MATAURA BORO' COUNCIL.

Mataura Ensign, 29 November 1911, Page 3

MATAURA BORO' COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Mataura Borough Council was held last night in the Council Chambers, there being present the Mayor (Mr A. Balneaves) and Councillors J. Heslin, W. P. Thorn, Dr Shore, J. H. Park, W. B. Reid, C. Coombes and Hugh Cameron. CORRESPONDENCE. C. D. McConnell and Co. asked permission to erect a tie-up rail in front of their store iu Main street. The Mayor said he had given the permission and his action was approved. The town clerk, Taihape, wrote asking for a copy of the by-IaAVS in force at Mataura. The clerk was instructed to forward a copy. E. R. Bowler, solicitor, Gore, replied) to the Council's letter of the 9th inst. with instructions to hand over deeds and documents belonging to the Council to : Mr E. C. Smith", solicitor, Gore, which the writer said he would do upon payment of his costs, which he forwarded. He took it that this was the only intimation he was to receive from the Council of the cancellation of his retainer as solicitor to the borough beyond what one could gather from the public print. The Council might have valid excuse for desiring to transfer its business to one who visited the town, as ho could not conceive that any other reason could exist for the action taken. Considering the fact that he had acted for the- borough for a period now of something liko 12 to 15 years, and that j their relations had always been of a i pleasant nature, be did not think the; Council had displayed very much courtesy in the method adopted by it of ter-'

reuniting the relationship between them j of client and solicitor. "The letter was f received. I S. Sleeinan and 11 other ratepayers petitioned the Council to have Hack .. ; <:t.rcet gravelled and also to have Albion t Sil: -ct formed and gravelled before next { |v, ; !i J ar. The petitioners stated that, s |during ! :-st winter both the . streets '* were in a deplorable eomli-•. 1 t ion. being badly out by the heavy ' ] 'i:v.f:'■.'. It was hoped that the Conn-;-, c;i '/ould take steps to have the work ■■ , doi.o early to allow the gravel to settle ] before the bad weather set in. The -j

matter was referred to the Works Com- j mittee. i Thomas Jenkjn and Allan Reid drew the Council's attention to the water . lving on End street, Mataura Extension , No. "2. It was stated that the water < had no fall and lies for six or seven ( chains the depth of the footpath. The j letter was received, the matter having j boon attended to by the surfaceman. ( A. R. Watson, bookseller, Gore, ac-,, knowledged receipt of the Council's or- , der for new books for the library, some ■ ( of which he forwarded and the balance } he hoped to be able to deliver in the ■ course of a week or two. ( W. Souter complained of the state of . the school creek from Wyndham Road round to Mrs Meikle's section, which . requires to be deepened, so as to allow the water to get away. It was resolved, on the motion of Councillors

Mac Gibbon and Heslin, "That the- surfaceman be instructed to clear the creek provided that the persons using the creek for sewerage purposes pay half the cost." ! ACCOUNTS. The following accounts were passed for payment:—Town clerk, £8 13s -Id;, surfaceman, £6 los; roads and works, £-1 9s; E. R. Bowler, £3 10s lid; iusur- ' ance, £2 18s Gd; T. Mac Gibbon, 4s—, total, £26 10s 9d. Cemetery account: ; Roads and works, £3 12s; sexton, 9s. 1 REPORTS. j The borough surfaceman reported on '; his work for'the month as follows:— ' Cleaning a ditch on the Gore road, spreading gravel on End street, filling a wash-out on the hill at the hatchery, levelling rubbish on river banks, cleaning water tables and culverts in various streets, cleaning gravel and mixing asphalt, cutting ancl raking grass at the. cemtery, and putting in crossings at ! Shanks', Coombes' and Todd's. The report was adopted. j The Works Committee reported having visited the sanitary farm, finding! that the contractor (Mr Caithness) for : the new stable had made a satisfactory ! job. The committee recommended that! Mr Jones be authorised to put in 14i't ■ of new fluming at the outfall from the! shed and to fill up the gutter with soil; : also that a new concrete dam be erected ; and that the present pipe be led into ■ the far end of the shed, 4in tiles to be. j laid necessary to drain the lagoon. Thei report was received. I The borough ranger reported having seized 17 horses and 20 cows on the streets of the borough during the month, seven horses and four cows being impounded. The report was received. The sanitary contractor stated that regarding drainage work on the sewage. farm little Lad been done owing to the inclemency of the weather. Hie also asked the Council to grant him some wire-netting and stakes for fencing. It was resolved that the application for wire-netting and stakes bo declined and I that a sanitary matter written of be I referred to the surfaceman to report. GENERAL.

Councillor Coombes said a crossing was badly needed from the Post Offico corner across to the footpath in Main street. He suggested that a block or macadam crossing be put in and moved in that direction. Councillor Shore, in seconding the motion, said the work was one of the most necessary in the town. Councillor Heslin thought a fewloads of gravel would be sufficient and moved as an amendment to that effect. Councillor Mac Gibbon seconded the amendment. On a vote being taken the amendment was carried, five voting for it and four for the motion. D. Walton was re-appointod dog tax collector on the usual conditions. Councillor Shore asked if the permanent levels had been obtained yet, and the clerk was instructed to look up infonr.ation on the matter which is tc be laid on the table at next meeting of the Council. The next ordinary meeting of the Council was fixed for Tuesday, December 19.