LAWRENCE TOWN COUNCIL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 174, 8 June 1871, Page 5

LAWRENCE TOWN COUNCIL.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Council was held in the Council Chambers on Monday, 29th ult., at 8 p.n>. All the councillors were present. A letter from the Mayor was read, asking for leave of absence during the session of the Provincial Council, and appointing Cr. Mears to act in his place. Cr. Williams asked if the Mayor had the power to appoint any councillor to occupy his position. From the wording of the letter " i hereby appoint," it •would seem that he had that power. He (Cr. Williams) would be glad to be informed on the matter — not thac he objected to the appointment made by the Mayor, for it entirely met with his approval, but to prevent any precedent becoming established, which might in future allow obnoxious councillors to be placed in the chair. The Standing Orders were referred to, but nothing bearing on the question c<mld be found. To allow the business to be proceeded with, Cr. Ilnrrop moved that Cr. Mears take the chair. — Carried. CORRKSPOXDENCB. A letter was read from Mr. M. O. Goriro'i, with refere.ice to the culvert in Ross Place. He complained that the water from the small culvert was gradually undermining his property, and asked the Council to take some preventive steps in the matter. lie drew I the attention of the Council to the large culvert, from which- he said there was no outlet for the water, and recommended that a channel be cut to allow the water to escape into the creek Cr. Harrop moved that the letter be received and referred to the Public Works Committee. Cr. Coverlid objected to it being referred to the Public Works Committee. He thought the Council should deal with it at once. Some time since it was suggested by the Inspector of Nuisances that a retaining wall should be built at the particular spot referred to.. The Chairman said that at the time ■referred to by Cr. Coverlid, the Mayor, ex-Cr. Walker, and himself inspected the place and suggested that a retaining wall should be built. As the damage was. caused by, the Government, he thought it their duty to repair it. The Government were then written to on the subject, and replied that they would not interfere in the matter, as it came within the duties of the Municipality. He would suggest that as the Provincial Council was now sitting, the Town Clerk should be instructed to write to their *' members to endeavour to get the Government to repair the damage. Cr. Coverlid said that the Government Engineer had told him that he was •willing to stop the old culvert, but he could not interfere with private property. The Chairman said if the Council adopted his suggestion, and the members failed to prevail upon the Government to do the work, all they could do then would be to fall back upon the harsher method of compelling the person on ■whose property the damage was done to make the necessary repairs. Cr. Coverlid then proposed that the ■matter be submitted to Mr. Bastings to see the Government about it. Cr. Barnett seconded. — Carried. The following petition, signed by a considerable number of ratepayers, was read : — We, the undersigned ratepayers of Lawrence, wish to hear from you, through the press, if the water that supplies the town is used for the only purpose it was laid on for or not. (Signed) Thomas Anderson and 22 others. "The Chairman said his opinion was £hat the Council should not deal with it. tt. was simply absurd to think that they should reply to such a thing through the press. Cr. Coverlid thought the best people ""• to answer the question asked in the petition were those who use the water; lie observed a few of their names ap- '. peuded to the petition. The Council • had no money to answer questions J through the press. He would suggest that -the corner of the petition be turned 4own, and the petition returned. Cr. Harrop asked if che petition was io order. £ecfcion 617 of the Standing Orders were referred to, and it was declared " not in order." Cr. Barnett moved that the Town Clerk be instructed to return it to Mr. Anderson, referring him to the members for Bast Ward. Cr. Uren seconded. A letter from the Government, with reference to the Chinamen working the road to the Blue Spur, was received. THe letter stated that the Warden had been instructed to take steps to prevent any damage being done to the road. Another letter from the Government . was received. It referred to the title for

the ten-acre block recently surveyed. The Crown grant had been delayed on account of the survey not being completed. A letter from H. Miller, expressing disappointment at not having completed his contract in Whitehaven-street, and asking for an advance of 75 per cent, on the work done, was referred to the Public Works and Finance Committees. ACCOUNTS. The following accounts were referred to the Finance Committee :—: — Police Department, expenses connected with prison labour, 9s. ; Mills, Dick, and Co., advertising, 11s. ; Tuapeka Times, advertising, 335. ; Thomas Barnett, sundries, £2 2s. 6d. ; R. Nicholl, advance on work done, £23 ; Anderson and Errington, formation of footpath, White-haven-street, £27 3s. 9d. Two applications for mining on the Municipal paddock were then considered — one from Henry Brown, and one from Wm. Sutton. It was moved by one of the Councillors that the applications be referred to the Reserves Committee, that they visit the ground and see what was wanted. Mr. W. Hayes asked if he would be allowed to say a few words with regard to Henry Brown's application. Permission having been granted, Mr. Hayes stated that a week or ten days ago Brown requested him to apply to the Corporation for permission to mine on the Municipal reserve. The application was made, and on Saturday, Brown had been stopped by j Mr. Titchener. Since then, the second applicant had been working the same ground, and had not been interfered with. He thought Mr. Titchener might not be aware of it, bnt it was nevertheless a fact. A miner representing Wm. Sutton said that he had been at work near Mr. M'Kee's. He started a tunnel, but M'Kee filled it up and ordered him away. On that account he had sent the application to the Council. Mr. Titchener had seen him at work on the grouud, and did not stop him. The Town Clerk understood that Mr. Titchener had stopped both parties from working. Cr. Williams seconded the motion, tliivfc the mattt r be referred to che Reserves Committee. The Chairman said it was the business of the Council to see if it was not necessary to take a bond from miners who might be allowed to work the ground to keep it good. The motion was carried unanimously, and it was decided that all mining nn the ground should cease until the report of the Reserves Committee was reconsidered. The report of the Finance Committee was then read. The report recommended that two of the water debentures should be purchased duriug Ihe current Municipal year, and that the sair.e number 1»j redeemed each year. The Committee had more confidence in recommending this course as they anticipated having the assistance of prison labour for the further improvement of the streets, by which the funds would be relieved. With a very slight alteration, the report was adopted. The Public Works Committees' report No. 8 was then read. It sot forth that tho committee had accepted the following tenders : — Gravelling in front of Mr. Harris' store— R. W. Nichols, £4 12; gavelling and forming footpath, .aid facing same, Whitehaven-street— John Downie, £27 6s per chaiii. The report was adopted. The Legislative and Reserves Committees' report was then read. Cr. Harrop considered the report very vague. He thought there should be a list given by the Committee of the persons occupying the Corporation reserve. He would move that the report be referred back for further information, and a fuller report before the next Council meeting. Cr. Williams said the same thought struck him will regard to the report, and he would second Cr. Harrop's motion. Several parts of the streets requiring a little attention were named by two or three of the Councillors, arid means decided upon to put them in order. Cr. Coverlid referred to the Avater supply to the town. He thought the Council should adopt some means to remedy the present bad state of che water and make it fit for domestic purposes. If that were done, and a special rate levied, he had no doubt that people would readily avail themselves of the water, and willingly pay the rate. The Public Works Committee were to bring up a report a long time ago, but they had failed to do so. The Chairman said let the Legislative Committee bring up a report. The filtering of the water was one thing, and the extension of the pipes was another. The filtering of the water would entnil a very large expenditure. He would support the extension of the pipes. With regard to the filtering of the water, Mr. Hay had said that he could supply the town with clear water for £50 a year, so he (the Chairman) thought that would be the best plan to adopt. Cr. Coverlid was certain that clear water could be brought into the town at a very small cost. Cr. Harrop moved that the matter be referred to the Legislative Committee, to be reported upon at next meeting of the Council. The Chairman said there was a matter he thought should receive the attention of the Council. He referred to the formation of the road from the old to the new cemetary gates — it was so full of crab-holes that it was very unsuitable for a conveyance. Cr. Harrop moved that steps be taken to get the road formed by prison labour. If that could not be had, the Public Works Committee be instructed to have it made. Cr. Barnett seconded. Cr. Williams said that as the cemetery was in the hands of trustees, the road should be made by them. Had the Council the management of the cemetery in its hands, a considerable revenue would be derived to the Corporation from it. He observed that a handsome income was derived by the Port Chalmers Corporation from its cemetery. The Chairman said the expense would be so trifling that he thought the Council should entail it, especially as it was well known the Cemetery Trustees had no money to expend. On one side of road I he remarked there was rateable property,

and it came within the province of the Council to deal with the question in point. A motion was then passed to have the work done. Cr. Harrop asked the Council what steps they purposed taking in future regarding the gold medal prize awarded to the best scholar in the Grammar School. He was requested by the School Committee to make the enquiry. This matter was postponed for consideration at next Council meeting. Cr. Williams moved, " That the Public Works Committee be instructed to employ surface men on those new portions of road recently made. Cr. Coverlid seconded. — Carried. Cr. Coverlid asked if the Hate Collector had any report to make. The Rate Collector stated that he had instituted proceedings against several of the ratepayers, both for old and current rates, and had been successful in the recovery of the most of them without appearing in Court. One party, however, against whom he had obtained a verdict, persistently refused to pay his rates. lie had both written to and called upon the party without success. Tf the Council mufcthave the value demanded, they would have to sell his goods and chattels. The business being concluded, the Council then adjourned.