MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2181, 5 November 1897, Page 5

MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

The -rdiuary meeting of above nmea body was held iu the Puo.ic Library an Ti.*«d»> aveuin., Wjien there were pteaeut the Mayor TMr F. St Omer) and Oiucilluie VV. G. Donne, m. J. Oa»in, F. M'Bride, J. M*Xeil aod J. Salmoud. Minntea of previous masting were read and confirmed. Outward correspondence was read and approved. Inwsrd correspondence was dealt with as below. Street Encroachment.— T. E. Haines wrote respecting section of his brother, R. H. Haines in Stanley street, portion of which section had fallen into the atreet owing to insufficient batter for the embankment being allowed when the cutting was made. Tbe Clerk said that the matter bad already been dealt with by the Works Committee in March last, and tbe solicitor's opinion forwarded. Balance Sheet for bslf year ended 30th September, was laid on tbe table audited, and ordered tu be signed by the Mayor. L'xx*gates.—Cr. Gavin was appointed as delegate >o attend the statutory meeting of Wakatpo Hospital del.gatta, on 6th Decemter, for tbe purpose of electing trustees ; also that Cr. M'Bride be appointed delegate at the Lake County Couucil meeting on the 24th instant for the purpose of ebcting a member to the Southland H. and C. A. Board, Invercargill. Samtabt—The Inspector reported, after s thorough inspection, be bad found the lower part of the borough in a good state of cleanliness, with one or two exceptions which had since been attended to. Municipal Franchise.—From the Dune- ■ din and Gore Councils, objecting, on various grounds, to tbe Municipal Frsnchise Enlargement Bill brought in by Government, and asking the cooperation of tbe Queenstown Council in opposing it. It was resolved to comply with'the request and that the member for the district be asked to assist accoruii gly. (Cr. M'Mullan here took his seat.) Dirfctort Resolved that a copy of Stone's Directory for 1898 I* procured. Financial.—the Treasurer reported that the bank overdraft was £l9O 2a. Public Wharf.—The Mayor ssid thst tbe public jetty needed repairing. The term for which it was banded over to the Corporation espired 11th October, 1896. and he suggested that the Council should write to tbe member, Mr Fraeer, with a request that ha ask Government to make the necessary repairs. He said, in reply to questions, thst the Borough Council never levied tolls becsuse it would not pay the cost of doing so. Although the Shipping Company used it they declined to pay tolls because they said tbey could use their own jetty. The cost of laat repairs only a few years ago was about £l9O, of which amount the Government paid part and also the Shipping Co., and Council. As there is no rail aay tbe wharf was looked upon as, to a certain extent, in plsce of a terminus st Queenstown, and it was thought there was a fair claim on Government to maintain the wharf. It was resolved on tbe motion of Crs Salmond and Donne—That a letter be written Mr Fraser asking him to represent to Government the necessity of stengthening the jetty at Queenstown. Mayoralty.—The clerk reported thst the annual nomination of Mayor would take plsce on Saturday, the 13th instant and the election, if necessary, on Wednesday, 24th instant. Electric Light.—The Mayor said that tbe public meeting of ratepayers held on the 27th ultimo for tbe purpose of deciding about tbe electric light for Qaeenstown was a v*ry unsat : sfactory one, as there was hardly any discussion and it was decided to leave things jtut ss they are without any fair reason being given. Cr M'Neil thought the opinion expressed at the meeting represented a good general view of tbe people of Queenstown. The Mayor thought it would give an amount of confidence to townspeople if the Council got some particulars as to the cost of kerosene and caudles to compare with the cost of electricity. The Clerk said thst the cost of lighting to the Council last year was:—Kerosene for street lamps £l4 10s 6d; for Library, £3 13s gd, and lamp lepairs, £ll6s 6d; total £lB os9d. Cr Salmond thought tbe present light waa sufficient, and that it was too soon to try eiectricity. Cr. M 'Bride differed. He thought that if tbe electric light were brought in it would be something like the water supply was—at first some people were dead agsinst it, but afterwards they found tbey could not do without it He did not tnink the rectnt meeting wss a fair test of the feeling of the ratepayers. Tbs Clerk, in respect to insurance companies, said that the light might decrease the fire risk, but it waa not likely to lead to a redaction of tbe premiums any more than the water supply bad, as the premium paid for property insured st outlying places such as Arthur's Point, where there is not tbe sligh est prevision for fireextinguishing purposes was no higher than at Qaeenstown. As an insurance agent he wioteto Wellington, and poiutrd out the tbe advantage of having a fine water supply for Queenstown. An inspector afterwards came up who had no direct intenst in the matter, and on its being suggested to him that Qaeenstown was rated under the wrong tar ff, he said he hsd been round, and condemned tbe whole town because it had so many old snd broken down buildings. Tbe Mayor said the insurance companies were evidently making a good thing out of the new tariff rates, as he noticed the South British Co., declared a dividend of 17 per cent per annum, at the laat half yearly meeting. With regard to the recent meeting at Qaeenstown be was satisfied if a proper statement had been laid before it, that tbe decision would have been different. The Council did not wish to burden the ratepayers with the electric light if it were found to be unprofitable. Cr Salmond aaid he would certainly be favorable to the undertaking if it could be shewn that the electric light would be cheaper than kerosene. The Mayor thought the necessary information could be obtained from Mr Fletcher, the electrician. Cr M'Bride—Wecsnnot expect to get it without eipense. The Mayor—Then I would go against it Cr M'Bride—The would be a good • dug for the town and it is worth trying far. After further discussion the Council decided to take no further action in the matter at present. Street Repairs—Cr M'Mullan called attention to the desirability of forming or repairing Park-street and Sydney-street from tbe park to Hsllenstein street, as tbey were main streets. He suggested that tenders should be called for tbe work, and ssid that Mr Black had offered to eive the levels. The work cou'd be done properly by two men in a month f r £2O or £3O. Members generally said the Couocil could not afford the expense just now, and)ba<idea, there were more urgent works to do. They would also be going sgaiost a petition for work lately presented. Cr MMullansaid something might perhaps l>e doue in filling up holes and removing rocks, but he did not believe in patching up things, bat rather in doing thoroughly whatever was taken in hand as they went along. Cr Donne referred to kerbing required tatween the Mountaineer Hotel and Mr Aldridge's shop, Bvach-street. It was decided thst the Council were unable to do anything in either case at present for want of fuuds. AccorsTs, amounting to £396s lOd, were brought np and passed for pnment. A vote of thauks to tbe chair closed proceedings.