BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETINGS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12447, 2 September 1902, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETINGS

SOUTH DUNEDIN. The ordinaiy meeting of the South Dunedin Borough Council was held last evening; piesent—The Mayor (Mr J. Chetwin),- Crs Fiddis, Lyon; Fleming, Allen, Baird, Shacklcck, Kane, Smith, and Somerville. Tho Fire Brigade wrote stating that it had postponed the annual concert and ball till October 17, the hall not being completed, and inquiring if the hall would be available for the new date.—lt was decided to grant the U3Q of the hall for October 17. The Caledonian Society, in reply to the council's letter, forwarded a resolution to the effect that the.' society would pay half-cost of a. survey to determine the proper boundary of the Caledonian Ground fronting on Cargill load footpath, and if the council in the meantime removed the fence it would be at the council's own risk. The society had already made this offer to the Caversham Council, while it (the society) had the beat of reasons to believe that the ground did not encroach on the street.—Cr Sha-cklock moved that the letter should be referred to the Caversham Council.—The Mayor said the' Caversham Council was prepared to indemnify the South Dunedin Council against the cost of proceedings.—Cr Kane couict not understand why the Caversham Council could not take action itself without making South Dunedin the medium.— The Mayor aaid the deputation from the Caversham" Council had asked the South Dnnedin Council's assistance, and had guaranteed to bear any cost that might be entailed. It would only be a. quibble *to refer the letter -to the Caversham Council, and if the survey was to be made it should be made by the society. The council should take proceedings if necessary, as it* was indemnified by the Caversham Borough.—Cr'Shacklock said he would like to see a. formal indemnity bond made out.— The Mayor pointed out that a letter received recently from' 'the Caversham' Council was in itself an indemnity.—Or Shacklock said the council should refer the letter to Caversham, and obtain, a legal indemnity form from the solicitor for signature by the Ca-versham Council. If the council incurred heavy expense the Caversham Council might repudiate liability.— It was ultimately decided to refer the letter to the Caversham Council for instruction.— Cr Shacklock moved that the clerk should be instructed to request the council's solicitor to draw up an indemnity agreement for signwture by the Caversham Council.—Cr Lyon thought there was no necessity for the council to pull down the fence. It could take action to compel the society to remove the fencing.— The motion was carried. _ T. J. Pearce wrote stating that he-desired to withdraw from his plumbing contract, as he could not obtain china patent stop taps in Dunedin.—lt was decided to ascertain if the contractor would accept provided another approved tap were sanctioned by the council, and, if not, fresh tenders to be called. The Dunedin Drainage and Sewerage BoaTd wrote stating, in answer to letters from the council, that the engineer had been instructed to fence the outlet drain at Macandrew road, and that the board requested the council to make the necessary repairs to a bos drain under the cycling track at Anderson's Bay. The drainage engineer also wrote requesting the council to carry out the fencing work on behalf of the board.—Received. D. Stirling, the council's representative on the Domain Board, wrote stating that he had received the Tomahawk Koad Board's letter in reference to the road past Tahuna Park, but the letter was wrong in stating that tho Koad Board had spent money on that part of the road used by the nightcarts. St. Kilda Council was now repairing the road, under the Domain Board's instructions.—Received. H. M. Henderson wrote , stating that in a speech, recently mad© by Cr Baird, when discussing the finances of the new Town Hall, that gentleman had suggested that money standing to the credit of the £10,000 municipal loan could be appropriated towards meeting the deficiency in completing , the Town Hall. The writer called attention to the fact that the schedule of works, for which £10,000 had been raised, had not been completed, and until they were completed the council had no power to use money from the loan, and any ratepayer could call the Auditor-general's attention to the matter.—Cr Baird said he had not made the suggestion. He produced the notes of his speech, showing that he had said that when, on October 1, the loan was floated 'to pay off the overdraft the unexpended portion of the present loan, amounting to £1098, standing to the council's credit to complete the works in the different. wards for which it was borrowed, would be released. It was estimated that such work could be completed for £500, leaving a, surplus of £598, and therefore there was no reason why the council should not at onco pay the additional amount required for the hall from the general account. He estimated the apportionment a3 follows:—Papment of mortgage and filling of £158; architect's commission, £75; scats for hall, £45; piano, £60; furnishing Council Chambers, £50; furnishing office, £20; amount o.f contract in excess of loan, £50; and sundries, say, £20. This made a total of £487, which could be repaid to the general Recount out of the surplus of the present loan and still leave a balance to credit of £102, The total cost of the liall would then be £1987.—A short discussion followed, and the letter was received. A petition was presented to the council from ,the shopkeepers in Hillside road praying foxsome mitigation of the dust nuisance.—lt was decided to instruct the "Water Committeo to Teport as to the cost of 20 stand pipes and GOft of hose, for the purpose of watering the roadway. The Finance Committee recommended accounts on the general account amounting to £135 Is 4d, on the water account £14 4s Bd, on. the sanitary account £11 10s, and on the Town Hall account £2 3s 6d for payment. Balances were reported as follow:—General account (debit), £4568 15s sd; water account (debit), £36 13s; sanitary account (debit), £15 8s 8d; and interest account (debit), £468 11s sd.—The report was adopted. The Hall •Committee reported having , consulted and obtained the approval of the Finance,, Works, and Water Committees upon the question of at once procuring suitable furniture for the new ha.ll, Council Chanibei, and offices. The, matter of furnishing had been, therefore, duly attended to. The committee also reported that Mr Howell had been asked to supply a piano on approval.—The report was adopted. The council then went into committee, and upon resuming reported that a request noni T. J. Lyon, hon. sec. to the South Dunedin and St. Kilda- Returned Troopers' Reception Committee, for the use of the new Town Hall at the earliest convenience had been granted, and that a request from the United Quadrille Assembly had been referred to the Hall Committee.

POET CHALMERS. The Port Chalmers Borough Council held its fortnightly meeting yesterday evening; present—The Mayor (Mr J". Thomson), Crs Cable, Inverarity, Godfrey, Tait, Mackay, Shanks, Shaw, Edgar, Simpson. After the minutes of the last special meeting had been read in reference to the reduction, of the rent of the Dunback endowment, Cr Tait said that the minutes could not be confirmed, as only the amendment was put to the meeting, which was lost on the casting vote of the chairman, but as the motion to confirm the resolution .was not put before the meeting it would be illegal to confirm the minutes. After a discussion, in which nearly all the councillors took part, on being put to the meeting, the confirmation of the minutes was ordered to stand over until next meeting. The Acting-Premier, in reply to a communication from the town clerk coveiung a resolution re the construction of a new dock at Port Chalmers, wrote that the question of financial assistance was a very difficult one to deal with, but the nutter was now receiving the consideration of the Government.—Received. The Secretary of the All Nations Lodge (Druids) wrote asking the council for an extension of the lease of the old Town Hall for 14 years from date. Tho trustees would malce certain alterations to the value of about £40.— Referred to the Reserves Committee to report. The Finance Committee in its report recommended the payment of accounts amounting to £93 17s lid, and pointed out that since last meeting the lcceipfcs had amounted to £124 Gs Ocl.—Adopted. The Water Committee reported that the inspector, with his assistants, had lifted about two chains of the old sin water main at the reservoir.—Adopted. The Works Committee reported that since last meeting the inspector, with his assistants, had repaired the culvert at the foot of Daly street, carted and spread rotten rock from the quarry on a portion of Scotia, straet, mixed asphalt in the shed., laid nearly seven chains of a sewer across Flagstaff Hill, and would complete the remainder as soon as possible. Some of ihe macrocarpa, trees in Bellevue place had been cut down as directed, and .due attention had been paid to the channels, the aspha.lt on the footpath in George street had been repaired, and other work attended to. Tho Works Committee added that in reference to Mr J. Cable's request they would recommend tho footpath to be asphalted to the building line with a view to prevent the storm water flowing, on to the property. The committee further recommended that the lamp at present in King Edward square be removed and re-erected at the

intersection, m George street and Wickliffe terrace, and that a urinal bo erected there at a cost not to exceed £s.— Adopted, 'l'he council then went into committee.