East Invereargill.

Southland Times, Issue 9359, 27 October 1886, Page 2

East Invereargill.

A special meeting of the East Invercargill Borough Council was held on Monday night, the Mayor (Mr J, H. Geddea), and Councillor*) Findlay, Baker, Colquhoun, Fairmaid, Gibson, Gilbertson, Smith and Boyce being present. The commitcee appointed to inquire into the charges made by Councillor Branton against Couocillor J. Smith, icported as follows :— Your committee, appointed by resolution of Council uDder date 12th Oetob&r, 1886, met on the 14th inst. for the purpose of investigating the charge made by Councillor Wiliiam Branton against Councillor James Smith before the Council on 12tb October, 1886, to wit, that Councillor James Smith had given permission to William Baird, contractor, of East Invercargill, to take certain gravel, being' Corporation property, from Mary street, Borough of East luvercargill. Having carefully examined Councillor William Brantoo, Councillor James Smith, exCounciilor George Drybnrgh,and William Baird, contractor, we bavo to report as follows •— (1) That Councillor James Smith and ex-Councillor George Dryburgh, being two members of the Works Committee granted permission to William Baird, who was then executing certain contract work for the Corporation to take one or two loads of gravel for hia private use, being a ratepayer and resident in the borough, but tint the said William Bairi had exceeded the permission given him, and had taken two other loads of gravel to ratepayers of E»st Invercargill, residents of Invercargill. ; (2) that the Corporation suffered no pecuniary loss from the transaction, inasmuch as William Baird had supplied earth in filling in the ditch in his contract, instead of the gravel taken away ; (3) tbat Councillor Jas. Smith and ex-Counoillor George Dryburgh are blameless in the matter, with the exception that they omitted to report the matter to the Council, they clearly being of opinion that it waa not of sufficient importance to do so ; (4) that in our opinion Councillor Wm. Branton did his duty. in reporting the transaction to the Council, but was not justified in charging Councili lor James Smith before the Council with " larceny as a bailee," — The report was } received and confirmed. The auditors halt -yearly report was read j and approved, a vote of thanks being passed to the auditors, Messrs R. Maniety and L. E. Eeade. i The Invercargill Corporation forwarded a cheque for Ll4 7s 9d as half cost of making Elleß Road footpath, — Received with thanks. The Sanitary Committee were requested to deal with a complaint made by the Inspector of Nuisances in regard to a section io Hallsborough. The Council then adjourned.