ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 77, 31 July 1863, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

WE DO NOT HOLD OURSELVES BESrONSIBLK TOR THE OI'INIONS EXPRESSED BY OUit CORRESPONDENTS. (To the Editor of the Invercargill Times.) Deak Mb. Editok, — Knowing your character for gallantry , I am sure you will find spncc for a few words from a lady, though they are written in that slight angular way, which you gentlemen' pretend lo abhor and call "scratchy," but which you really like. Now you must know I have something to complain of, and bo have Clara and Amy. For a fortnight past, we have been vexing our very lives out. We have not been able to enjoy anything — not even the pictures in the Illustrated Zfews of the Paris fashions for May, nor yet the dear 1 fctlo hats which papa.has just got us from Melbourne. And actuallj- — only faney — one night that Arthur came in to tea (lie iti such a nice fellow, in one of the government offices you, know.) and asked me to sing him what he calls '• that B weet thins: from Lucrezia Borgia;" I positively snubbed him ; I did ! and told him I had a headache, and went off to bed. And would you imagine it? Clara told mo afterwards that he flirted nil the rest of the evening with her ;. but I don't bclievo her. I knoio she's jealous, though she is my sister. But I must return to nay complaint. Of course you are aware that numbers of nice concerts have been given lately, whoro all sorts of operatic selections and ballads were, as you call it,' " rendered,"- not to mention funny songs that I am told make ono laugh so. Now Mr Editor, would you believe it, we hnve not been able to get to one of them — neither Clara, nor Amy nor I. No, not one of them ; and all through a setof disagreeable- fellows, who have made the streets so dreadful that mama won't let us go out, without Oh ! such horrid boots, those that gentlemen call top-boots, that spoils one's — yes, I will -Bay it — ancles so. Now I must tell you that a month ago, wo made a vow, a solera vow, my sister and I, and to make it solemner we each kissed thej book, after-, wards (an illustrated copy of dear Tennyion) tjiaV we would never more disfigure ourselves by, putting on the dreadful bpbts' l've jußt"dcscrißed. So,' of course, as mama would no<; allow us to out without them, and we could not break; ourvW; we have not been able to hear,, the, oipera Company Now Kit fair, Mr Editorj thatwe should have to sit moping in the : housiß^ait night arid jspbilin^/our eyes over 'stupid crochet _work, ; when we might, were 'it not for-those i Tbwn|Board^people, be out enjoying the fun at%tlie'ic6ncerfc. jl am sure, Sir, you must, you cannot but pity .iis^ and you^ will I know,if I ask you, scoldattfiat vising Board i till they make footpaths and crossinga, which we can wulk upon without messing our nice littlo kid boots. Do, please now, Mr Editor, and if you do, you may always believe in" the gratitude of '„-j..'... Yours truly, LIXJEA. Magnolia Cottage, 30th July, 1863. • '- *

TOWN, BOARD. '. A meeting iof the Town Board ;wa3 hejkl within the office, in Tay-street, ont<Wednesday afternpon,sar r half -past three o'clock, for; general business: present — Messrs.M'ArtKur, i Hay, Beaven, jGarthwaite, G. M.^/ Clarke,' M'lvor, the Engineer, and the Clerk. „ "i Mr Beaven, on the motion of Mr M' Arthur, I took the chair. j - The minutes of the laat meeting were read j and approved. , IKTTBE VBOM.THB DEACONS COURT. The Chairman read a letter from Mr Milne, the clerk of the Deacon's Court of the Presbyterian Church; requesting permission to take earth from the cutting in Jed-street, for the purpose of filling-up the ground in front of the church to the level of Taystreet . * The Enginfer said that the sections at the back of the church might be advantageously lowered, and the, front of the church be supplied ; hut that the earth from Jed-street was required for works in operation. The Cletk was instructed to reply to the Deacon's Court to this effect. PBAIVAG-E OP EYE-STRBBT.. A l«tter was read from Mr Robert Dairy mple, requesting that a deep drain be constructed in this street, as he wished to make use of Blocks 14 and 15 for building purposes. ," y The' Engineer said there was! no drain at all: in this street;' but that it would; bfetiise-'" less to do anything till the Government completed the drain r ln Clyde-street; y ; ,; Resolved accordingly. • STATB/:6p i)ETBB6K.BTRHBT. 7.. v A letter "was* read from several of thVih- y habitants, complaining of the disgraceful state of this street, and requesting that some^ thing ' should be immediately ,'aijiie by the Board towards making it passable. t w ' ''' - The Engineer said that this street, was, in the meantime,' only made use of by : foot passengers ; and that the matter had already been taken in hand in a temporary way_ by the B laying down of f g :ines: >; >> The Clerk was instructed to reply in these. terms. STAGNANT WATEIt IN TAY-STRMBT. The Chairman read ,a letter from various inhabitants; complaining of the quantity 'of - v •water accumulated by reason of the interruption of its natural fall, caused by the construction of the new street, which led past the Mechanics' Institute, and requesting remedial measures. The- Chairman gaid ? lhe thought this request should be entertained ; for if the water were suffered to remain it would, in warm weather, breed a pestilence: ■ Mr Garthwaite said that the only; remedy was a box drain. Mr Beaven recommended a box drain to be taken down Cn non-street. ; Mr M'lvor was of opinion that the artificial lake should be filled up, .as all the drains in the world would not permanently keep down the water. The Engineer said, that of course it must eventually* be filled up; but for the time being a box drain should be constructed as far as the lower side »f the Mechanics' Institute. The Engineer was instructed to take the matter in hand at onee — a special rate to be levied. I.RTTEK. FROM J. 8. CLARKB AND CO. A letter was read from this firm, requesting that the Board should make a firm path from the centre of the rood to the door of their store, as from the present state of the road, access was impossible. . After a little discussion, the matter was referred to the Engineer. CONTRACT FOX GBATIITC.S. Mr Burgoyne, the contractor, stated to the Board that it was impossible for him to provide a sufficient quantity of black pine and totara for the gratings in terms of" the contract, and he therefore would - wish' to make use of some red pine. He would ba able to ■" furnish 3000 or 4000 of the timber specified for the first month ; but that as .regards the second, he found the bush would not produce more. } . r /■ $1 Mr Hay said that to make use "of red pine would be only wasting money. \ Mr Burgoyne. said, thatif lie looked in the 1 bush, he would see that worms in [many instances ate into the Jblack but did not touch the red pine. He had undertaken the contract in full belief that tliere would be a sufficiency of the black, and. had been led to thatbelietv by statements of the saw millers.. But as this had turned out jnot. to be";ihe case* he could not be expected' to do impossibilities, n . - , ; Mr M'lvor saidj lie was confident that the" saw millers if they chose could find j plenty cf the required that they did notchoose to take the trouble. .;; Mr Burgoyne said that he was paying 30s. for every 100 cubic feet delivered, and l" that he expected to have had only 24s 6J4 tq pay.--Mr Beaven suggested Stewart's | Island as a place whence black pine was; procurable. The Engineer replied that tile 'timber on; Stewart's Island was all red pine. $ Mr M'lvor thought thatif/ red pine stood in the streets as well as it did on the sides- of • houses, it would last forty.years. % Mr Beaven said that if red pine were buried in the ground it would rot, but if exposed to to the air, would endure. 5 ? : f. 14 f Mr Burgoyne mentioned in reference to his contract, that it ! was not possible J' for a mortal roan to get/the quantity of the specif: fied wood within the time, ancl that he wished to be relieved from what was absolutely im- ' possible to be done. ""'" | Mr M'Arthur proposed that Mrßurgoyne should send his present statement in writing, and that the same should be 'considered at next meeting, ; " ■ Mr Beaven thought that the contractorshould be empowered to proceed! with laying down of the gratings for the firs month. „ ' , Mr M'Arthur thought the w&ple question should be reserved to, an adjourned specivl meeting to beheld next day for due consi- | deration, and made a motion to that effect which seconded by Mr M'lvor was Carried. Mr Bburgoyne said that he would lay down 350 gratings for £217, but the Board :t6; fiUi up the interstices with' sand, or- as they chose. ■■■•'-■■ ■; -''■- Mr Burgoyne then withdrew.; s j " '.'"' f; Mr M'lvor and the Engineer thought. that Burgoyne could well- afford to put in the sand between the crevices for £217. ; Cr,EKK TO COMMUNICATE WITH HIS HONOR, f instructed to write to the Superintendent to ascertain if the new Ordinance had coma back; from Auckland.? '.\ -, , '■ | <iZ '•■ " y .' ■ Mr Clarke seconded, and the motion was" cariied.- ' . [ j . ,''■!)'"'■ '■ Mr Garthwaite^ said that delays was dangerous— tKat they were unable to 'suet under the old ordinance, and in a month more there would be another rate|to;ie^ SThiß^Go^rtff meiit were c^sjtaiitjy, receiving,,^ ances down ;^ahd ; .that .if \ the^ .Board's' ordin-i ance were one for raising- the salaries-^of^the^ Government officials, he was certain it would have been receiveel long- ago;—-- f •,. >> r After a statement frbm\Mr Mlv^faafcthei Board were always in a mess, various accounts ; were Ipaaaed^ and- the* meeting separated. ;■'"• • •' ■ • AbjrotTKNir>^MEETING. ; ' 1"-~- --■-"■■'■■ • ■ ; Th^d^>* i 3oa 1 -' ! i3ruiy.|- ■ : „,;,-,. An 'adjourtied'^eet^g-orthis'^in^^imlc' place yesterday morning at ten o'cioclE. iPre-^ sent— Messrs "Beayen * \ Cr. i'St," K. Clarke^ Hay^B^lvdrj^Garthwajt^ • veyori and^ Clerki " Mr M'Arthur in «flic chair^'-'"^'*'-''"" 1 "^ :'-' .: : -.- ; :-\ r . |?.^ r-^^ ; ;-~ . -jMEß^ourgoyoe a vrrittenisiater" "miterit -t» the 1 ! stat enient r; made .'■"•t T (tKe preyipiiiß^e^ting, ihi accordance . H witli^the. ; re^uesl?;mi^eiby the Board. After a lengthened discusfiioh it wasmoved \iX:M^'O)^^i\^^^^^yf'^iix^^Y^ and. carried— ''That %h& reqmsite^ampum^of specifiea timber for the completion of thocon-

WjSlK** °,K*S^ *^'.«cnt, it is t>J expedient to substitute red t>ine ; and tl% - 'the contractor sh»ll<go4on>aV far as he <sS , > with;rthe7timber.*»pecme^ l Jtt4he contr^ time~^ie Board jregerriitt^tfelf the V oM > .tp\ Extend the ifo&WoahT it be AS -■ and the contractor to be h£JtosM complete^ the whole within the additiot 5 ! period of time." M - rER9IIBBION~TO lAT bRATINGS. *|l -■ On the motion of Mr Beaven, seconded |l Mr Garthwaite, itiwns. resolved, «• that &S mission be given to Mr Burgoyne to lay (m gratings :on, the footpaths,- and- fill in iff crevices with gravel or sand, and that a S M of fourteen' shillings' shall be allowed jM every sixteen feet square thus laid completSi NOTICE TO INHAB.TANTS.OF, TAT STREE^S It was moved by"Mr .Garthwaite, second by Mr Hay and carried, that a .notice be &\M to the inhabitants of Tny-street, that in cli saquence-of side-paths being laid withgt#J inga, they are requested to hare the draii/"! carred out underneath at once. p% '■' ' TOWN BEIX. /. >"" f^ On 4he motion of Mr Garthwaite, it & resolved that the Town Bell should be rRi every morning at a quarter to 8 o'clock. fp; OBATINGB XS KEI.VIN-BT<|SBr. A letter was read from Mr^Beaven.S questing permission on behalf of himself JSf Messrs. Shaw arid Culhane,' to lay grating^^^ the footpaths in Kelvin-street, /or about ifwV'froittjT^sij^tfprovided the Board not intend to lay the same immetliately. s^i - On^tUe niotion^bf Mr., Claike, secoiji! by; Mr Garthwaite,^Mr Beaven's request^ l . acceded to; > ■_■;-,; '