NORTH-EAST VALLEY BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13653, 24 July 1906, Page 6

NORTH-EAST VALLEY BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Tlio ordinary meeting -of the Norfli-East Valley Borough Council, held last evenin<\ was attended by the Mayor (Mr J. Campbell!! Crs Msrandrcw, Mowat. Evans, Thompson, King, Aiidcnon, Bolting. Green, and Farquhareonr

CORRESPONDENCE. H. I!. Morrison wrote calling attention to tho condition of the Upper Gladstone road.— Referred to Works Committee. Tho City Town Clerk wrote notifying that repairs to road from Great King street to Boundary road at Botanic Gardens was receiving attention.—Received, R. A. Henderson wrote calling attention to the state of the road in Cardigan lane.— Referred to Works Committee. C. E. Bennett wrote calling attention to a drainage nuisance in front of his shop, Glenroy —Referred to the Works Committee. Forty-four ratepayers of Glenroy petitioned She council to impose a separate rate of in tho pound on the capital value of their properties for the purpose of asphalting the footpaths and providing concrete gutters in the township— Cr Green moved that tho petition ho received and referred to the Works Committee. He was not prepared to say that, the rato proposed was sufficient for the purpose.— This was seconded by Cr Thompson, and carried. TEXDF.RS. Tenders for the supply of GO cubic yards of quarry metal and 75 cubic yards of metal for tho Gladstone road were opened, and one of the tenders not being signed, it was resolved to call for fresh tenders. DELEGATES TO MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE. Cr Dotting, in accordance with notice of motion, moved that the minute re appointing delegates from the council to attend the Municipal Conference in Wellington be rescinded. The mover said ho thought"Mt Allen. M.H.R. for tha district, could attend, and there was no necessity to scud two members from t!io council.—Cr King seconded the motion, which, after discussion, was declared ■dost.

ItEPORTS. Tho Finance Committee reporfed that the following amounts had been paid into separate accounts during the month:—District knd account, £200! drainage r ate trust account, £33 3s 9d. Coupons amounting to £94 10s, duo on July 1, had been paid leaving the banking account standing as under:— BTsfrict fund account (debit), £1380 14s 9d; drainage rato trust account (credit), £43 16s 3d. The amount expended on roads and streets during last year was £12GG 14s 7d—from revenue £1159 4i 7d, and from grants £107 10s. The amount on tho solimato for tho year was £92G 4s 7d from revenue and £103 from grants, cr £241 iess than actual expenditure. The amount on the estimates for expenditure on roads and streets during the current year is £1012 2s, as follows:—From revenue £912 2s, and from grants £100. Accounts amounting to £123 IBs 8:1 were recommended for payment, and the sum of £30 was recommended for payment on account of the drainage rale trust "account. The committee recommended that the treasurer's balanco sheet, as certified to by the Auditor-general, be adopted; that (he council doolino to pay half cost of connecting gas mains with lampposts as requested by the City Council, and adhere to its resolution to pay for lampposts only.—Adopted.

The General Committee reported that two cases of wandering 'cattle had been reported during the month. The committee had advised the Water and Lighting Committee of tin streets which it was intended to reticulate. The committee further recommended that tho Defence Minister be thanked for the gift of three Mauser and one Martini-Henry rifles, tiopliies of the late South African war and that Mr E. G. Allen, -M.H.R., he also thanked for his efforts in the matter. The committee also reported that owners having hedges overhanging were to bo notified to have same cut.—Adopted.

The Works Committee reported as follows: — 1. Thai the concrete channel and asphalt path on Littlo Duncan street is nearly completed. 2. The newly-erected protective fence erected at Cameron's road has been inspected and again condemned. The contractors (Messrs B.air and Wikland) have been notified that the council will complete the work at their expense. 3. Mr Bunting has completed his contract for metal to Pine Hill road. 4. The Depot road has been repaired at a cost of £5 lis Gd. 5. The City Council has connected its main with tho new lamp at Gladstone road. G. Your commi'tteo recommends that a nuisance, occasioned by the drainage of houses on Drako's terrace bo remedied at a cost of abbnt £i 10s. 7. Your committee has received a report from tho town clerk .as to the council's powers en private streets, and recommends the council to inform Messrs Schlonbach and others as to the position of Frankiin street. S. Your committee also recommends to offer, without prejudice, to stibsidiso the cost of a flight of steps from George street, Pino Hill road, by the sum of £5, being onethird of tho estimated cost. 9. Your committer has called for lenders for material for repairs to Gladstone road, and recommends acceptance of one. 10. Your committee has informed C. Ca'.der that no further progress payments will, be made in respect of his contract for the upkeep of the Main road till he has scraped or swept it and removed the mud and put the road in order.—Adopted. Mr Ca'.der, who was present, explained that he had spent a good deal of time and money in attending to tho road, but the condition was such recently that it could not be swept. There wero iw holes in the road, which was in good order, and he had done everything he had been asked to do to it. Under these conditions he felt he was not being justly dealt with to have it published abroad that he was not to get paymont until tho road was put in £rdcr.—Crs Anderson, Evans, the Mayor, and other councillors stated that no reflection w»9 intended upon Mr Caldcr's reputation as a contractor doing work for the corporationall that was intended was to call attention to complaints about the untd on the road, which caused considerable inconvenience. All the speakers agreed that any other work Mr Calder had done for the corporation had given great satisfaction.—The amount of Mr Caldcr's account (£6 ss) was passed for payment, and the report was adopted.

WATER SOTPLY AND LIGHTING OF BOROUGH. The Walter and Lighting Committee reported that it had been in communication with several gas and electrical companies as to the tnluro street lighting of Hie borough. A communication had been received from the City Council asking if the borough was'prepared to take electricity in bulk and reticulate for itself, or if the City Corporation would bo at liberty to enter and Teticulate upon terms to bo 'aid down by the Board of Control. Tho coinmittco replied asking for a quotation of the price for electricity in bull;, and also a copy of tho terms which the City Council purposes assisting the Board of Control (which was in reality the Governor-in-Council) to issue. Clause 2 of the report was as follows:—"Your committee, has had uuder its consideration a map of the borough' prepared by your engineer, showing iTie areas capable of reticulation (1) from Ross Creek reservoir; (2) from Maori Hill reservoir; and (3) from your natural supply at Mount CargiK." Your committoo deems tho latter source of supply of so much importance that it would like your engineer's report fortified by that of an outside engineer, a courso which your own engineer (Mr T. Arnold) is M.o anxious should bo adopted. Your committee therefore asks that it be empowered to obtain from an engineer to .be named by you a report upon tho Mount Cargil! source of supply, and a.lso that it ho empowered to confer with your solicitor on the subject of iiparian rights.—Tho report was taken seriatum. and the first clause was adopted without discussion. On clause 2 being reached Cr Green moved its excision from the report on the ground that it would involve the council iu unnecessary expense. The council he contended, were at present in communication with llio City Council on tho matter of a Mter supply to the borough, and until negotiations were completed or abandoned with that body lie thought th'o council should not entertain any thought of going in for a water supply of its own. which would be a. very expensive matter, involving, as it would, riparian rights. There was also the position that the borough might some day amalgamate with the city,' and tho water supply spoken of would not then be necessary.—Cr Evans spoke in favour of the motion, and Cr Mowat also thought it was desirable to await a reply from the city before any action was taken in regard to a local water supply—Cr King moved, and Cr Macandrew seconded, the adoption of the clause in the report on the ground that it was the duty of the council to get every availab'e information on the matter to lay before the ratepayers. The former stated he was sure the Mount Cargill supply cou'd be procured at less than ■ half the cost that Vould be charged by the city. Both councillors denied that there was any justification for Ci Green's suggestion that the borough would amalgamate with the city —Crs Bolting and Anderson'also spoke on the question, and Cr Green having replied the clause in the Teport. after several divisions, was eventually carried on the casting and deliberative vote of the Mayor. KOTICE OF MOTION. Cr Green gave notico of his intention to move that a]', members of the council constitute the Watot and Lighting Committee. SPECIAL MEETING. It was resolved to hold a. special meeting of the Works Committee and fhe council on Monday. 30th inst.. to decide upon usual winter expenditure on road maintenance.