ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXIII, Issue 7561, 28 May 1885, Page 6

ASHBURTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Ashburton Borough Council <vas held on Tuesday evening; present—The Mayor (presiding), and Councillors Sealy, Thomas, Quill, Bird, Harrison and Jameson. FINANCE. The Mayor stated that the overdraft now stood at £1558 7s 2d; and added that.the income from all sources since last meeting had been £l2O 10s. Councillor Bird, speaking after the reading of the Engineer's report, said the Works Committee had fully considered the position of works in the Borough, and the necessity for raising' a small loan had been pretty generally admitted, though on this subject he could not say the Committee was wholly unanimous. From 600 to 700 chains of concrete channelling were required, and this would cost, roundly, £3OOO. To borrow £6OOO would enable the £ISOO overdraft to be paid off, and leave a like amount for formation and other, works. He suggested borrowing the money at 64 per cent, and providing for a sinking fund of £7OO per annum to extinguish the debt in 15 years. income for the year would be about £2570, and it was proposed to distribute it as under, as follows':Charges for Hospital, salaries, gas lighting, printing, interest on overdraft, £647 ; maintenance, formation, water supply, planting, &c, £1923. The sum of £1923 included £SOO for channelling, £2OO for broken metal, and £IOO for improving the water supply, so that £1123 yet remained for maintenance, formation, and sundries. The annual cost of maintenance of streets and water supply was about £SOO. If the £6OOO were borrowed, and £7OO per annum devoted to interest and sinking fund, a sum of £I3OO per annum would still be available for works, or £BOO over and above the cost of- maintenance, the interest now paid on overdraft being saved. Mr Bird submitted a statement of the street channelling and formation required, and moved —" That the figures be submitted to the Finance Committee, along with the loan proposal, for their consideration and report." After some discussion, the motion was withdrawn, and a resolution was passed instead, to hold a special meeting on Monday next, to consider the whole question. EEPOETS. The following reports were read and adopted:— ENSINHERS. The Engineers' report was read as follows : —" Protective Works : All the groins arc now completed, and we have some willow logsj fascines and cuttings remaining, which we propose to use for the protection of the low land below that protected by the groins. We have obtained all the willows used in the protective works, except some fascines from the Council's plantation, by the kindness of Messrs Brown, of the Canterbury Mills, D. Williamson, and T. Quill. —Mr Lancaster's Drain : The Works Committee inspected the premises, and have directed the present culvert across Kermodo street to be removed, and a new one put down, which will improve the flow of the water. Owing, however, to the greasy nature of the liquid refuse, the principal thing necessary is plentiful flushing and constant sweeping of the channel. The Labour Gang has been engaged in finishing off the protective works, scooping, &c, at the head of the mill race, forming Havelock and Cameron streets, spreading shingle, attending to water supply, &c.— Channelling : The Works Committee have had under their consideration the condition of the -Domain water supply, especially as to the distribution in the side street channels, and have resolved to recommend the Council to entertain the advisability of extending the concrete channelling considerably, and as soon as possible. The grounds on which they have formed their opinion are the difficulty and expense of keeping the drains' not concreted properly clear and in good condition, together with the fact that the ground on which these channels run is becoming thoroughly' saturated with water and refuse that cannot get away as in the concrete channels. It is needful only to mention this to suggest, a possible danger to the health of the town. We have prepared, for the information of the Council, lists showing the lengths of the streets formed to the proper level, and those requiring forming or reforming; also, the amount of channelling done and that remaining to be done." LIBEAEY. The report of the Chairman of the Library Committee was read as follows : "I have the honour, on behalf of the Library Committee, to report that, owing to the want of a quorum, no meeting of the Committee has been held for a month. I hEf.ve to report that new files for the

papers have been procured, and are giving satisfaction. The! reading desk authorised > is much needed. Arrangements have been made by which the Otago Daily Times is laid on the table each evening. Many complaints have been made of young boys using the reading - rpom for playing draughts, &c, who make more noise than there is any occasion for, thereby causing inconvenience to those reading. ; I would ask that definite instructions be given to the Librarian in this matter. The urinal requires to be closed in by a gate or door, as the yard is in such a state of filth as to be a nuisance. It would be advisable to draw up a short code of rules, to be pasted in the books, as at present there is no authority to enforce fines or rules." INSPECTOR OF NUISANCES. The Inspector of. Nuisances reported as follows: —" Since last meeting of the Council, I have the honour to report that Mrs Woodley, of the Ashburton Hotel, desires me to ask the Council if anything can be done to the channel in South street, aa she has no convenience for water coming from the pump which runs through the yard, and stands stagnant on the footpath. There have been pipes connected with the channel in East street, which are now useless. I have referred this matter to Mr Fooks, as Mrs Woodley was under the im : pression that the Council: would concrete say a chain of the channel Jin South street if she would pay half the cost 1 of same, which she is willing to do." AUDITORS. The Eeturning-Officer reported the unopposed return of W. H. Gundry and J. Ci Duncan as" Borough Auditors. THE DOMAIN. Councillor Harrison moved the motion, of which he had given notice, regarding the representation of the Council at the Ashburton Domain Board. After considerable discussion, in the course of which it appeared the Council had never yet spent a penny on works connected with the Domain, and contributed nothing to the Board's funds, it was agreed, to amend the resolution so that any' action taken under it should be in conjunction . with the County Council. The resolution was lost by a majority of one. MISCELLANEOUS. A considerable amount of minor business !was transacted, and after accounts to the amount of .i!122 had been passed for payment, the Council adjourned.