CITY BOARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume V, Issue 1305, 21 January 1868, Page 3

CITY BOARD.

Tiie usual monthly mooting of tho City Board of Uouimiesionore wue held yesterday, in thoir oflieoa, Cunada Buildings. Mr. G. Webster, Chairman, prosidinsr. Present: Messre. Finlay, Macready, George, Hill, Burden, Greonway. 'I he miniitea of tho previous meeting woro real by the fc'ccretiry, and conQrmod by tho Board. COKRR3IM.VOKNO3. The Sechetaey road a letter from R. H. Smith, ruferriug to a furrncr correspondence relating to the drainage in Albert-etreet, opposito to the Xouug Men's Christian Association. Mr. Machbady said that tho Board unfortunately had no monoy to gi re away for Iho purpose. Hie Seokktauy, in roply to a question, said there wer-j consents obtained, aud the work was estimated to cost £70. Mr. Macready eaid that tin drain roferrod to could not be of any u?e to tho city. Mr. Hill: Wtis there any promise mode to Mr. Smith—berauso his lettur r~ada as if there had been ? Sir. Macksady never heard any tiling of a promise Tho Sechetauy said that in Septembor Mr. Smith wae informad th>it the Board was not in a position to do wh:it ho wanted. Mr. Fixlay did not 803 what right the Young Men's Christian Association had to ask the Board to drain thtir property more than any private person had to ask such a thing. Mr. Gubenway said there wero works of very much greater importance to be dono if there wore means to do it, iuhi m'iny gullies worse to look at than this one. Mr. Kbeti.ey inquired whether the necessity for this particular drain was not caused by the Board hanking up the street there. Mr. Hill said if a man causod a nuisance to another ho wouldhave a ramady who was injured. If the City Board had banked up the street, causing the water to remain in the yard as etated—and if tho City had caused that nuisauce they would be expected to make reparation. Mr Geohgb said tho work there was an improvement. Mr. Macbeady said the street was filled up three years ago. Tho footpath was acknowledged to be an improvement, and was called for by the public. Mr. Kbetley moved that a contribution of £25 should be pain by tho Board towards making the drain. Mr. GfionoK moved that the Socretary should be instructed to inform Mr. Smith that tho Board hud no funds at its ilieposal to appropriate for tho work pointed out. The amendment- was carried. COIIPOIiATION. — LBTTEtt PHOM THB SUPBRINTBNDK T. The Skchktahy rend a communication recei ed from tho Superintendent in reply to a reeolution of the Board, and onclosirg tho Municipal Corporations Act which provides that either tha Governor miy constitute a borough or the Superintendent mny do so, upon being moved thorounto 03 tho Board. His Honor will have no objection to hnnd over to the authorities of the borough the administration of the city endowments with the liabiliti«s attached thereto, tuijeut to tho approval of the Provincial Council, but the Superintendent cannot undertake to placo at their disposal tho monies accruing from licensee, Ac, as referred to in tho resolution sent up by the Board. Mr. Geokoe thought it was the duty of the Chairman to call a public meeting of the inhabitants of Auckland for tho purposo of considering the subject. The letter of Hi* Honor, which has been already published, was ordered to be laid on the tuble. BATES. The rates collected for the week were £220 17a Id. riNAKCIAL STATEMENT. ThoCiiAIHMAK mado the following statement of tho affairs of the Hoard :—Since you did me the honor to elect mo Chairman, 1 have gona carefaily Into the accounts of the Board, and have, with tho assistance of the Secrotary, made up a statements of the insets and liabilities. From the statement it will b ohsaved that the only liabilities of tho Board cjnsist of the overdue draft ut the Bank, which, including payments to bo made and charges yet to bo preeentcd, amount to £6i'3 4s lid, and the arrears of interest and sinking fund on the loan due to tho Province, amounting to £3189 118, making tho total liabilities £381 2 lfie Ud. All the liabilities under contiactH entered into by the Board have been liquidated, and the oxpon.-iiture to a considerable extent within the income. Tho assets consist of the arrears of rates due since the Boerd was established up to the present date, amounting to £4268 Oi Gd. and the current rate levied at the laet meeting of the Hoard, which is due and payable to-day, amounting to £32(53 9a 6d, making the total amount of the rtsjeta £753 l 10s. of tn " sum ,iuo on account of iirroaJs of rates, a portion of it must he looked upon as irrecovernb e, on account of many of the parlies rated having lert tbe place, aome of them b>ing resident out of the Colony, and others who cannot be found. Although the property may be liable to the into, still the amount cannot be recovered unksß by summon* served personal on tho party rated and as in many cases this has been impracticable, the rate ie still in arrear. Another difficulty that the Collector has to contend with in recovering lh« rates, aruos from the fact that a groat number of the ratepayers havo become insolrent, and although tho iato may bu considered a preferable claim on their estate, still legal d:fficnltieeinterfero with its recovery. Of the cui rent rate nothing has yet been_ received, but 1 air. Bfttisßed that betore next meeting of the Board from £7uO to £1030 on account of tbe rate will bo recovered, and this will more than satisfy the overdiaft at the Bank, end payment to be made today. Aβ I have before said the only othor liability tho Board Imve to meet in the arrears of interest and sinki-'g fund duo to Provincial Government. From the judicicua economy exercised by theßoard during the last eight or ten months the expenditure has been reduced to the very lowest amount, and greatly within tho revenue ' This being the c&ee the current rain can be devoted to the pa)ment of the debt due to the Provincial Government, with the exception of 1 providing for ourrent expnnees.

AOCOTJirra. Mr. Geeenway was of opinion that there ou?lu to be a comp'ete examination of the accounts since the commencement of the Board. Hβ Baw several fine houses going up in various directions, and it was dosirablo to know how the rates were disposed of. Mr. Geobob was surpriael to h«ar eueh an insinuation, when there waa twenty-five pounds a year paid for a person to do that duty. Mr. Greenway could examine the accounts if he liked, and if ho wish that gentleman should be placed on the Finance Committee. Mr. Gbbenway gave notice of motion, That Mr. Keetley be authorised to examine the accounts of the Board since its creation. (Laughter.)