HAMILTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12044, 14 August 1902, Page 3

HAMILTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

AT a special meeting of the above the Mayor} .was authorised to sign the. balance-sheet a* • correct. Mr. W. 0. Davis, of Hamilton, applied for.an.auctioneer's license for the Borough of Hamilton. The Council had no* ' objection to issuing the license, but* could : s * only do ■so in the terms of vthe Auctioneers ..- * ' Act. which Provides that the fee should be reduced by £10 for every quarter of the year that .had- expired. As two and a-hajf quarters • have expired, the applicant, through the Mayor, agreed to pay £20 .for the re-t roaming portion of . the year, in order to, comply .with the> law, and »that £5 be re 3 turned. , The Council declined the terms. ' ■ " ' Mr. Swarbrick reported that the 16 section*: - of j land placed in his hands for sale for arJ * rears of rates had been disposed of, and eai-t closed particulars. In reference to fee sales of these lands m Auckland he enclosed a* letter from . the Kegistrar of the Supreme Court, in which that official said that he considered Auckland ' the best place to sell in* the interests of the owners. ; ; Mr. Grey, se-1 cretary of the General Post Office, acknow-i 1 edged receipt of the Council's letter asking* (1) that the interest on the loan of £3000 be reduced from 5J to 4J per cent.; (2); whether* . the Department wqnld be prepared to consider an application for the loan of a further- stu9 • / of £3000 at 4J per .cent. In reply, Mr. Grew said the interest!would be reduced as requested, and asked the 'Council to inform hiu* lor what purpose a further load was re} quired." * ■• <-■- ■ - 1 The clerk of the Waikato County CovncU" wrote forwarding list of the lots of land which it is proposed that the Government), should purchase < for the purpose :of close settlement. Tr Mayor said he was in'conS municatioH witu the authorities and wast using every exertion. > 1 •j Accounts amounting to £104,5s lid w«ra parsed for payment. The Mayor gave notice to move at next -meeting, -That a general: rate of, 3d in ths A- be struck on the unimproved value." Mr ■ Young moved, as an amendment, " That the rate be 2*d on the annual valuation." The' amendment was :,. not seconded, and the motion put and carried. I .The Legal and Finance Committee recommended that the sum of £12 be voted as a, subsidy to the Hamilton Band, provided the ; instruments are vested in the Council. The • | Mayor said the band had accepted the' offer,,, ■■> I and bad decided to vest the property, valued •! ..at. £200, in the Council. The committee alsorecommended that the secretary of the Posb< : Office- be applied to for £1000 to pay off overaralt. The committee had no recommenda-, tion to make- ; , in reference to contributingbodies erecting ,the traffic bridge. The re* port was adopted. • > The. Works Committee . reported ; that ten ders had been let for cutting gorse in varioua parts of .the town, and recommended than sections 343, 345, 347,. 349,,, 353, 357, 200, 304. 282, 283 be offered for > lease. by public , auc tion. The Mayor said-that he had authorised Mr. Franklin to make the best arrangements possible for trimming the Sydnev .Square hedge. The action of the Mayor was .confirmed. . : ' » The clerk read the following financial statement:— on July 11. 1902, £454 4s 3d-; : accounts, £106 4s Id; paid since, £82 10s--total, £642 183 4d. Receipts, £42. 16s 9d; bank overdraft, £607 lis 9d; cash in hand, £12 la 9d; Domain' Board credit. £24 10s 6d; accounts to pass, £79 10s sd; overdraft, when paid -£704.7s 6d. . ; The .building inspector wrote that he had visited St. Mary's Convent several . times ret fire escapes. .Nothing had been done. It wad a very dangerous place, and it was absolutely- necessary that something ? should be done at oik*. Mr. Coyle said tenders for the escapes at the convent had 1 been accepted some time back,bbust s owing to scarcity of carpenters the contractor was unable to dothe work. This was now under way, and' " ■', would be completed as soon as possible. It was resolved to employ Mr. Swarbrick < .' to prepare leases for the Council in connection with the proposed public buildings. The Mayor said it would be remembered thai some years ago £6000 had been borrowed by the Council-, - and £5000 refunded. The rale had been struck to cover the £6000, but half of it was not collected. He moved, "That, the Legal and Finance Committee should be • instructed to ascertain whether the £3000 re-1 * | funded is still available. If so, and the Couu- 1 cil decided to devote it to the erection oti municipal buddings, there would be no ne- ; censity to take a poll of the ratepayers." :. ; Mr. Covle moved. " That the resolution I standing on' the books re Hamilton: bridge be * rescinded, and that no action be taken until the Government contribute £ for* £'.". Mr. Parr seconded. The Mayor opposed, the motion. This matter had been hanging lite for a long time, and to sit still and allow the bridge to fall into the river was a-.? foolish policy, and he moved an amendment. "That Mr. Hurstbouse be asked to prepare plans for a steel and concrete bridge as soon as possible": After a long discussion,"'the amendment was put and carried. " ' ■ ■" '■ ■: .'■■■.■ '^■^■'W'lixM ~!-■■ -.....■.-,: . ,-. , \.,VI