OAMARU BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 10243, 4 September 1909, Page 2

OAMARU BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Thc v ordinary fortnightly meeting of the Oainaru Borough Council was held last night, when there were present: •His' Worship the Major (Mr K. Milligan) Councillors Searle, Vernor, Grave, Mitchell, Frith, Miller, Paterson, Brown, and Keys. - Prior to the ordinary meeting, a special meeting was held, when the annual balance-sheet and accounts were pnsseVl and confirmed.

The minutes of the last ordinary mooting were then confirmed The correspondence including the following letters: From F. Rcid, in regard to gorsc fronting his section in North Street, stating "th.it the street belonged to the borough, and should be kept clean by it. —It was decided that the writer be informed of his liability under the Act. From the Secretary, Oamaru Woollen Factory, stating that lie was-requested by a large number of the employees and of .residents to draw attention to the most unsatisfactory state of the footpath in Humber, street north ; during the past week parts of the footway had born veritable quagmires.—lt was decided to reply that the Council do : sired to encourage asphalting, and il residents would pay one-third of the cost of asphalting thr- work would be done.

Messrs Leo, Crave, and Grave wrote as follows: "We understand the Hornugh's moving in the direction of obtaining as an endowment the triangular strip of land adjoining block | 80, and bounded on the one side by | Severn street and on the other by I sis i street, part of which land comprises Iho North end of Greta street. We are instructed by the owners of part section 1, block 80, which fronts on such portion of Greta street, to object to the closing of the street, as to do so would depreciate the value of their propertics. We arc aware that by a proclamation of the Governor purporting to be made under Section 38 of the. Land Amendment Act, 1884, the triangular piece of land in question w.-s I d-jciared to be set aside as a Borough endowment. The section of the Act I under which the proclamation was issued only authorises the Governor to ; deal with land 'at the disposal of his I Majesty,' but as all streets are by virtue of'the Municipal Corporations Act vested in the Borough, it can hardly bo contended that Greta street was 'at the disposal of his Majesty; 1 and therefore in so far as it purports to deal with the street the proclamation would be ineffective. We interviewed the District Land Registrar on the subject, and he informed us that he will not entertain an application from the Borough to grant it a title, as he had satisfied himself on investigation that the Crown, in granting sccuon i, block 80, to the original owners, defined such section as being bounded by Greta street, and he is of opinion that if the Council wished to proceed with the •atter that it should go direct to the Government. Apart, however, from the legal aspect of the matter, we submit that our clients' land, having been origimllv granted by the Crrfwn as 'bounded by Greta street,' the Connoil should not adopt any course of action which would deprive them of the | h-ii'-fits of the street without taking | t!i« <tons—with regard to road closings j —hid down v< the Municipal Corpora- ! tions Act. and if this were done the i -f.nrent of the electors and the Stipeni .-'•'•>! V M-girtrate would first have to be j -hta'iuod." Wo shall be glad to learn ' '' --t the Council is prepared to recogI I'is'e our clients' right to the part of 1 Greta st'-cet in question, and that no ! "'tion will be taken which would have i 'li-> effect of closing the street." —The ,' h-ttnr was referred to the Reserves Committee to report. ! From Haddeu Dennison, agent for i Mrs J. C. Gilchrist, declining to pay i account for £1 lis 3d, cost of broken i motal used in connection with right-of-I way. as the Council had made repairs i necessary by their action in lowering j the drain in the lane off T.vne street I to "connect with the lowered sewer in i tli > street. Also from the Town Engi- ■ r.ter stating that he had promised to I make good the ground over the drain, ' but had only consented to lay metal • on the rest of the right-of-way ovr the ; understanding that Mr Dennison would ' pry for same. —Referred to the Works ' Committee, with power to act. I From the Noith Otago Times, pointj ing (-ut that charges for water power I \\\ :o too high.—Referred to Water..oik. Committee. r ro:n the Manager of Abattoirs reporting that during August the follow- ■ .1!..- stock had been slaughtered: 99 eatj 'ii. liO-l .sheep and lambs, 3 pigs, and ; i calf: of these 3 cattle, 11 siieep, and i i hi- calf were unfit for food. —Received, i From the District Engineer of Raili w.ivs. Dunedin. stating that the De- : |-.art:i>i-iit intended to partially fill up i ..-ction 29. block 8. and drain it into ii.Wii irain in Ribblo Street.—Referred ; ;i> the Health inspector. ; _ From T. Smith and W. Ruddick I 'iivoting attention to bad state of foot- | i.r.rh in Yare street, and in the lane j from Chelmer street to Yare street.— ! :l< ferred i;> the Engineer, the matter i to be attended to as soon as possible. ! From E. Whithaiu stating that he ! had received no answer to letter to j Co.mi i! re boundary fence between sections No. 19 and 20, yet he was In—lormed thai- a certain decision had been arrived at.—-Covered by Works Com::ftoo'.s report From P. Corcoran and F. M. Mait-lh'-v.-<! asking that action be taken to put drain in order through Reserve C. Referred to tiie Engineer for action. Mr .1. CI. Finch waited on the Conned to ask for co-operation in regard to the construction of a culvert bo•ween se'-tiou.s 9 and 10, block 20, Mock's Mill site. He said that the culvert would lie about 60ft long, and would involve the Council in a very •anall sum. about £3-5. The total cost ■•f the culvert, he .was told, would be ■'bruit £7O, and the Council would pay one-half. The improvement of the "oimcil's section would be equal to the ••".p:-Mvemont of his own section : half ■if the ci—ok was on his section and half —as on the Council's section.. Sooner r lat'-r the creek would have to be |

"overed in by the Council, because in ''ot weather the creek was decidedly "fIY-noivo, and was becoming an open •ewer to a great extent. He could not ■■fiss.bly move his foundry until this ■th'"- section was fit. to be utilised

who'lv. When he moved the Council -.'udl get greatlv increased rates from br: present- foundry site, for he would •'■II that section, and it would be built on, increased rates resulting from i the •!>■«• buildings oil the old site and from bis own buildings on the new site. Then bo purposed on moving his factory to ->nt a stoJ>" front into it, which would hj- a decided improvement. He was rwaro that the question of the Conn--ii's finances was nn obstacle, but then

iboy wero si ware that they had not got ■■is overdraft, it was only money loaned "V- the Opera House.-—(Laughter.l TV !"\ ho himself at one time had had r ''.~of> of overdraft, and had not worried over it at all.—(Laughter.) When he was in the Council they had an overdraft, and had not worried over it. He •i.-".—r yet had known a good man in VminpßS who did not get an overdraft if he oofdd. (Laughter.) He was absolutely convinced and satisfied that'll" Council would benefit equally witli hi—se'f. if not more. ■\T r Fi"ch withdrew, and there was a long discussion, Councillors Frith Grave. Mitchell, and the Mayor sup--virting proposal, and Councillors V«fnor. Miller, and Searle opposing. The following motion was finally carried on the motion of Councillors Grave jind Frith: "Upon the erection of the foundry on the new site the Council would contribute one-half the cost, not exceed £3g. of a culvert to be erected to the satisfaction of the Engineer, such culvert to extend:- from the mouth of th.- culvert on his section to the bound-arv-line of section 26. Councillors Vornor. Miller, and Searle voted against the motion, and Councillor Brown did not vote, stating that he did not wish to vote. without inflecting the sections. /

• The Works Committee' report had been against the proposal," but Councilor Frith explained his reasons for a change of attitude. , Accounts amounting to £3lllßs were parsed for payment, the overdraft prior to the passing of accounts being .£2152 !&<=. The Mavor statpd that in about eight 'weeks.the first instalment r-f new .r- + »"> v">uH h° coming in, and thev would be in credit.

The Works and Reserves. Committee reported:— , ' •-, ' 1. That they recommend that no action be taken with regard to Mrs E. Whltham's letter re boundary fence'between sections ,19 and 20, block J--Adopted.. . x_ . . 2. That the Committee regret that cannot Nsee their way to recommend the Council to undertake the •work of curvetting the creek bed through block-25, as.requested by Mr. J. G. Finch. —Dealt with by resolution. 3. That they Cannot recommend the metalling of Humber street in the meantime owing to the heavy cost of the same, but recommend that the necessary repairs be -executed. —Adopted. The Waterworks Committee reported : 1 . That with a /view to testing the supplies for motive purposes the Engineer has been. instructed to obtain two half-inch water meters to be installed at his discretion.; —Adopted. . 2. That, Messrs Frew and Glen have' been advised ,to make a fresh application for water actually required for power, after consulting with the Engineer, and ascertaining their present re-quirements.—-Adopted. The Finance Committee reported: }. That it cannot recommend that' any action be taken in the meantime with reference to the suggested removal of the stone crusher to the quarry. — Adopted. 2. That Mr R. L. Rule be reappointed as valuer at a fee of £4O. —Adopted. ."». That the Collector attend the next meeting of the Committee to confer with reference to the outstanding accounts at March 31st last. —Adopted. 4. Recommending that no action be taken in the meantime to subsidise a superannuation scheme for the Council's employees.—Adopted, The following building applications were granted: Erection of dwellin"house on section 24, block 73, Greta street, for Mr Marchal; erection of iron shed on section 3, block 10, Tyne street for F. R. Dennison and Co.; additions to dwelling with verandah on section' 15, block 21, Reed street, for E. M'Phee; erection of dwelling on section 2, block 10, Thames street, for Geprge Harris: additions for T. Hutchison, S.M. . - The following tenders were aocnp+-'i • ft-7-.ply of 400 yards of shingle, H. Pheli. :•?,' £43 2s 6d; one year's lease of portion of esplanade reserve, about 3 acres, T. Tansey, £4 10s.