Municipal Council, Queenstown.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1519, 12 February 1886, Page 5

Municipal Council, Queenstown.

The ordinary monthly meeting of above body wat held in the Council Chambers on the 2nd instant, when there were present the Mayor (Mr J. Reid) and Councillors E. Monson. D. M 'Bride, J. OMeara, W. J. Powell, P. B. Robinson and F. St Omer. On minutes of previous meeting being read, Cr Powell complained of an entry being made to the effect that he had attacked the Mayor on account of the action taken by the latter with respect to employing a person to lay rabbit poison on the Queenstown Commonage. He only remonstrated with the Mayor. Cr Powell also asserted that the Rabbit Nuisance Inspector had no right to inter* fere in matters concerning the municipality. The Mayor stated that he considered Cr Powe'll's conduct was tantamount to an attack. After some other remarks the minutes were confirmed, on the motion of Crs M 'Bride and St Omer—Cr Powell dissenting. Inward correspondence, read and received, consisted, amongst other letters, of the following : From F. S. Canning, Gore, asking that Mr Fergus, M.H.R., be requested to meet the Premier, with a deputation, for the purpose of inducing Government to purchase the Waimea Plains railway. From W. Turton, complaining of the permission given by the Council to Mr Gardner to extend the Water supply to his premises outside the town boundary. The writer stated that he had laid water on to his property at a heavy expense, and he found that the supply was already very small, and if Mr Gardner was allowed to carry out his Slan. it would reduce the pressure still further. Ir Turton therefore protested against the proposed diversion, and stated that he would see other ratepavers on the terrace about the matter. From J. M'Mullin, asking that section 7, block XXXV., might be included in his lease of the water reserves, as it was only gravel and of no use to anyone else. From Davis and Co., Deep Creek, Skippers road, calling attention to the excessive charges for storing Sunpowder in the magazine—especially as he was oing a large business in powder for Masting at the Zigzag, whilst business men had only small quantities.

With regard to the Waimea Plains line, the Mayor sail he had telegraphed on the matter, and n* that Mr Fergus ha-.l attended upon the Premier tilth the deputation at Dunedin. Re Mr Turton's complaiut, the Mayor stated that • similar letter had been forwarded to Mr Gardner, who had already paid bis first year's rent, and felt annoyed at the opposition. After seeing one or two of the councillors, the Mayor said he advised Mr Gardiner to go on with the work, bat to commence from the main iu Stanley-street instead of at Dublin road, although the alteration necessitated the laving of two or three more chains of piping. The Mayor (in reply to Cr Pouell) said that, as the Council had decided to allow Mr Gardiner to take the water, he considered he v.na justified in consulting some of the councillors as to the best place st which to tap the maiu and allow Garduer to go on with the work.

After tome remonstrance on the part of Cr Powell, the action Uken by the Mayor was approved. R'J. M'Mullin's application, it was stated that he was paying £2 10s a year for two sections. The Conned was under the impression that Mr M'Mullin though he was pa»iug too much for his present sections, and he wanted the section in question for nothing as some compensation. It thonght, however, that the section was worth lOsa year, and a proposition was made by (,'rs St Omer and Robinson, that an offer to that affect should be madet" Mr M'Mullin.

Cr Powell doubted whether the Corporation could lease any reserves without offering them by anction or public tender. At the same time hj« had not the slightest objection to Mr M'Mullin getting the section, but he would like to see the thing doue legally. Some of the councillors arreed with Cr Powell, and classes in the Corporation Act were read in corroboration of this opinion. After some discussion as to the expense of such a proceeding. It was proposed by Cr U'Meara and seconded by Crs St Oner—That pu'oiij be invited up to 27th instaut, for the lease of sectioti 7, biock XXXV., and that notice of same be put on the black ho \rd.

Cr Powell proposed, as an amendmcnt-That pnblic tenders for the lease of section 7, block XXXV., be advertised in the WaKATir Mail; ■ach tenders to be sent in not later than noon of 2nd March next.

There l»e;ng no seconder to tlie amendment, the original motion was put to the vote and carried. /?•» Davis, Welsh Co'* letter, the Mayor said he tbonzht that the charges fixed of 10s per half jear for .-tonvjc in tlie magazine, and one penny or packet for receiving and delivering were reasonable —as a man cf ul 1 not be expected to go up and store and deliver for 1 ss.

Tne Council were of the sam« opinion, and it was resolved on the motion of (_'rs O'Meara and St Omer—Th»t the letter be replied to. stating that the Council did not consider the scale of charges decided on for storage, etc.. excessive. Th** Mayor, on behalf of the Works Committee, •aid that since la»t meeting only Cr M'Bride and himself had met to visit the intake of the water wcrka, but they had got done what was decided upon, and the dam was now made watertight by patting timber below the original planks. Wicket gates had also been put on at each end of the road to the water works through Mrs Robertson's faddock. They had net gone down to look at the mmi_Tation Barracks.

Cr Powell said, with rerard to the latter subject, that he bad o:dy called attention at previous meeting to the want of a coat of paint on the budding. He thought a good coat of hematite would be preferable. Cr M'Bride thought hematite was as dear as paint. Cr Powell —It may He. but it is more lasting. The matter was held over till next meet:n-,'. The Mayor said that, since previous mating, the dayman had attended to several odd jobs about town, and had cleared the channel in Melbourne* ■treet, of a quantity of stones.

Cr M'Bride said that Mrs Mantle had wished him to ask that a small foot bridge of two or three planks should lie made opposite the front of her house over a small yntter.

The Council thought that in other places private Ertiei erected web. bridges at their own expense. sides it would he % bad precedent : and. moreover, the Council had made a dray bridge leading to the back of applicant's premises. The request wis therefore declined

It hu ordered, at the su'.'cestion of Cr M'Bride, that the channel thr-a/u water reserves, Melbourne-street, »hould be extended, in order to prevent overflow of water on private sections at the time of fi-jods ; also, that some of ihe streets should be gravelled an J channels looked after ou the first opport unity. Ordered, at the suggestion of Cr O'Meara, that that snnii direction notices be printed and put up at tiie wicket gates on the road to the tank and to the dam of the waterworks. The Mayor laid that accounts at the bank were about square—over £IOOO having been collected and paiii in duru.g the [>a!t mouth. He also said Mrs Eichardt was trying the electric light at her hotel, and he had granted temporary permission to lay on service pipes from the nvtiu for the necessary water power. He thought the experiment was worth trying, and that Mrs Eichardt deserved great credit for her euterpri.se. Cr O'Meara, on behalf of Mrs Eichardt, said it was only a trial, and was for the benefit of the town, as, if successful, a scheme would most likely be submitted to the ratepayers by the electrician for lighting the borough by means of e • -tricity. Tender for the supply of kerosene, etc., were opened, but there was only one tender, namely, from Mr A. Boyne, for supplying Noonday Kerosene it 21a per case, glasses 8s per dozeu, and wicks Is ditto. The tender was accepted. The M*yor said the Works Committee bad ■sheeted to report on a new erection for the tire bell, and he hoped the matter would be allowed to land over till next meeting. Ordered accordingly.