BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9150, 4 September 1888, Page 5

BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETINGS.

NEWTON. The Newton Borough Council met yesterday evening. There were present :—The Mayor (presiding), Messrs. Webley, Boyd, Donald, Brown, Faulder, English, and Cox. Correspondence.—Mr. J. F. Cousins wrote drawing attention to the " shocking" state of Crummer Road. The letter was referred to the Streets Committee. A letter was received from Messrs. Win gat, Burns, and Co., enclosing a copy of a protest which they had lodged with the Collector of Customs relative to the charge made for Customs duty on the water meters recently imported per lonic. They had brought the protest under the notice of Messrs. T. and S. Morrin, with a view to their taking similar action in respect of the meters imported through that firm. Mr. J. Sperrey, Property Tax Commissioner, wrote stating that lie had sent a voucher for the payment of £46 17s 6d, balance of subsidy due to the Council. Mr. C. Williamson wrote asking that scoria be laid on the footpath in Mackelvie street. This letter was referred to the Streets Committee. The Abattoirs.—The Sanitary Inspector, Mr. Currie, reported that he had visited the Tallow Company's abattoirs on several occasions, and found that his instructions as to cleaning and whitewashing had been carried out in the abattoirs, and were now being carried out in the boiling-down establishment. The Tallow Company were using a gasconsuming digester of the same pattern as that used by Messrs. Hellaby, with the like good results. He had visited Hellaby's and the City Abattoirs, and had found them in the same good order as when lie last reported. This report was received. The Mayor said that when he had recently visited the City Abattoirs, he saw that the cart in which the contractor was taking away refuse was out of repair, and blood was running out upon the road. He moved, "That notice be given to the contractor intimating that if he continues to deposit in the borough of Newton refuse from the City Abattoirs, he will be prosecuted." After some discussion, the motion was withdrawn. Queen-street. —On the motion of the Mayor, it was resolved, "That £25 be spent in forming and fascining Queenstreet, off Richmond Road." Great North Road.—Some discussion took place respecting the relations of the Council and the Archhill Road Board in regard to the maintenance of Great North Road, and Mr. Brown gave notice that he would move at next meeting, " That the resolution of the Board, demanding from the Archhill Board half the cost for the maintenance of the road, be rescinded." The question was referred to the Finance Committee, to report at next meeting, or to call a special meeting if necessary. ONEHUNGA. At the ordinary fortnightly meeting of the above Council, on Monday evening, there were present:—The Mayor (Mr. C. C. Fleming), and Messrs. Austin, Burden, Dunwoodie, Jackson, Goldsbury, W. Shaldrick, J. J. Shaldrick, and Tapp. Sanitary— inspector of nuisances wrote, enclosing his monthly report, which was of a satifactory nature generally, except so far as it referred to the Volunteer Hall, where there was not proper accommodation for people frequenting the skating rink. It was decided to instruct the inspector to take steps to enforce the providing of the necessary accommodation. Financial. —The Treasury Department, Wellington, wrote, notifying that the sum of £14 83 9d, balance due as Government subsidy under the Finance and General Powers Act, had been lodged to the credit of the borough fund. The Council then considered the annual balance-sheet, according to requirements of the Municipal Corporations Act, and on the motion of the Mayor and Mr. W. Shaldrick the accounts were adopted ; an amendment, moved by Mr. Jackson and seconded by Mr. J. J. Shaldrick, " that the accounts be referred back to the printer to have the contradictory certificates of the Auditor-General placed upon them," being negatived on division. The financial statement showed a credit balance of £615 5s lOd at last meeting; since when there had been paid away £42 17s, and received £54 18s 9d, leaving a credit balance that evening of £627 7s 7d. The waterworks account showed a credit balance of £43, £156 2s having been paid away since last meeting. It was decided that the matter of accounting for the sales of the allotments sold in default of rates be referred to the Finance Committee. General Rate.—The Finance Committee recommended the striking of a Is rate, which, with the balance in hand, would after paying all expenses, leave (according to their calculations) £300 to start the waterworks, the contractor having expressed his consent to allow half of the amount due to him to remain at interest for, say, twelve months. The Mayor moved, and Mr. J. J. Shaldrick seconded, "That the report be adopted." As an amendment, Mr. Jackson moved, and Mr. Tapp seconded, " That the general rate for the ensuing year be 9d in the £1." After a lengthy discussion, during which the Mayor showed that by levying a rate of Is the Council would be in a position to carry on the works of the borough for the ensuing year, start the waterworks, and pay the contractor half the amount due to him, and interest on the balance (which he had agreed to accept), the amendment was lost, and the Is rate proposal was declared carried by five votes to four. The Waterworks.—With reference to the memorial presented to the borough engineers by certain burgesses, praying them to thoroughly examine the waterworks before giving the contractor a final certificate, and alleging that the pipes were not laid a proper depth where rock existed in their track, and that the reservoir puddling was defective, the Finance Committee reported that they had full confidence in the engineers and the clerk of works. Their report was adopted on the motion of the Mayor, seconded by Mr. J. J. Shaldrick. Road Maintenance.The report of the same committee, that one-third of the cost of maintenance of the One-tree Hill boundary road be accepted as the Board's share, was adopted on the motion of the Mayor by his casting vote.