was paid; but Mr. Barleyman's account, though passed at the same time, had not been paid. The Chairman thought it would he unwise to discuss the legality of the action of the late Board.

Mr. Bate moved, and Mr. Cockburn seconded, that the minutes of the last meeting of the Board be confirmed. Mr. McCntchan moved an amendment that the minutes of the last meeting of the Board be not confirmed, inasmuch as the adjourned meeting was illegal, no notice of such meeting having been given to the members. Seconded by Mr. Eastwood.

Mr. Pulford asked the Chairman what would be the result if the minutes of. the late Board were not confirmed ? .

The Chairman did not know. The accounts then passed had all been paid, except Mr. Barleyman's, which the clerk had explained had only been omitted by an oversight on his part. On the motion being put, the amendment was declared lost, and the original motion was carried.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Letter from Mr. Foy was read, .asking that promissory notes for the two fifty pounds, falling due in September and December next, to him, should be issued in his favor. He desired to be secured in. some way or other. Mr. Winks proposed that Mr. Foy's request be not entertained, but that the money be paid when due. Mr. McCutchan seconded. Mr. Bate proposed that the matter be lef6.open.for a time, until members had.

informed themselves of the details of the question under consideration.

The amendment lapsed for want of a seconder.

The Chairman and others expressed themselves strongly against signing any bills or promissory notes. The original resolution was then put and carried. A letter was read from Mr. J. K. Ferguson, complaining that Albion street had not been opened as a road, and in consequence he had no means of access to his back section, as promised at the sale of the leases. Neither had the deeds been issued. A letter was also read from Mr. Chancy, explaining that the title of the Board to Albion-street would not be complete until the Gazette proclamation had been approved- by Parliament.— Mr. Winks proposed that the matter be held over until Major Atkinson had been communicated with. — Carried. Two applications were received from Mr. Cockburn, asking that the leases of two sectidns on the triangle reserve be transferred to Messrs. Claridge and D. Nichol.

It was resolved that the transfers be granted ; all costs of the transfer to be borne by the incoming tenants. Mr. Cockbum explained that his transfers from the Board had not been issued, and he believed that no -names had yet been placed on the transfer deeds ; consequently the transfer might be made direct from the Board. A letter was read from Mr. Barleyman, who applied for the loan of Mr. Foy's plans of the town drainage, for the use of Mr. Pinches, Inspector of Nuisances, for production at the Court. He expressed surprise that ,the officers of the Board were not considered' by the clerk entitled to remove plans when they were required. Mr. Cookburn proposed that'plaris be given to the Inspector of Nuisances'whenever required by him for production in Court.

Mr. Winks moved that no plans or property of the Board be allowed to go out 'of the office of the Board, except with the permission of the chairman or three members of the Board. The amendment was carried. A letter was read from Mr. Barleyman, dealing with the question of leases, and Stating that he had received some £4 10s. as payment of rent and for leases ; asking also that the account of £21 passed by the late Board be paid to him. It was resolved to pay the account for £21, passed by the late Board ; but to defer the consideration of the question of leaseß until the next special meeting. Mr. Milford waited on the Board with reference to the opening of Cameronstreet. It was stated that the cost of the work would be heavy ; whereas the rates which .came from there were only very small. It was resolved to hold over the matter till the next meeting. ANNUAL BALANCE-SHEET.

The Clerk of the Board read out the

annual balance-sheet, which appears in , fall in another column. The gross inoome of the Board was shown to be £441. Balance m Bank, March 31, £110 4s. lid. Mr. McCutohan proposed that the discußsion of the balance-sheet be held over until next meeting, to enable the clerk to produce a letter sent to him by one of the auditors during the past month, and which he believed had been withheld.

Mr. Bate, as one of the auditors explained that be was not aware that any suoh letter as that referred to by the mover was sent this year. Such a letter as that referred to by Mr. McCntcban had been sent in the previous year, but not so for as he knew this year. He was aware that a letter had been written this year by the other auditor, but it might not have been sent.

Mr. McCutehan believed that such a

letter had been sent this year, and believed that the clerk might have withheld it. He took exception to the form in which the lease accounts were kept. A letter was read, written twelve months previously, calling for certain alterations in the method of keeping the accounts. Mr. Winks proposed, as an amendment, that the balance-sheet, as audited, be passed. The amendment was put and carried. Mr. Pulford moved that the balancesheet be advertised in the Star for two insertion s. — Carried. An account due to Messrs. Galvin and Co., for -£8 Bs. 6d., was passed for payment.