MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2660, 19 May 1908, Page 5

MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

The adjourned monthly meeting of the Queenstown Borough Council vras held in the Library room on Ihursday, 14th iiist., when they were presant the Mayor, (Mr J. Edgar, senr.), C'rs A. E. Anderson. G. T. Searle, John Cockbum, P. McCarthy, A. Mayne, and E. Monaon.

The Returning Officer intimated that Mr D. F. Sutherland had been elected an Councillor for North WardS in place of Cr A. J. Pope, who had resigned. D. F. Sutherland having signed the n -ccssary declaration took his seat at the table.

The Mayor said that in taking the Mayoral Chair for the first lime he appreciated the houor and he asked for the support of the Council and trusted that the business of the Borough would always be carried on in a harmonious manner. -He might at times err, but that was human, and he therefore asked for the Council's forbearance.

On the minutes of previous meeting being read Cr Cockburn asked why the Presbyterian Cliurch Committee's application for representation on the Burgesses Roll bad been refused.

The Clerk stated that the opinion of the Council's Solicitor would be before the meeting later on. The minutes of. previous meeting wi'ie then confirmed.

Cr McCarthy said that before going on with any farther business he thought the Council should give a welcome to Cr Sutherland on his again becoming a member of the Council. He hid sat at the table before with Mr Sutherland and had fonnd him A 1.

Cr Cockburn said that by some oversight at the commencement of the meeting they had omitted to con g<atulate the Mayor on his election to the Mayoralty. He had known Mr Kdgar for some-time and he thought that he would worthily £ll the important position and with credit to himself and the Borough of Queens-

town. I Cr Sutherland said he would second the motion. At the same time he wished to thank the Council for the kind reception given himsejf. The Mayor then returned thanks to the Council for their expression of good wishes, and hoped the meetings of the Council would be as harmonious in the future as they had been in the past. Mrs M. Canning wrote asking for a refund of rates paid on section 12, bloijk 33, in accordance with section 5 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1895.—Half rate to be refunded. A communication was rend from the New Zealand Acetylene Lighting Company, Dunedin, re the proposed ins ailation of the light in Queenstown ; a!.->o from the Town , Clerk, Pictdn, v. ilicb stated that they had 3 generators at work in different localities. They we] « now lighting 1£ miles by £-mile and the light was giving every satisfaction. They were also about to make another installation. Town Clerk, Arrow, wrote stating that the Arrow Borough Council did not intend co operating with the Queenstown Borough r« sending a man to report on the lighting of Picton by acetylene gas. Cr McCarthy said he would suggest that a man be sent to Picton to gather all the information he could and put s ime before the Council. The Mayor considered that before they could bring the lighting scheme before the ratepayers they must have a properly prepared report giving all the necessary information as to its benefits or otherwise, etc. Cr McCarthy proposed that either the Mayor or the Town Clerk should be sent The Town Clerk would only have his actual travelling expenses paid him as he had his salary as Town Clerk. The Mayor said he could not go as he could not spare the time. Cr Sutherland said he would'second the motion. There was a lot of information required as to the suitableness of the light for private persons, the «fitct it would have on insurance, etc. The cost would not be more thin about £lO. Cr Mayne asked would it not do to write to the person who went to Picton and reported on behalf of the Kaiapoi Council. Cr McCarthy observed that it might be cheaper but considered that they would not get the same report. Besides, they wanted a report 1 , they could depend upon. By the Council's sending their own man they had the satisfaction of knowing he did not hold a brief for the gas company and that he was not in any way in league with them. He would be responsible to "the Council. Cr Mayne did not expect to get the report for nothing. He thought, perhaps, the report sent to the Kaiapoi Council Would serve this Council's purpose. Cr Sutherland thought it would not give the same satisfaction and the Council might have to pay, say, £5 for an irresponsible report. The Mayor said that whoever was sent, his duties should b3 defined and a committee should be embodied in the motion to giv« the delegate full instructions as to what the Council required him to report upon, viz, to I interview the Mayor and Town Clerk at Picton, to w«it upon private individuals, aYul to see how it effected the matter of insurance. This committee wouid then bring up the report to the Council. It was finally resolved on the motion ' of Crs McCarthy and Sutherland That the Town Clerk be instructed to proceed to Picton at an early date to report on the acetylene li.glit.nig of that town, and that the Mayor, Crs Searle an ! Sutherland be a coiuuiittde to instruct the delegate, reasonable travelling expenses to be allowed A. J. Tail wrote asking if the Council had any objection to the right he had obtained, from Air Waites to cut flax and fern for milling purposes on the Islands. Cr McCarthy stated that Mr 'fait

only wanted the? Council's -consent. As far as lie knew, they had no voice in the matter. They had leased the property to Mr Waites and if lie consented that. was the end of the

matter. .Anyway, i f would not he in the Council's interest to hinder an industry. Instead, they should encourage it as there was little enough of it in the district.

The Mayor considered that if Waites had no objection the Council could have none, as it did not uflect his lease.

The secretary to the Municipal Association, Wellington, wrote that the next meeting of'tliess Aociation would take place in July, and asked the Council to appoint their delegate and to submit any business the Oouncil might like to biiug before the nieet-

»>gIt was resolved on the motion of Crs Cockburn and Sutherland—That Mr Fraser M.P., be asked to again represent this Council on the Municipal Association, aud that any "business the Council may wish to bring before Mlie Association be com municated to Mr Fraser.

The* Southland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board forwarded circulars giving particulars as to persons receiving aid from the Board.— Received. I

A. H. Hiddlefton, secretary to the Public School Committee, wrote asking for a refund of sanitary rate on section I, block 16, as there had been au overcharge. Cr Mayne said the complaint was that the committee had been charged 30s for the jear it should only have" been 20s.

The Clerk said Mr 'Hiddlestoh was charged, 10s and the School C.imroitiee 20s. The Convent School were charged the same, viz., 20s, the Rev. O'Donnell paying 10s.

Cr Sutherland said the School Committee's piopei ty was rated as one property. The committee also paid the water rate on all the property.

Cr McCarthy maintained that, if there were four cottages built on 'Ot.e section each occupier would be liable for a sanitary rate. The Clerk said that all occupiers pay the sanitary rate. The Mayor considered the sanitary rate was an individual rate. —The Clerk was instructed to write to the Public School Committee asking in what direction they had been overcharged. The Inspector of Nuisances reported that he had served a notice on Mr Croft, owner of the condemned house in Sliotovcr Street, giving him a month 10 either put the house in proper repair or to pull it down. He also reported that all leaking boxes in w.c.'s in the town had been removed. —Received.

The Mayor here granted Mr McCai thy leave of absence for the rest of the meeting.

Lady Plunket, President of the Plunket Nurses' Home, Wellington, wrote re promoting health of women and children. The Home sen; cut duly qualified nurses, who delivered lectures and visited women in thei; own homes; she alsostated thatinspareh populated places one nurse might be utilised for two or three districts. The fee was £3 3s per week with board and lodging.—Received. t

k The Clerk read a communication Trom the Otago Acclimatisation Society and from Mr Turton re the intro duction of little owls to the district, the writer stating that orders for the birds must be sent at once to be in time for next season, Cr Cockburn said the matter was brought up at last meeting of the Lake County Council, but no action had been taken at present. The Otago Acclimatisation Society had lately landed 30, but none of the.se would be available for this district. He would be in favor of the Council's doing something in the direction of getting a few, although the farmers and others would ienp the most benefit. He should put the matter very strongly before the Lake County Council at its next meeting. The Cierk said the local Acclimatisation Society would meet next day and he thought it was their in tention to order 15 little owls.

The Mayor considered it was more a matter for the County Councils and Farmers' Unions to take action in.

Cr Cockburn thought Mr Turton should be thanked for the trouble he had taken in the matter. If they succeeded in introducing such effective agents as the owls appeared to be it would be an enormous benefit to the district. He would be in favour of spending a few pounds. Cr Sutherland thought that the County Council should get the lot. It would be of very little benefit to the Queenstown ratepayers and the Council had not too much money to spend.

It was then resolved on the motion of Crs Cockburn and Searle that the Queenstown Borough Council contribute the sum of £4 fcr importation of owls for destroying the small birds, provided the other local bodies contributed in proportion.

Resolved on the motion of Or Anderson and the Mayor—That the estimates of receipts and expenditure for the year ending March 3!, 1909, of the Qu enstown Borough Council, as prepared by the Clerk, life approved and adopted and be published in the paper one week before tl e special n eeting called for striking the general rate.

Resolved on motion of Crs Monson and Mayne—That a special meeting be held "on June 4th, 1908, to make a general rate of one shilling in the £ on all rateable property ill the Borough for the year 1908 09. Tin re were other resolutions carried re borrowing from the bank, and that the pres-nt overdraft be a charge on the Councils revenue for the-ensuing year.

The Clerk then read the solicitor's opinion re the application of the Presbyterian Church Committee to have the name of their secretary, Mr< Alex Boyne, put on the Burgess roll as representing their property, also that oi Mr Otto Theune for the

Ma ionic Lodge, Queenstown, anapplica tio" of a similar nature. Mr Tui ton's opinion was that there could he ho objection to Mr Alex Boy lie's name being put on the roll hut he could not vote at an election. In the case /of Otto Theune, he did not thi'ik he was qualified to Uu puton ihe roll, hut if lie was it would not avail him anything as h«> had property of his own in North Ward and could not therefore exercise Lis right to vote in North Ward.

The Clerk stated that he had verbally given this information, to the parties concerned, but he would write them officially. * The Mayor said the Chinch Committee could have the-name put on the roll but they would not be allowed to vote.

Cr Cockburn asked whether, if Mr Alex Boyne had no vote of his own, he could vote on behalf of the Church property. The Mayor said that he could. The Clerk intimated that he would require a new ledger and rate book at a probable cost of £7.—lnstructed to order same.

Cr Searle brought up the matter of the dangerous condition of the footbridge in Camp Street. Something should he done at once.—Left in hands of Works Committee. V Cr Cockburn drew the Council's attention to the fact o?-a corner stone having been knocked oft the bridge near Sutherland's blacksmithing shop. He was surprised that the Borough employee had not noticed it and replaced it. The dayman said he had never been told to do the work. He had informed Mr Gavin (the then Mayor.) ' He never did anything he was not told to do as some time previously he had got into tiouble for dping what lie had not b'een authorised to' do.

The Mayor said he was to take it as an instructive now and have the stone replaced in its proper position on the bridge.

Cr Anderson called the Council's attention; to the partial manner in which *the Inspector of Nuisances was doing his work. Some persons' horses he impounded, others lie sued in the court. He thought all people should be treated alike. He himself the other da* saw the inspector finding a horse wandering and he {the inspector) took it and put it in tie Ott ner's stable.

The Mayor asked why Mr Anderson did not ,briiio , the uutter up when the inspector was present as he might have been able to explain. Cr Anderson said .he supposed the only explanation he would have given would have linen that some of the" horses he could not catch so could not impound them.—The matter was held over for the presence of the inspector.

Cr Mayne asked if the Council had any drain pipes for sale. The Clerk said they had, and same could be got from the dayman.

Cr Sutherland drew the Council's attention to the smell of t\e drain coming down Malaghan street from Firth's cess pool, which emptied itself near his residence.— Left in the hands of .Works Committee to see what could be done. Accounts amounting to 439 15s 2J were passed for payment.

A vote of thanks to the chair closed the meeting.