TIMARU BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 798, 11 September 1872, Page 3

TIMARU BOROUGH COUNCIL.

• An ordinary meeting of the Borough Council was' held m the Town Clerk's office last night. There -were present :— Councillors Turnbull, Butterworth, Mcßae, Padget, Jackson, Fyfe arid Green. . Councillor Turnbull occupied the chair m the absence of the Mayor. ' The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The following letters were read ;— From the District Coroner, enclosing the verdict of the jury at the inquiry into the cause of the late tire. From the Manager, of the Union Bank, acknowledging the Council's application for a further overdraft. From! P. Blake, requesting an allowance of 16s on his contract for construction of culvert, he having had to use 2 inch timber instead of lj inch, as the latter 'could not be obtained. Councillor Mcßae proposed, Councillor Jackson seconded, and it was resolved— "That Mr Blake's application for an extra sixteen shillings on cost of culvert m Heaton-street, be granted." ■■■■'■ . ■ Accounts amounting to £50 8s 8d were passed for payment. . Considerable discussion ensued on the subject of the lamp lighting— at the care-

less and sloventy way. m .which the con--tract had been carried out — and on the motion of Councillors Mcßae and Fyfe, it was resolved to deduct £1 from the account, on account of the inefficient manner m which the duties of lamp lighting had been performed. The Town Clerk stated that there were no tenders for the artesian well boring. Councillor Fyfe and Mcßae said that there was an impediment m the well, m the shape of a piece of steel bit. Councillor Mcßae proposed, Councillor Green seconded, and it was resolved, — "That the engineer be instructed to sound the boring of the artesian well, between this meeting and the next ordinary meeting and report on the same, whether or not there remains any portion of the iron rod or chisel m the boring." Councillor Padget proposed, Councillor Fyfe seconded and it was resolved, — " That the Clerk be instructed to write to the Provincial Secretary, requesting that the balance of the amount for the artesian well be re-voted for the ensuing year." The following tenders for forming and metalling foot paths were opened : — P. Blake, lls lOd per chain, (accepted) ; J. Bullock, 12s per chain. Councillor Jackson proposed — " That the Engineer be requested to prepare plans and specifications to take three feet from the crown of Sophia-street, opposite the residence of Dr Hammond." The motion was negatived. Councillor Butterworth proposed, Councillor Fyfe seconded, and it was resolved — " That the Engineer be instructed to call for tenders for the formation of Cross-street." The Town Clerk stated that the fallen earth on the footpath above the Union Bank had not been removed, although lie had given notice to Messrs Green and Morrison to remove it. He believed they did not intend to do so, as they had stated their intention of allowing the case to be litigated upon. Councillor Green proposed, Councillor Jackson seconded, and it was resolved — " That the solicitor be instructed to take suchproceedings as are necessary to compel the owners of sections m Great South road to remove the obstructions by fallen earth on the footpath." The notices of motion standing m the names of Councillors Fyfe and Padget were then brought under discussion. Councillor Fyfe moved, Councillor Green seconded, and it was resolved — "That the resolution fixing the rents of ;hs Municipal reserve sections, passed on 12fch April, 1867, be rescinded, and that the rents of said sections be arranged according to their position or value." Councillor Padget proposed, and Councillor Fyfe seconded the following motion — " That the Municipal Council take . into consideration the advisability of petitioning the House of ' Representatives to pass a special Act' through the House, empowering the Council to negotiate a loan for "£IOO,OOO sterlir,g for Harbor works, the said. Council and their successors to act as and be called the Harbor Board, and be commissioned to carry out such works." In support of his motion Councillor Padget quoted from clause 367 part 22 of the " Municipal Corporation Act, 1867," to show that the Council /had power to act m this matter, and to/flefray from its Lfiinda the oont- of l" 11 """.?"^ Jr?IU?'?T"'««''"« Act m the Assembly, *"■ JSome were of opinion that this work ought to 'be proceeded with by the Board of Works, but he held that it was m the province of tho ■ Borough Council to carry it out. Hia scheme was to construct a stone breakwater from the rocks at the end of North street to the outer moorings, a distance of seventy chains, with a return at the end of ten chains to the north-eastward, at an angle of say 60 degrees, which (calculating on the correctness of MrCarruthers theory of the travelling shingle being correct), would reclaim 150 to 200 acres of: land on the seaward or southern side of the sea wall or breakwater. Calculating that fifty chains of this reclamamation would be available for business purposes, this, being let at £1 per foot, would realise. £3,300 per annum. The . depth of water inside the breakwater would vary from four to six fathoms, giving depth enough for any vessel that visits the port. The deepest water m Lyttelton (where large vessels lie) is only four and a-half fathoms. As it would ba a progressive work, and could not be done all at once, what he proposed, was to petition the General Government to guarantee the interest on sufficient sums to carry on the work for- the first five years, to be recouped to them by nominating or , issuing to themselves sufficient debentures •to coverthe amount, on the security of the harbor dues, rents on reclaimed land, &c. - The speaker then went iuto statistics, "showing that at •2s 6d per ton the goods that were landed and shipped m 1871, would realise £2,500, which would - - represent a capital of £41,500 at six per cent, and by doubling: the amount per ton to five shillings, would bring -in .. enough to pay interest of £83,000 at the same fate, He thought that for this year they might reasonably put on fifty p er cent, which would represent a capital of £124,500. He alsoreferred to the amount of unsold first-class land m the district within an area of twenty miles of Timaru, which he estimated at 800,000 acres, which he had no doubt would be disposed of "within the next few years if harbor works were carried out, and unless the same were done it would probably remain, as it is now for the next fifty years. Councillor Fyfe, Green, Turnbull and Mcßae after examining the plans brought forward by Councillor Padget, warmly endorsed and supported his views, and suggested the appointment of a committee to prepare careful and complete statistics ■- to be forwarded to the General Government. • ' . The motion was then put to • the meeting and carried. Councillor Padget proposed, Councillor ' Mcßae seconded, and it was resolved— "That the following Councillors be appointed a committee: — Turnbull, Green, Jackson, Fyfe and the mover, the Mayor to act as chairman, also with power to add to these members, to take, into consideration a. report on Councillor Padget's motion m ?•« Harbor Works. Councillor Fyfe proposed. Councillor ...• Butterworth seconded, . and it wa3 ~. resolved — " That a committe a be ap- ; i ■■•. pointed, consisting of Councillors Padget, f : ■■_. Turnbull, Mcßae and the mover, to. , draw up; a scale of rents of Municipal: !;j reserves, and report at. the next meeting • of Council, his. Worship the -Mayor to act ""'• aschairman. :_ ■ '.'.. .'.-.. .'• ;.-■■.:.•:■ ; The meeting then separated,.