INVERCARGILL BOROUGH COUNCIL

Southern Cross, Volume 4, Issue 42, 30 January 1897, Page 5

INVERCARGILL BOROUGH COUNCIL

Thursday, 28th Jan

The ordinary meeting was held at 730 p.m. Present—His Worship the Mayor (Mr J. A. Hanan), and Councillors McFarlane, Blacke, McKeown, Watson, Batchelor, Goldie, Aitken, Stead, and Thomson. Messrs Fisher, Hyndman, and Croucher waited on the Council as a deputation from the Swimming Baths Committee, and asked if the Corporation would take over the baths, complete them, and relieve the committee of its liability of £BO. The matter was referred to the Baths Committee for report. The Invercargill Regatta Committee applied to be allowed to levy sixpence per head for admission to the jetty on Wednesday, 3rd March, the date of the annual regatta. — Granted.

R. Blackham asked for permission to erect a wooden stable behind his premises in Dee street. —Granted, subject to the usual conditions. The inspector of nuisances reported that steps had been taken to remove the nuisance on the foreshore complained of by Messrs Cuff, Harvey, and Nelson.

' The Inspector of Dairies reported that a fev* license fees had been collected, and recommended that they be refunded, as under the bye-laws the Corporation had no power to collect such licenses. He suggested that an inspection fee of ten shillings be charged to cover expenses. —Referred to the Sanitary Committee for report. J. Clare, Harbourmaster and Pilot, wrote that under existing circumstances it was impossible for a man to be always at the signal staff at New River.—Referred to the Harbour Committee,

W, Nicol wrote asking the Council to authorize him to have a new weight cast for the chiming barrel of the town clock, the present weight being insufficient owing to the warping of the wooden frame on which the bells are hung. Left to the Mayor, with power to act.

The Works Committee submitted the following report: —

Your Committee recommend as follows : (1.) That McKenzie and Harper be informed in reply to their application for refund of £3 of rent that the council cannot see its way to comply with same j (2.) That James Young be informed that his lease of Municipal section 9, block 13, Tay street, will be cancelled upon payment by him of rent and rates due thereon; (3.) That tenders be invited for lease for 14 years from Ist March of the following Municipal sections:—Section 1, block 58, Jed and Gala streets, upset rent £5 per annum ; section 15. block 16, Eye street, upset rent £3 10s per annum. Full valuation for improvements; (4) that Peter McKay and R. Fellows be given a month’s employment under the Corporation Gardener at 6s per day; (5.) I hat Mr Robert Miller be informed that the cemetery allotment being registered in his name, the council dec. ine to take any action in the matter; (6.) That the Engineer be instructed to have the road in Annan street, about 5 chains north from Crinan street gravelled with beach gravel, cost not to exceed £7 10s ; (7.) That Alfred Jackson’s sections No. 19, 20, and 21, block 6, be levelled, etc., and that the work be left in the hands of the Mayor and Engineer to see carried out.

' Your Committee report aa follows:—(8) That the Town Clerk has been instructed to take steps to enforce section 489 of the Bylaws with respect to John Williams’ action as reported by the Corporation Gardener, and to take legal proceedings if necessary ; (9) that the Engineer’s report regarding repairs to the jetty is under consideration ; (10) that A. B. Campbell’s letter re bar and tidal signalling at the New River Heads is under consideration ; (ll) that they have no recommendation to make in respect to petition and letters in reference to lease of reserve to Thos. Ryder ; (12) that the requisition from the cab-owners re cab-stand is held over for consideration; (13) that 90 applications for employment on drainage works were received, and having appointed 22 men from the list to form two gangs, those selected being ratepayers and residents in the town, also selected two men for pipe laying and four for asphalting work; (14) having fixed the prices to be paid for drainage work in future on the following scale: —8d per yard to sft in depth ; lOd per yard to Bft in depth ; Is per yard over Bft in depth. It was decided, on the motion of Cr. Stead, to consider the report clause bv. clause. Clause one was

adopted, an amendment referring it back to to the committee being lost. Clauses two and three were adopted, with the addition of the words, ‘ £3O valuation ’ after £5 per annum in the clause. Clauses four to eleven were adopted without alteration; clause 12 was deleted, and clause 14 was altered to read ‘Bd per 1 yard to five feet in depth, and Is per yard thereafter ’ —the old rate. — Ihe report as amended was then adopted. The following report was read from the Finance Committee : Your Committee recommend—(l) That W. Nelson’s application to be supplied with water for his premises in Crinan street be granted ; (2) That the engineer’s application for ordinary requisites for waterworks be granted; (3) That the Gas Manager be requested to report as to what houses gas was laid on, and by whom ordered, where consumption took place within the last twelve months of such meagre quantityas to be a loss to the corporation. The report was adopted as read. The Council rose at 10.30 p.m.