CO-OPERATIVE DRAIN.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 314, 19 May 1888, Page 3

CO-OPERATIVE DRAIN.

At last night’s meeting of the Borough Council, Mr G. W. Riley, Chairman of the meeting held on 11th May to consider the question of the co-operative drain, wrote reporting to the Council the result of that meeting. The Mayor said the Council really stood in the same position in the matter as before. No weight could be attached to the resolution passed at the public meeting, and it would not do to Bign the deeds. Even if tho Council were willing to do so, they could not, as some of the property owners had not yet signed. It would be very foolish for the Council to sign the deeds, as they would thereby bind themselves for all time. He moved that the letter be merely received. Cr Green seconded the motion, remarking that nothing could be done until the property owners moved in the matter. Cr Sinclair, seeing that the Omaka Road Board had taken up their stand in the matter, moved, That all the property owners who have not conveyed tho laud required to the co-operative drain be requested by the Borough Council to do so, and upon their compliance the Council will take the necessary steps to give effect to the opinion expressed at the late meeting of tho Borough Council, Omaka Road Board, and the settlers. This was seconded by Cr Houldsworth. The Mayor’s motion as to receiving the letter was carried.

Tho Mayor said ho could not agree with Mr Sinclair’s motion, and thought tho Council would do wrong in asking tho settlers to do anything of the sort. He was greatly in favor of leaving the matter open at present. Cr Sinclair pointed out that some of the ratepayers might say that the Council had not the courage to deal with the matter; that was one of the reasons why he had brought forward his motion. They might say that the Omaka Road Board had disposed of it, but tho Borough Council had left it alone.

Cr Houldsworth spoke at some length on tho advantages to he derived from a good drainage system, and advocated the Council retaining the co-operative drain. Cr Green moved as an amendment, That tho matter stand in statu quo until property owners paid something towards keeping tho drain clean. As to the arguments that the property owners had constructed tho drain at their own cost, ho would like to point out that they (the property owners) had derived immense benefit from that drain, and it greatly enhanced the value of their properties. Cr Parker seconded the amendment. Councillors Ching, Houldsworth and Cooke spoke on the subject, the latter at some length. He held that the Council could not honorably back out of its former agreement. The drain had cost a lot of money, but in return for that tho town and district had derived an immense amount of good, and in a few years he thought tho drain would more than pay for tho money that had been expended on it.

On being put, tho amendment was declarod carried, the Mayor, Crs Bythell, Ching, Green, M'Artney and Parker voting for it, and Crs Sinclair, Cooke and Houldsworth against it.