MOUNT EDEN BOROUGH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13287, 20 September 1906, Page 3

MOUNT EDEN BOROUGH.

FIRST MEETING OF THE COUNCIL. The first meeting ,of the newly-formed Mount Eden Borough Council was held, in St. Barnabas' Hall last evening. The" members were installed, their names being: Messrs. Oliver Nicholson (Mayor), 0. J. Tunks, S. Gordon, J. P. Hooton, E. Yates, J. Davis, W. Woolley, S. G. Burns, E. H. Potter, R. R. Ross, It. H. Grudge, T. S. Jackson,, and C. Hudson. There as a fair attendance of ratepayers. SPEECH BYJTHE MAYOR. The Mayor, in a speech, said that as this was the first meeting he had prepared a brief summary of the position of various matters affecting the interests of the newlyconstituted borough, the management of which had been delegated to them by the electors. The borough funds had in the past been divided into the following accounts:— General account (which includes moneys received from charitable aid and special lighting rates) ; (2) waterworks account; (3) water trust account. No. 1 account on August 15 last stood in debit 3s 6d, but as the same included deposits held in trust for depositors, with accrued interest amounting to £120, the true state of the account was that on the date mentioned it was in debit £120 3s 6d. No. 2 account stood in credit £656 12s sd, against which there was an outstanding claim of the Auckland City Council for water supplied from May 16, 1906, of over £400. No. 3 account was in credit £44 5s 6d. . ; RATES. The borough having been divided into wards, it would be requisite to take., into consideration and decide upon the apportionment of the income for the current year in accordance with section 160 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1900. The expense in connection with the constitution of the district into a borough and the election I of Mayor and councillors amounts to the sum of £78 10s 9d, for payment of which pro- j vision should be made. The valuation of; the* ratable properties in the borough for the year ending March 31, 1906, was £804,051, and of unratable properties £94,749. A separate, valuation of ratable properties for each ward worked out as follows:—No. 1 Ward, £235,149; No. 2 Ward, £171,326; No. 3 Ward, £234,766; No. 4 Ward, £162,810. RATING. The late Road Board duly struck the following rates (exclusive of water rates) for the current year, viz. : General rate, \A in the £; charitable aid rate, l-6d in the £; lighting rate. £d in the £. These rates, taken in conjunction with the water rates, represented a reduction of l-16d in the £ on those of the previous year. He recommended that the Council strike for the current year ending March 31, 1906, the several rates previously struck by the late Road Board. TRAMWAYS. The late Road Board, on May 1 last, entered into a preliminary'* agreement with the Auckland Electric Tramways Company, Limited, for the construction of tramways on both roads (Mount Eden and Mount Roskill). It would be necessary for the Council to pass resolutions authorising the execution and insertion of the advertisement as to the Order-in-Council required by the company. It would also be necessary for them to take other formal measures in the same matter. SANITATION. The present position of this matter was very unsatisfactory. No contract now existed for a sanitary service in the district, the same having expired on November 1 last. The subject would require consideration, and would prove one of the most important questions for decision. The late Road-Board had, in the year 1902, a survey for a drainage scheme of the borough prepared by its engineer, Mr. Metcalfe. The estimate, lor the work was £38,000, to which would require to be added engineers' fees, etc., making the estimate practically £40,000. If a comprehensive scheme of drainage was to be carried out in the '"borough, he ventured to express the opinion that it would be in the interests of the borough to join in the Greater Auckland scheme propounded by His Worship the Mayor of the City of Auckland. RESERVES. It would be advisable, in the best interests of the borough, for application to be made to the Government to vest the reserves in the borough for the purposes of sale, conditionally upon toe proceeds of the sale being expended in land and buildings within the borough in a more convenient situation, and for more suitable public purposes, such as a public library. The. new borough was unrepresented on the Mount Eden Domain Board. Application should therefore be made to the Government to make provision for the representation of the borough on the Board. As the mountain was an important scenic feature in the borough, the interests of the residents of the borough should be aroused in making the same attractive. It might become necesary, in the near future, to vole some portion of the borough funds towards beautifying the mountain. The Council should see that some active steps were taken towards collecting all the outstanding claims in. respect, to the gravel pit reserve, and that the moneys received and in hand were expended in making the reserve suitable for public recreation.

COUNCIL CHAMBERS. The late Road Board' offices were now unsuitable for a Council office, as sufficient accommodation did not exist therein for Council meetings. Recognising this, the late Road Board negotiated with Mr. J. J. Craig for permission to remove the present office to a site on the opposite side of the road, in the railway grounds, which Mr. Craig staled he would agree to. The intention of the late Road Board was to erect as an addition to such offices a room capable of accommodating the councillors. This would involve a cost of about £150. The information lie had furnished would give the Council a general idea of the state of affairs in the borough they were called upon to administer. An estimate of receipts and expenditure was submitted; by the Mayor. The receipts were estimated tit £2883 10s 2d, and the expenditure at £2381 4s. The receipts as calculated include £2261 7s lOd realised by a. weneral rale of jj-d in the £. Included in the estimated expenditure is £470 for road maintenance, £400 for tarring and sanding footpaths. • .'■ .GENERAL BUSINESS. Committees: The committees and members were appointed as follows:—Legal and Finance: Messrs. Nicholson, Tunks, Potter, Jacka, Yates, Hooton, Hudson. Streets : Messrs. Nicholson, Ross, Gordon, Davis, Woolley, Crudge, and Burns. The Standing Orders of the City Council for regulating procedure of the Mount Eden Council were adopted. Officers : Mr. Joseph Webley, who was clerk to the Road Board, was appointed town clerk and treasurer; assistant clerk, Mr. James Wilson ; turncock and foreman, iur. John Williams : solicitors, Messrs. Devore and Martin ; bankers, Bank of New Zealand. Salaries were, fixed as follows:— clerk, £3 5s ; assistant clerk, £1 10s ; turncock and foreman, £3 ss. These are subject to revision by the Legal and Finance Committee. Meetings: It was decided that the Council should meet fortnightly. Tramways : On the motion of Mr. Tunks, •authority was given for the advertising of the agreement with the Tramways Company. J Overdraft: A resolution was carried authorising an overdraft with the bank with a limit of £1500. Council Chambers: A special committee was appointed to go into the question of providing a temporary meeting place. Rates: A resolution was passed thatpublic notice should be given that on Ihursday, October 4, it was intended to make and levy rates as follows .-—General rate of 3d in the £ ; charitable aid rate, of id in the £ ; lighting rate, of £d in the £ ; No. 1 loan rate, £d in the £; No. 2 loan rate, jd in the £. Apportionment of Finances : The question of apportioning the expenditure was referred to the Legal and Finance Committee to go into and report upon. Exhibition : It was decided to contribute £10 10s towards the cost of the Auckland court at the Christchurch Exhibition.