INVERCARGILL BOROUGH COUNCIL

Southland Times, Issue 3709, 12 May 1880, Page 2

INVERCARGILL BOROUGH COUNCIL

I A special meeting of this Council was held last evening far the purpose of pass*iog orkj :J^. connection wjth^ the proposal to. borrow £120,000. There were present—His Worship the Mayor, and Messrs Jaggers, Powell, Johnson, Koche, Kingsland, Moir, Dunlop, and McDonald. • A letter was read f rom Mr T. M. Maedonald, the Council's solicitor, forwarding notice of. . intention to raise the loan of £120,000 for publication in the local press, under the 140 th section of the Act. The notice had been, prepared by Mr. Haggitt. Mr McDonald inquired if the solicitor had given it as his opinion that the coarse the Council was about to pursue was a legal one ? He would move to the effect that the opinion of the solicitor be obtained regarding the legality of the proceedings of the Council. Mr Kingsiand seconded the motion. Mr Jaggers said this was an attempt to stop the proceedings in connection with the loan. The fact was, that the solicitor considered the matter so important thaf he had deemed it advisable to obtain the opinion of Mx Haggitt in regard to the question. He hoped the Council would vote against this motion, as it was simply an attempt to delay. the matter. Mr Johnson, in agreeing with Mr Jaggers r; said it would be very frivolous for the Council to ask for an opinion already given. Mr J. L. Me Donald knew perfectly well that the Council's solicitor gave one opinion . and Mr Haqfgitt another. Mr. McDonald's municipal life had been a series of motions. Mr Moir said he would vote against this motion, simply because it was delaying the loan. If they referred this motion a&ain to their solicitor, he would no doubt consult another legal man, which would entail extra expense on the Council. Mr Roche would also vote against this motion.. The Mayor said that Mr Macdonald, the town solicitor, had written. a letter to the Council on. this matter. Mr Haggitt was not their solicitor, and had Mr Macdonald thought they were not following a legal course, no doubt he would have intimated accordingly, Mr McDonald, in reply, said if the solicitor could point out the course was a legal one he would be satisfied. The motion, was, lost. , . The Works Committee recommended the list of . works on which £15,000 was proposed to be expended, submitting the costs and probable outlay. Mr Koche moved that the recommendations be adopted. : Mr Kings) tin^ submitted thai there had been no notice given of this subject in the usual way, and that the Council; proposed to pass the work without any plans and specifications. . . . The Mayor overruled this objection, and quoted clause 53 of the by-laws iv support of his ruling. : ' - Mr Kingsland said that he was still not satisfied, inasmuch as each of these works had teen arrived at by some detailed conclusion, which should be before the council. . •,.';..•. The Mayor ruled, that the objection, did not apply in this; case. • Mr Kiugsland then rose from his chair, and left the chambers. ' The motion was then carried. ' On the motion of Mr 1 Roche, the following resolution was carried : — " That, re ferring . to the resolution of the Conncil passed on the 30th April, 1880, to borrow £120,000 for the i construction of waterworks, extensien of gas works, and certain street improvements, the law requiring the works .intended to be constructed to be specified, it is hereby agreed that the. additional: works'^ as recommended by the Publib Works Committee, be constructed out of the £15,000 allocated for street improvements ; and ■ '• that the am'qjihts shown on tlie Engineer's estimates to date, the 10th May, 1880, ,be agreed to,, and be added to each item 'iti- the '6omplete' 1 list of works, aiiiounting in the whole to £15,000; and tliat the Mayor give effect to this resolution." ■•■;.',••: The Council then adjourned .