BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 314, 19 May 1888, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Friday, May'lß. Present: His Worship tho Mayor (Mr G. W. Riley), Crs Cooke, Green, M’Artney, Parker, Ching, Houldsworth, J. J. Sinclair and Bythell. TENDERS. The following tenders were received for forming the Park Terrace footpath: Joseph YJooster, Ll l-i- ! per chain ; Sami. Phillips, Li 10.3 Gd per chain ; Cameron Bros., Ll 2s per chain. The Mayor said the estimate for the work was L 3 15s. Thero were about 71 chains to be formed. On the motion of Or Cooke, it was decided to accept the tender of Messrs Cameron Bros. DOS TAX COLLECTOR. The following applications were received for this position : —Charles Lucas, senr., John Kerin, G. A. Garling, George Coward, J. Kennedy, W. Ferguson, Thomas Morcom, Daniel Wylie. Or Sinclair said he thought Mr Wylie was a suitable man. He had had a great deal of experience among dogs, and would be in many ways suited for the position. Gr Green seconded the motion. Cr Houldsworth would support the motion. Cr Cooke moved as an amendment that Mr Morcom bo engaged as Dog Tax Collector. He was a ratepayer, and a man who knew the town. j Cr Ching supported the amendment. '

Ho thought the collector should be instructed to send in a report every month. Cr Parker seconded the amendment. J On being put, a division was on lied for, -J and the voting was found to be equal. The Mayor said he would givo his casting vote in favor of the ratepayer, Mr Morcom. Cr M'Artnej then moved that Mr Kennedy be appointed. Cr Green seconded this pro forma. On being put. Cr M'Artney’s motion was lost, and Mr Morcom was therefore declared elected to tho position. EEO'l THE AUDITOR. Tho Controller and Auditor-General wrote as follows :—■“ I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 25th April, aud in reply to state that the sections you quote do not in my opinion sanction tho transfer in question. The obvious intention of the Act was that during the construction of that is to say, during the time they were® unremunerative, interest for one might ho paid out of the loan. In tho ease of the Blenheim Borough the occasion for tho exceptional transfer did not exist, as the gasworks were in work, when purchased by the Borough. The transfer must therefore be disallowed.” The Mayor remarked that tho Auditor evidently did not read the section as the Council did. Ho thought the matter could safely be referred to the Finance Committee. At the time the transfer was made he did not consider that the works had been completed. They had laid down mains since then, and there were orders out at Home for more plant. Ho would move that the letter be submitted to the Finance Committee for consideration.

This was seconded by Cr Sinclair and carried.

ROAD THROUGH SECTION 75, OMAHA. Douglas Dobson, Secretary of tho Omaka Road Board, wrote stating that the Board did not require the use of tho road through section 75, Omaka (that is, from the Renwiek Old Road to the Opawa River). Cr Houldsworth asked whether any communication on the subject had been received from the Spring Creek Board. Cr M'Artney said he believed they had deferred consideration of the matter until next meeting.

Cr Parker said it appeared to him that the Omaka Road Board, because they had no carts of their own, held their contractors liable in the matter. He thought it was the contractors they should look to, not the Board. Cr Houldsworth pointed out the contractors sent in their tenders presuming that they could get the gravel from a certain place. They based their tenders on the distance they would have to go for tho gravel. He held it was purely a matter for the Boards to deal with, and it had got nothing to do with the Borough Council.

Cr Parker also thought that the Boards should attend to the matter. The discussion then dropped. RATES ON THE LITERARY INSTITUTE. Henry S. Simmons, secretary of tho Blenheim Literary Institute, wrote as follows : “ lam directed by the Committea of the Institute to respectfully ask you to remit the rates on the above named Institution. The Institute is of an educational character and is open to‘ all. Yet the number of subscribers to the library portion of the Institute is comparatively few, and the revenue small. The Committee feels that all payments made out of the funds for other than the purchasing of new books, papers, etc., retards tho usefulness of the Institute,.and thus keeps it from being 60 popular as the Committee would wish to see it. I may point out that on previous occasions you bought books to the amouut of the rates, which same action was highly appreciated by the Committee and members of the Institute.”

Tho Mayor moved that the request bo granted. Of course, the Council could not remit the rates, but it could purchaso their value in books for the Institute.

Cr Green seconded the motion, remarking that it was a good cause, and ho did not think the Council could do much better than grant the request. Tho motion was carried unanimously. ASPHALTING THE FOOTPATHS, A letter was read from Mr T. Smale, intimating that as the Council did nob see their way clear to go on ashphalting the footpaths, he would be willing to pay the entire cost of doing his own path till such time as the Council saw tit to refund the half, or give him the same allowance as to others who ashphalted their footpaths. He thought the path should be done in the same style as at Sydenham, and at the same cost, or at a, slight percentage more. He had previously given the Council full particulars with regard to that path. The Mayor pointed out that when the Council commenced ashphalting the footpaths, they would have to adopt a uniform system. Mr Smale hacl said it would cost about Is per yard, hut he (tho Mayor) did not think it could he done in Blenheim for that sum.

Cr Green suggested that, as Mr Smale had shown so much interest in the matter, he should take the contract for the work at Is per yard. Cr Houldsworth was in favor of allowing Mr Smale to do the work, the Council to pay one half the cost. The Mayor: As far as-1 can understand from Mr Smale, lie wants us to do the work, and he will defray half tho cost of same I know lie don’t approve of each person having to do his own path, and he also lays down a condition —that it should bo done in the same style as the Sydenham path, and at about the same price Cr Sinclair said the footpaths were in a very had state, and lie thought an enterprising burgess like Mr Smale should not be discouraged. He suggested that Mr Smale be allowe I to.do the work, subject to the approval of the of Works, He thought the Councflf should not by any means throw col* water on Mr Smale’s suggestion. Cr Ching would he in favor of the Council- doing the work and Mr Sraalo helping to defray the cost. The present chance should not bo lost. The Council ought to encourago Mr Smale in his efforts. He moved that the matter be left in the hands of the Works Committee, and that they should interview Mr Smale and bring up a report-at next meeting of the Council. This was seconded by Cr Sinclair, and carried.

THE OJIAICV BRIDGE. . A communication, dated May sth, was read from Gerald Fitzgerald, AssistantEngineer, iii which it was stated that tho Mayor’s application for assistance in comparing competitive designs for the Omaka Bridge had been laid before the Hon. Minister for Public Works, who bed ' structed the Council to bo informed bruit P' it could not be entertained.

Under date of May 18th, Mr Gerald Fitzgerald wrote as follows to the Town Clerk : “Will you kindly inform His Worship the 31 ay or and Council that, upon certain representations made by Mr Dobson, tho Engineer-in-Chief has been pleased to direct me in such a manner as will allow ino to assist the Council in estimating the comparative van • o the competitive designs fur the Omrka Bridge.”

The Mayor suggested that a meeting of the should be held tonight (Saturday), at 7 o’clock, for tho purpose of going into the plans with 31 r Fitzgerald It was necessary to take steps at once, as Mr Fitzgera'd might at anv moment have to leave for Nelson.

Cr Sinciir: Supposing the question of the best design is settled in one night

The Mayor: There is not much possibility of that. The various designs will have to be gone into. carefully, and it will probably take a considerable time. Cr Houldsworth agreed with Cr Sinclair, and thought that immediate steps should be taken in the matter, as the present structure was not very safe. Cr Chirig suggested that the Inspector of Works be instructed to put an extra plank or two on the bridge, as it needed them very badly. It was at length decided that if the Mayor thought fit he should call a special meeting of the Council to consider the matter of the designs. deed between tiie council and MBS CABTER.

This doed, relative to the bridge across the Omaka at Omaka House, drawn up by Mr Hartley MTntire, borough solicitor, was laid before the Council for signature. The Mayor thought they could safely sign the deed, as under it the Council had full power. He would move that the deed bo signed. Cr Green said ho would oppose the motion until Mr Davis, owner of tho property, was made a party to the agree - inont. He understood Mr Davis was not a party in it. Gr Sinclair said the agreement was botween Mrs Carter and the Council.

The Mayor pointed out that they would only have Mrs Carter to deal with, and under the agreement they would have full power. Cr Sinclair thought the Council should keep to its former contract. He would second tho motion.

Cr Ching said it seemed to him that the agreement was all on one side—that the Council had got all the fairness in. the matter. They could have the bridgo taken down, and give no cause whatever for such a step. They could have it taken down at any time, and without any notice.

The Mayor : That’s what struck me as being unusual and one-sided. Cr Parker seconded the amendment. He considered the question of the land was a most important point, and he certainly thought Mr Davies should be consulted in the matter. The deed ought not be signed unless Mr Davies were a party to it. Cr M'Artney would support the motion, as he thought the deed was sufficient. Cr Green : Wo are not preventing Mrs Carter from erecting the bridge ; we are only wanting the owner of the property to be made a party to the agreement. Cr Sinclair said that the deed had been drawn up by a solicitor, and the could depend upon it that it was all right. On being put, the motion was carried, and the deed was accordingly signed by tho Mayor and one councillor. NOTICE OF MOTION. Cr Parker gave notice of the following motion: That before, any footpaths are laid down in asphalt, a by-law' be framed and passed in accordance with clause 256 of the Municipal Corporations Act. The Council then adjourned.