BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 15 December 1880, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

A rrjeeting of the Council was held today in compliance with clause 70 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1876, which orders an annual meeting to be held at noon on the third Wednesday in December for the installation of Mayor, &c. There were present—The Mayor elect (Mr. S. Gibbs), Councillors Smith, Procter, Hardy, Blair, Spence, and Hassell.

The Mayor, on taking the chair, said it was customary on such occasions for the Mayor to make some observations' on the past, present, and future. As this was the first annual meeting ever held by the Council of Oamaru, he looked upon it as one of very great importance. Having spoken of the several Municipal Acts and Ordinances passed by the Parliament and the Provincial Council, he said that exception had been ta]>en to the former Acts of the General Assembly in conse r quence of their determining that the Mayor ghould be elected by the Council instead of by the ratepayers. This provision met with opposition here, and had led to the Council remaining under the Provincial Ordinance. In 187G, however, the General Assembly passed an amending Act which changed the mode of electing the Mayor, placing the matter in the hands of the ratepayers, Jle rpgret that the Council had siot taken steps to come under that Act long ago. A large amount of time, expense, labor, and annoyance would have been saved had the town been under the Act. The waterworks might have been initiated without so much legislation as had been found necessary, and the water would probably hay? been in general use beforp now, and the fjouncil in receipt of a handsome revenue. He was pleased that the Council had adopted the Act, and hoped that by next year it would be in thorough working order, The waterworks, which had during the past few months been successfully completed, had been a fruitful source of trouble, anxiety, and labor, and he felt that had Councillors thought for one moipent that the works would result in so much disiculty, fljpy would never have entered upon them. He then referred briefly to the financial difficulties that the Council had had to contend against, and said that throughout these the Council's financial agents had worked against, instead of for, the Council. They had, too, been led into difficulties by the Engineer, who had devoted a large amount of attention to hoodwinkingtheCouncil constrained to refer briefly to these matters. The Council had now a very complete set of bye-laws, which had been prepared 3,nd revised with care, and which he might safely eay v/erp a credit tfi tjje borough. Under tließe bverlaws he thought a large amount of revenue would ba obtained. With reference to the waterworks he said there remained still a considerable number of matters requiring attention to make them thoroughly successful. If the water could be brought into general use and for manufacturing purposes would .be able to see the advantages of the scheme. They would then be getting from the works a large amount of revenue, and would be (enabled to effect very general reductions in the taxes which ratepayiers were now called upon to pay. In the course of a few years the Counpil would be able probably to abolish the special rates. Under the Act, the AuditorGeneral had the power, if it could be satisfactorily shown that the revenue for water was to pay interest, to re- -j mit the special rates altogether, and he had no doubt that the Auditor-General would exercise his power. It had been with a great deal of reluctance that he had consented to become a candidate for the Mayoralty, and he had onty at last consented on the understanding that should his private arrangements require him- to leave at any time he should do so without being accused of deserting his postv He could only say that he would use his best endeavors to carry things to a successful termination. He had to thank the Council for the kindness and cordiality dis-

played, towards him hitherto. He had not the : slightest doubt that they would continue to work - together an the same spirit. It was resolved that the.Council should hold its regular meetings fortnightly, commencing on the 23rd December, at 7.15 p.m. The Mayor having retired, the Council fixed the Mayoral honorarium at LIOO, the same amount as last year. , • On the resolution being reported to the Mayor, his Worship thanked the Council for its vote., He said he was aware of the circumstances under which the Council labored, and he was perfectly satisfied with the arrangement.

Councillor Procter suggested that as this was the first year the town was under the Municipal Corporations Act, a Mayoral chair should be started. The expense would be very small. The Mayor remarked that this was a nmtter for the Council to consider.

Permission was given to Mr. S. Gibbs to transfer the lease of section 21, block 20, to Messrs. James Pollock and David Wilson.

Councillor Smith gave notice of his intention to move at the next meeting— That the charge for water used for building purposes be 53 per LIOO on the contract price for stone or plaster work. The Council then rose.