TOWN BOARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 363, 18 February 1863, Page 4

TOWN BOARD.

The weekly meeting of the Town Board was held at the offices, Princes-street, yesterday afternoon. There were present—Messrs Webb, Turner, ■Jenkinson, Fenwick, Griffin, Duncan, Milne, and Redmayne. Mr Turner was called to the chair. ■■ The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. i . HOrE- STREET. ' ' The Committee of Works recommended that Hope-street be formed aud metalled, and that the works be included in the Walker-street contract.

Mr Webb said that most of the drays tliat loaded in Stafford-street went out of .town by •Hope-street. There was a direct promise by the' late Board that the work should be done, and there was none in the ward more pressiug. It whs proposed to form the street to a certain width, and to metal 14ft., which was as little as could be. done, and was simply decided by the state of the funds.

The recommendation was unanimously confirmed.

STORM-WATER DRAINS. The Committee of Works recommended that a new gradient and a storm-water drain be formed in Jetty-street, at the corner of Mr Jones's property j and that a similar thing should be done in IVittray-street, from the blacksmith's shop to the Shamrock Hotel. ■ •

Mr Webb said that at present the storm-water often rushed into the weighing machine house and constantly made quite" a puddle at a very im- • portant corner. There was no cure for it but a short drain running in between the jetties. In '

Rattray-street there was an existing drain to the corner of the Shamrock.

The recommendation was unanimously confirmed. VERANDAHS. Messrs Child and Little, of the Exchange Hotel, Princes-street, asked permission to put up a verandah, which was intended to be precisely similar to that of Messrs Jones and .Williamson. In reply to a question, the Clerk said that Messrs Jones and Williamson's verandah was erected according to a plan which was submitted to and approved by the Board. The permission was granted. . , The Chairman suggested that it would be well if the Engineer was directed to ;prepare a plan for a verandah, which might be generally adopted by those who wished to erect one. A motion giving effect to this recommendation was prop.osed by Mr Kedmayne, and adopted. > CONSERVATION OP I'DBLIC RESERVES. Mr Webb proceeded to move the series of resolutions of which ho had given notice. The first was «That all reserves for public purposes within the town should be under the management of the Boatd ; aud that the Committee of Public Reserves be instructed at once to" communicate with the Superintendent and to take all necessary steps towards the attainment of this object." Mr Redmayne seconded the motion. _ Mr Jenkinson said he supposed the motion would include the Town Belt aud the Octagon.

It was fvcry desirable"-that carts should be prevented from going across tho Octagon ; for if the weather_becanje wet, the ground there would bo very much cut up. . . . . The Chairman moved an amendment declaring it desirable that the reserves should be under the management of.the Board, and directing the • Eeserves Committee to consider and report upon the question. Mr Webb had no objection to withdraw his motion ; and this having been doao, the amendment was adopted. CEMKTBIir UESERVK. Mr Webb moved—"That if. is desirable that the reserve known as the Quarry liuscrve be added to tho Cemetery, and that tho Committee be instructed to take nil necessary steps towaids the attainment of this object. Also, that the Committee report to the Board at its next meeting, upon the present Etate and management of the Cemetery." M.i Jenkinson thought that the same request was made to tho Government some time ago. What was the result ? The Clerk : They declined to grant it. The motion was seconded and agreed to. WHARVES AXI) JETTIES. Mr Webb said he had been informed by a member of the Government that the olijstf; sought to be attained by tho next resolution was simply unattainable ; that the Board might have had the power some time a40.il 'the Provincial Council had not been,too careless to give it to them ; but that now, what had beeu done could not be altered. But he was not one to believe in the laws of New Zealand being as thu laws of the Medes and Persians. Hu..should, thprefoiv, jtdceed with his motion, which would give the Committee power to push the matter as far as possible. He would move—" That it is desirable that all public wharves and jetties should be under the vmanngement of this Board ; and that the Committee for General Purposes be 'instructed and authorised to open a negotiation with the Government upon this subject."

The motion was agreed to.

Mr Webb said that the Board would no doubt have the sympathy of the public; and as the Chamber of Commerce represented one section of the publi'-, he wouMfp-opose—" That the Cham- j ber of Commerce be requested to support tie Board, in its application to the Government in reference to the jetties and public reserves." This was seconded and adopted ; as was also the following:—"That the Government be requested to furnish the Board with copies of all Ordinances of the two last sessions of the Provincial Council. AN ASSESSOR. Mr Webb moved—" That a permanent assessor bo appointed." They would soon want to levy a lighting rate, under the provisions of the lnst Improvement Ordinance ; and previous to that there must be a revision of the assessment, so as to include new buildings, &c. On many grounds, he considered it most desirable to have a. competent assessor, of some standing, appointed. Mr Fenwick seconded the motion, Mr Jenkinson strongly objected to the motion. He felt that thei c were good grounds lor great dissatisfaction with the last assessment. If they happened to appoint an assessor who gave satisfaction, he would no doubt be re-appointed ; but he (Mr Jenkinson) could see a great deal of harm likely to arise^from a "permanent" apointment. He moved as an amendment that that word be ■truck out.

Mr Kedmayne seconded the amendment,

Upon a division, there were three for and three against the amendment, exclusive of the Chairman, who voted "lor," and the amendment was therefore carried. The motion, as amended, was adopted.

The Clerk was instructed to prepare an advertisement for candidates.' A lIOIITIXO 3JATF-.

Mr Webb proposed—" That a lighting rate be levied in April, to cover the expens" of erecting lamps, &c." The expense would bo not less than Ll,ooo. ' Mr Milno seconded the motion, ■which was agreed to a'ter a short discussion. A rEBMAKEXT LEGAL ADVISER. Mr Webb moved— *'That the Committee for General Purposes be authorised to communicate with the present legal adviser of the Board on the subject of his accepting that oQice permanently, in accordance with Bye-lav No.-2." It would only be decorous towards a gentleman who had served the Board so long as Mr Gillies had done, to inquire whether he would be willing to accept a. permanent appointment; aud as a preparatory measure, the Committee should consider to what extent Mr Gillies would be likely to be called upon. i

Mr Fenwick seconded the motion,

Mr Redmayne thought it would be better to ■end circulars to the members of the legal profession. Some of them might think it to their advantage'to become solicitor to the Board.

The Chairman said he had prepared an amendment which would give effect to Mr Redmayne's views. It was—" That the Clerk be instructed to issue a circular to the members of the legal profession in Duncdin, intimating that the Board are ready to receive applications for the appointment of City Solicitor." The Board were elected to protect public interests, and they ought to be very careful how they dispensed patronage, especially of this kind. Us had no objection whatever to Mr Gillies as legal adviser, and that gentleman would be at perfect liberty to reply to the circular.

Mr Redmayne sepondel the motion. Mr Jenkinsou said that if the payments to the legal adviser wore likfly to make any serious item, he would much prefer to have a qualified gentleman to combine the duties of a legal adviser with those of clerk. How much had been paid during the last six months ? The Clerk (on referring) said that from the 27th May to the end ot December, the amount was L 22 9s Gd.

On the amendment being put, there appeared to be only two hands held tip for, and four against it; and the motion being put, Messrs Jenkinson, Fenwick, Milne, and Webb, voted for it, so that it was taken as carried. Some objection was then made to the division on..the amendment, Mr Bedmaync saying tliat he had voted ior it and had not been counted. The Chairman decided to put the question again. The voting was—Fur, 4 : Messrs Rcdmayne, Griffin, Duncan, and the Chairman." Against, 4 : Messrs Webb, Jenkinson, Fenwick, and Milne. The Chairman gave Ms casting vote " for," and the amendment was therefore declared to be carried, Mr Webb having •tated that he would not raise objection on the technical ground that the amendment had before been negatived. BECOSSTITUTION. OF THE BOARD. —A PUBLIC MEETING. Mr Webb proposed—" That a public meeting of the ratepayers shall be called previous to the forthcoming elections for the Provincial Council, to consider the desirability ol re-co istitutiu" the Town Board, and to urge upon the Governmeut the necessity of a sufficient grant to the Town Board for the purpose of sewerage and water supply; and that a Committee be appointed to arrange the same.

Mr Griffin seconded the motion,

Mr Jenkin3on would like to know whether it I was intended to prevent the "Water Company laying pipes, or to interfere with them in any way. Mr Webb said that he never entertained an idea of doing either." But the Provincial Council had devolved upon the Board the duty of attending to the water supply.'and the Company might be unsuccessful, or, if not, might want assistance from the Board, in connection with the supply for public purposes, at least. If the company was fully formed and at work, there would have to be

negotiations which would require certain powers •nd funds in the hands of the Board.

Mr Duncan thought it might be a little out of place, lor the Board to interfere and call a public meeting : but he saw no objection to its being

done, under the circumstances.

The Chairman was quite willing that there should be an expression of opinion from the Board, but he thought that action in the matter ought to be initiated by the citizens. He decidedly objected to the appointment of a Committee of the Board for the purpose of organising a meeting. There were on the Board, no doubt, gentlemen differing greatly in politics ; and it was Very desirable that the introduction of political

questions at the meetings should be avoided. Mr Jenkinson was glad to learn that interference with the Water Company was not intended,

During the recent elections, most of the members spoke strongly on the question of water supply ; and he saw no harm, now, in eliciting an expression of public opinion upon it. The Chairnjan'thought there were no evidences that the public wished a rcconstitution of the Board. He would move as an amendment, " That it is desirable the ratepayers' should call a public meeting, previous to the forthcoming elections lor the Provincial Council, to consider the desirability of urging upon the Government the necessity of a sufficient.grant to the Town Board for the purposes of sewerage and water supply." Mr Milne seconded tha amendment.

Mr "Webb said that if sewerage find water supply were not works to be attended to by the Boar.!, he could not conceive for what the Board existed. They were at present recognised as the leaders of tic town, for what reasons the public best knew ; and therefore; he thought that it was their duty to call a public meeting, and not to leave the work to bs done by private individuals. If there was a meeting:, some cl.ar and definite object must bs submitted to it; and a Committee of the Board would bo the likeliest body to know I what the Board wanted, and how best' to guide the public in the ri-hfc direction, lie -was^ perfectly sure that the majority of the ratepayers who had come into the town lately desired to see a rcconstitution of the Board. Gentlemen from Victoria seemed generally to desire a Municipal Council ; but he confessed that he thought a rccocstitution of the Board would be preferable. One bye-law adopted by the Board had been returned to them by the Executive ; so that they had had their first hitch with the Government. How many more there would be, if the Board was to attempt to carry out t!;e necessary public works, it was impossible to say. Tha Board, l:al nothing to do with politics, and the motion would not involve an interference with such questions ; but it was very desirable, if possible, to pledge tins members of the Conncil who might be elected for the city, to support the ideas of the Board, who were the only proper persons to have ideas on the subject of the wants of the city and the grants of money to be made to the Board for public purposes. •As only Messrs Milne and Iteclmnyne held up their hands for the amendment, it was negatived ; anJ Messrs Webb, Griffin, Duncan, Fen wick, and Jenkinson voting for the motion.it was adopted. TENDERS FOR COMPLETING AND FOUMIXQ PRINCESSTUEET CUTTING. The tenders for the " permanent formation; kerbi.ig, pitching, and metalling" of thePriucesstreet Cutting were opened, and read. We subjoin the result, arranged in the order of price :— £ s. d. 1. Richard Woolley - 1.016 8 9 2. James Dempsey - 1,155 15 3 3. Henry Wilson - - - 1,280 1 0 4. Pearce and Piiekhani (to do the work in six weeks) ----- 1,579 9 0 5. Lonnie and Geggie - 1,9G0 I 0 6. Walter Sigley - - 1.933 0 0 7. D. Proudfoot - - - 2,031 1 0 8. Walter Greenlaw - 2.137 G 0 9. John Barnes - - - 3,509 11 G The Engineer (Mr Millar) in reply to questions, said that Mr Woolley's quantities agreed pretty closely with his own. It was not possible to do the excavation at 2s a yard, which was tha price set down by Mr Woolley, but if he could find security the matter was not for the Board. He hid allowed two months for the work, and had provided tor payment in four instalments, with deductions which would be held as security, together with the deposit of ten par cent on the contract price. That price was for the specified work as a whole ; the prices for the different kinds of work being required in case of extension or diminution, for which he had taken power. The penalty for not completing the work in two months, was 5 par cent p:;r week upon tho total sum, or. in Mr Woolley-'s casp, Lss> a week. Mr Webb thought that Mr Wcolley's tender should be accepted, if arrangements could be made as to the penalty,

The Engineer said that Mr "Woolley sailed for Melbourne on the previous day.

Mr Jenkinson said that, from the Board's previous explanation there was every reason to believe that excavating in the Cutting could not be done for 2s a yard. The second tenderer, Mr Dempsey, put down 2s 3d a yard ; and ho (Mr Jenkinson) would move that Mr Dempsey's tender he accepted.

Mr Fenwiek seconded the motion

Mr Milne did not see why Mr Woolley shouM not have the contract. He might have some special view as to disposing of the stuff got out. The Engineer said tluit such amid not be Ihe case. He had stipulated for the employment of every yard of what was excavated. Sonic was to go towards levelling the land between the offices and the Treasury ; another portion was to be used to form the line of Princes-street, in the neighborhood of the Provincial Engineer's office ; and if there was any remaining, he hal reserved power to have it deposited on any spot he pleased, within 20 ehai.is cf the work.

Mr Griffin strongly advocated giving the work to Pearce aud Packham. Those gentlemen knew what they were about, and the Board knew them, from the work they had already done in the Cutting for the Board. Besides, they had everything ready, and could begin at once. Mr Jeukinson said he understood that Mr Dempsey was a most respectable man. Mr Redmayne moved that the five lowest tenders be referred to the Committee of Works, with power to conclude an arrangement.

Mr Webb thought it very desirable that the Board should settle the matter at once. He would forego his!o\yn proposal, and support that of Mr Jenkinson—regretting, at the same time, that Pearce and Piickham did not choose to do the work for less than L 1,500.

Mr Griffin seconded Mr Redmayne's proposal; but on a division, only the mover and seconder voted for it, and it was resolved that Mr Dempsey's contract be accepted, subject to the approval of the Government.

Mr Webb moved that the Board do adjourn for a fortnight. There was a great deal of work to be attended to in Committee, and no necessity for a Board meeting next week.

Mr Fen wick seconded the motion.

The" Chairman strongly objected to the motion. Very important business might require attention next week.

Mr Webb : Summon a special meeting. The Clerk must call one on a requisition of two members.

The Chairman moved, as an amendment, that the Board adjourn for,a week.

Mr Eedniayne seconded the amendment, which was negatived, and the Board adjourned for a fortnight. '