Borough Council.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XVII, Issue 5206, 12 February 1892, Page 3

Borough Council.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Borough Council was held last night, when there were present, his Worship the Mayor, Councillors Macdonald, Vernor, Hilliker, M'Dowell, Hamilton, Hedley, and Hill. Mr D. W. M. Burn wrote complaining that water was standing round his cottage in Humber-street. The letter was referred to the Engineer. Mr Hugh Clark wrote offering 7s 6d per acre for part of reserve A.—22 acres — lately occupied by Mr Darragh during the Council's pleasure. The offer was accepted, providing the rent is paid half-yearly in advance, and the rates and water fee are also paid. Mr A. Weir offered 30s per year for section 6, block 36, Tweed Lane. It was resolved to let Mr Weir have the section for L2 per annum. Mr F. J. Kemshed wrote for permission to erect an advertising hoarding on section 11, block 95, Thames-street, and also to put boards on the Public Hall. Permission was granted subject to the usual conditions. A petition from the managers of the Bank of New South Wales and National Bank of New Zealand praying that the cab stand be removed from the front of their respective banks, was received. The Mayor said he had instructed the engineer to have the cabs removed to the opposite side of the street, which the bylaw mentioned as a cab stand. Councillor Vernor expressed the opinion that it would be a great hardship to make the cabmen stand out in the road during cold and wet weather. After discussion the matter was referred to the Bylaws Committee to see if permission had been granted to the cabmen to stand near the Banks named. Councillor M'Dowell tabled a notice of motion "That, the cabmen be allowed to draw up to the footpaths on any side in wet weather." Mr E. J. Dowling, as secretary of the Oamaru Bowling Club, again wrote appealing for more liberal treatment of his club as regards water supply charges than was decided upon at last meeting. He also wrote for a larger supply. Councillor Hedley said that as the Plicenix Club had been granted the water at L2 2s it would be unfair to charge the Oamaru Bowling Club L 5 ss. It was pointed out that the Phoenix Club paid the rates in addition to the L2 2s, and that altogether the Phoenix Club paid L 4 4s. The letter was referred to the Waterworks Committee. Building permits were granted to Mr J. Mainland, stone porch at Mrs G. Fenwick's, Eden-street, rind J. M. Forrester, alteration of the Red Lion mill. The reports upon the breaks in the the race were read, and the Inspector asked for men to clear out the debris. The Mayor reported verbally upon a visit he made to the breaks on Tuesday, and also on Wednesday, in company with the Engineer. He said that there was only about 25 yards of stuff in the race altogether, and that the men ought to have set to work to throw it out instead of looking out for men being sent with gum boots from town to do it. He recommended that Fraser be told when there was an ordinary slip to call the caretakers together to clean out the stuff. He had told Fraser that men would not be sent up in future from town, and that he and the other caretakers under him would be expected to do the work, instead of dodging about waiting for men to be sent up. Councillor M'Dowell moved that the Mayor's report be adopted and his instructions to the men be approved. This was seconded by Councillor Hilliker, who spoke strongly about the caretakers not expecting to work harder during a time of flood. Councillors Macdonald and Hill each expressed the opinion that the men did their duty. The motion was carried. Councillor M'Dowell moved, "That the Council are not satisfied with the reports from the race inspector and reservoir keeper, and find that these reports do not harmonise with the report made by his Worship the Mayor, and instruct that in all future cases of ordinary slips Mr Fraser deal with them by the regular men on the race, by drafting the men from their own sections to work at any other point." Councillor Hilliker seconded this. Councillor Macdonald said that-, though Mr Fraser might in this instance have erred in thinking that the breaks were worse than Hiey were, yet he was a good workman. He thought that what the Mayor had said to the men would be sufficient, and he would, therefore, move a direct negative to the last motion. Councillors Vernor and Hill thought there was no use to go further. The Mayor said lie did not think it would occur again, and that the Engineer could be left to deal with the men. After further discussion, the' motion was withdrawn, and the Engineer was instructed to deal with any further delinquencies. The accounts, amounting to L 206 14s 3d, were passed for payment. Councillor M'Dowell remarked that recent flood had enabled the Sanitary Committee to defer adopting any scheme for the present, g A plan showing Mr W. Stringer's portion of the Maerewhenua Reserve was laid on the table. It showed that he proposed to take about 400 acres, instead of what was sold in lot 1 as approximately 050 acres. Councillor Hedley remarked that all the roughest portion of lot 1 was left out of the plan. The Clerk, in reply to questions, said that the reduction in the rent obtained for the reserve would be about L 35 per annum. Councillor Macdonald said this was a serious loss, and jokingly suggested that CouncillorM'Dowell, who was responsible, should make good the loss. Councillor M'Dowell said he was not responsible for the loss, but was willing to bear his share of it. The Mayor remarked that the former tenants had, before the sale, signified their willingness to give the same rental for the whole reserve. Councillor M'Dowell expressed surprise that tliey had not said that in the letters sent to the Council. It was decided to bind Mr Stringer to the conditions of sale, which provided that lot 1 should comprise 650 acres approximately. This terminated the business before the Council.