BOROUGH COUNCILS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 10104, 1 August 1893, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCILS.

ST ALBANS, i' An ordinary meeting o£ the Sc Albans Borough Council was held last evening; , present The Mayor, and Councillors Salter, Ghidgey, Brooker, Tyree, Keig, Morgan and Penteney. Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Neate and Waymouth. FINANCE. The Finance Committee reportedlß93 rates received from last meeting £173 2s, Waimakariri £ls 4a 6d, sewerage £IOO 18s 6Jd, drainage, rural, £llO 7s Id, dogs £7 10a, Avon Road Board £52 3s, subsidy £36 9s 4d j total, with several minor amounts, £573 18a 4d. Debit balance £456 15s lOd. Accounts amounting to £373 9a were recommended for payment. The report was adopted. REPORTS. The Foreman of Works reported upon . work completed and in hand during the month. The report was adopted. The report of the Inspector of Nuisances dealt, amongst other things, with a certain drainage at North street, and the Council decided to write and ask the Drainage Board to do the work. ■ The report of the Inspector of Slaughterhouses waa received, and the Inspector allowed full power in cases reported. The Works Committee reported that many of the roads in the district would be improved by the application of a little metal, but the wet weather had prevented the contractor from working. The matter of willows on the boundary road was left over, as the Commit toe was not certain of the power of the Council. The purchase of tH young horse to replace the aged animal now in use was recommended. The report was adoptsd, and it waa decided to purchase a spring dray if necessary. The "Works Committee waa in- ■ struct#! to have the willows on the river bank lopped. CORRESPONDENCE. Letters wore read from the City Council, the Sydenham Borough Council and the Sumner Borough Council, respecting the Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Bill now before Parliament. • The City Council wrote asking the Council to attend a conference of local bodies to be held on August 16, to consider the Christchurch Drainage Act. Councillors Brooker and Penteney were delegated to attend. THE UNEMPLOYED. The City Council wrote asking the Council to take on a few men if possible. The Mayor said there were many people in the district out of work, and he thought that the Council might find employment for some although its funds were not very high. Councillor Chidgey moved —“That the Council spend £25 in work for the unemployed in the Borough.” , • This was carried, MISCELLANEOUS. Councillor Salter, for the Sanitary Com- ■ mittee, reported interviewing the sanitary contractors, ; After some discussion, the Mayor moved —That the manner of the performance of the sanitary contract be referred to the Inspector of Nuisances for his report.” Councillor Salter moved as an amendment—" That the contractors be fined £2," The motion waa carried, the Inspector to report to the Sanitary Comm’' Ex-Councillor E. Hull wai.. < upon the Council and made < attain suggestions, the outcome of which was that it was decided to ask the Government to so alter the Municipal Corporations Act as to give power to raise a loan over any certain portion of the district. After several minor matters had been dealt with, the meeting terminated. SYDENHAM. An ordinary fortnightly meeting of the iydonham Borough Council was held last evening; present—The Mayor and Councillors Biown, Taylor, Rudd, Booth, Smith, Hadfield, Winny, Moffett, Nancarrow, Samuels, Langdown and Forrester. COBEESPONDENCE. Letters were read Prom the Mount Hutt Road Board, stating that it was willing to pay £2 18a 6d In satisfaction of the Council's claim. Referred to the Finance and Works Committees. From the Christchurch City Council, asking the Sydenham Council to appoint delegates to attend a conference of local bodies on August 16 to consider matters In connection with the Christchurch Drainage Act. The Mayor and Councillors Forrester and Brown were appointed to represent the Council. A statement of the receipts and expenditure of the Christchurch Hospital Board for the year ending March 31, 1893, was laid on the table. Councillor Taylor hoped that the time would come when the members of the Hospital Board would be elected by the ratepayer j direct, and not by the local bodies. He believed that a large amount of stimulants received at thd hospital did not reach the patients.

ARBOR DAT. t The Council decided to invito the children attending the Sydenham schools to join the Councillors in planting trees on the recreation reserve on Arbor Day. The Mayor stated that the Works Committee had made arrangements for the supply of over 100 trees. It was decided to start planting the trees at two o’clock. WORKS COMMITTEE. The Works Committee recommended that the proposal of the Spreydon Road Board in regard to the erection of lamps in Crescent road and Strickland street should be agreed to, that a lamp should be erected on the north side of Battersea street opposite Dewsbury’s lane; and that the Drainage Board’s attention should be directed to the course of Jackson’s Creek, near the Council’s recreation reserve. The report was adopted, and the tender of Mr G. Adcock for the supply of street lanterns was accepted.

finance. The Finance Committee reported that the receipts during the past fortnight bad amounted to .£92 39?. The balances of accounts were as folic,w :—Separate trust account, credit, £54 8?6d; interest trust account, credit, .£540 2s Gd; loan account, credit, £5452 8« 9d; general account, £ll3 Gs 3d. The Committee recommended payment of accounts amounting to £ll4 8s sd. The report w«a adopt ed. THE UNEMPLOYED.

A deputation from sue unemployed, consisting of Messrs Fleming and Corley, waited on the Council in regard to the unemployed difficulty. Mr Corley stated that the City Council and other local bodies had found employment for a number of men, but there was still a large number in need of employment. Ha stated that the Council was about ,£2OO richer this year than it was last, and he thought it was in a position to do something to relieve the distress among the unemployed in Christchurch and suburbs.

Mr Fleming hoped the Council would consider the linemoloyed difficulty from a social, and not a political, standpoint. He thought there were about GOO men out of employment in Christchurch and suburbs at the present time. In reply to the Mayor Mr Fleming stated that he believed there were about one hundred and fifty men out of employment in the Borough of Sydenham at tho present time. Councillor Taylor thought the Council should ascertain the number of men out of employment before it did anything in the matter of providing work. The Council had no surplus revenue, and the license fees went to meet a deficiency at the beginning of the year. After some discussion tho Mayor stated that he had called at the Labour Bureau that day. He found that during the month of May there were ten names of Sydenham residents on the books, in June there were four names and in July five. After some further discussion, it was resolved, on the motion of Councillor Smith, seconded by Councillor Forrester—“ That the Town Clerk ho instructed to keep a record of applications for work from married men, ratepayers in the Borough, who are anxious to obtain temporary work at a rate not exceeding 5s per day, and that the Council at its rising do adjourn till 7.30 p.m. on Thursday next to consider the possibility of giving employment to some of the unemployed in the way of lowering streets or other permanent works in the Borough.”

Oa the motion of Councillor Muffett, seconded by Councillor Samuels, it, was resolved “ That the Works Committee be empowered to purchase for municipal purposes lota Noa. 27, 28 and 29 oa deposit plan No. 731, port of rural section No. 71, at a cost not exceeding £15.” After disposing of some routine business, the meeting closed.