BOROUGH COUNCIL

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1881, 16 June 1886, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL

The adjourned meeting of the Borough Council was held last night. Present— His Worship tho Mayor (in the clmir) and Crs Wanden, ' arker, McArlney, Houldsworth, Douslin, Healy, Riley, and Ching. The minutes of the ptevious meeting were read and confirmed. ME VAILE’S RAILWAY SCHEME. Lettor from the New Zealand Railway R form League enclosing copy of a petition asking for the House to appoint a commission to examine Mr Samuel Yaile upon his scheme. The Council was requested to sign tho petition. THE IMPOUNDING ACT. Letter from Mr Maxted the Impounder asking the Coum il to consider the question of paying refund and costs in the eases of Clark find Pickering and G, Riley v the Impounder. As tliero was some doubt as to the correctness of tho details it was resol v ed that tho account he ( aid when the actual amount has been ascertained by tho Town Clerk. A REQUEST. Letter from the Secretary of tho Picton Road Board asking for tho use of the Council Chamber for their monthly meetings on the second Saturday in the mouth at 11 a.m. Resolved—That tho Board bo informed that tho room is engaged on the first and second Saturdays m the month, but they could have the use of the room on the third or fourth Saturday in the mouth, LAND LEAGUE. Circular from the New Zealand Land League, Oamaru, in favor of Sir George Grey’s motion for the resumption, of large landed estates. Tho Council woro asked to establish a league in Blenheim. THE ADVERTISING. Letter from tho Town Clerk saying lie had refused to pay the accounts of Messrs Furness and Boundy and Carl and Rabone, L 3 143 each, for advertising the election for Borough auditors. Tho advertisement had been inserted nino , times instead of only once as required. Ihe Town Clerk explained that the i Returning Officer sai 1 ho had instructed i the publishers of the papers to insert it i onoe, or at most the usual number of i times. The proprietors of the papers stated that no instructions were given. It was resolved—That the matter ho referred to tho Returning Officer for aa explanation. i THIS GASWORKS. The Mayor read two resolutions passed ,at a public meeting in favour of the Council owning the Gasworks for the supply of gas to the Borough. He also stated that the money tequireil for the 1 purcha-o could lie obtained from the Government' Insurance Association at not less than 6 per cent, Cr Riley moved—That a Comtnittea of the whole Council meet on this dij four weeks (July 13) to consider tile resolution!. Soeonded by Cr. Douslin end curried. LEAKAGE FROM THE TAYLOR. Menonndum from ihe Inspector to •he effect that if the Council would stop up 'ho openings from the Taylor it would prevent the water coming down the Alabama road. Cr Wanden moved —That tho Inspec’or he instructed to have the work done by day labor. Cr Dm linsecoudel the motion, which was carried. ORDER OF BUSINESS. Cr Parker moved and Cr Chi'U s- vonried—-That he quest ion of rescinding ihe former motion with reference to ihe Llispioil su ini ly have precedence over other husiness. Cr MoArtuey moved—That his n itice f motion re recreation ground be considered flr-t. The Mayor ruled in favor of Cr Me A rtney. Cr Parker contended that the Flos pi a I question was business held over from he 1 .st meeting, and therefore should mve prcc dence His Worship said he would like s resolution ou the -uhject, Cr Parker’s motion was then put and carried, Only Cr MeArtney voting against i . THE HOSPITAL SUBSIDIES. Cr Parker moved—That, the resolmtion of th - 15' h January 1885 —"That the Koad -Boards be communicated with informing them that the Council is willing to cunt.ibu e its share towards the building the Hospital, provided the Boards do the same,” be rescinded. Cr Douslin seconded the motion pro forma, but moved as an amendment— Th it the sum of L 125 5s Id be forthwith paid over to the Government as the Council’s share of the promised contributions to the Amersfoorte Hospital. Ho thought at any rate that it would be only necessary to stri c out the wo d “ if. " He felt sure that they could piss his amendment, however, without rescind! >g the, former resolution. Cr MeArtney rose to a point of orde . The Minor had aln-rdy rulsd tint thCou toil c mid not do so. The Mayor ea d his opinion wasatil ihe same. Cr Douslin still contended that as the members had had seven days’ clour notice as to the rescinding of 'lie former motion, his amendment could be put, He asked how was it that the money voted by the Council in May had not been paid. Tho Mayor said he had explained thii at the previous meeting, Cr Douslin withdrew his amendment, Cr Parker’s motion was then put and carried unanimously. Cr Parker then moved —That the Coun. oil pay over the sum of L 125 5s Id towards the new hospital now being built at Amersfoote. Tne money mast be paid, The Omaka Road Board had agreed to nay its share, and he thought the oth' r Boards would follow the example. * Cr Riley’s opinion had not altered. Ha would not pay a sixpence. The Mayor said his reasons for voting aesinst '.he motion were as follows;— First, the demand was not a legal one; socond, the Council would part with its self-respect by yielding to threats ; third, because the only legal authority, the Hospital Board, had made no demand on them. Cr Houldsworth pointed out that the promise to pay the amount was made before the passing of the Act. The Mayor said tint his fourth reason was that the Hospital wrs being put up ia spite of local governing bo lies ; fifth, because of the distance of the Hospital from town, the poverty of the soil which would not even grow vegetables, the difficulty of obtaining water and the bleakness of thsi e; six b, that thes--* disadvantage would involve the ratepayers iu a permanent increased expenditure. He quoted ffom Dr Grabham’s repott which eulogised the old Ho«pit»l and condemned the new site. He would offer no factious opp sition to the payment of the money. Cr Diußlin stated in answer to a qua*tio i of the Mayor that two well* had been sunk on the land, bat they had not yet fonnd water. There was water on Mr BarDyman’a land and in other plscei some distance away. He did not think 'hat anything he could say, or anything the Mayor had said, would inflaence one vote at the table—the money muit he paid. Even if the disadvantage, pointed out by the Mayor existed, they when the Honpital Committee recommended the site,and the change had mads no difference whatever, Cr MeArtney said that bis opinion w»« that the HoffitsT B#«tf ‘bad failed io

their duty, and that there was no reason why the Council should do the same. It was quite time that all these differences should cease and that .all worked together fo-the good of the district. ' : ' The Mayor entered into an explanation at some length as to the alteration of the sit«s. , „ , Cr Parker briefly replied to the Mayor’s objections. ■ _ , , The Council divided on Cr Parker s motion, with the following result : —Ayes (7)—Crs Healy, Houldsworth, Douslin, Ching, McArtney, Parker, and Wanden. Noes (2)— Cr Riley and the Mayor. The motion was therefore deolared carried. RECREATION GROUND. The offers of Mes rs Litchfield and George Houldsworth for a section of land for a recreation ground were read- • Cr McArtney explained that his idea was to sell Seymour Square and thus obtain money for the purchase. Apubliq meeting would require to be held, ana this would e >st L 5. The Council had no money to spend, and he therefore moved —That the gentlemen who have made offers be informed that the Council is not in a position to consider the matter. the loXn account. Cr McArtney moved the motion standing in his name—That the withdrawals from the loan acoouot shall not exceed the amoiirt paid to the credit of the ' bank overdraft. Hs thought it would be a terrible position for the Borough to be saddled with the L3OOO loan and also the overdraft. ‘‘ Cr Cbing seconded the motion. Cr Houldsworth thought the Council was rot in such a deplorable state after all. They had been going through ud expensive time, but there wss a great deal of money to comein. • Cr Parker supported the motion ric aareed with Cr Houldsworth. but the Council should not spend the money before it came in. , Ilia Worship thought they were uuder an obligation to reduce the ovordraft to a vary little over L2OOO- - motion was carried unanimously, Colley’s hollow. Cr Douslin moved—l’hat a concrete culvert be put in Colley’s Hollow go as to allow the tide to ebb and flow, that the sides bo grassed, and that trees be planted on the reserve, He reformed to the healthy nature of the locality. Ibe soil was saturated with sewage and hethought it was absolutely necessary to do something for the safety of the town. He favored the entire filling of the Hollow, but bis proposal would answer the purpose. He regarded the work as absolutely necessary. If an outbreak of typhoid or diptherift wore to occur in the neighborhood, the Council would afterwards blame themselves. „ , Cr McArtney seconded the motion pro forma. The Council would have to do something to the Hollow. It was stated that the greater part or the Hollow waß a reseive. Cr Houldsworth moved -That the inspector of Works report cn what is uocessary and the probable cost. Cr Douslin withdrew his motion and seconded the amendment. The amendment was carried. NOTICES OF MOTION, Cr Ching gave notice to move that the Inspector of Works be instruotse to’oruer OOOJ feet of timber for repairing the bridges within the Borough. • The Council then adjourned until the next ordinary meeting.