OAMARU BOROUGH COUNCIL

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 9301, 3 September 1898, Page 3

OAMARU BOROUGH COUNCIL

The fortnightly mooting of tho Boroogl Counoil was held Iftab ovoning, thorc being prosonb hi« Worship tha Mayor, and Councillors Cagnoy, Brown, Mook, Hillikor, Roeie, L*ne, Koonody, Vemor, Taylor, Hodloy and Hamilton. Tho minutes woro road and confirmed and tho outward corrospondenco approved. Mr W. H. Royno'da applied for tho substitution of MrH. Donnisons name In tho now valuation for his own in roepoob of tho Theatre Itoyal buildingp. Tho opinion was expressed ihat only « tomnt could be plaood on tho roll. Tho mattor was deforrod. Messrs J. Johnston and J, M'Auloy appliod to tho Council to consider their Application regarding tho prico of water supply to Waikonra (lato Mr P Aitchieon's). Tho crook, thoy statod, supplied all tho stook with water ; tha house was tho only place where it was needed, and that only occasionally. Thoy asked that the price bo reduocd to L3 per yoar. Tho opinion waa expressed thtt if this woro done in one ease ib would havo to be done in several cases. Tho olork said that thoro were no othor L3 supplies on tho race. s Mr Meek said tho Council had hud nwny Httlo favors and considora'ione from Mr Aitohiaon in tho paeb which would have oosb tho Oounoil a good deal, and if lfc were possiblo to m>ko iho roduotion id mhould bo done in thia caso. On tho motion of Mr Taylor tho mattor was referred to tho Waterworks Con)" nutteo to roport Mr John Mooro (as agent for 0. White) reqnosted a re-valuation of seotion 11, blook tiO, from which the house h»d been removed. To bo attonded to in tho ordinary way. Mr Mooro also offered 10a por annum for annual tonanoy of sootion 11, block 64 : failing whioh ho would ask joint oreobion of dividing fence botwoen sections 10 and 11, block M. ThiB was referred to the Reserves Committee for report. A lottor from tho Lands and Survey Department regarding tho title 10 tho land used' as a rifle range was referred to the Reserves Committee. Mr W. H. Hartley appliod for water supply to section 17, block 1, and ooction 9, block 1, for gardon pufposffs, Tho area iu tho two eoctions was 2'j acres ; thoro was a cottago on soction 17 fenced off from tho garden ; the water for the cottage io supplied by a largo concrete tank. Ho had only Wed the gurden, nob tho cottage, and laving boon in* formed that the price would bo L5 for each soction, he applied for it to bo mado LD for both. Mr CrawBhaw made tie following report; Mr W, llartloy'a statement of aorcago i« about correot, but ib is divided into two parte, necessitating two services; as Mr T. King's property is between the two. If tho property was in one plot tho chargo would not be tnoro than L5, with houao sorvico included. I beg to suggest for your confederation whether L3 each soction would not be a fair charge — like other small properties outside the borough— on condition that no tap bo laid to cither of tho dwolling houses, This mattor was also referred to tho Waterworks Oommitfcoo. Messrs Moikle and Oo. wrote regarding the building they had erect' 1 in Coquet street) that it was pub up rather hurriedly as wot weathor was impeding their work. No disrespect was Intended to tho Council, it being understood that the landlord should m»ko tho application for permissiox) to build. An Insur&nco officer's report attached showed that so far as risk of fire want, tho risk had been Improved by the erection. Mr Brown said that if tho building wore covered In with iron it would bo muoh safer. Ho moved that tho mattor bo referred to the engineer, with tho intention of tho infringement of the by-law being got over In that way, and that course was decided on. Messrs Lee and Gravo wrote us follows ; „ ffyno street, Oamaru, N.Z., 31st August, 189*. Hit Worship the Mayor and Councillors of tho Borough of Oamaru, Gontlemei?,— We havo been consulted by Mr A. Webster as to the report by your engineer to the Council of the allogod criminal interference on tho part) of our client with the Borough Water Supply ; Also, tho report of your Committee appointed to consider tho engineer'* charges ; Alto* tho lottor of the Town Clork to oar client threatening criminal action unless the mm of 10s was paid forthwith ; And, also, as to tho Oounoll's attitude generally in tb" matter. We underatf id that by thia time your offioors havo d.scovorcd that tho chargo agftinfit Mr Webster is groundless. As a matter of fact the property in question has paid watnr rates for the laafc 3J year* ; that Is to say, since tho yoar commencing lib April, 1895. An tho charges aro abnolutoly without foundation, are grossly libellous, and calculatod to do our client muoh harm and Injury owing to tho wido publicity that has been given to the mattor, we think thoro can be no question that ho ia entitled to nmplo reparation. We shall therefore be glad to learn what amends you proposo to make. FailiDg a satisfactory roply we are instructed to iisue a wrib claiming exemplary damages without further notice. Sours truly,

Lkk and Grave. Mr Mook said that tho peculiarity of the caeo was that wator rates had been paid on tho wholo of tho soction, while only one napply pipe was laid on to tho three houses. The section fronted in Torridgo ntreot, and thero were three cottages on it. He understood that Mr Webster had the supply laid into his own houso, the middle one, and supplied another hoase on tho euotion from tho tap. The clerk had forgotten thab tho whole section was boing p .id for. The Mayor eald that) in any o&se there was no doubt that tho Council had made » mlatake which had err ed Mr Webster annoyance from Tie no'. • ety the matter had gained, and it should mako some ro« mration. Ho moved tho following resolution : " The Council very much regrets the minunderntandlng and error re water rate on sections 12 and 13, block 20, and the consequon annoyance it has caused Mr Wobsbor, and for which they apologise, and of course clear Mr Webster from all implied blame or wrong Intention in tho matter." Mr Meek fleconded the motion. Mr Hedley said ho thought Mr Webuter waa still broaking the law in supply • ing a house, oven if paid for, Tho aervico should bo laid on by the Council to each house separately, Mr Brown wan of the name opinion. The Clerk said that tho trouble had occurred before, and without turning up tho rate book when the complaint was made he mist ook the property for which the payment was made, The incident! was caused by a mistake. Mr Hamilton said he did not think tho resolution would get rid of tho matter, Mr Taylor said thab " in any case tho Council stood on velvet, as Mr Cunningbame irould secure tho Council Dgainst liny loss by damages. ' The clerk Bald thab his regret for the matter waa apart) from any consideration of damages. Balldlog permit! were granted to Mr J,

T Smith in re»peob of section 1, blook 18. Tho Spcoial Committee appointed re Harbor stroob roportad that having carefully considered all tho circumstances in connection with Harbor frfcroob, tho Oom mittoe could noD soo thoir way to recommend the Council to grant any assistance in kooping this atroot in repair. Mr Iledloy moved, and Mr Vornor seconded, that) this report bo adopted. * Tho Special Committee on tho abattoirs question recommended that swine should oomo under tho s-*mo restrictions and In* spoution as othor stoolc ; that ratoijayera and local authorities should h&vo tho option of dooidinj/ whether thoy will establish abattoirs ; and that no moat j should bo offered for silo within tho local authorities' district) that has not boon slaughtered, inspected, and branded in its own abattoir. * Mr Taylor mov«d tho adoption of tho roport and Mr Vornor seconded, and it wasotrried. Tho Finance Comraittoo reported aooonnt) amounting to L1C(5 6) 7(1, and theso woro paiaed for payment. Mr Hilliker mentionod tho noed for u bib of a fonco in Thames street, botwoon fcho Not th Otago Times oflioe and Mr D, Brown's shop, where a break in tho bank was encroaching on tho footpath, with some (1 anger to passers by. Mr Vornor said that his torm as a councillor was now closing, and it was with i egret tiiat ho was retiring. , It had boon a ploasuro to him to eit under the chairmanship of his Worship, who had uniformly treated him with oourtewy, and given him information on overy matter ho nooded. Messrs Brown, Hcdley, and Ilillikor ho mentionod particularly as tho oldest) councillors noxb to himself, and for tho courtoiy with which all had troated him he thankci them. Uo remomborod that nine yoars ago, when ho ontorod tho Council, (ho Qnananchl position was very bad, butslnco then thoy had much improved matters, and it was now a ploasuro, not to say an honor, to bo a councillor. Good work had boon done in tho past few years in improving tho town, and ho hoped to eoa this inoreasp. Mr Drown said ho was very sorry that Mr Vornor was retiring. lie had boon a most) useful momber ot (ho Works and Reserves Commit' ees, and his extensive knowledge of the town had boon most useful. The Mayor said ho had just 1 boon going to say tho samo thine; ; he hoped that some day they would soo Mr Vornor occupying tho chair. Tho Englnoer'n roport was read as follows : I have the honor to report that tho refonnation of Thames street north, from Usk stroob to tho town boundary, requires about 150 oubio yards of clay to complete it, at an (intimated coot ot LA. The coBb of covering the 10 blocks on onoh eido of bho meul with u light covering of ehinglo will bo about) LCO, aud if thin is done ib will protorvo the oluy from being blown away, necessitating tho ro-forming agu-'n in a few yo .ra. Mr Meek moved that tendons bo called for the work, and tho motion was carried Tho engineer waa also empowered to got t ho balanco of tho clay, as recommended, and to lay ib down. Mr Meok said that tho presont crushing of the stones wag very unsatisfactory. Many largo stones woro left on tho street, and in a whilo they wouU havo those big bouldoKs standing up and making tho stroots very uneven. Ho moved that tho Engineer bo asked for an osbimato of tho cost of putting h scroon on tho crashing machine. This motion wra carried. Tenders wore opened for foncing at tho roaorvolr paddook, and that of Mr S. Mackonzio was accoptod, at Is 3£d por chain. The Council then rose.