TOWN BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 585, 14 February 1863, Page 3

TOWN BOARD.

The weekly meeting of the Town Board was held on Tuesday, at ttie offices, Prim-ps-strcet. Mr Turner was chosen to preside ; and there were also present Messrs Duncan, Milne, Itedmayne, Webb, Henderson, Jenkinson, and Switzer. The minutes of the hist meeting were read and confirmed.

THE BYn-IAWS. The Clerk read a letter from the Provincial Secretary, pointing out that Bve-lawN'o. 1 ha^iny been withdrawn, the other six" forwarded for the assent of the Superintendent, necessarily required alteration ; for which pmpuxo they were returned. The consideration of the question was deferred.

ELTAIMNO WAIX IX ST.VITOUD STRICT.

A letter was read from Ylv T. B. Gillies, solicitor io the Board, in reply to a request ibr his opinion upon the letter of Mr Mills, printer, Staf-ford-street, asking th.it he might bo relieved from P»ymg- the amount remaining due, fur a sustaining wall in tiont of hiv property. Mr Gillies was of opinion that there was no le^al foundation ibr such claim ; bat of the equities of the case he was unable to judge, as the statement of Mr Mills w.is purely c.c pane. Alcer statins: the provisions of the Ordinance, the writer ad-led " Jn Mr Mill's case ie seems that the works were done at his own instance, ami not by the Board upon his default. If the surveyor authorised the construction of the wall as it now exists, and did so either to ensure the stability of the street, or the SJifotv of the public, I am o. opinion that he only exorcised the legitimate functions of the Board in requiring the work to be done to his satisfaction as their servant. It may he a hard case upon Mr Mills, but the_ Ordinance seems to have contemplate I something beyond private considerations, and were the Board to recognise this claim, I fear that tluy would receive many others, geucrally us we 1 founded.' '

It was directed that the substance of this opinion should be communicated to Mr Mills.

A DCMCiVTi: CASE,

Million, Inspector of .Nuisances, wrote asking that a legal gentleman should be appointed to conduct the case on a summons for a nuisance in Moray Place. The owner of the property, Mr Litnt,', was out of the colony ; and Mr T. B. Gillies (solicitor to the Board) who held a power of attorney from that gentleman, had declined to abate the^ nuisance, although he had been served with notice to do so. The case was to come before the Resident Magistrate on Thursday next. '

The Clerk said that the ceighbors were all complaining of the nuisance.

On the motion of Mr Webb, seconded by Mr Milne, it was directed that a solicitor be instructed m the matter.

A letter was read complaining of the nuisance created in the land opposite the Waverlcy Hotel near George-street ; and there was another on the same subject from Mr Carncross, a^ent for Mr W. H. Cutten, who stated that the nuisance ftrosc from two culverts, one draining the Hospital and the other coaqected with property in MorayPlace, * J

The matter was referred to the Committee of Works,

Af -\r G ' S PII>E TRENCHES. Mr Martin Shell. Secret u-y to the Gas Company, wiote statin- that the Company's Su.-vevor md reported that it was practically impossible to lay the gas mains, under the restriction that only one chain or trench should be open in any street at one time. As it was really an engineering question Mr Sholl , ucr?este i that it should ba eft m the hands of the City Engineer, for rcgu-

Mr Jenmnson could see no difficulty in complying with the resolution, -which he fancied meant that only a chain in length should be left open in any one street tit night. Mr Redmayr.e thought it would be well to rescind the resolution, allowing the mains to be laid within the line of footpaths. There was a condition that the Company should leave the paths in the same state as" that in which they found them ; but, so far as he had experienced, they never did this, the paths being left rou<*h and unformed.

After some furtherconversation.it was resolved not to accede to Mr Sho IPs request.

A MANURE DUPOT. The Clerk reported that Mr Anderson had part the L2O penalty, for throwing up h ,i»ntract with respect to the manure depot a "o?ersham.

Mr Jenkinson moved, "That not less t i : :-~3 acres of land be purchased in the neighbor-, ot Caversham, for the purposes of a mar.ere depot." l Mr Redmayne seconded the motion, which was agreed to.

Win ROAD INSPECTOR. A letter was rear! from Mr Diack. Road Inspector, resigning his office, in consequence of his tuvm ; received a personal injury. The resignation was accepted, and the Committee of Works was directed to anangc fts to the time at which Mr Diack should be relieved.

report from: the engineer. _ Mr Millar, the City Engineer, made the following report :—: —

'■ Gentlemen— l have to report that the plans, sp'-tions ami specifications for the improvement of unices -street are now complete, and reudv to ba submitted to Jm tending tenderers for their estimate.

" I have the honor to slight— seeing that: the season is considerably advanced— the advisability of recfiviii"; tenders for tins work on Tuesday next, the 17th inst, instead of the 24th, (as presently advertised.) It is scarcely uwes-ary for me to remind, you that every week's delay at this season of the year, in the commenceiiiO-t and consequent completion of works in .so public a thoroughfare as Princes-street, is of considerable importance, not only to the residents there, but t!K- public at Lirtce.

_ " Tlie necessary contract plans and specifications for the completion oi Walkur-,treet are in piogrcss, and will bu ready to submit to contractors for their estimates on' the l"th inst.

11 1 have dote /red (for a few days) completing my plans for the alterations, and new approaches to the Water Tanks, with v view of laying additional m.itter connected therewith before the Board, reaardinfe the future of this locality, which may be termed the ' business centre' of the city. I have every hope of having my ideas thereon sufficiently nutured to lay them before the Board at its next ordinary meeting, with a view, it approved, of being transmitted to the Government for consideration — I have, &c,

" John Millau, City Engineer," The report was received; and it was directed that the date for receiving tenders for the Cutting should be altered us recommended.

THE WATER WOUItS.

Mr A. G. M'Combe, in reply to a letter from the Clerk, wrote that at the meeting of the provisional directors of the Water Works Company, it was determined to issue a revised prospectus, and to invite the public to subscribe the capital necessary for carrying out the works of the Company.

STREET IMPROVEMENTS,

The Committee of Works submitted a report by Mr Redmaync, of the works urgently required to be done in streets in Leitu Ward; the total estimated cost being LBSO, The report was received and adopted; and, upon the recommendation of the Engineer, certain regulations as to the formation of footpaths in George-street were agreed to. The Committee of Works also submitted a report from Mr Jenkinson as to the works most pressingly required in High Ward; the total estimated cost being L7OO. The report was received and adopted.

It was ordered that the roadway in Princesstreet from the Octagon to the Cutting should be formed to the proper width, contemporaneously with the. works for levelling the Cutting ; notices to build the necessary retaining walls being at once given.

THE BELL TOWER AGAIN.

Mr Webb read a report from a sub-committee of Works (Mr Jenkinson and himself) on the subject of the Bell Tower. It stated that the question had been re-opened in consequence of no eligible tender having been received for the erection of a tower according to Mr Lawson's design. To raise such a tower, of sufficient strength, would cost more than had been expected ; and it was doubtful whether, if erected according to the tender to do the work for L 395, the tower would be sufficiently strong. The report recommended tha: the whole question of the tower should be placed in the hands ot the Committee.

Mr Webb added that it seemed absolutely necessary that one of the two restrictions on the Committee should be removed — that they should be relieved from carrying out Mr Lawson's design, or that they should be allowed to spend more than L3OO.

Mr Swilzer said :t: t win too bad that a work so much needed for the safety of the public should be thus delayed, and that the question should be so continually re-discussed to the waste of the time of the Board. He would move that the matter be placed in the hands of the Committee of Works, with power to get a tower erected forthwith.

The Chairman asked whether ib was right that more than JJiOO should now bs spent in the tower. It seemed to him it could not be done, without rescinding an existing resolution. The Clerk said that a vote for an additional sum could be taken.

Mr Switzer would leave it to the Committee of Works to have a tower erected for L3OO. If the accepted design could not be carried out for that sum— according to the condition imposed when it was accepted— let the Committee obtain another.

Mr Webb moved that the Standing Orders be suspended, which was seconded by Mr Jenkinson and carried. A shoit conversation, however, led Mr Webb to give notice that ho would next week move "That the Committee be lclieved from carrying out Mr Lawso:i's design. Mr Switzer protested against this useless waste of time.

Me Webb would at once move his resolution.

Mr Switzer seconded it. and it was carried,

Mr Wclil) said that to remove all doubts as to legality, he would give notice to move the same resolution next week. In the meantime, the preliminary steps in tiie work could be taken.

The Board adjourned to Friday, at four o'clock.